Tis the season for Doubting Thomas sermons. It seems we celebrate Easter and the joy of knowing our Risen Lord and then start "tsk-tsking" Thomas because he did not immediately accept the truth. It's rare that the disciple Thomas' name comes up without the prefix "doubting."
Thomas was not present when the resurrected Jesus made an appearance to all of the other disciples. They saw first-hand the wounds from the nails and His pierced side. Afterwards they told Thomas about their encounter and Thomas honestly said, "Unless I see the nail marks in His hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe it." (John 20:25) Thomas was asking for nothing more than what the other disciples had the privilege of already seeing. It was a whole week later when Jesus appeared to the disciples again, this time with Thomas present, and Jesus addressed Thomas personally by asking him to place his hand in His side and touch His nail-marked hand. Jesus commanded him to, "Stop doubting and believe!" to which Thomas proclaims, "My Lord and My God!"
I wonder what was going through Thomas' mind that whole week where he struggled with doubt while the other disciples rejoiced at the resurrection of Christ. While he was filled with doubt, his comrades were at peace. Did he feel guilty that he could not take his friends at their word? Was he angry or jealous that Christ chose to make His appearance when Thomas was not there? Did He consider why God was making it more difficult for him to come to belief than the others?
Certainly if Thomas had been present for the first appearance, He would have believed. Note that it did not take any coercion on Christ's part for Thomas to accept belief once he saw Him. So why did God choose to reveal Christ to the other disciples first and allow Thomas to struggle with doubt for a whole week before He had the same revelation? When Thomas professed his belief, Jesus responds, "Because you have seen Me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed (vs. 29)." Did not the other disciples only believe because they witnessed the Risen Lord also?
During my brief time at college I befriended a very faithful Christian named Ruth. It was a period of time that my own faith was being threatened. I was struggling with a lot of the challenging questions about Christianity, like the existence of Hell and Satan, why God made us, how did I really know the Bible was true and had not been changed over time, and where did evolution fall into play with the story of creation. I remember presenting a lot of these questions to Ruth and she responded that she had not ever considered most of those thoughts and was not concerned with knowing the answers because she had a solid relationship with God who had made Himself known to her. Because of the evidence He had placed in her life of His goodness, she had no reason to doubt Him on the things He called her to believe in that others might find difficult.
I thought it was preposterous! How could someone believe without having all of the answers? I wondered why God didn't make it easy for me to just believe. Why did I have questions that others were not asking? I wanted to hold onto my belief, but I was afraid if I explored my questions anymore I would be lead away from what I had always identified as the truth. Why didn't God just reveal Himself to me in a blatant manner so I didn't have to struggle with belief? I felt like outside of a bold revelation, I had to turn my mind off to continue in belief. But being of a more curious nature than your average two year old, this was not something I was capable of doing. I felt denied of a peace for which I was desperately in want.
Have you been there?
I wonder if this is how Thomas felt. It feels like a rejection from a God you are not certain you believe in. You want to make demands to a God you don't quite believe in, so that you might believe. But doesn't asking for proof reveal at least some level of belief? I knew I believed in a God, because I had some evidence of Him in my life, but I didn't know how far to take that belief. Did I take it all the way to Jesus? Thomas had witnessed Jesus' miracles- the blind came to sight, the weather and elements responded to His commands, the dead raised to life- but how far did He take the belief in the power of the man he had followed for three years? Can the dead raise themselves to life?
Doubt is not something openly talked about among Christians because our faith's core value is... well, faith. It is by grace that we have been saved, through faith, not by works or goodness. It's our faith that saves us. So if we have doubts, are we not saved? It is a pretty terrifying situation to admit you are in, especially among your Christian friends and family. So we tend to keep our mouths shut and hope that at some point we will happen upon the answers to questions that keep us up at night.
Did God reject Thomas because He professed doubt? Quite the contrary! And that is the good news of this story. And that is why I believe Thomas was not there for the initial appearance. Jesus had a message for all of those who struggle with unbelief. "Bring it to me!" He says. Thomas did not desert his
The truth is during my time of doubt, I was not attending church regularly, was not praying, and was not reading the Bible. The truth is I wasn't really seeking God. The truth is I was seeking my wisdom to be my God. What I could reason, must be truth and if that reason brought me to God, so be it. The problem is faith can not be faith if all of the questions are answered. It would be knowledge. God calls us to faith in Him so that we will come to knowledge of Him.
Proverbs 2:1-6 "My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding, and if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God. For the Lord gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding." Accepting His words at His word is the first step of faith and knowledge comes to follow.
As you begin any new relationship, but especially a romantic one, you are placing faith in that individual as you grow in knowledge of that individual. I was smitten with Jonathan upon our first interaction, but it was faith in a character of goodness not yet revealed that allowed us to begin a relationship. As I got to know him more, I had more and more evidence of character qualities that I adored. God is asking you to enter into a relationship with Him so that He can reveal to you His qualities of being a faithful and good God, one Who loves you so much, He stopped at nothing, not even the rejection and death of His own Son to prove it to you.
The evidence is all there, but are you looking at it? If you are not going to God for truth, who do you expect to find it from? Man? With all of our faults and biases and flawed reasoning?
Right after the story of Thomas is told, we find this verse, "But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name." That was written for Doubting Katie. The Bible is for those evidence seekers- the ones who need to see the nail marks and the pierced side. Have you read it? Or are you afraid your doubt won't stand a chance once you do...
Monday, April 25, 2011
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Your Sunday is Coming
When Jon broke up with me, I could feel it in my chest; this weight interfering with the natural rhythms. I was filled with sorrow and considered the damage done irreparable. To my juvenile eyes it seemed a perfect love and it could never be perfect again. In the midst of my grief, it appeared to me that there was no point in hope, because nothing, not even Jon attempting to reverse what he had done, would return me to a perfect state of trust and love. I feared I could not love him wholly were he to admit his mistake. More than losing him, my suffering was caused from losing hope in what I had believed to be true.
For those of you who have read the beginnings of this blog, you know the ending of this story. All was not lost. From one of the hardest points of my life, God created a beautiful storyline that involved God strengthening my Christian walk so that I could assist Jon in his journey. Had Jon and I stayed together, I know we would be weaker individuals than we are today.
No one likes a spoiler to a good story. We like to ease into the plot, get familiar with the characters, experience the emotions of their struggle and perseverance, and find ourselves pleasantly surprised at the end. Having grown up in the church, I have always known the "ending" (really, is it not the beginning?) of the story of Jesus. He died on the cross, was buried and rose again. So simply put and knowing the ending at the beginning of the story prohibits a full contemplation of the struggle.
It's Saturday. Jesus died yesterday. His disciples had left homes and families to follow Him. They had watched His ministry grow. They had witnessed His miracles. They saw Lazarus and others raised from the dead. They had called Him the Messiah.
It's Saturday. He is dead and they are scared. Though they had witnessed the dead rise to life at the power of their Teacher, they cannot consider anything but that His death is final. No logic can justify hope. Jesus is dead. They had watched Him escape murderous crowds, but Thursday night He gave Himself over to them. Did Jesus just give up? He was a man of power and miracles and He is dead.
It's Saturday. Mary has never known sorrow like this. And fear. She had brought forth a baby though she was a virgin and had heard the promise from an angel that His kingdom would have no end. But He is dead. Did you lie, God? Did I misunderstand? Did you desert us? She wonders at a faith that had been built by partaking in miracles, but the Miracle is dead.
You and I know that all was not lost on Saturday. Sunday was coming. But that Saturday must have seemed like the most hopeless day in all history. He was dead. They had treated His body with spices for burial and laid Him in a tomb. Logic could not lead them to hope.
But it doesn't have to be logical, does it? "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him." 1 Corinthians 1:26. He is the God of things inconceivable, the God of things not hoped for.
Perhaps you are in the midst of a Saturday, left without any hope. He is the God for the hopeless. Your mind cannot conceive, but His can. Logic will not lead you there, but He will. It's Saturday. Yes, but your Sunday is coming.
For those of you who have read the beginnings of this blog, you know the ending of this story. All was not lost. From one of the hardest points of my life, God created a beautiful storyline that involved God strengthening my Christian walk so that I could assist Jon in his journey. Had Jon and I stayed together, I know we would be weaker individuals than we are today.
No one likes a spoiler to a good story. We like to ease into the plot, get familiar with the characters, experience the emotions of their struggle and perseverance, and find ourselves pleasantly surprised at the end. Having grown up in the church, I have always known the "ending" (really, is it not the beginning?) of the story of Jesus. He died on the cross, was buried and rose again. So simply put and knowing the ending at the beginning of the story prohibits a full contemplation of the struggle.
It's Saturday. Jesus died yesterday. His disciples had left homes and families to follow Him. They had watched His ministry grow. They had witnessed His miracles. They saw Lazarus and others raised from the dead. They had called Him the Messiah.
It's Saturday. He is dead and they are scared. Though they had witnessed the dead rise to life at the power of their Teacher, they cannot consider anything but that His death is final. No logic can justify hope. Jesus is dead. They had watched Him escape murderous crowds, but Thursday night He gave Himself over to them. Did Jesus just give up? He was a man of power and miracles and He is dead.
It's Saturday. Mary has never known sorrow like this. And fear. She had brought forth a baby though she was a virgin and had heard the promise from an angel that His kingdom would have no end. But He is dead. Did you lie, God? Did I misunderstand? Did you desert us? She wonders at a faith that had been built by partaking in miracles, but the Miracle is dead.
You and I know that all was not lost on Saturday. Sunday was coming. But that Saturday must have seemed like the most hopeless day in all history. He was dead. They had treated His body with spices for burial and laid Him in a tomb. Logic could not lead them to hope.
But it doesn't have to be logical, does it? "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him." 1 Corinthians 1:26. He is the God of things inconceivable, the God of things not hoped for.
Perhaps you are in the midst of a Saturday, left without any hope. He is the God for the hopeless. Your mind cannot conceive, but His can. Logic will not lead you there, but He will. It's Saturday. Yes, but your Sunday is coming.
Friday, April 22, 2011
What He Suffered
I decided to make and can strawberry jam today only because I admittedly have a few screws loose with a newborn in the house and seem to only be content with myself if I am testing my stress limits. While Julia was sleeping I rushed to wash and remove the tops of the strawberries, only to be bombarded by offers to "help." As anyone knows when a baby is sleeping you only have limited time with two hands free, but I could not ignore Colette and Mary's desire to be close to Mommy and feel validation in participating with the jam making.
Mary, being only two and still limited in abilities to follow directions, was assigned the task of taking the strawberries that had been washed out of the strainer into a bowl to be de-topped. This was really an unnecessary step created only for her participation. It slowed my entire procedure down considerably. She took every strawberry, one at a time, into her little hands and stared at it, her hands trembling with the resistance of desire to crush the berry and hesitantly placed it in the bowl. The battle of good and evil continued with each transfer. I was becoming anxious as I could hear Julia starting to rouse. "Mary, just put them in the bowl!" I exclaimed more than once.
I knew I should be valuing my time with the girls, no one bickering or being deviant, but I just wanted to get my task done so I could move on to the piling activities I faced today. I told myself to relax and delight in the way Mary would sneak glances through her long eyelashes to see if I was watching, her thumb quivering at its power to demolish the soft tissue of the berry in hand. But it was supposed to be a five minute task that was turning into an eternity, with each minute eating away at the possibility of the jam ever being produced. I did not want to relieve Mary of her duties because her pride was as vulnerable as the strawberry she held in her hand, but similarly, I quivered with the ability to just crush her spirits and swoop her off the chair. "This is excruciating!" I thought to myself.
Excruciating. I actually thought that word was applicable to my situation. It was "excruciating" to watch and wait, while the existence of my strawberry jam balanced in the hands of Mary. Maybe it is attributed to the observance of the day that the word came so quickly to mind. I was filled with shame. To describe my laughable and really, rather delightful situation with the same term that was created to describe the way my Savior died was shameful. How quick I am to allow the small anxieties of life to consume me. I consider them sufferings, worthy of my complaining.
We so freely use terms without considering the weight of the word. Love, hate, awesome, wicked, starving, excruciating... We profess our love for shoes. Proclaim hatred of brussel sprouts. Describe our physical state of the three hours between lunch and dinner as starvation. Our lack of patience with our little child becomes an excruciating situation. Our overuse and misuse of words eats away at our very ability to communicate the extremity of a true situation; one such as my Lord and Savior dying on a cross for the sins of this world.
He suffered. Ah, yes- suffering- I know all about it. I suffered from a cold last week. It was brutal. Really.
Do we take the time to meditate on how He actually suffered? Or has our tendency to overuse extreme words to exaggerate trivial situations caused us to minimize what He endured to express His love. His love. When we confess our "love" for material things that we abandon when the newest upgrade comes along, how can we understand the concept that drove Him to the cross?
He suffered. It was excruciating. I think Mel Gibson's "The Passion" provided us with a vivid look at the physical torment that Christ went through. I think it is important for us to recognize that. But far more important is to consider that mental and spiritual torment that He suffered for you. It is not easily fathomed and so, not often considered. Jesus had the ability to escape His situation at any moment. He submitted to it. That battle alone had to be exhausting. Then, there was His awareness of the state of the whole world that rested on His shoulders. He knew His disciples deserted Him and were hiding in fear, wondering if they had been deceived in believing in Jesus. Judas had betrayed Him. He knew the inner-workings of the hate that nailed Him on that cross, but knew that even still, some of those responsible would later turn to Him in love and He would receive them. And, He knew that for many, what He did would not be enough to prove God's love for them.
But the least realized aspect of His suffering was by the hand of His Father, the only One who truly loved Him. Isaiah 53:10 "Yet it was the Lord's will to crush him and cause him to suffer." It was the will of the Father that Christ suffer and die for those who did not love Him, so that they might. God poured out His wrath upon the Son that He loved, so that you might consider that He loves you. The very Son was separated from His Father at the cost of your sin. God turned His back on Him, because He would not turn His back on you. He turned His back on Christ, because God knew He would endure it. And He did. And He did it for you. And He knew you might not believe it, but He did it for those who would.
He suffered at the hand of His Father, because He loved you. This was not love like you "love" your new pair of shoes or new car or the ice cream you treat yourself tonight. It was not even love like you feel for your spouse. The weight of that word drove Him to the cross and carried Him through all the suffering. There is no other love like it in the world.
Mary, being only two and still limited in abilities to follow directions, was assigned the task of taking the strawberries that had been washed out of the strainer into a bowl to be de-topped. This was really an unnecessary step created only for her participation. It slowed my entire procedure down considerably. She took every strawberry, one at a time, into her little hands and stared at it, her hands trembling with the resistance of desire to crush the berry and hesitantly placed it in the bowl. The battle of good and evil continued with each transfer. I was becoming anxious as I could hear Julia starting to rouse. "Mary, just put them in the bowl!" I exclaimed more than once.
I knew I should be valuing my time with the girls, no one bickering or being deviant, but I just wanted to get my task done so I could move on to the piling activities I faced today. I told myself to relax and delight in the way Mary would sneak glances through her long eyelashes to see if I was watching, her thumb quivering at its power to demolish the soft tissue of the berry in hand. But it was supposed to be a five minute task that was turning into an eternity, with each minute eating away at the possibility of the jam ever being produced. I did not want to relieve Mary of her duties because her pride was as vulnerable as the strawberry she held in her hand, but similarly, I quivered with the ability to just crush her spirits and swoop her off the chair. "This is excruciating!" I thought to myself.
Excruciating. I actually thought that word was applicable to my situation. It was "excruciating" to watch and wait, while the existence of my strawberry jam balanced in the hands of Mary. Maybe it is attributed to the observance of the day that the word came so quickly to mind. I was filled with shame. To describe my laughable and really, rather delightful situation with the same term that was created to describe the way my Savior died was shameful. How quick I am to allow the small anxieties of life to consume me. I consider them sufferings, worthy of my complaining.
We so freely use terms without considering the weight of the word. Love, hate, awesome, wicked, starving, excruciating... We profess our love for shoes. Proclaim hatred of brussel sprouts. Describe our physical state of the three hours between lunch and dinner as starvation. Our lack of patience with our little child becomes an excruciating situation. Our overuse and misuse of words eats away at our very ability to communicate the extremity of a true situation; one such as my Lord and Savior dying on a cross for the sins of this world.
He suffered. Ah, yes- suffering- I know all about it. I suffered from a cold last week. It was brutal. Really.
Do we take the time to meditate on how He actually suffered? Or has our tendency to overuse extreme words to exaggerate trivial situations caused us to minimize what He endured to express His love. His love. When we confess our "love" for material things that we abandon when the newest upgrade comes along, how can we understand the concept that drove Him to the cross?
He suffered. It was excruciating. I think Mel Gibson's "The Passion" provided us with a vivid look at the physical torment that Christ went through. I think it is important for us to recognize that. But far more important is to consider that mental and spiritual torment that He suffered for you. It is not easily fathomed and so, not often considered. Jesus had the ability to escape His situation at any moment. He submitted to it. That battle alone had to be exhausting. Then, there was His awareness of the state of the whole world that rested on His shoulders. He knew His disciples deserted Him and were hiding in fear, wondering if they had been deceived in believing in Jesus. Judas had betrayed Him. He knew the inner-workings of the hate that nailed Him on that cross, but knew that even still, some of those responsible would later turn to Him in love and He would receive them. And, He knew that for many, what He did would not be enough to prove God's love for them.
But the least realized aspect of His suffering was by the hand of His Father, the only One who truly loved Him. Isaiah 53:10 "Yet it was the Lord's will to crush him and cause him to suffer." It was the will of the Father that Christ suffer and die for those who did not love Him, so that they might. God poured out His wrath upon the Son that He loved, so that you might consider that He loves you. The very Son was separated from His Father at the cost of your sin. God turned His back on Him, because He would not turn His back on you. He turned His back on Christ, because God knew He would endure it. And He did. And He did it for you. And He knew you might not believe it, but He did it for those who would.
He suffered at the hand of His Father, because He loved you. This was not love like you "love" your new pair of shoes or new car or the ice cream you treat yourself tonight. It was not even love like you feel for your spouse. The weight of that word drove Him to the cross and carried Him through all the suffering. There is no other love like it in the world.
Thursday, April 21, 2011
A New Prayer Journey
I have often been ashamed of how lacking my prayer life is. I battle find the time and the desire to spend time in prayer and am often only praying in the midst of troubles. I have promised others that they are in my prayers and have forgotten to pray for them. I know that I am "unplugged" from a major source of power in my life and yet laziness causes me to stay disconnected.
Yesterday I sought inspiration for my blog as I had hoped to make an entry everyday this week. I prayed and read the Bible for an hour and though I found many things I could write about, I lacked the words to express my thoughts. I made a plea on Facebook for inspirational help and my dear friend Catherine sent me a link to her blog. For those of you who don't know Catherine, she is on a fantastic weight-loss journey. She recently posted a video speaking about why she has taken the challenge of this journey and her thankfulness for her accountability partner. And I found myself inspired to find an accountability partner for my prayer life. I called my husband and told him I wanted to start a prayer journal together.
One of my greatest struggles with prayer is knowing what to pray and when. How do I make a meaningful prayer without it being to general? How do I not become consumed with sorrow as I visit all of the needs of this world? How do I reign in my thoughts so I am thoughtfully meditating on specific needs for specific individuals? Finally last night, what I have been searching for appeared in my head. Together, Jonathan and I developed an organization so that we are rotating our prayer theme each night so we can stay focused and not forget the needs and hurts of our loved ones and others.
I thought I would share with you our design and invite you to join us on our prayer journey. For each day we open in a prayer of praise to our God for a specific area, then pray for others in a related area and carry that theme to focus on a prayer for our children. We then pray for each other regarding the same topic and end with a prayer of thanksgiving that coincides with that topic. Here is what we laid out as a guideline for us to follow. It may seem redundant to have a praise section and a thanksgiving section, but the praise section is intended to recognize God for Who He is and the thanksgiving section allows us to give thanks for the specific areas in our life where He has revealed that characteristic to us.
Sunday
Theme: Faith
Praise: Open in prayer praising God for His faithfulness to us. We love because He first loved us. His faithfulness endures forever and He has been faithful to all of His promises.
Others: Our prayer for others is for those lacking the faith, knowledge, and comforts of Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. We will name specific individuals that God has placed on our hearts to minister to.
Children: Regarding our children, we will pray that they grow in knowledge and faith of God, naming specific areas that may need to be strengthened at that time.
Each Other: We will pray that God would help us to follow Him faithfully, even when we don't understand what He is asking of us.
Thanksgiving: We will thank God for our faith, for being able to freely share our faith and the opportunity to raise our children in the faith.
Monday
Theme: Finances
Praise: We will praise God for being the provider of all our needs. He is the provider of our life, our abilities that sustain us, and our purpose.
Others: We will pray for the specific individuals in our life struggling to make ends meet, in search of jobs, or those who struggle to use their financial gifts wisely. We will also pray for those in struggling countries, as well as our current country's economic state.
Children: We will pray for our children's discipline, since finance is an area in our life that requires great discipline. Along with that we will pray for our children's obedience since this is their role in the family.
Each Other: We will pray for Jonathan's career as well as my job as a wife, mother and blogger.
Thanksgiving: We will thank God for our financial situation and the opportunities that He allows us to be a blessing to others with the gifts He gives us.
Tuesday
Theme: Health
Praise: We will praise God for being the Great Physician, the Healer of all our hurts. We will recognize that one day we will join Him in Heaven where we will look forward to our glorified bodies and no more pain and suffering.
Others: We will pray for those who are suffering with physical ailments.
Children: We will pray that God will provide our children with good health.
Each Other: We will pray for our own health and pray that God will encourage us in providing our children with a healthy environment, as well as meeting our own health goals in regards to eating right and exercise.
Thanksgiving: We will thank God for our health, our children's health, and for those we have seen Him heal.
Wednesday
Theme: Relationships
Praise: We will praise God for being our Father in Heaven, who rules and disciplines in perfect divine example.
Others: We will pray for those struggling with relationship issues- those going through divorce or break- ups, those with strained parent/children relationships, etc.
Children: We will pray for our children's confidence, that they find their self-worth in God and Who He designed them to be. As they grow, we will pray for positive friendships and role-models and pray that God is designing a mate for them.
Each Other: We will pray for our own marriage. We our a powerful force of support together, which means there will be attacks by the enemy at our marriage. We will pray for perseverance, renewed love, continued respect and that when servitude grows tiresome, God would renew our commitment.
Thanksgiving: We will thank God for those around us who fill our life and our children's lives with love. We will thank Him for His love. We will thank Him for the love that we have found in each other.
Thursday
Theme: Family
Praise: We will praise God for being Our Father in Heaven, who rules and disciplines in perfect divine example.
Others: We will focus our prayers on our extended family; for their health and well-being, for their happiness, for their faith, for their provision.
Children: We will pray for their wisdom. We will pray that we will be recipients of their love and devotion. We will pray for their role in our family as gifts from God that we are to raise up in love for Him.
Each Other: We will pray that He would strengthen our daily role as parents. We will ask for His wisdom, patience, kindness, love, and guidance so that we can be examples to our children so they will know how to grow to love and serve Him.
Thanksgiving: We will give thanks for our family and for being a part of the family of God.
Friday
Theme: Protection
Praise: We will praise God for being the Great Shepherd, who lays down His life for His sheep, who tends to us and watches over us and guides us to safe pastures.
Others: We will pray for those in dangerous situations, war and areas of public service that require a sacrifice of self. We will pray for those who are struggling emotionally as well; those that are depressed, lonely, or struggling with sin.
Children: We will pray for their protection from temptation, danger, and evil.
Each Other: We will pray for protection from temptation, danger, and evil.
Thanksgiving: We will thank God for our friends and for the many support systems He provides us with.
Saturday
Theme: Witnessing
Praise: We will praise God for His great evidences of His love.
Others: We will pray for Pastor and our church, Heart of the Shepherd, that God might inspire the worship service the following day so that many will come and hear of the goodness of Our God.
Children: We will pray that God will provide them with the fruits of the spirit and that they would exude Godly qualities.
Each Other: We pray that God will strengthen our witness of His great love; that we would be open to sharing it and that He would provide us with opportunity and courage to share His love.
Thanksgiving: We will thank God for the comforts worship brings, for being tools in sharing His Word, and being designed for a specific purpose in carrying out His Word.
Join us in our prayer journey! Please feel free to email me with your prayer requests or post them at the end of this blog. My email is bloggingtobless@hotshepherd.org.
Yesterday I sought inspiration for my blog as I had hoped to make an entry everyday this week. I prayed and read the Bible for an hour and though I found many things I could write about, I lacked the words to express my thoughts. I made a plea on Facebook for inspirational help and my dear friend Catherine sent me a link to her blog. For those of you who don't know Catherine, she is on a fantastic weight-loss journey. She recently posted a video speaking about why she has taken the challenge of this journey and her thankfulness for her accountability partner. And I found myself inspired to find an accountability partner for my prayer life. I called my husband and told him I wanted to start a prayer journal together.
One of my greatest struggles with prayer is knowing what to pray and when. How do I make a meaningful prayer without it being to general? How do I not become consumed with sorrow as I visit all of the needs of this world? How do I reign in my thoughts so I am thoughtfully meditating on specific needs for specific individuals? Finally last night, what I have been searching for appeared in my head. Together, Jonathan and I developed an organization so that we are rotating our prayer theme each night so we can stay focused and not forget the needs and hurts of our loved ones and others.
I thought I would share with you our design and invite you to join us on our prayer journey. For each day we open in a prayer of praise to our God for a specific area, then pray for others in a related area and carry that theme to focus on a prayer for our children. We then pray for each other regarding the same topic and end with a prayer of thanksgiving that coincides with that topic. Here is what we laid out as a guideline for us to follow. It may seem redundant to have a praise section and a thanksgiving section, but the praise section is intended to recognize God for Who He is and the thanksgiving section allows us to give thanks for the specific areas in our life where He has revealed that characteristic to us.
Sunday
Theme: Faith
Praise: Open in prayer praising God for His faithfulness to us. We love because He first loved us. His faithfulness endures forever and He has been faithful to all of His promises.
Others: Our prayer for others is for those lacking the faith, knowledge, and comforts of Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. We will name specific individuals that God has placed on our hearts to minister to.
Children: Regarding our children, we will pray that they grow in knowledge and faith of God, naming specific areas that may need to be strengthened at that time.
Each Other: We will pray that God would help us to follow Him faithfully, even when we don't understand what He is asking of us.
Thanksgiving: We will thank God for our faith, for being able to freely share our faith and the opportunity to raise our children in the faith.
Monday
Theme: Finances
Praise: We will praise God for being the provider of all our needs. He is the provider of our life, our abilities that sustain us, and our purpose.
Others: We will pray for the specific individuals in our life struggling to make ends meet, in search of jobs, or those who struggle to use their financial gifts wisely. We will also pray for those in struggling countries, as well as our current country's economic state.
Children: We will pray for our children's discipline, since finance is an area in our life that requires great discipline. Along with that we will pray for our children's obedience since this is their role in the family.
Each Other: We will pray for Jonathan's career as well as my job as a wife, mother and blogger.
Thanksgiving: We will thank God for our financial situation and the opportunities that He allows us to be a blessing to others with the gifts He gives us.
Tuesday
Theme: Health
Praise: We will praise God for being the Great Physician, the Healer of all our hurts. We will recognize that one day we will join Him in Heaven where we will look forward to our glorified bodies and no more pain and suffering.
Others: We will pray for those who are suffering with physical ailments.
Children: We will pray that God will provide our children with good health.
Each Other: We will pray for our own health and pray that God will encourage us in providing our children with a healthy environment, as well as meeting our own health goals in regards to eating right and exercise.
Thanksgiving: We will thank God for our health, our children's health, and for those we have seen Him heal.
Wednesday
Theme: Relationships
Praise: We will praise God for being our Father in Heaven, who rules and disciplines in perfect divine example.
Others: We will pray for those struggling with relationship issues- those going through divorce or break- ups, those with strained parent/children relationships, etc.
Children: We will pray for our children's confidence, that they find their self-worth in God and Who He designed them to be. As they grow, we will pray for positive friendships and role-models and pray that God is designing a mate for them.
Each Other: We will pray for our own marriage. We our a powerful force of support together, which means there will be attacks by the enemy at our marriage. We will pray for perseverance, renewed love, continued respect and that when servitude grows tiresome, God would renew our commitment.
Thanksgiving: We will thank God for those around us who fill our life and our children's lives with love. We will thank Him for His love. We will thank Him for the love that we have found in each other.
Thursday
Theme: Family
Praise: We will praise God for being Our Father in Heaven, who rules and disciplines in perfect divine example.
Others: We will focus our prayers on our extended family; for their health and well-being, for their happiness, for their faith, for their provision.
Children: We will pray for their wisdom. We will pray that we will be recipients of their love and devotion. We will pray for their role in our family as gifts from God that we are to raise up in love for Him.
Each Other: We will pray that He would strengthen our daily role as parents. We will ask for His wisdom, patience, kindness, love, and guidance so that we can be examples to our children so they will know how to grow to love and serve Him.
Thanksgiving: We will give thanks for our family and for being a part of the family of God.
Friday
Theme: Protection
Praise: We will praise God for being the Great Shepherd, who lays down His life for His sheep, who tends to us and watches over us and guides us to safe pastures.
Others: We will pray for those in dangerous situations, war and areas of public service that require a sacrifice of self. We will pray for those who are struggling emotionally as well; those that are depressed, lonely, or struggling with sin.
Children: We will pray for their protection from temptation, danger, and evil.
Each Other: We will pray for protection from temptation, danger, and evil.
Thanksgiving: We will thank God for our friends and for the many support systems He provides us with.
Saturday
Theme: Witnessing
Praise: We will praise God for His great evidences of His love.
Others: We will pray for Pastor and our church, Heart of the Shepherd, that God might inspire the worship service the following day so that many will come and hear of the goodness of Our God.
Children: We will pray that God will provide them with the fruits of the spirit and that they would exude Godly qualities.
Each Other: We pray that God will strengthen our witness of His great love; that we would be open to sharing it and that He would provide us with opportunity and courage to share His love.
Thanksgiving: We will thank God for the comforts worship brings, for being tools in sharing His Word, and being designed for a specific purpose in carrying out His Word.
Join us in our prayer journey! Please feel free to email me with your prayer requests or post them at the end of this blog. My email is bloggingtobless@hotshepherd.org.
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Happy Passover!
I know I am a day late on this one, but I wanted to wish you all a happy Passover! Now before some of you start wondering if I suddenly converted to Judaism, I want to remind you of our heritage and the significance of the Passover to Christians. Sadly, many Christians focus entirely on the New Testament, forgetting that the foundation of our religion was built in the Old Testament and is imbedded in the history of the Jewish nation. Christ, Himself a devout Jew, quoted Old Testament scripture to assert that He was the Savior the Jewish nation was waiting for.
The story of the first Passover is found in the Book of Exodus. At the time, the Israelites were enslaved by the Egyptians. God had called Moses to urge Pharaoh to set the people free. Each time Pharaoh refused, a plague was placed on the Egyptians. The final plague was that all of the firstborn, man and animal, of any Egyptian household would die. However, God gave the Israelites specific instructions to protect themselves that night. He commanded that each Jewish household slaughter a spotless lamb and take the blood of the lamb and paint the doorframe of the home using a hyssop branch. The Jews were to remain in the home the entire night. This would be a sign to God to pass over these households that night as the plague took place. They were to eat the lamb after it had been roasted over a fire, along with bitter herbs and bread made without yeast. They were to have their cloak tucked in their belt, sandals on their feet and staff in hand as they ate, signifying that they would be leaving quickly.
All of this is a symbolic foreshadowing of what we will be celebrating in a few days as Easter approaches. First, it was because Jesus was observing the Passover that He was returning to Jerusalem at the risk of His life. Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a colt, the foal of a donkey, to fulfill the prophecy in Zechariah 9:9, and many gathered to shout Hosanna (which means "save" in Hebrew). The day is now celebrated as Palm Sunday, but on the day that it took place, it was the day that the Jews were required by law to present their Passover lamb for inspection so that it could be declared without blemish and an acceptable sacrifice. It was not a coincidence that Christ presented Himself on this day. He was spotless- without sin.
The blood of the lamb of the Passover protected the Jews from death the night of their exodus from Egypt. It was not simply the blood on the doorframe that caused their household to be passed over, but it was a declaration in belief of the God who would save them. In the same way, when we declare belief in Christ's death and resurrection, we are covered in his blood and saved from eternal death and given life eternal. This is why Jesus is often referred to as the "Lamb of God." When God looks at us, He sees the blood of Christ on the "doorframe" of our heart. Our declaration of belief is that Christ's death was sufficient payment for our sins as the wrath of God was poured out on Him during His death on the cross, therefore we are passed over and spared.
I pray that you understand the significance of Passover and have painted the doorframe of your heart with the blood of the Ultimate Paschal Lamb, Jesus Christ, whose blood was shed for the sins of the whole world.
The story of the first Passover is found in the Book of Exodus. At the time, the Israelites were enslaved by the Egyptians. God had called Moses to urge Pharaoh to set the people free. Each time Pharaoh refused, a plague was placed on the Egyptians. The final plague was that all of the firstborn, man and animal, of any Egyptian household would die. However, God gave the Israelites specific instructions to protect themselves that night. He commanded that each Jewish household slaughter a spotless lamb and take the blood of the lamb and paint the doorframe of the home using a hyssop branch. The Jews were to remain in the home the entire night. This would be a sign to God to pass over these households that night as the plague took place. They were to eat the lamb after it had been roasted over a fire, along with bitter herbs and bread made without yeast. They were to have their cloak tucked in their belt, sandals on their feet and staff in hand as they ate, signifying that they would be leaving quickly.
All of this is a symbolic foreshadowing of what we will be celebrating in a few days as Easter approaches. First, it was because Jesus was observing the Passover that He was returning to Jerusalem at the risk of His life. Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a colt, the foal of a donkey, to fulfill the prophecy in Zechariah 9:9, and many gathered to shout Hosanna (which means "save" in Hebrew). The day is now celebrated as Palm Sunday, but on the day that it took place, it was the day that the Jews were required by law to present their Passover lamb for inspection so that it could be declared without blemish and an acceptable sacrifice. It was not a coincidence that Christ presented Himself on this day. He was spotless- without sin.
The blood of the lamb of the Passover protected the Jews from death the night of their exodus from Egypt. It was not simply the blood on the doorframe that caused their household to be passed over, but it was a declaration in belief of the God who would save them. In the same way, when we declare belief in Christ's death and resurrection, we are covered in his blood and saved from eternal death and given life eternal. This is why Jesus is often referred to as the "Lamb of God." When God looks at us, He sees the blood of Christ on the "doorframe" of our heart. Our declaration of belief is that Christ's death was sufficient payment for our sins as the wrath of God was poured out on Him during His death on the cross, therefore we are passed over and spared.
I pray that you understand the significance of Passover and have painted the doorframe of your heart with the blood of the Ultimate Paschal Lamb, Jesus Christ, whose blood was shed for the sins of the whole world.
Monday, April 18, 2011
Who Said Life Was Easy?
We wonder at how it could happen; how God could let it happen. Tragedies that befall upon the "good" people of this world- young parents at the death of a child, loved ones suffering with cancer, divorce threatening a once stable marriage. We question God and his sovereignty. We inform an all-knowing God that He does not know what He is doing; must not have considered the faithfulness of these people.
It seems a common expectation of Christians that life will be easy and safe, though the Bible warns us of exactly the opposite. Somehow it seems logical that as faithful followers of Christ, a man of great suffering and sorrows, we should be freed of our own.
As Christ approached His death, He experienced great mental anguish. Imagine having the awareness of God of what was to come and the ability of God to prevent it, but submitting entirely to the plan. We forget that it was not easy for Christ to bear these qualities here on earth. Long before His death had been plotted, He knew the great suffering He would endure. He also knew that He had the power to stop it. At any point, He could have decided that we were not worth. In the words of the great song "Ten Thousand Angels," He could have called ten thousand angels to destroy the world and set Him free. He was not helpless, but He refused to save Himself in order to save us. The temptation must have been so real- excruciating to resist.
In John Chapter 12:27-28 Christ says, "Now my heart is troubled, and what shall I say, 'Father, save me from this hour?' No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name!" This verse describes Christ's ability to save Himself, but His willingness to save us. A voice from Heaven proclaims that His name has been glorified and will be glorified again. Then Jesus informs the crowd that the voice was for their benefit, not ours. How can we benefit from this story?
Jesus knew what we so often struggle with. He knew that His sufferings would lead to God's glory which would be for the benefit of the whole world and Christ as well. This knowledge, this trust in God, this faith is what gave Him the strength to submit to the suffering. So often we cry for God to save us from "this hour" of suffering, but it would behoove us to follow Christ's example and declare, "Father, glorify your name!" In this we will find the strength to push through the sorrows of this world to find everlasting peace in a God who can carry us through all troubles.
If the Son of God was not spared suffering, we should know that we will not expect to be spared either. But what, then, is the promise of God? Psalm 46:1 says, "God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble." There is no promise of being exempt from troubles, but that He will be our ever-present help in the midst of troubles. So often our doubt in God is founded in the fact that we face troubles here on earth, but we can watch our faith grow abundantly if we were to submit to our trials and make our pleading be "Father, glorify your name."
Romans 8:28 assures us, "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." Dear Christian, He is working ALL things in your life for good! There is a purpose in your suffering- a strength, a perseverance, a salvation that will glorify His name and that will lead you to everlasting peace and comfort.
It seems a common expectation of Christians that life will be easy and safe, though the Bible warns us of exactly the opposite. Somehow it seems logical that as faithful followers of Christ, a man of great suffering and sorrows, we should be freed of our own.
As Christ approached His death, He experienced great mental anguish. Imagine having the awareness of God of what was to come and the ability of God to prevent it, but submitting entirely to the plan. We forget that it was not easy for Christ to bear these qualities here on earth. Long before His death had been plotted, He knew the great suffering He would endure. He also knew that He had the power to stop it. At any point, He could have decided that we were not worth. In the words of the great song "Ten Thousand Angels," He could have called ten thousand angels to destroy the world and set Him free. He was not helpless, but He refused to save Himself in order to save us. The temptation must have been so real- excruciating to resist.
In John Chapter 12:27-28 Christ says, "Now my heart is troubled, and what shall I say, 'Father, save me from this hour?' No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name!" This verse describes Christ's ability to save Himself, but His willingness to save us. A voice from Heaven proclaims that His name has been glorified and will be glorified again. Then Jesus informs the crowd that the voice was for their benefit, not ours. How can we benefit from this story?
Jesus knew what we so often struggle with. He knew that His sufferings would lead to God's glory which would be for the benefit of the whole world and Christ as well. This knowledge, this trust in God, this faith is what gave Him the strength to submit to the suffering. So often we cry for God to save us from "this hour" of suffering, but it would behoove us to follow Christ's example and declare, "Father, glorify your name!" In this we will find the strength to push through the sorrows of this world to find everlasting peace in a God who can carry us through all troubles.
If the Son of God was not spared suffering, we should know that we will not expect to be spared either. But what, then, is the promise of God? Psalm 46:1 says, "God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble." There is no promise of being exempt from troubles, but that He will be our ever-present help in the midst of troubles. So often our doubt in God is founded in the fact that we face troubles here on earth, but we can watch our faith grow abundantly if we were to submit to our trials and make our pleading be "Father, glorify your name."
Romans 8:28 assures us, "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." Dear Christian, He is working ALL things in your life for good! There is a purpose in your suffering- a strength, a perseverance, a salvation that will glorify His name and that will lead you to everlasting peace and comfort.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Greater Things Are Yet to Come
They had two beautiful daughters. The father peeked into the stroller I pushed onto the elevator and told me he thought Julia was very cute. His wife asked how old she was and commented on how very alert she is. With motherly pride, I told them about all three of my girls.
After stepping off the elevator, I started bundling Julia for the cold walk to the car. It was raining heavily. I saw the wife tug at her husbands arm and he turned to me and said, "Please, could I watch your baby for you while you pull up your car? I would be happy to." I politely declined and his wife said, "Are you certain? It really isn't a problem." I assured them that I had Julia warmly covered with blankets and protected from the rain, but thanked them for their kindness.
As I walked to the car, I felt very touched by how friendly they were and concerned for my well-being. Suddenly I felt compelled to go back and thank them and then tell them how much God loves them. Julia was loaded in the car and I pulled out one of my "How Good is Good Enough" books that I have been carrying in my purse with the intent to give it to them. I prayed that God would allow me this opportunity and drove down the parking lot lane opposite from the exit. I saw the father get in his car that he had pulled up to the front door for his wife and two daughters and quickly pull away. Just like that, they were gone.
I have often felt sorrow for a stranger, whether it be trial or tragedy that brings on the emotion. But I don't believe I have ever felt true sorrow when considering a stranger's salvation, until Friday. I prayed to God that they knew the love of Christ and that if they did not, He would put a strong witness in their life. And I cried because I would not be a part of it, or know what becomes of them. They had two beautiful daughters. They were very gentle people. And I won't ever know if they will know the joy of their Lord and Savior.
I know why God let them get away. I believe He had to let me experience that sorrow so that I could know why He calls us to witness. Admittedly I felt sorrow because they were nice. I wanted them to be saved. They showed me love. But the sorrow I felt for them should extend even to those that do not show me love; even those that show me the opposite. The sorrow that I felt was a small glimpse of what God feels, but better than the sorrow, He wants me to experience the joy of watching another come to Christ. I am very blessed to have had the opportunity to witness to my husband and see Him saved. When I look at Jonathan and reflect on the work that Christ has done in his life, my heart fills with joy. And to have been a part of it is a gift from God. God wants me to be part of more opportunities like this.
Colette's Bible verse for the week is "Store your treasures in Heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy." (Matthew 6:20) The only treasures I can take with me to Heaven are the souls of my loved ones. This is what my focus should be in life.
God also spoke to me through this incident in another way. As my last entry indicated, I was feeling the need to branch out in my faith in God and commit to Him in a bigger and bolder way. I thank all of you that kept that in your prayers, and I believe the answer I received is found in Matthew 25:21 "His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness.'" I have realized that I have not been trusted with greater deeds because I have not been faithful in the small things. In light of this revelation I have made a commitment to read the Bible and spend time in prayer everyday. Shamefully, these things I have not been doing. I want to join in my master's happiness. I would love to hear Him say, "Well done, good and faithful servant!" I know that as I am faithful in the small things, greater things will be yet to come.
After stepping off the elevator, I started bundling Julia for the cold walk to the car. It was raining heavily. I saw the wife tug at her husbands arm and he turned to me and said, "Please, could I watch your baby for you while you pull up your car? I would be happy to." I politely declined and his wife said, "Are you certain? It really isn't a problem." I assured them that I had Julia warmly covered with blankets and protected from the rain, but thanked them for their kindness.
As I walked to the car, I felt very touched by how friendly they were and concerned for my well-being. Suddenly I felt compelled to go back and thank them and then tell them how much God loves them. Julia was loaded in the car and I pulled out one of my "How Good is Good Enough" books that I have been carrying in my purse with the intent to give it to them. I prayed that God would allow me this opportunity and drove down the parking lot lane opposite from the exit. I saw the father get in his car that he had pulled up to the front door for his wife and two daughters and quickly pull away. Just like that, they were gone.
I have often felt sorrow for a stranger, whether it be trial or tragedy that brings on the emotion. But I don't believe I have ever felt true sorrow when considering a stranger's salvation, until Friday. I prayed to God that they knew the love of Christ and that if they did not, He would put a strong witness in their life. And I cried because I would not be a part of it, or know what becomes of them. They had two beautiful daughters. They were very gentle people. And I won't ever know if they will know the joy of their Lord and Savior.
I know why God let them get away. I believe He had to let me experience that sorrow so that I could know why He calls us to witness. Admittedly I felt sorrow because they were nice. I wanted them to be saved. They showed me love. But the sorrow I felt for them should extend even to those that do not show me love; even those that show me the opposite. The sorrow that I felt was a small glimpse of what God feels, but better than the sorrow, He wants me to experience the joy of watching another come to Christ. I am very blessed to have had the opportunity to witness to my husband and see Him saved. When I look at Jonathan and reflect on the work that Christ has done in his life, my heart fills with joy. And to have been a part of it is a gift from God. God wants me to be part of more opportunities like this.
Colette's Bible verse for the week is "Store your treasures in Heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy." (Matthew 6:20) The only treasures I can take with me to Heaven are the souls of my loved ones. This is what my focus should be in life.
God also spoke to me through this incident in another way. As my last entry indicated, I was feeling the need to branch out in my faith in God and commit to Him in a bigger and bolder way. I thank all of you that kept that in your prayers, and I believe the answer I received is found in Matthew 25:21 "His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness.'" I have realized that I have not been trusted with greater deeds because I have not been faithful in the small things. In light of this revelation I have made a commitment to read the Bible and spend time in prayer everyday. Shamefully, these things I have not been doing. I want to join in my master's happiness. I would love to hear Him say, "Well done, good and faithful servant!" I know that as I am faithful in the small things, greater things will be yet to come.
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Blind or Turning a Blind Eye?
Because I write this blog it is evident that I claim a saving knowledge in Christ. I told you in my very first entry that this blog is a testimony of my faith that God has worked a plan for my life and yours too. So the words in John 9:41 have been causing me much reflection on who I am claiming to be versus who I am acting as. "Jesus said, 'If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains.'" Jesus was speaking to the Pharisees whom He had just accused of spiritual blindness. This, after He healed a man who had been physically blind his entire life.
I claim to see. And that burden of guilt is heavy on my heart today.
I claim to see. I write to you, professing my love for God and what He has done for me, and I earnestly hope that you will join me in that proclamation.
If I claim to love God and know His truth and His desire for my life to be a reflection of His love, then I am guilty of all of those times-the majority of my life- that I do not act on that knowledge.
I claim to see. But today what I see is a computer that I hide behind and write words easily because I have been gifted with the ability. And though I think of you, dear stranger, who may read these words and I hope they bring you understanding, were I to meet you on the street and suspect your need for God's love and acceptance, I would not speak of it. That's what I see.
From where I sit in my kitchen I can see the refrigerator filled with the goodness of this morning's grocery trip, along with the bananas, tomatoes, avocados, and pears sitting on the counter, and the pantry that is stockpiled with all the things that I stare at when hungry and grumble that there is "nothing to eat in this house." From where I sit, I think I resemble much more the rich man whose gates poor Lazarus sat at, longing for the scraps that fell from his table, than the faithful servants described in the Bible who gave to each as they had need.
From where I sit I can view that which I have called blessings poured down from Heaven as a result of my faithfulness, and only today consider that they may actually be temptations from the hand of Satan. Temptations that convince me that my comforts are necessities and keep me in a position of serving my comforts as though they are my god and distract me from serving the One who truly is. This is what Jesus meant when He warned that it was easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to go to Heaven. There is a lot of upkeep required for the rich's standard of living; upkeep that distracts from the work of God. Homes and cars and wardrobes that keep us running the rat race of complacency. And it's not just the money that keeps us preoccupied with the maintenance of these, but it is all of the time our "things" require- the yards to beautify, the large homes to clean and furnish and repair and heat and cool, the clothes to wash and press, and the cars to wash and wax. We call it good stewardship in that we are caring for our "investments" and making them last. Yet, all of it is eating up our time and we are satisfied with that when the harvests of God are ripe and the reapers are few. I go to bed with a feeling of accomplishment when my home is clean and my children well-fed, but how accomplished does God view that day?
I can not write this without feeling conviction, but yet I wonder what to do with it. Too often as Christians we can feel the pinch of guilt closing in us and use Jesus dying for our sins as our scapegoat to continue living in it. But we have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?! If we claim to see, but do not act on that sight, then the guilt remains. I know we are not saved by works, but faith without works is dead. How alive can my faith be when I look out at the rows of homes in my neighborhood filled with individuals who do not know Christ as their Savior and avoid sharing it with them? Where was my love for Christ when the Jehovah's Witness knocked on my door yesterday and invited me to his Kingdom Hall and I politely accepted the invitation and closed the door? Why did I not invite him to my church in return? Why was it relief that I felt when that was all the interaction we had? Where is my desire to knock on the doors of strangers and invite them to know God?
I have been sitting on this blog entry for days now with no way to end it. From a literary sense, it begs a powerful ending with a conclusion of how I am going to make some change in my life to further dedicate my life to Christ. From a godly perspective, it begs the same. But I cannot make a commitment to you or my God that I will not follow through with. I want to tell you I am ready, but fear is holding me back. So I ask for your prayers that I would be empowered to do that which God is calling me to do. I want to live my life for Him, instead of basking in His mercy. Truly, it is by His mercy that I have the many blessings that I do, for they are not deserved. I have not loved with my whole heart, but I want to be ready to.
I feel like something big is about to happen.
I have been sitting on this blog entry for days now with no way to end it. From a literary sense, it begs a powerful ending with a conclusion of how I am going to make some change in my life to further dedicate my life to Christ. From a godly perspective, it begs the same. But I cannot make a commitment to you or my God that I will not follow through with. I want to tell you I am ready, but fear is holding me back. So I ask for your prayers that I would be empowered to do that which God is calling me to do. I want to live my life for Him, instead of basking in His mercy. Truly, it is by His mercy that I have the many blessings that I do, for they are not deserved. I have not loved with my whole heart, but I want to be ready to.
I feel like something big is about to happen.
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