February 24, 2014
"And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God’s house, let us go right into the
presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting Him. For our guilty
consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean,
and our bodies have been washed with pure water." Hebrews 10:21-22
Warning--the following post contains subject matter suitable only for mamas and the most dedicated daddies. I consider my husband a dedicated dad but even he turns green in the face anytime the kids get sick to their stomach.
Yes, this entry is about the dreaded stomach bug. My goal is not to over-spiritualize the circumstances of life but to share how I believe God reveals His love to us even in the most grotesque situations.
Two weeks ago half of our family fell victim to the stomach bug; a virus so nasty we count its duration in hours, not days. Our youngest suffered effects from the virus the longest, for an exhausting 72 hours.
Our little one first grew sick one day after lunch. As the hours passed I waited to determine if his sickness would prove a one-time occurrence or if he indeed had the bug. As night fell I listened ever so closely to the baby monitor. Suddenly I heard an all too familiar sound. I rushed into our baby's room to find him covered--from head to toe--in proof that he had a stomach bug. But as grotesque as my son appeared, as rank as he smelled I also recognized the desperation of his circumstances.
My son was in need of a cleanup. A desperate need. My son needed a cleanup he could not perform on himself. The mess proved too large, too foul, too repulsive for anyone else to clean. This was a mess only a loving parent could step-in and perform.
Did I turn away from my son in disgust? No. The thought of abandoning my son in his condition never even entered my mind. My son needed a savior. And at that late-night hour I was the only one who could help him.
Oh friends, do you see the parallel?
Before we enter into a relationship with God through faith in His Son Jesus, WE are the child covered in the mess of sin. The effects of sin prove too large, too foul, too grotesque for anyone else to make us clean. Only our Heavenly Father has the power and strength to make us clean. We are made clean only by the blood of Christ.
How many people do you know who believe they must clean themselves before they come to God? Maybe you find yourself in need of a cleanup today. Don't attempt a cleanup alone. The mess of sin proves too powerful to handle on our own.
God invites us to come boldly--just as we are--to His throne through faith in Christ. There we will
receive His mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it
most. (Hebrews 4:16)
Monday, February 24, 2014
Monday, February 17, 2014
Living Through the Wait - Part II
February 17, 2014
"Yet those who wait for the LORD will gain new strength; they will mount
up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will
walk and not become weary." Isaiah 40:31 NASB
In my previous post I described the unfortunate outcomes of a few Old Testament friends who failed to wait upon God. Though I would place the older Israelite generation in the same category as those who failed to wait well, the Israelite children proved more faithful than their parents while waiting in the wilderness.
The first practice I notice about Israel's wait in the wilderness is that the children of Israel received their nourishment daily from the very hand of God. Each morning God placed before His
children a bread-like substance called manna, which literally means,
"What is it?" The children of Israel waited forty years to enter the Promised Land. But the children of Israel began each morning with the same practice--seeking out the food their Master had provided.
God has given the same daily nourishment
to us through His Word. Like the children of Israel it is up to us to seek out each morning
that which God has provided. At first we may read God's Word and
ask, "What is this? What does it mean?" But the more we pursue God's
Word the more the pallets of our souls will learn to crave this
spiritual manna. "People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God." (Matthew 4:4)
While waiting in the wilderness Israel also became very attuned to God's movement in their lives. Scripture tells us the Israelites wandered
through the wilderness for forty years. But God never lets His people
wander alone (Hebrews 13:5). God led the children of Israel in a pillar
of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night (Numbers 14:14). The Israelites rarely knew when God would call them to move or even where God would have them to move next. Instead, Israel learned to seek God's direction daily. I envision the children of Israel poking their heads out of their tents to ensure God's continual presence in their lives.
While in a
season of waiting we must remember we are not alone. God is in the
could, He is in the fire, He is in the depths of the deep. God will show us when it is time to change direction. "In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3:6 NASB
The third practice I notice about the Israelites time of waiting is that they continued to worship God with all their heart. Much later in Scripture God's people would have to travel longer distances to worship God in his temple. In the wilderness, however, God camped among His people. God instructed His people to build the tabernacle right smack dab in the middle of their camp. Each morning when they awoke the Israelite children had a visual reminder of the One whom they were to worship.
To whom do we give our attention each morning when we awake? When life grows hard do we, like Job, fall to our knees in worship (Job 1:20)? Or do we turn and desert Him (John 6:66)? "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength." Mark 12:30
While in the wilderness the Israelites had no other choice but to wait upon God.The
Israelites' time of waiting deepened their desire for, their trust in
and their worship of God.
For what are you waiting?
For a baby, whether through conception or adoption?
For a husband, whether waiting for a husband or waiting for a husband to change?
For healing, whether physical, relational, emotional or spiritual?
For a job?
For circumstances to change?
During our time of waiting let us continue to seek the Bread of Life each morning, to watch for God's movement in our lives and to worship the One who loves us most.
God Himself gives life in the wait.
"You
will make known to me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of
joy; In Your right hand there are pleasures forever." Psalm 16:11 NASB
"Yet those who wait for the LORD will gain new strength; they will mount
up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will
walk and not become weary." Isaiah 40:31 NASB
In my previous post I described the unfortunate outcomes of a few Old Testament friends who failed to wait upon God. Though I would place the older Israelite generation in the same category as those who failed to wait well, the Israelite children proved more faithful than their parents while waiting in the wilderness.
The first practice I notice about Israel's wait in the wilderness is that the children of Israel received their nourishment daily from the very hand of God. Each morning God placed before His
children a bread-like substance called manna, which literally means,
"What is it?" The children of Israel waited forty years to enter the Promised Land. But the children of Israel began each morning with the same practice--seeking out the food their Master had provided.
God has given the same daily nourishment
to us through His Word. Like the children of Israel it is up to us to seek out each morning
that which God has provided. At first we may read God's Word and
ask, "What is this? What does it mean?" But the more we pursue God's
Word the more the pallets of our souls will learn to crave this
spiritual manna. "People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God." (Matthew 4:4)
While waiting in the wilderness Israel also became very attuned to God's movement in their lives. Scripture tells us the Israelites wandered
through the wilderness for forty years. But God never lets His people
wander alone (Hebrews 13:5). God led the children of Israel in a pillar
of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night (Numbers 14:14). The Israelites rarely knew when God would call them to move or even where God would have them to move next. Instead, Israel learned to seek God's direction daily. I envision the children of Israel poking their heads out of their tents to ensure God's continual presence in their lives.
While in a
season of waiting we must remember we are not alone. God is in the
could, He is in the fire, He is in the depths of the deep. God will show us when it is time to change direction. "In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3:6 NASB
The third practice I notice about the Israelites time of waiting is that they continued to worship God with all their heart. Much later in Scripture God's people would have to travel longer distances to worship God in his temple. In the wilderness, however, God camped among His people. God instructed His people to build the tabernacle right smack dab in the middle of their camp. Each morning when they awoke the Israelite children had a visual reminder of the One whom they were to worship.
To whom do we give our attention each morning when we awake? When life grows hard do we, like Job, fall to our knees in worship (Job 1:20)? Or do we turn and desert Him (John 6:66)? "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength." Mark 12:30
While in the wilderness the Israelites had no other choice but to wait upon God.The
Israelites' time of waiting deepened their desire for, their trust in
and their worship of God.
For what are you waiting?
For a baby, whether through conception or adoption?
For a husband, whether waiting for a husband or waiting for a husband to change?
For healing, whether physical, relational, emotional or spiritual?
For a job?
For circumstances to change?
During our time of waiting let us continue to seek the Bread of Life each morning, to watch for God's movement in our lives and to worship the One who loves us most.
God Himself gives life in the wait.
"You
will make known to me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of
joy; In Your right hand there are pleasures forever." Psalm 16:11 NASB
Sunday, February 16, 2014
Living Through the Wait - Part I
February 16, 2014
"I wait for the Lord, my soul does wait, and in His word do I hope. My soul waits for the Lord more than the watchmen for the morning; Indeed, more than the watchmen for the morning." Psalm 130:5-6
I loathe waiting. I would much rather do. I am a person of action, eager to check the box beside each activity on my list so that I can move on to the next thing. I call it being productive.
But for now I must wait. Wait for the inevitable. I want to fast-forward time or to at least dictate when the wait will end. But I cannot. For now I simply must wait.
It is distracting, this waiting game. How does one continue on with normal life, with daily activities while consumed by anticipation? How do you invest emotionally in the here-and-now while your mind wanders miles away? How do you live through the wait?
I turn to the stories of old, those whose stories were written down for our example (1 Corinthians 10:11). I recall many Old Testament friends who had to wait. Some friends waited well. Other friends failed to wait, and reaped disaster upon their heads.
In Genesis 15 God promised Abraham and Sarah a baby. More than ten years passed. Sarah could wait no longer and arranged for her husband to conceive a child through another woman. Through Sarah's servant Hagar, Abraham became the father of Ishmael of whom God said, "[He] will be a wild man, as
untamed as a wild donkey! He will raise his fist against everyone, and
everyone will be against him. Yes, he will live in open hostility
against all his relatives.” (Genesis 16:12) Abraham and Sarah failed to wait upon God, and birthed a separate nation as a result.
In 1 Samuel 13 King Saul prepared his troops to enter into battle against the Philistines. After waiting seven days for the prophet Samuel to arrive King Saul began to fear the desertion of his men. Rather than waiting for Samuel to offer a sacrifice to God as was commanded, King Saul presented the burnt offering to God. "What is this you have done?" asks Samuel once he finally arrived. "You have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you [and] now your kingdom must end." King Saul failed to wait upon God, and lost his kingship as a result. (1 Samuel 13:8-14)
Let us consider King Saul's replacement, David. David waited well. After King Saul's misstep God instructed Samuel to anoint the young shepherd boy as the next king of Israel. Yet David would have to wait years for the fulfillment of God's promise. What did David do to pass the time?
Immediately after his anointing, David returned to the field to care for dirty, smelly, unappreciative sheep. Next, God added to David's daily responsibility the task of serving the very king he would eventually replace. In the midst of David's dutiful service the king grew jealous of David's popularity with the people. King Saul began to pursue David, forcing David to live life on the run. Finally, after over fifteen years of faithful service to God, David became king. How did David endure the wait? By continuing to faithfully complete the tasks God placed in front of him. (1 Samuel 13-2 Samuel 2)
What about the Israelites? God's chosen people endured a time of waiting as well. As a result of unbelief God sentenced His people to wander the wilderness for forty years. While in the wilderness some Israelites grumbled and were destroyed by the angel of death (1 Corinthians 10:10, Numbers 16:49). Some Israelites put God to the test and died from snakebites (1 Corinthians 10:9, Numbers 21:5). Other Israelites acted immorally and died in the same day (1 Corinthians 10:8, Numbers 25:9). But the children of these unfaithful Israelites waited well, and as a result of their patience they entered the long-awaited Promise Land (Numbers 14:31).
How do we wait like the faithful children of Israel?
For now, you'll have to wait . . .
In all honesty I have rambled on long enough for one post. I will share tomorrow three practices I have observed from Scripture during the Israelites' time of wilderness waiting.
"I wait for the Lord, my soul does wait, and in His word do I hope. My soul waits for the Lord more than the watchmen for the morning; Indeed, more than the watchmen for the morning." Psalm 130:5-6
I loathe waiting. I would much rather do. I am a person of action, eager to check the box beside each activity on my list so that I can move on to the next thing. I call it being productive.
But for now I must wait. Wait for the inevitable. I want to fast-forward time or to at least dictate when the wait will end. But I cannot. For now I simply must wait.
It is distracting, this waiting game. How does one continue on with normal life, with daily activities while consumed by anticipation? How do you invest emotionally in the here-and-now while your mind wanders miles away? How do you live through the wait?
I turn to the stories of old, those whose stories were written down for our example (1 Corinthians 10:11). I recall many Old Testament friends who had to wait. Some friends waited well. Other friends failed to wait, and reaped disaster upon their heads.
In Genesis 15 God promised Abraham and Sarah a baby. More than ten years passed. Sarah could wait no longer and arranged for her husband to conceive a child through another woman. Through Sarah's servant Hagar, Abraham became the father of Ishmael of whom God said, "[He] will be a wild man, as
untamed as a wild donkey! He will raise his fist against everyone, and
everyone will be against him. Yes, he will live in open hostility
against all his relatives.” (Genesis 16:12) Abraham and Sarah failed to wait upon God, and birthed a separate nation as a result.
In 1 Samuel 13 King Saul prepared his troops to enter into battle against the Philistines. After waiting seven days for the prophet Samuel to arrive King Saul began to fear the desertion of his men. Rather than waiting for Samuel to offer a sacrifice to God as was commanded, King Saul presented the burnt offering to God. "What is this you have done?" asks Samuel once he finally arrived. "You have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you [and] now your kingdom must end." King Saul failed to wait upon God, and lost his kingship as a result. (1 Samuel 13:8-14)
Let us consider King Saul's replacement, David. David waited well. After King Saul's misstep God instructed Samuel to anoint the young shepherd boy as the next king of Israel. Yet David would have to wait years for the fulfillment of God's promise. What did David do to pass the time?
Immediately after his anointing, David returned to the field to care for dirty, smelly, unappreciative sheep. Next, God added to David's daily responsibility the task of serving the very king he would eventually replace. In the midst of David's dutiful service the king grew jealous of David's popularity with the people. King Saul began to pursue David, forcing David to live life on the run. Finally, after over fifteen years of faithful service to God, David became king. How did David endure the wait? By continuing to faithfully complete the tasks God placed in front of him. (1 Samuel 13-2 Samuel 2)
What about the Israelites? God's chosen people endured a time of waiting as well. As a result of unbelief God sentenced His people to wander the wilderness for forty years. While in the wilderness some Israelites grumbled and were destroyed by the angel of death (1 Corinthians 10:10, Numbers 16:49). Some Israelites put God to the test and died from snakebites (1 Corinthians 10:9, Numbers 21:5). Other Israelites acted immorally and died in the same day (1 Corinthians 10:8, Numbers 25:9). But the children of these unfaithful Israelites waited well, and as a result of their patience they entered the long-awaited Promise Land (Numbers 14:31).
How do we wait like the faithful children of Israel?
For now, you'll have to wait . . .
In all honesty I have rambled on long enough for one post. I will share tomorrow three practices I have observed from Scripture during the Israelites' time of wilderness waiting.
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