I have an amazing opportunity this summer to serve with Africa Inland Missions (AIM). AIM has been providing ministry opportunities in Africa for over 100 years. Their commitment is to being & making disciples of Jesus Christ. They accomplish this goal through partnering with local African ministries & acting as a sending unit. I will be working with a ministry called The Dwelling Places. I will be serving for 8 weeks in Ug...anda along with some training at AIM headquarters in NY & a debriefing period when I return to the states.
The Dwelling Places is a Christian organization that was started in 2002 by a lady who had a heart for the street kids of Kampala. They are dedicated to removing children from the street, rebuilding broken families, & restoring broken individuals with the love of Jesus Christ. This is the website if you would like to have a look http://www.dwellingplaces.org/.
I will be traveling June 4 - August 5. I am asking you to keep me in your thoughts & prayers. My faith family at Christ City Church is sending me out & we would like for you to join me on my journey of service & growth. I have a blog that I will be updating while I am gone so everyone can see what the Lord is doing in Kampala, www.auntangels.blogspot.com.
I am also asking for assistance with the financial requirements of this mission opportunity. The cost to AIM for international airfare, food, lodging, & travel in country is estimated at $4,500. I will also be required to continue meeting my financial obligations stateside while I am away. I am estimating that to be around $2,500. All said I am looking to raise $7,000. If you are interested in supporting me you can send a check made out to AIM to my address: 2719 Goldmor Circle, Birmingham, AL 35244. I tax deductible receipt will be sent back to you from the AIM office.
Thank you for your time, consideration, & prayer during this amazing time in my life. I look forward to serving the people of Uganda.
Monday, May 9, 2011
Saturday, November 27, 2010
This kind of love...
John 17 is a passage of scripture I have read many times, but today was like the first. I have heard many people ask why Jesus prayed for himself. I guess people think if He's God why would He need to pray. He was showing us how to live a faithful life. He was teaching us that even in His sinless humanity he was faithful to the requirements set by the Father, which includes prayer.
In this chapter Christ prays for himself to be glorified so that the Father is ultimately lifted high. He also prays for his disciples. This is the portion of the chapter that struck me the hardest. Jesus prayed for the men God had entrusted to him. He asked for God to protect them with His power. While Jesus was on earth with them he protected them with the same power. He even prayed for Judas, "None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled." How much love does that show? I am humbled by the example of love here in this verse. How can you love someone enough to pray for their protection when you know they will be the one to destroy you? Only through the power of the heavenly Father and the love that he bestows on us as his children. There is not one of us that has the capacity to love anyone (or ourselves for that matter) outside of the grace we receive in Christ. Think about the last supper as well. Jesus is sitting there with his boyz, chillin', munchin, and none of the others knew Judas was the traitor. I know that if the roles were reversed the other dinner guests would feel some tension at the table. Obviously, Christ's love is deeper, stronger, and more encompassing than anything we can fathom and this is a great example. It amazes me that Jesus can sit there and show so much grace to an individual that he knows is going to hand him over for 30 pieces of silver. I understand that someone had to be the vessel of destruction but I also know I could not have been so gracious. It blows my mind that our Father can equip us with the tools to accomplish so much. His will is going to prevail and he will give us the means in which it will be accomplished. Miracles happen around us everyday. People are healed, rescued from disaster, and then things that most people overlook. I have been in love with my Savior for some time and only today was this miracle shown to me. How great is our God?
At the end of the chapter Christ prays for all believers. He prayed for us then as he does now. We know that He intercedes for us today just as he did in that moment. Romans 8:34 says, "Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died--more than that, who was raised to life--is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us." How awesome is it that Jesus prayed for each of us 2000 years ago? He knew us then just as he knows us now.
How much more should we pray for love like Christ's? There are people in my life right now that I don't want to love. People who are hurting my loved ones on a daily basis, mostly without their knowledge. I pray that Christ will fill me with his unconditional love toward those individuals so that I can be Christ to them. Are we not to be a reflection of Him in the life we live? What if that is the only glimpse of Christ they see?
Please, Lord, fill me with your love for others. I know I do not have the capacity for that love outside of you power. Live and love through me today, tomorrow, and always.
In this chapter Christ prays for himself to be glorified so that the Father is ultimately lifted high. He also prays for his disciples. This is the portion of the chapter that struck me the hardest. Jesus prayed for the men God had entrusted to him. He asked for God to protect them with His power. While Jesus was on earth with them he protected them with the same power. He even prayed for Judas, "None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled." How much love does that show? I am humbled by the example of love here in this verse. How can you love someone enough to pray for their protection when you know they will be the one to destroy you? Only through the power of the heavenly Father and the love that he bestows on us as his children. There is not one of us that has the capacity to love anyone (or ourselves for that matter) outside of the grace we receive in Christ. Think about the last supper as well. Jesus is sitting there with his boyz, chillin', munchin, and none of the others knew Judas was the traitor. I know that if the roles were reversed the other dinner guests would feel some tension at the table. Obviously, Christ's love is deeper, stronger, and more encompassing than anything we can fathom and this is a great example. It amazes me that Jesus can sit there and show so much grace to an individual that he knows is going to hand him over for 30 pieces of silver. I understand that someone had to be the vessel of destruction but I also know I could not have been so gracious. It blows my mind that our Father can equip us with the tools to accomplish so much. His will is going to prevail and he will give us the means in which it will be accomplished. Miracles happen around us everyday. People are healed, rescued from disaster, and then things that most people overlook. I have been in love with my Savior for some time and only today was this miracle shown to me. How great is our God?
At the end of the chapter Christ prays for all believers. He prayed for us then as he does now. We know that He intercedes for us today just as he did in that moment. Romans 8:34 says, "Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died--more than that, who was raised to life--is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us." How awesome is it that Jesus prayed for each of us 2000 years ago? He knew us then just as he knows us now.
How much more should we pray for love like Christ's? There are people in my life right now that I don't want to love. People who are hurting my loved ones on a daily basis, mostly without their knowledge. I pray that Christ will fill me with his unconditional love toward those individuals so that I can be Christ to them. Are we not to be a reflection of Him in the life we live? What if that is the only glimpse of Christ they see?
Please, Lord, fill me with your love for others. I know I do not have the capacity for that love outside of you power. Live and love through me today, tomorrow, and always.
Monday, August 2, 2010
But You're a Christian...
How many times have we heard, "but Christians are supposed to ________."? We can fill in the blank with anything. What people don't realize is that God wants us to love & care for one another but we are not called to be doormats. I have had to come to that realization myself on a few different levels. Before Christ I had no problem setting what I thought were healthy boundaries. I drew my lines far enough away so that I didn't get hurt. My thought pattern was if I don't get hurt then they have to be OK. Well after Christ my form of reference changed. If God is love then I have to be love. If God gave I have to be a giver. So how do I make healthy Christian boundaries? Well obviously the first step is to pray about it but the next is to go to the word.
2 Thessalonians 3:10 says, "For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: 'If a man will not work, he shall not eat.'" I work for a non-profit that funds agencies that provide human services. I am a call specialist so in the course of a day I listen to about 100 calls from people who are needing help with living expenses. I have to say that being in this position has definitely improved my prayer life. I pray all day, every day! Some of my prayers are for the callers, some of my prayers are for the agencies, and some of my prayers are for me. I don't want to get callus or judgemental in this position. I know that I can't see others' hearts. That is for God to sort out but I pray for my attitude daily.
I believe that sometimes bad things happen to good people & that we have to play the cards we are dealt. I also believe that a lot of what happens to us is by our own hands. Two words that are very important here are entitlement & accountability. Many of the people I talk to in a day feel that they are entitled to certain things not because of hard work or merit but because of what life has handed them. I know plenty of people that have been on the receiving end of bad stuff. At some point you have to say, "OK this stinks but here we go." Then you pick yourself up & dust yourself off. You quit blaming others for your lot in life & move toward a more positive situation. This is where accountability comes into play. We may not be responsible for all the things that come our way but we are definitely in charge of our response to those things.
So I guess the question here is how do we reconcile loving others & requiring responsible behavior. It is true that love can have many dimensions. Love can be compassionate, trusting, reverent, & many other things. We will get back to that in a minute. Scripture tells us that responsible behavior is expected from us by God. On that same note it also shows us that we, as fellow believers, are to expect this from one another. In Leviticus, yeah I said Leviticus, 19:15 is says, "'Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but judge your neighbor fairly.'" I know, I know you're thinking, "we aren't supposed to judge that's God job." I feel in this instance the meaning of the word judge is assess, not the general definition of deciding right or wrong. God will be the final & perfect judge but he does ask us to hold each other accountable. In Galatians 6 Paul wrote, "Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ." A lie that Satan tells us is that when we hold each other to the standards set in the Word we are being judgemental. That is not the case at all. We are merely reminding our brothers & sisters of what God has already said to us. In that accountability we should also be encouraging. Hebrews 10:24 states, "And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds." We need to build each other up & in doing that all parties will experience growth.
Now back to the love stuff. God's love is unconditional, yes. There is also a thing called tough love. Tough love is defined as an expression used when someone treats another person harshly or sternly with the intent to help them in the long run. In a sense God sets boundaries with us. Again, we can look to Hebrews 12:5-11 for the answer,
"And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons:
'My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline,
and do not lose heart when he rebukes you,
because the Lord disciplines those he loves,
and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son.'
Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons.
For what son is not disciplined by his father? If you are not disciplined (and everyone
undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. Moreover, we
have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more
should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live! Our fathers disciplined us for a
little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share
in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however,
it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it."
For God to treat us like his children is the most loving thing he can do for us. Considering He already gave himself completely to us on the cross. So if we are to love like Christ loves us then we too should set boundaries with one another. We should show our love by not letting people walk all over us. We should require responsible behavior from others. So when someone makes a remark about how a Christian should or should not act in a situation just remember we have the instruction book. If we are in the Word & in communion with Him then people questioning our responses or boundaries will be futile.
2 Thessalonians 3:10 says, "For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: 'If a man will not work, he shall not eat.'" I work for a non-profit that funds agencies that provide human services. I am a call specialist so in the course of a day I listen to about 100 calls from people who are needing help with living expenses. I have to say that being in this position has definitely improved my prayer life. I pray all day, every day! Some of my prayers are for the callers, some of my prayers are for the agencies, and some of my prayers are for me. I don't want to get callus or judgemental in this position. I know that I can't see others' hearts. That is for God to sort out but I pray for my attitude daily.
I believe that sometimes bad things happen to good people & that we have to play the cards we are dealt. I also believe that a lot of what happens to us is by our own hands. Two words that are very important here are entitlement & accountability. Many of the people I talk to in a day feel that they are entitled to certain things not because of hard work or merit but because of what life has handed them. I know plenty of people that have been on the receiving end of bad stuff. At some point you have to say, "OK this stinks but here we go." Then you pick yourself up & dust yourself off. You quit blaming others for your lot in life & move toward a more positive situation. This is where accountability comes into play. We may not be responsible for all the things that come our way but we are definitely in charge of our response to those things.
So I guess the question here is how do we reconcile loving others & requiring responsible behavior. It is true that love can have many dimensions. Love can be compassionate, trusting, reverent, & many other things. We will get back to that in a minute. Scripture tells us that responsible behavior is expected from us by God. On that same note it also shows us that we, as fellow believers, are to expect this from one another. In Leviticus, yeah I said Leviticus, 19:15 is says, "'Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but judge your neighbor fairly.'" I know, I know you're thinking, "we aren't supposed to judge that's God job." I feel in this instance the meaning of the word judge is assess, not the general definition of deciding right or wrong. God will be the final & perfect judge but he does ask us to hold each other accountable. In Galatians 6 Paul wrote, "Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ." A lie that Satan tells us is that when we hold each other to the standards set in the Word we are being judgemental. That is not the case at all. We are merely reminding our brothers & sisters of what God has already said to us. In that accountability we should also be encouraging. Hebrews 10:24 states, "And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds." We need to build each other up & in doing that all parties will experience growth.
Now back to the love stuff. God's love is unconditional, yes. There is also a thing called tough love. Tough love is defined as an expression used when someone treats another person harshly or sternly with the intent to help them in the long run. In a sense God sets boundaries with us. Again, we can look to Hebrews 12:5-11 for the answer,
"And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons:
'My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline,
and do not lose heart when he rebukes you,
because the Lord disciplines those he loves,
and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son.'
Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons.
For what son is not disciplined by his father? If you are not disciplined (and everyone
undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. Moreover, we
have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more
should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live! Our fathers disciplined us for a
little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share
in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however,
it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it."
For God to treat us like his children is the most loving thing he can do for us. Considering He already gave himself completely to us on the cross. So if we are to love like Christ loves us then we too should set boundaries with one another. We should show our love by not letting people walk all over us. We should require responsible behavior from others. So when someone makes a remark about how a Christian should or should not act in a situation just remember we have the instruction book. If we are in the Word & in communion with Him then people questioning our responses or boundaries will be futile.
Ties That Bind
Breaking the Twine--an excerpt from Do Hard Things by Alex & Brett Harris
"Remember our elephant in India, shackled by nothing but a piece of twine & a wooden post in the ground? What's going on there? Why doesn't he just break free? The strength is there. Why doesn't he use it?
Here's how it works. When the elephant is still young, his owner takes him from his mother & shackles him to a large tree--with a heavy chain around his right hind leg. For days & weeks, the young elephant will strain & pull, trying to break free, but all he succeeds in doing is causing the shackle to cut deep into his leg. Eventually he gives up & accepts the idea that he can't go anywhere when there is something around his right leg.
Soon the owner can replace the tree with a post & the chain with a piece of twine. Once the elephant feels resistance, he stops. There's nothing but a piece of twine around his ankle, but there are heavy shackles around his mind."
How many times are we the elephant & allow sin to be the twine? We believe the lies the enemy tells us that keep us from walking closer with Christ. Often they are tiny little secrets we think about ourselves; I'm not good enough, I'm dumb, I'm ugly, I'm not funny, people really don't like me that much they just fake it, etc. Maybe someone has said something to us in passing. Something that wasn't necessarily meant to be hurtful we allow to take root. What does the devil do with that? He takes full advantage of the situation. He will build on that tiny comment & keep us second guessing ourselves & doubting our relationship with Christ in the process. I know for me it happens before I even know it. In 2 Timothy 2:25-26 Paul states, "Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will." Satan can turn a piece of twine into a heavy shackle in our minds.
One of the biggest lies we believe is that I have strayed too far. I have separated myself too much from Christ to be able to just go back "home". What we have to realize is that in the instant that Christ became sin he paid our debt!!! That is past, present, & future debt. In a moment He became every ounce of sin that ever was or would be & He paid the price in full. We don't nor will we ever have that capability. He did what we could never even fathom. In Psalm 49:7-8 we read, "No man can redeem the life of another or give to God a ransom for him--the ransom for a life is costly, no payment is ever enough-".
So let me encourage my brothers & sisters, don't buy the lie!!! Christ has paid the ransom for us & no power of hell, no scheme of man can ever pluck us from His hand. We are one with Christ & Satan has no power in our family.
"Remember our elephant in India, shackled by nothing but a piece of twine & a wooden post in the ground? What's going on there? Why doesn't he just break free? The strength is there. Why doesn't he use it?
Here's how it works. When the elephant is still young, his owner takes him from his mother & shackles him to a large tree--with a heavy chain around his right hind leg. For days & weeks, the young elephant will strain & pull, trying to break free, but all he succeeds in doing is causing the shackle to cut deep into his leg. Eventually he gives up & accepts the idea that he can't go anywhere when there is something around his right leg.
Soon the owner can replace the tree with a post & the chain with a piece of twine. Once the elephant feels resistance, he stops. There's nothing but a piece of twine around his ankle, but there are heavy shackles around his mind."
How many times are we the elephant & allow sin to be the twine? We believe the lies the enemy tells us that keep us from walking closer with Christ. Often they are tiny little secrets we think about ourselves; I'm not good enough, I'm dumb, I'm ugly, I'm not funny, people really don't like me that much they just fake it, etc. Maybe someone has said something to us in passing. Something that wasn't necessarily meant to be hurtful we allow to take root. What does the devil do with that? He takes full advantage of the situation. He will build on that tiny comment & keep us second guessing ourselves & doubting our relationship with Christ in the process. I know for me it happens before I even know it. In 2 Timothy 2:25-26 Paul states, "Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will." Satan can turn a piece of twine into a heavy shackle in our minds.
One of the biggest lies we believe is that I have strayed too far. I have separated myself too much from Christ to be able to just go back "home". What we have to realize is that in the instant that Christ became sin he paid our debt!!! That is past, present, & future debt. In a moment He became every ounce of sin that ever was or would be & He paid the price in full. We don't nor will we ever have that capability. He did what we could never even fathom. In Psalm 49:7-8 we read, "No man can redeem the life of another or give to God a ransom for him--the ransom for a life is costly, no payment is ever enough-".
So let me encourage my brothers & sisters, don't buy the lie!!! Christ has paid the ransom for us & no power of hell, no scheme of man can ever pluck us from His hand. We are one with Christ & Satan has no power in our family.
Friday, June 18, 2010
Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it. Proverbs 22:6
So what is the true purpose of parenting? Here's a definition I found. Parenting is the process of promoting & supporting the physical, emotional, social, & intellectual development of a child from infancy to adulthood. Parental figures provide for a child's physical needs, protect them from harm, & impart in them skills & cultural values until they reach adulthood.
OK, the physical needs & protect from harm are like common sense stuff. Unfortunately imparting skills & cultural values doesn't come so natural. Shouldn't parents be more concerned about whether or not their children will be able to function as adults than their unconditional happiness?
Where is all of this coming from you ask. I was watching a blurb on the news the other day about 4 college seniors. They graduated last year and the news program was catching up with them to see how their lives had changed. It didn't give a lot of detail about their social status or anything. From what I could tell they were just average kids from different places in the country. They went to just regular colleges, not ivy league or anything. This is how their lives were going. One student had no idea what to do with himself when he graduated. He had never had a job or balanced a check book. So there he was with a college degree under his belt & couldn't find a job because he had no experience. He looked & looked to no avail. Eventually he got some entry level mail room job. He didn't really like that so he decided to go back to grad school & live off his parents for a few more years. Now what will happen to him when he has his masters? He will be a few years older still with no experience. Hi, this him in the same boat!!! Another student wasn't able to find work & ended up tending bar. Another one found work but ran up credit cards so high & didn't know how to manage his money so he is always broke. I don't remember the other one (sorry). Now I'm not assuming that the parents did a poor job of imparting skills for adulthood. The kids basically said that they were not prepared. They were never given a realistic view of adult life. They thought that the easy-go-lucky lifestyle they had experienced thus far would just carry over. I guess they believe in MAGIC!
What does God have to say about this? Well He says, "Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it." I am a firm believer that this is true. It was for me in my life. It has been for other people that I know. Yes, there was a time when I was very far from God. There was a time I behaved very far from the standards set forth by my family. But I came home. Those thoughts, ideas, feelings, & standards were always there in the back of my mind. Now I did my very best to squash them down & ignore them. A strong foundation will remain. One of my favorite dialogues from a movie is a father & son. The son is asking how he will find his way home & the dad answers, "follow your feet." We know the way home. As parents it is crucial that the foundation is strong & the path is made clear. The children will follow their feet. Parents have to make sure their feet are coming from a good place.
When children aren't taught how to be adults all along society shouldn't be shocked when they don't know how to be one. That being said I also truly believe that there comes a time when a person should be held accountable. Each individual reaches a point where they realize there is something different about them or their circumstances. Our job as individuals then is to decide to continue the pattern or learn new skills. Do we move toward a more productive existence or wallow in our inadequacies?
OK, the physical needs & protect from harm are like common sense stuff. Unfortunately imparting skills & cultural values doesn't come so natural. Shouldn't parents be more concerned about whether or not their children will be able to function as adults than their unconditional happiness?
Where is all of this coming from you ask. I was watching a blurb on the news the other day about 4 college seniors. They graduated last year and the news program was catching up with them to see how their lives had changed. It didn't give a lot of detail about their social status or anything. From what I could tell they were just average kids from different places in the country. They went to just regular colleges, not ivy league or anything. This is how their lives were going. One student had no idea what to do with himself when he graduated. He had never had a job or balanced a check book. So there he was with a college degree under his belt & couldn't find a job because he had no experience. He looked & looked to no avail. Eventually he got some entry level mail room job. He didn't really like that so he decided to go back to grad school & live off his parents for a few more years. Now what will happen to him when he has his masters? He will be a few years older still with no experience. Hi, this him in the same boat!!! Another student wasn't able to find work & ended up tending bar. Another one found work but ran up credit cards so high & didn't know how to manage his money so he is always broke. I don't remember the other one (sorry). Now I'm not assuming that the parents did a poor job of imparting skills for adulthood. The kids basically said that they were not prepared. They were never given a realistic view of adult life. They thought that the easy-go-lucky lifestyle they had experienced thus far would just carry over. I guess they believe in MAGIC!
What does God have to say about this? Well He says, "Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it." I am a firm believer that this is true. It was for me in my life. It has been for other people that I know. Yes, there was a time when I was very far from God. There was a time I behaved very far from the standards set forth by my family. But I came home. Those thoughts, ideas, feelings, & standards were always there in the back of my mind. Now I did my very best to squash them down & ignore them. A strong foundation will remain. One of my favorite dialogues from a movie is a father & son. The son is asking how he will find his way home & the dad answers, "follow your feet." We know the way home. As parents it is crucial that the foundation is strong & the path is made clear. The children will follow their feet. Parents have to make sure their feet are coming from a good place.
When children aren't taught how to be adults all along society shouldn't be shocked when they don't know how to be one. That being said I also truly believe that there comes a time when a person should be held accountable. Each individual reaches a point where they realize there is something different about them or their circumstances. Our job as individuals then is to decide to continue the pattern or learn new skills. Do we move toward a more productive existence or wallow in our inadequacies?
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
How Deep the Father's Love...
"An infinite God can give all of Himself to each of His children. He does not distribute Himself that each may have a part, but to each one He gives all of Himself as fully as if there were no others." - Tozer
Yes, I love how Tozer presents ideas that we already know but can't really verbalize. At least, I can't. How big is our God? So big that each and every one of us can experience Him fully without sharing. We as humans have to decide who we spend time with and when, how much time we want to invest in certain relationships, and how much time we want for ourselves. Our Father is not like that at all. How different would each of our lives be if we had our parents undevoted attention? If they didn't have to spread themselves between work, spouse, other children, and friends. I don't mean that to sound like God is at our beck & call. Just the opposite, He is everpresent but we don't call the shots. He is there because He wants to be, because He loves us so much. There is a quote from The Shack, "He would have done it even if it was just for me, but it wasn't." It's saying that what Jesus did here on earth and on the cross was for me and you and everyone. He would have done it even if it was only for me or you or Joe or whoever. He loves us so completely that He would have endured all of that for just one person. One person to be with Him in His Kingdom for eternity.
We spend our whole lives yearning for love an acceptance from a fallen and corrupt world. The perfect love we seek is available all along. We are too stubborn to accept it. We can do it by ourselves. Just like a baby that's learning how to dress themselves, "I can do it by myself" in a very exasperated tone. Eventually they realize the sleeve to the shirt is on the inside instead of the outside and they are tangled beyond belief. "Help!!!" finally escapes their lips. We as the adult are standing by waiting for that moment. We knew from the beginning of the dressing process that something like this would happen. We stood by silently waiting. When we help them do we say I told you so? Or do we, with love in our hearts, try to point out the fact that even when you know how sometimes you need help?
The love of our Father is complete for each of us. He loves each of His children to the utmost. We don't have to share His love because He is so big and so perfect. I am the apple of His eye. You are the apple of His eye. Neither one of us must experience a deminished amount of love when a new child is adopted into our family. That new brother or sister will be the apple of His eye.
This is not a concept that our human minds can wrap around. We aren't meant to understand all of these things. We are just meant to believe that they are so and trust our Father when He says it is. I am encouraged that the God of the universe, the Giver of Life, my Savior loves me more than anything else on earth!!! I am the best to Him.
That just blows my mind!!!!
Yes, I love how Tozer presents ideas that we already know but can't really verbalize. At least, I can't. How big is our God? So big that each and every one of us can experience Him fully without sharing. We as humans have to decide who we spend time with and when, how much time we want to invest in certain relationships, and how much time we want for ourselves. Our Father is not like that at all. How different would each of our lives be if we had our parents undevoted attention? If they didn't have to spread themselves between work, spouse, other children, and friends. I don't mean that to sound like God is at our beck & call. Just the opposite, He is everpresent but we don't call the shots. He is there because He wants to be, because He loves us so much. There is a quote from The Shack, "He would have done it even if it was just for me, but it wasn't." It's saying that what Jesus did here on earth and on the cross was for me and you and everyone. He would have done it even if it was only for me or you or Joe or whoever. He loves us so completely that He would have endured all of that for just one person. One person to be with Him in His Kingdom for eternity.
We spend our whole lives yearning for love an acceptance from a fallen and corrupt world. The perfect love we seek is available all along. We are too stubborn to accept it. We can do it by ourselves. Just like a baby that's learning how to dress themselves, "I can do it by myself" in a very exasperated tone. Eventually they realize the sleeve to the shirt is on the inside instead of the outside and they are tangled beyond belief. "Help!!!" finally escapes their lips. We as the adult are standing by waiting for that moment. We knew from the beginning of the dressing process that something like this would happen. We stood by silently waiting. When we help them do we say I told you so? Or do we, with love in our hearts, try to point out the fact that even when you know how sometimes you need help?
The love of our Father is complete for each of us. He loves each of His children to the utmost. We don't have to share His love because He is so big and so perfect. I am the apple of His eye. You are the apple of His eye. Neither one of us must experience a deminished amount of love when a new child is adopted into our family. That new brother or sister will be the apple of His eye.
This is not a concept that our human minds can wrap around. We aren't meant to understand all of these things. We are just meant to believe that they are so and trust our Father when He says it is. I am encouraged that the God of the universe, the Giver of Life, my Savior loves me more than anything else on earth!!! I am the best to Him.
That just blows my mind!!!!
Friday, May 14, 2010
love-affectionate concern for the well-being of others
A friend told a story last night about a young lady. A 15 year-old who left her home and walked to the interstate over-pass and jumped onto the interstate below. Why, you ask? She was sad because her sister died 2 years ago and she didn't have any friends and kids at school made fun of her for being overweight. How does this kind of thing happen? Who is responsible? What could have been done to prevent this tragedy? How can it be prevented in the future? These are all valid questions.
First, I would like to ask, who has ever felt like a situation is hopeless? I know I have. There are many times in my life when I was dissatisfied with aspects of my life. Whether it was my appearance, my level of popularity, my money situation, etc. I can look back now and I know that the real issue was the lack of Christ in my life. I can look at those same aspects of life now and though I may not be satisfied in them, I know that I am in HIM! All of the other things in my life are inconsequential to my relationship with my Savior. With God in my life there is always hope for me (us).
Did this young girl have a relationship with Christ? Did anyone in her school show her the hope they had inside them? Someone obviously showed her something but I guess it was not hope. Did she get help for dealing with the death of her sister? It's difficult in a family sometimes to see past your own pain to help another loved one. Was there not a teacher that noticed and tried to spend a little extra time with her?
When someone is lost in a fog of depression it is extremely difficult to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Maybe the kids at school that were "goofing" on her thought it was harmless fun. Maybe they didn't realize all the other stuff she had going on in her head. Maybe they did. Maybe they have a lack of Christ in their lives. That in and of itself lends to undesirable behavior. I have seen and heard people say and do things that are so mean spirited. I try to stop them or stand up for the other person but not always. What keeps me from doing it 100% of the time? Fear (that's for Ron) is the only answer. I don't want someone to call me a goody-goody or a kiss up. Or maybe I don't want to get involved because it isn't my business. But isn't it? When we make a commitment to our heavenly Father we say we accept all others as brothers and sisters. Does that not make it our business?
So who is responsible? That is not a question that can be answered. My prayer is that in this tragedy God receives all the glory and honor and praise. How can that happen? I cannot answer that question either. And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28
Can this sort of thing be prevented? Yes, we can do as Christ called us to do and love one another as He has loved us. When we see someone who is hurting we should pour out more love on them. Even if it is just you, that is the face of Christ for that person that day. Only we can change things by starting a change within ourselves. By allowing God to shape us and mold us into the likeness of Christ we can prevent young people from feeling that life is a hopeless mess. Christ through us can save them.
First, I would like to ask, who has ever felt like a situation is hopeless? I know I have. There are many times in my life when I was dissatisfied with aspects of my life. Whether it was my appearance, my level of popularity, my money situation, etc. I can look back now and I know that the real issue was the lack of Christ in my life. I can look at those same aspects of life now and though I may not be satisfied in them, I know that I am in HIM! All of the other things in my life are inconsequential to my relationship with my Savior. With God in my life there is always hope for me (us).
Did this young girl have a relationship with Christ? Did anyone in her school show her the hope they had inside them? Someone obviously showed her something but I guess it was not hope. Did she get help for dealing with the death of her sister? It's difficult in a family sometimes to see past your own pain to help another loved one. Was there not a teacher that noticed and tried to spend a little extra time with her?
When someone is lost in a fog of depression it is extremely difficult to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Maybe the kids at school that were "goofing" on her thought it was harmless fun. Maybe they didn't realize all the other stuff she had going on in her head. Maybe they did. Maybe they have a lack of Christ in their lives. That in and of itself lends to undesirable behavior. I have seen and heard people say and do things that are so mean spirited. I try to stop them or stand up for the other person but not always. What keeps me from doing it 100% of the time? Fear (that's for Ron) is the only answer. I don't want someone to call me a goody-goody or a kiss up. Or maybe I don't want to get involved because it isn't my business. But isn't it? When we make a commitment to our heavenly Father we say we accept all others as brothers and sisters. Does that not make it our business?
So who is responsible? That is not a question that can be answered. My prayer is that in this tragedy God receives all the glory and honor and praise. How can that happen? I cannot answer that question either. And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28
Can this sort of thing be prevented? Yes, we can do as Christ called us to do and love one another as He has loved us. When we see someone who is hurting we should pour out more love on them. Even if it is just you, that is the face of Christ for that person that day. Only we can change things by starting a change within ourselves. By allowing God to shape us and mold us into the likeness of Christ we can prevent young people from feeling that life is a hopeless mess. Christ through us can save them.
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