I spent yesterday afternoon playing with my 5 yr old granddaughter, Jena. We play her games with her rules. They often change as the game progresses. She hates to lose. She doesn't see the big picture. She only sees and feels what is happening to her right then so losing is a big deal. As her Memaw, I don't mind losing to her, but I also want her to learn to lose gracefully because, she is going to lose. That's part of life.
How often do we as God's children do the same thing? We want to play our life according to our rules but then we don't like it when we lose, which we inevitably will. Then we want God to bail us out. We don't want to suffer the consequences.
Or we try to follow the "rules" man has ordained as God's directions. But we cannot do this. We are born with a sinful nature and will slip from time to time no matter how good our intentions. Then we feel guilty and think God is angry with us. So maybe we quit trying.
How much easier and more productive it would be if we allow our Creator to direct our steps; if we allow Him to order our days according to His purpose and His will. We don't have to follow "rules". We need to develop a deeply intimate relationship with God. He is the One Who makes us more like Jesus. His Spirit convicts, corrects, guides, and molds us to be the person God created us to be.
In this game we call life, God has already won the victory. Jesus did that on the cross of Calvary. Sure, we'll suffer losses in this world. But if we keep our eyes on the prize, those losses will be "light and momentary" as Paul said. (2 Cor. 4:17). In the end, we who belong to Him win. I pray that Jena will realize that her greatest victory will be in knowing Jesus and in allowing God to guide her steps in this game we call Life.
Monday, January 31, 2011
Friday, January 28, 2011
Thoughts
I have not written on here for a long time. Actually, I haven't really written anything for a long time. I've been struggling with whether I'm supposed to write and, if so, what I'm to write. I've decided several times that the writings I did were for that season of my life. But somehow, the thought that I should write sticks to me. So I've decided to just write what comes to mind and see what happens.
On Dec. 7 I had my right hip replaced. I was walking with a cane and in great pain. Some days I was tempted to ask for a wheel chair. The x-rays showed my hip joint was bone on bone. No wonder I hurt. Then the surgery! They got me up that day and the pain in my hip was gone. I couldn't believe it. The only pain I've experienced from the surgery was my incision and it has quickly healed. I can walk without pain. I can sleep at night without pain. What a blessing this is. I am so grateful for God's provision of good doctors and of healing in answer to my prayers. God is so good. All the time!
My goal for 2011 is to deepen my relationship with God. I know that I too often take Him for granted. And I make Him too small. He is God! Almighty, powerful, loving, all-knowing, merciful, forgiving, holy, awesome God! He is my Best Friend, Husband, Master, Teacher, Guide, Comforter, and Constant Companion. I want to know Him more and become the person He created me to be. That is my prayer.
On Dec. 7 I had my right hip replaced. I was walking with a cane and in great pain. Some days I was tempted to ask for a wheel chair. The x-rays showed my hip joint was bone on bone. No wonder I hurt. Then the surgery! They got me up that day and the pain in my hip was gone. I couldn't believe it. The only pain I've experienced from the surgery was my incision and it has quickly healed. I can walk without pain. I can sleep at night without pain. What a blessing this is. I am so grateful for God's provision of good doctors and of healing in answer to my prayers. God is so good. All the time!
My goal for 2011 is to deepen my relationship with God. I know that I too often take Him for granted. And I make Him too small. He is God! Almighty, powerful, loving, all-knowing, merciful, forgiving, holy, awesome God! He is my Best Friend, Husband, Master, Teacher, Guide, Comforter, and Constant Companion. I want to know Him more and become the person He created me to be. That is my prayer.
"Father, You alone are God. Teach me to live in the moment You have given to me. Sweeten my spirit and open my eyes to opportunities to serve You by serving others. I am so thankful for Your abiding presence in my life. I love You! In the precious Name of Jesus, Amen."
Friday, June 19, 2009
"Purpose"
For the past few years, I have searched high and low for my "purpose". I have prayed, sought, and begged for God to reveal His purpose for my life. I have gone places, read books, and sought people's advice. And I have grown and learned from all of this. However, I still didn't know what my "purpose" was. I thought I had found it a couple of years ago and it was a good purpose. However, it was not my purpose and that door soon slammed shut. That was it! I gave up. I decided to live each day, each hour, each minute. And a strange thing begin to happen. God began to reveal things to me I didn't know I was looking for.
First He revealed the words, "Live, Laugh, and Love" to me. That has become my motto. I try to live each day to the fullest. I make sure I laugh often. God has surrounded me with friends who share my love for laughter. I also seek to share God's love with family, friends, and strangers.
Then He revealed to me that my job enables me to be an encourager to others. I may be the only Jesus they see or talk to that day.
He also has allowed me to enjoy my personal ministry of sending cards to those whom He places on my heart. This is as much if not more of a blessing to me than it is to those who receive my cards.
A few years ago, I memorized Psalm 37: 3-4. "Trust in the LORD and do what is good; dwell in the land and live securely. Take delight in the LORD, and He will give you your heart's desires." I memorized it but I don't think I really grasped it's meaning. Then this morning it was one of my quiet time verses and amazingly, God revealed a wonderful truth to me. I may not always know my heart's desires, but He does. He placed them there and He will give them to me in His time and in His way. That's such a comforting thought. I don't have to struggle. My responsibility is to stay in His word and in His presence. As His child, His Spirit dwells within me. I can quench the Spirit or I can allow Him to be a living fountain of life-giving water that spills out of me into my part of God's creation.
That, after all my seeking, is God's purpose for me. To trust in the LORD and do what is good; to dwell in the land and live securely. And to take delight in Him.
God may have a special purpose for me as He did for Deborah, Esther, and Ruth. Maybe not as grand or glorious, but a purpose. However, I now realize that living each day, each hour, each minute in His presence as He leads is purpose enough. And if He does have a special purpose for me it is through these days, hours, and minutes that it will be revealed. This is such a freeing and life-changing revelation for me. What a wonderful God we serve!
First He revealed the words, "Live, Laugh, and Love" to me. That has become my motto. I try to live each day to the fullest. I make sure I laugh often. God has surrounded me with friends who share my love for laughter. I also seek to share God's love with family, friends, and strangers.
Then He revealed to me that my job enables me to be an encourager to others. I may be the only Jesus they see or talk to that day.
He also has allowed me to enjoy my personal ministry of sending cards to those whom He places on my heart. This is as much if not more of a blessing to me than it is to those who receive my cards.
A few years ago, I memorized Psalm 37: 3-4. "Trust in the LORD and do what is good; dwell in the land and live securely. Take delight in the LORD, and He will give you your heart's desires." I memorized it but I don't think I really grasped it's meaning. Then this morning it was one of my quiet time verses and amazingly, God revealed a wonderful truth to me. I may not always know my heart's desires, but He does. He placed them there and He will give them to me in His time and in His way. That's such a comforting thought. I don't have to struggle. My responsibility is to stay in His word and in His presence. As His child, His Spirit dwells within me. I can quench the Spirit or I can allow Him to be a living fountain of life-giving water that spills out of me into my part of God's creation.
That, after all my seeking, is God's purpose for me. To trust in the LORD and do what is good; to dwell in the land and live securely. And to take delight in Him.
God may have a special purpose for me as He did for Deborah, Esther, and Ruth. Maybe not as grand or glorious, but a purpose. However, I now realize that living each day, each hour, each minute in His presence as He leads is purpose enough. And if He does have a special purpose for me it is through these days, hours, and minutes that it will be revealed. This is such a freeing and life-changing revelation for me. What a wonderful God we serve!
Monday, June 8, 2009
Prayer: A Last Resort?
I've been thinking about prayer lately. God's Word says, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." Philippians 4:6 (NIV). In my quiet time Saturday morning, I heard, "Turn to Me first in all things." Earlier that week I had read a prayer request to "please pray for this one item because I can handle everything else". I also hear people say, "All we can do is pray." I don't believe that is how we are to look at prayer. Prayer should be the first resort, not the last. It is the first, second, last, and best thing we can do. And we are to pray about everything. And then we are to trust that God will answer that prayer when and how He sees best. And since He sees and knows everything, His best is certainly what is best for me. So today, present your requests to God. Trust Him to do what is best and right for you. So simple. So profound.
Friday, June 5, 2009
Make it Real!
Lately I've been asking God to "make it real". My faith has not wavered, I just grow weary of the world. The fussing and fighting about things that are so temporary. And the loss of respect for life of all kinds in this world. I need to know that God is in control. That He is real. Today I in my quiet time I pleaded, "Let me hear Your voice!" This is what He whispered in my spirit. "I am in you. Think about that. I am God and I choose to dwell in you. Does that not amaze you? You are my child. Think about how much you love your children. I love you so much more than that. You can let go of them but not your love for them. I NEVER let go of you. I hold you in the palm of My hand. Does it get any more real than that?"
My response was, "Wow!" I decided today to live the life He has given to me. I will not worry or fret about my "purpose" or why I am here. I am here to live, laugh, and love. I am here so that God can dwell in me and through me make a difference in my part of this world. That's all I have to do. I have been making it so difficult when it's really so easy. Live. Laugh. Love. That is what is real.
My response was, "Wow!" I decided today to live the life He has given to me. I will not worry or fret about my "purpose" or why I am here. I am here to live, laugh, and love. I am here so that God can dwell in me and through me make a difference in my part of this world. That's all I have to do. I have been making it so difficult when it's really so easy. Live. Laugh. Love. That is what is real.
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Where Are Your Priorities?
Priorities. The word prior is defined as “taking precedence (as in importance)”¹. The recent death of a friend of my son and daughter-in-law is one of the things God is using to lead me to rethink my priorities.
My daughter-in-law posted her thoughts on Facebook and I was convicted by what she had to say. Carie wrote, “While we were dealing with the aftermath of the tragedy, the NFL draft was going on. The number of comments that were going on where Hal was and where I was was enough for a person to go mad. But it got us both thinking, what are the priorities of so many people? The number of people who would put a sports game…over a friend who is hurting is startling. The number of people who feel inconvenienced when someone comes to them for help is upsetting. People do not make time for people anymore. People make time for stuff and activities. People, take the time if someone comes to you. Don’t flippantly say to someone ‘how are you?’ and not really want a true response. Take the time. Be observant!”
I am to be like Jesus. I cannot do this on my own strength but God Word tells me I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. When Jesus walked this earth, He cared about people, not things, events, or anything else. He still does. So logic dictates that I should care about people, not things or events or anything else. One of the best ways to show someone you care is to really listen to them. We all want to be heard. We all want to matter. When I don’t listen to someone, I am telling him or her “you are not important to me.” That is not the message I want to convey to others. I want people to know that I care about what is happening in their lives. It’s really not so hard. Just learn to listen, to really hear the heart of a person. You just may change someone’s life.
¹(2009). In Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary.
Retrieved April 28, 2009, from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prior
Priorities. The word prior is defined as “taking precedence (as in importance)”¹. The recent death of a friend of my son and daughter-in-law is one of the things God is using to lead me to rethink my priorities.
My daughter-in-law posted her thoughts on Facebook and I was convicted by what she had to say. Carie wrote, “While we were dealing with the aftermath of the tragedy, the NFL draft was going on. The number of comments that were going on where Hal was and where I was was enough for a person to go mad. But it got us both thinking, what are the priorities of so many people? The number of people who would put a sports game…over a friend who is hurting is startling. The number of people who feel inconvenienced when someone comes to them for help is upsetting. People do not make time for people anymore. People make time for stuff and activities. People, take the time if someone comes to you. Don’t flippantly say to someone ‘how are you?’ and not really want a true response. Take the time. Be observant!”
I am to be like Jesus. I cannot do this on my own strength but God Word tells me I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. When Jesus walked this earth, He cared about people, not things, events, or anything else. He still does. So logic dictates that I should care about people, not things or events or anything else. One of the best ways to show someone you care is to really listen to them. We all want to be heard. We all want to matter. When I don’t listen to someone, I am telling him or her “you are not important to me.” That is not the message I want to convey to others. I want people to know that I care about what is happening in their lives. It’s really not so hard. Just learn to listen, to really hear the heart of a person. You just may change someone’s life.
¹(2009). In Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary.
Retrieved April 28, 2009, from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prior
Thursday, April 23, 2009
God's Promises
“At that time, when you call, the LORD will answer; when you cry out,
He will say: Here I am.”
Isaiah 58:9a (HCSB)
“God, I have claimed your promise to always be with me but I feel so alone. I don’t understand.” These words of frustration and bewilderment poured
Isaiah 58:9a (HCSB)
“God, I have claimed your promise to always be with me but I feel so alone. I don’t understand.” These words of frustration and bewilderment poured
out of me as I cried tears of loneliness.
Loneliness.
Loneliness.
I live alone. I eat alone. I go places alone. I have too much aloneness.
I know that in His Word God promises many times to be with me. I have memorized many of those verses and repeated them to Him on numerous occasions.
Yet, I am lonely. I could not understand why God was not honoring His promises to me. The anger and frustration finally erupted in a volcano of emotion one evening and I cried out in my distress. He answered me the next morning during my quiet time as I read Isaiah 58: 6-14. The small work “if” jumped out at me. God gave an if with His promise. This was an eye-opener for me. I wanted to know more.
I began by looking up verse 11 in several different translations. I wrote the one that ministered to me the most on an index card. “I will always show you where to go. I’ll give you a full life in the emptiest of places—firm muscles, strong bones. You’ll be like a well-watered garden, a gurgling spring that never runs dry.” (MSG).
I read the chapter in which the verse is located searching for words that indicate conditions: if, then, and when. I listed each condition on the index card with the promise. I made copies of the card and placed them on my refrigerator, my computer at home and at work, and in my car. I spent time memorizing the verse each day.
One of the conditions for Isaiah 58:11 is to “spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed…” (v.10). I decided to work on this by praying for and investigating opportunities to minister to hurting people. I hope this small step will lead to life changing events.
My desperate cry for understanding was answered in a way that changed my life. He revealed His desire for me to be a participant, not a spectator in His plan for my life. Jesus was a doer while on the earth and He taught His disciples to be the same. The conditions God places on His promises teach His children to grow to be more like Jesus. Take a small step. Choose one condition for one promise and ask God to light the way.
I began by looking up verse 11 in several different translations. I wrote the one that ministered to me the most on an index card. “I will always show you where to go. I’ll give you a full life in the emptiest of places—firm muscles, strong bones. You’ll be like a well-watered garden, a gurgling spring that never runs dry.” (MSG).
I read the chapter in which the verse is located searching for words that indicate conditions: if, then, and when. I listed each condition on the index card with the promise. I made copies of the card and placed them on my refrigerator, my computer at home and at work, and in my car. I spent time memorizing the verse each day.
One of the conditions for Isaiah 58:11 is to “spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed…” (v.10). I decided to work on this by praying for and investigating opportunities to minister to hurting people. I hope this small step will lead to life changing events.
My desperate cry for understanding was answered in a way that changed my life. He revealed His desire for me to be a participant, not a spectator in His plan for my life. Jesus was a doer while on the earth and He taught His disciples to be the same. The conditions God places on His promises teach His children to grow to be more like Jesus. Take a small step. Choose one condition for one promise and ask God to light the way.
He is faithful.
He will answer.
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