Waiting with Creation

Letter to Seda

2010-03-25T12:19:00.000-07:00

Do you have any idea how adorable you are? I think Granny must have flown home like a maniac from her visit with you on Saturday just to e-mail me these pictures.

Granny said that you wanted to call and say, "Sarah, I love you," so I guess that means you have forgiven me for Christmas when I made you take the barrett out of your mouth. I'm so glad. Forgiveness is the hardest lesson to learn. You, being the baby genius you are, have learned the lesson early. Words cannot express how much I love you!

A Serenade We Don't Want to Miss

2010-03-17T09:05:00.000-07:00

So, I've given up Starbucks (my, and everyone else's favorite study spot) for lent. If you know how many times I've cheated over the Lenten season, please do not post that in the comments section of this blog! Therefore, I have packed up my Medium Brown Bag from Bloomingdale's with my laptop, Bible (why does mine weigh so much!) and notebook and have moved into Panera this morning. I love the fresh pastry smell. I love their Latte's. I love free Wi-Fi. I love it here. My tray of food looks like I should be brunching in Paris this morning. I can hear quiet chatter all around me. One man next to me has a strong accent and his words are like honey. The book of Genesis is spread out in front of me and an empty notebook page waits patiently underneath it. I don't even mind the crying baby across the room. It has all the makings of a perfect day. I just can't look out any window or I'll see this:

Calm and peaceful on the inside, crazy zoo seeking families lined up for miles on the outside. Last year during this week of spring break, I lived really close to the zoo and drove in the spring break traffic a lot. I can remember watching 2 kids slug it out in the back of a minivan while waiting at the stoplight to turn into the zoo. MADNESS! Outside is such a contradiction of the inside quiet and peace.

As Beth says, "The lesson is not wasted on me." This is what I desire: to know the Lord so intimately and to walk so closely to Him that His peace and Word are spoken to me even in the midst of my everyday traffic. Quieting myself to hear is challenging, especially during my regular weeks of work, ministry, and living my life. I am praying that while my life is a little quieter this week, God will train my ears and mind to quiet so that I am prepared for all aspects of my life. I want my life to be a noticable contradiction. I want it to be said of my God that He brings stillness and peace, even in the midst of traffic. Notice I'm not using "calm in the middle of storms." I don't have lots of storms in my life. I'm sure they will come. They always do, but right now my battle is traffic.

From the Word of the God

"Surely I have composed and quieted my soul; like a child rests against his mother, so my soul rests within me." Psalm 131:2

"Better is a dry morsel of food and quietness with it than a house full of feasting and strife." Psalm 17:1

Child of God, let your heart be quiet before Him, if only for a few moments. He is rejoicing over us with singing, a serenade we can't offord to miss.

Running After Christ is NOT Always Pretty!

2009-08-14T07:54:00.000-07:00

Many of the Samaritans from the town believed in him because of the woman's testimony.
-John 4:39

What an incredible harvest after one woman's meeting with the Christ. You can tell by these results that she had Elohim in her eyes when she returned to the village. Her head was swarming with ideas of love, peace and hope, and there was no stopping her witness. She loved Christ madly! In my heart, I desire this insane passion for Christ. But what would it cost me? The same thing it cost her. If we back up to the process that brought the whole village to Christ, we see that it wasn't such a pretty thing.

1. Humility: v. 9-"You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?" This woman doesn't even know she is looking at the Messiah. She only knows her role in society. As a Samaritan, she is below the Jews. As a woman, she is below men. I can't help but think her head hung low. She had been used, abused, and cast aside before. Now, she comes in contact with a man that everyone would say is above her on every chart that existed in society. She didn't know that today He would sit her hind feet on high places. Today, she would be made an heir to the Kingdom above all others. Right now, she only recognizes that she is low and he is high. Humility does that to us. We recognize that He is God and we are not. We don't put Him on the throne of our lives; He is already there! What we do is bow in reverence to that fact. Praying for Humility is a scary thing because it usually comes with brokenness. But how necessary that prayer is if we want to know Him today more than we did yesterday! Yesterday this woman didn't even know who Christ was, and today, she will make Him the Banner that she carries back to the village.

2. She sees her need: v. 15-"Sir, give me this water so that I won't get thirsty." She had just gotten an earful of information about "Living Water." She heard it all straight from Messiah's mouth. Did she possess that water? No. She had to ask for it. This is true of Salvation and it is true of sanctification. We must ask for both! She asked for the Living Water of Salvation that day because she saw her need. The Holy Spirit had opened her eyes to the debt that sin brings. It is the same with sanctification-the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit to make us more like Christ after salvation has taken place. He wants us to be like Christ! He commands us to walk in holiness. We need his power to make that happen...ASK FOR IT! And then give Him the glory when He gives that power. He is Mighty to Save!

3. She comes face to face with her sin: v. 17 "I have no husband." she replied. Jesus said to her, "You are right that you have no husband. You have 5. And the man you now have is not your husband." Ouch! Her ugly truth comes out of his mouth and probably smacks her in the face. Has God ever done that with you? He has with me, very recently. He shows us our sin to bring us to repentance. That sin smothers the Holy Spirit's work in our lives. Without the Holy Spirit, we cannot know God more or grow deeper in love with him. Confession should be a part of our daily lives. We should look to the blood of the cross not just as something that brings salvation, but also as something that brings about sanctification and hope for more of Him.

4. She was transparent in front of others: v. 39b-"He told me everything I ever did." She proclaims this to all of the Samaritans in the town. Chances are they already knew everything about her as well. She was probably the fountain from which every juicy piece of gossips came in that town. But just the act of saying it out loud lets the people see a transformation from her. Being transparent about your struggles and sin allows others to see that God came to seek and save the lost, not the squeaky clean.

A life transformed and then on display for a watching world to see. We want to be transformed, but do we want to be laid out as an example for others? Chances are, if we are put on display for others to see, the grace that will meet us under that spotlight will reveal a whole new side of the countenance of God, a side we would never have known if not for the brokenness and revealing of the Holy Spirit.

Putting down facebook and picking up Deuteronomy

2009-05-01T08:10:00.000-07:00

So, there is this little-known addiction out there called Facebook. Anyone heard of it? Well, since the fb execs are smiling down at me and giving me a great wireless signal at my house, I've returned the favor by being facebook obsessed for the last 24 hours. This lets me know that I've definately made the right decision about NOT getting the internet at my house. I think that all of my self control would go out the window! Thankfully, I have a God who has bigger plans for my day than sitting on Facebook all day and waiting for my other "Teachers on Swine Vacay" friends to post something amusing. Today, I am seeking those plans above any other because I know that they are plans of hope, purpose, and a future. Those plans start with this blog. I've known for a while now that this was something that He wanted me to do, to speak truth, not of myself, but of Him, into people's lives. Somehow, I will trust that He will direct me as to what to write and will direct others to this spot in cyberspace to read what He says. I also want to use this blog to point out others who are writing about their own experiences with Christ in this world. I have been changed by reading these posts from the LPM website of Melissa's trip to India through Compassion Ministries. How humbling to think of what my desires are when these people are without everything! I also devour everything this guy writes about the Lord...incredible thoughts. And the list of 500 things Christians like is hilarious! Now I'm off to spend some time in my new favorite book, Deuteronomy.