Snapshots For His Glory -- Exodus 3:2;4-5

I am reminded today that even a common, ordinary moment in time can suddenly be transformed into a holy and sacred one.

So be on the alert at all times, keeping your eyes and your heart wide open.

Because you never know when the ordinary can suddenly become the extraordinary.

Worship Song Sunday -- Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing, by Chris Rice

O Root of Jesse, You stand as a signal for the people; before You, Kings shall fall silent and to You, the nations shall make their prayer: Come to deliver us, and do not delay! ~ from the Antiphons of Advent

Today is the first Sunday in the Advent season.  

Advent photo, Cheryle Kupsch Photography

Advent is derived from the Latin word, adventus, which means ‘coming.’  It’s a time of eager anticipation as we not only prepare for the celebration of Christ’s birth, but as we prepare for His Second coming as well.

Right now, preparation of any kind seems like a daunting task for me, as lately I have felt like one huge walking, talking, cluttered mess.  So many needless, foolish, dark and broken things are piled high and packed full into the storage rooms of my heart, mind and spirit. Wretched and useless things I'd much rather keep hidden away and avoid, but nonetheless, things that need to be purged and cleansed.  I NEED to make room for Jesus.

I so want these next several weeks before Christmas -- which are often extremely hectic weeks -- to be a time of sweet, holy joy and peaceful, purposeful contemplation on the things in this life that matter: of God-with-us, of family near and far, of friends and strangers in need, of making the fruits of the Spirit available to whomever I meet. 

As a people-pleasing, ‘everything-has-to-be-perfect’ kind of gal, I feel somewhat overwhelmed by this. Like some lone, inexperienced maid, asked to clean a castle from top to bottom in a mere few days to prepare for the coming of a very special, extraordinary King.

And yet -- I must remember that, although Jesus is a King, He humbled Himself and came to this earth in human form, a small, helpless Infant born into the lowliest of circumstances: in an ordinary stable among cows, sheep, goats and donkeys; drawn out of the birth canal and held first in the rough-hewn hands of His earthly father, an ordinary carpenter; wrapped in rags by His young, exhausted, not-yet-wed mother, an ordinary village girl; placed reverently and lovingly onto the smelly, and no doubt dirty, straw in an ordinary feeding trough for the barn animals.

  

Our Hope -- surrounded by and swaddled in humility.

The condition of my heart, spirit and mind….no, they’re certainly not perfect. But this Christ, this King – He is not looking for House Beautiful here, ready to perform the white glove test on me. And thankfully not, for I would surely fail!! No, I believe He is seeking only to be able to daily enter into my welcoming, humble heart; longing to heal my continually broken and contrite spirit, desiring to consistently guard my mind, always in need of renewal, with God’s peace.  

This year, in my search for a song to use that would not only suffice as a song of worship, but a song that would well represent the beginning of the Advent season, as well as my own, personal Advent journey, I came across a site that listed this song, 'Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing,' as one which was used in someone's church during the Advent season.  I thought to myself, 'Really? THIS song?' It didn't really strike me as 'adventy' or even 'Christmasy' (and are these even real words I'm using here?).  

And yet, upon listening to it after being given a holy 'nudge' to write this post, I think it's a 'perfect fit.'  

May this song inspire, comfort and encourage you, dear one, as you perhaps begin your own Advent journey today......

And then Isaiah says: 'There shall be a root of Jesse; and He Who shall rise to reign over the Gentiles, in Him the Gentiles shall hope.'  May the God of hope fill you with joy and peace in your faith, that by the power of the Holy Spirit, your whole life and outlook may be radiant with hope.' ~ Romans 15:12-13, (J.B. Phillips New Testament)

Warning

Warning – never write a blog entry entitled “God is Good,” and expect/think that nothing will happen (sooner than later at that) to make you wonder, even if only for the briefest instant, if that is really true.

Now, I know that it IS true.  God IS good.  But I also know that this life is not. Not all of the time. No matter how many T-shirts, baseball caps and bumper stickers assure me and you that ‘Life is Good,’ don’t for one minute believe that to be a consistently true statement.

God is good despite the fact that life is not always good. Despite the fact that things and people aren’t always what they seem and don’t always turn out the way you want them to. Despite what others say and do. Despite the way things look. Despite the way you feel.

One thing you can be sure of – God never, EVER changes. That is a part of His nature – to be unchanging. Unwavering. He is not fickle or double-minded like we are. God is good – all the time. That never changes.

But circumstances and people do change. All the time. Wednesday could be a perfectly wonderful day.  The. Best. Day. Ever., as people like to say. But then Thursday rolls in like a killer storm, complete with torrential downpours, deafening thunder, blinding lightning bolts and tsunami-sized waves. Sunday could be a day filled with joyful blessings, a day where it’s easy to praise God, a day where it’s easy to see and say and believe that God is good.

And then Monday comes along and begins to unravel like a bad sweater.

You car breaks down, your cell phone dies and oh, by the way, you left your wallet at home. Or you go online and find that three of your checks have bounced, with more on the way because your account is showing INSUFFICIENT FUNDS (always shown in blood red, just in case you missed it being in bold caps). Meanwhile, you realize that your rent is due today. And later on, you find out that you didn’t get that better paying job everyone, including you, were absolutely SURE you were going to get.  

Do you still believe that God is good?

Or how about this scenario?  You get to the job you already have, get called into the office and are told that your services are no longer needed and please go back to your desk to pack your things, your severance check is in the mail, have a nice day. You plod back to your desk -- where there are some empty boxes all ready and waiting for you and you find yourself greeted by two rather intimidating gentlemen from your employer’s goon squad…sorry…security office, to keep an eye on you and accompany you as you leave the building, just in case you might be thinking about going postal and shooting up the entire office on your way out the door. 

Might you be thinking: God is good?

The phone rings at home, you answer it, and the voice on the other end tells you news you don’t want to hear:

·         Your son’s been arrested

·         Your parents are divorcing

·         Your daughter was in an accident and is at the ER

·         Your spouse isn’t coming home

·         Your test for cancer or diabetes or heart disease came back positive

Is God still good then?

Yes, of course He is.  

However, it can be a truth that's difficult to grasp and hold tightly to in the midst of life being not so good.  In fact, it's downright, exasperatingly hard. When things begin to spiral downward in life, I can almost see the enemy slithering up next to me, raising one eyebrow, nodding his head and saying with an eerie chuckle, "So....how's that whole 'God is good' thing working for you now, dearie?" 

Not long after I wrote  'God is Good'   and posted it, some things in my life began to unravel like that aforementioned bad sweater.  Because, as we all know, after a lesson always comes the test. 

But --  in spite of the things I see going on around me in my family, in my neighborhood, in the lives of dear friends, as well as in the Church and, of course, in the world, things that anger, sadden, confuse and frighten me -- I will choose to remember and believe that God is still good. 

Even after the three phone calls I received in an hour's time that left my head spinning and my heart pounding out of my chest the other day.  Even after someone near and dear to me shared some news yesterday that made me sick, broke my heart and caused me to wonder what the future will hold for them now, I will choose to remember and believe that God is still good.

What about you, dear friends? Who or what in your life is causing you to struggle to remember this truth, that God is still good even when life is not?

Will you join me today, and in the coming days, in choosing to remember and to say, along with the prophet, Habakkuk: 

Though the fig tree should not blossom,

    nor fruit be on the vines,

the produce of the olive fail

    and the fields yield no food,

the flock be cut off from the fold

    and there be no herd in the stalls,

yet I will rejoice in the Lord;

    I will take joy in the God of my salvation.

God, the Lord, is my strength;

    He makes my feet like the deer's;

    He makes me tread on my high places. ~ Habakkuk 3:17-19, ESV

Before The Throne of God Above, by Sojourn

Yesterday at church, I heard a beautiful song of worship I haven't heard in quite some time, although I actually have this particular version on my iPod. 

I first heard it years ago on some CD my daughter borrowed from our church library. It was so moving to me then and it remains so today.

Originally, it was written as a hymn entitled, "The Advocate," by Charitie Lees Bancroft almost 150 years ago.  While many artists have recorded it, I chose to share Sojourn's beautiful and simple rendition of it.

May the lyrics touch your heart, as they have mine.  And on those dark and lonely days when you feel lost -- as I often can -- and are prone to forget -- as I often am -- may this song remind you of who and Whose you are, and invite you to draw ever closer to your Abba. 

Empty To Be Filled

Today, I was given a slight reprieve from the waves of depression that have been knocking me down these past few weeks.  I was able to step out from beneath the clouds and out into the warmth and light to write just a wee bit of what I'm experiencing on this dark journey. 


It feels good to be able to write something -- ANYTHING -- again and to be able to just breathe.....


My mind is empty --
Fill it with Your truths 
and promises from Your Word.


My heart is empty --
Fill  it with Your deep love 
and compassion.


My spirit is empty --
Fill it with Your hope, joy
and Your perfect peace.


My soul is empty --
Fill it with You.

 I am the LORD your God, who brought you up out of Egypt. Open wide your mouth and I will fill it. ~ Psalm 81:10

Worship Song Sunday -- Create In Me, by Mary Rice Hopkins

Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from Thy presence; and take not Thy Holy Spirit from me.  Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation; and uphold me with a willing spirit ~ Psalm 51:10-12, ASV

Allow no one but our Master Creator to create a pure and clean heart within us. May this be the song of our hearts to our gracious, loving Father -- today and every day.

To Fast Or Not To Fast

And so the Lord says, 
      “These people say they are Mine. 
   They honor Me with their lips, 
      but their hearts are far from Me. 
   And their worship of Me 
    is nothing but man-made rules learned by rote. ~ Isaiah 29:13, NLT


Yesterday, I posted about the upcoming Lenten season and what I understood -- or more like misunderstood -- it to be.  I had such a warped vision of what God expected of me during this season.  Or perhaps it's better said, what God desired from me.


With regards to fasting,  I’ve come to realize over the years that this is not something to ever be entered into lightly or done mindlessly or out of guilt, fear, ritual or pressure. Lenten fasting -- or any other type of Christian fasting -- should never be viewed by me or by anyone else as just some church denomination’s ancient ritual, nor should we, as I once heard in a sermon, make ourselves into miserable people observing a miserable tradition.  


Instead, we should see Lent as a reordering and a ‘spring cleaning,’ if you will, of our lives. It’s a challenge and an acknowledgment that we are not yet what we are to be; a preparation for our ultimate transformation as followers of Christ, as well as a very personal offering and intimate act of love and worship between ourselves and the Lord.  

God wants my heart!!

I'm learning it's less about tradition and a sense of duty and more about my motive; more about my having a sincere, heart's desire to become more open to God's presence and my ears more attuned to His voice; more about drawing nearer to and becoming more intimate with God as a result of my putting aside those things that I often crave more than Him.  


And just what ARE those things that I crave and desire more than God?

A few years ago, while in one of my ugly self-righteous, Pharisee modes, I found myself looking at giving up things for Lent like chocolate, coffee, junk food, etc., as lame.  Kind of dumb and childish. Like, 'Gee, does God REALLY care whether or not I eat this 3 Musketeers bar? Why deny myself such a little thing?  And hey, isn't self-denial a form of punishment anyway?'  


But I recently came across a quote, again from the Lynne Baab book, 'Fasting,' from a 30 something teacher named Lisa whom Baab interviewed.  She said this:


"Denying myself something that I use for comfort is a great reminder of my desire to keep my relationship with God as my first and foremost priority.  Fasting challenges me to keep a perspective of Who I'm living for at all times of the day."  


Wow.  Speaking strictly for myself, I too often do use chocolate, coffee, junk food for comfort.  When I should be seeking comfort from God.  I'll admit I'm guilty of using Facebook to seek validation and relevance for myself from other people.  When I should be seeking those things  from God.  Because my relationship with Him is to be my foremost priority in life. Because He is my First Love.


So, when I choose to fast or abstain or however you want to refer to it, from something -- be it a particular food or drink or sweets; an activity, routine or a habitual indulgence - I do so NOT to prove to myself and everyone around me that I am strong enough to deny myself and make this 'great' sacrifice; I do so NOT to punish myself for some 'bad behavior' and  certainly not with the mindset that I can force God to give me or do something I want. 


No, when I fast, it should be out of a desire to greatly lower the volume on the constant noise around me and to remove the continuous distractions in my life, enabling me to spend more time talking with AND listening to God throughout my day (and really, that's what prayer is), allowing for that greater, more intimate relationship with Him.  And when I do fast from something, especially if it is from a meal, be it once or twice a week or even one particular meal a day, I need to utilize the time I'd spend eating or doing that activity by spending that time alone with God.  Because if I don't, it's just meaningless.  


So, some of the deeper, pertinent questions I’ve been asking myself lately have been:

* What have I firmly placed in top priority status, thereby knocking Jesus out of first place in my life?
  
*What things (foods, drinks, material possessions, body image,) do I obsess over? What activities (working out, blogging, shopping), what distractions (Facebook, Internet surfing, TV shows) and what desires (need for praise, approval, acknowledgment, love) have I allowed to totally consume me and to stand in the way of my daily communication with Jesus?   


*What idols need to be cast down completely or at least brought way down to the bottom of the totem pole status?

*What sins have I allowed to continually trip me up and entangle me and ruin my relationship with the Lord, breaking His heart and grieving His Spirit? What do I need to repent of?

*How best can I honor Christ with my life during these next 40 days?  What do I need to be doing or refrain from doing? 


Right now, I'm still praying about all of this.  


The Word of God tells me there is so much more to this challenge of Lent in Isaiah 1:11-15; in Isaiah 58:6-14 (and OH what a magnificent portion of Scripture this is!); in Psalm 51:10-12 & 16-17; in Joel 2:13; and finally, in Hebrews 13:15-16. As He always has, God longs for us to be in a loving relationship with Him, to love and be loved by Him.  

While the season of Lent is considered to be a somber, more serious time of preparation than Advent, it can also be a blessed, joyful time of intentionally seeking out Jesus, embarking on a journey to befriend or strengthen our relationship with the living Christ.  May it be so for you, should you choose to partake.


'Fasting has every bit as much to do with the attitude of the heart as it does to what is actually given up in the fast.' ~ from 'Fasting,' by Lynne M. Baab

Three Things

Some time ago, I heard someone on the radio talking about three things you can expect when you are a Christian. While I can’t remember it word for word (old age has definitely set in), here’s the gist of it: 


The three things you can expect to receive as a follower of Christ are: 


∙ fearlessness
∙ joy
∙ constant trouble 

Well, alrighty then.  The first two do indeed sound like some pretty wonderful gifts, don’t they? To be fearless in such a fearful world? Throughout the Bible, we are encouraged to be unafraid. “Fear not.....be ye not afraid....be strong and courageous, do not be terrified.” Our fearlessness depends on our ability to put our trust and our faith in God. “When I am afraid, I will trust in You. In God whose Word I praise; in God I trust, I will not be afraid” (Psalm 56:3,4). 


And joy...who doesn’t want joy? Mentioned 242 times in the Bible, it’s a feeling that comes from deep within our hearts through the Holy Spirit living and at work inside of us (Luke 10:21; Galatians 5:22); is completely independent of our outward circumstances (Habakkuk 3:18; James 1:2) and is often hard to express in words (1 Peter 1:8). Great joy is found in knowing the Lord as our Savior (Isaiah 58:14; Acts 16:34), consuming His word (Jeremiah 15:16; Psalm 119:103) and spending time in His presence (Psalm 16:11). Our joy, like our fearlessness, also depends on our ability to trust in the Lord - “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him” (Romans 15:13). 


But wait just a minute here.  Constant trouble?  You're kidding, right? Who in the world wants to receive THAT??!! That's no gift.....FUGGETABOUTIT!!!  I’ve had my share and more this past year, thanks very much.  You can keep it. Let's keep looking ahead, maybe 2012 will be the Year of the Cakewalk.  


Yeah.....right.  Dream on, dear ones.  Trouble, according to the Bible, is to be our constant companion, a burden we must shoulder as a devoted follower of Christ while we journey upon this earth.  In 1 Peter 4:4, referring to those who do not share our faith in Jesus, it says "they think it strange that you do not plunge with them into the same flood of dissipation, and they heap abuse on you."   Yup.  I can relate to that, can‘t you?


And Jesus said, in John 16:33, in the Amplified Bible, “In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration.”  Ain’t THAT the truth? Trouble is a given, a guarantee.  Our traveling companion in life, though definitely NOT our companion of choice. 


So where does that leave us?  Well,  thankfully, we have this hope to focus on and cling to in the next part of the verse: “but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted]! For I have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you.]” 

'Lion of Judah,' by Jeff Haynie

Jesus, our Mighty Warrior and our Hero, has gone before us and made a way for us to follow Him.  Jesus conquered sin and death.  Our troubles are not removed, but He walks with us as both our front and our rear guard; as our Protector and as our Light to guide us safely through our dark and troublesome times. 


Writing this, I’m reminded of a poem I’d heard many, many years ago:

The Prayer of St. Patrick

As we begin this new year, let’s ask our precious Savior to allow us to see these three things as the gifts they truly are --  although that last one might not be the gift we've been hoping for.  Let's pray that this year, we'll hold tightly to God's promises to us and that throughout 2012, we'll remember who we are: sons and daughters of the King; brothers and sisters-in-Christ; fearless prayer warriors of God, beloved  followers filled with joy unspeakable, although constantly surrounded and bombarded by the troubles of this world. 


But -- take heart! Be encouraged! Stand confident and undaunted in our Hope, Jesus Christ, who has overcome and conquered the world for us!



Hail Jesus You're my Lord
I will obey Your Word
I want to see Your kingdom come
Not my will but Yours be done


Glory glory to the Lamb
You take me into the land
We will conquer in Your name
And proclaim that Jesus reigns


Hail hail Lion of Judah
How powerful You are
Hail hail Lion of Judah
How wonderful You are
How wonderful You are ~ Victory Chant, by Nicole C. Mullen

Worship Song Sunday -- Nothing Without You, by Bebo Norman

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. ~ Romans 12:1, NIV


With all my heart
With all my soul
With all my mind
With all the strength that I can find

Take my time here on this earth
And let it glorify all that You are worth
For I am nothing,
I am nothing without You

Restless Child

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.' ~ Jesus


I cannot sleep,
My mind and heart are racing;
My body cannot rest.

The accusing voice asks -
"When did you become who you are today...
Someone other than who you were meant to be?"

I cover my ears,
And close my eyes;
But there is no peace for me...

A mocking voice shouts -
"You are worthless!
You are nothing!
You are rejected!
You do not matter!
You are invisible!"

Out of the room I run,
Down the stairs and
Out the door,
Into the cool, night air;
And under the moon and stars
I cry.....

But the still, small voice whispers -
"You are precious and honored in My sight.
You are Mine.
You are loved.
You are the apple of My eye.
NO ONE can take you from My hand,
On which your name is engraved."

My Father's voice comforts,
And resonates in my soul;
It is His lullaby
To His weary, burdened,
Restless child.

Worship Song Sunday -- Search My Heart, by Hillsong United

Today, there may be some of you who are unable to attend church services and to worship together with the body of Christ.  Depending upon where you are, your church services may have been cancelled due to Hurricane Irene's arrival or if they haven't, maybe your area is flooded and surrounded by fallen trees, making it impossible for you to get out.  Perhaps you're unable to leave your house to worship because you're caring for a sick child, spouse or parent, or you yourself may be ill.  Perhaps lately, you just don't feel as if you 'belong' at your church anymore because you've been burned and hurt by the people there (and if this is the case, my heart goes out to you).  Or maybe none of these reasons apply to you at all, and you're just one of the faithful blog readers stopping by for a visit this morning.

Whatever the reason, take a few minutes to sing out to the Lord God from your heart, worshiping Him. Open yourself up to the Lord God and allow Him to search your heart and soul.  Let Him restore you in your brokenness and make you whole again, praise Him with joy and thankfulness as you sing to Him, making these lyrics your own:

So with all my heart and all my soul
With all I am, Lord, I will follow You
You took the cross, You took my shame
Restored my life, Lord I will follow You
Without You I am nothing

My Jesus

He comes to my rescue
He fights my battles
He defeats my enemies
He eases my pain
He heals my wounds
He protects my life
He carries my burdens
He provides for my needs
He quenches my thirst
He satisfies my hunger
He nourishes my soul
He refreshes my spirit
He quiets my heart
He renews my mind
He delights in my laughter
He wipes away my tears
He listens for my voice
He hears my complaints
He forgives my sins
He removes my anxiety
He calms my fears
He knows my way
He walks by my side
He holds my right hand
He lifts up my head
He whispers my name
He loves me

He is my Jesus