Devotionals – Page 15 – The Welcome Home

“The Message,” “The Voice” and The Truth.

Even so, Come LORD Jesus.

Those who’ve followed the PDC or the PDL and are, were or have been interested in the “new conversation” of the quote, post-modern church, probably read from, or read in part, The Message. Now there’s another “project” in the works: The Voice.

No conspiracy theories, no alarmist voices here… just read a few quotes from The Voice site and draw your own conclusions from what you read:

A NEW WAY TO PROCESS IDEAS
THE VOICE: A SCRIPTURE PROJECT TO REDISCOVER THE STORY OF THE BIBLE

Chris Seay’s vision for The Voice goes back 15 years to his early attempts to celebrate the beauty and truth of the biblical narrative. As western culture moved into what is now referred to as postmodernism, Chris struggled with a deep desire to preach the whole story of God. Much like the Hebrews at the time of the New Testament, emerging generations today connect with story rather than isolated facts. Too often, preaching is reduced to articulating truth statements somehow hidden in a complex, powerful, and redemptive story. Jesus taught through parables and metaphors; modern Christians have attempted to translate His teaching into a system of irrefutable fact statements and something seems to be getting lost in the translation.”

Hence, a group of writers, poets, scholars, pastors, and storytellers have committed to work together to bring the Scriptures to life in a way that celebrates both beauty and truth. The result is a retelling of the Scriptures: The Voice, not of words, but of meaning and experience.”

Then, you might want to go and see the cast of characters in the presentation. You won’t find names with whom you might have been familiar regarding works in translation, Bible commentary and standard Bible dictionaries.

Putting the Bible into the language of modern readers has too often been a painstaking process of correlating the biblical languages to the English vernacular. The Bible is filled with passages intended to inspire, captivate, and depict beauty. The old school of translation most often fails at attempts to communicate beauty, poetry, and story. The Voice is a collage of compelling narratives, poetry, song, truth, and wisdom. The Voice will call you to enter into the whole story of God with your heart, soul, and mind.”

Our family is continuing on in the book of Galatians for our morning Bible study at the Breakfast table. Wes read a couple of passages a few times over and engaged the children in conversation regarding The Gospel – The Gospel and what Paul was saying and reemphasizing Galatians 1.6-10:

I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed. For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.”

There are so many changes, so many small additions, deletions, redefinitions of truths that one must be very wary, at least, and careful to study the Scriptures—to carefully guard against the subtlety of the enemy and the ever present assault on the Word. I’ve often thought it’s not so much that the devil wants you to follow him, but that you take your eyes off Jesus, that you question His Word, that you stop seeking the LORD fully and completely. That you accept “another” gospel.

There is no other gospel. There is only one Gospel. Only one way. Only Jesus. There are not many roads to heaven, not many ways to God. Acts 4.12

Neither is there salvation in any other:
for there is none other name under heaven
given among men, whereby we must be saved.

Stand up for Jesus… ye soldiers of the Cross.

Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
2Timothy 3.12-17

mulling over 31 Proverbs

I’m taking a break from writing – handwriting, that is – my husband has encouraged us, each one, to write out a copy of the Word—the Bible in our own hand—His Words, our writing. We’ve begun in the New Testament and have set about writing – originally a chapter a day, but now have relaxed that to half for longer chapters or about 25 verses a day. I didn’t quit writing simply to rest my hand, but because I wanted to continue to look into a matter that really captured my attention earlier today. I was doing a bit of website updating and writing (rather, typing out a letter pertaining to the life of a faithful woman), and I began to mull over, again and again, 31 proverbs.

I suppose that being a “list person” or needing lists as reminders or prompters has its drawbacks. Sometimes this list-checking fuels the ‘works vs. grace’ tendencies I try to avoid. But one of the advantages lists provide is the advantage of seeing progressions or seeing corollaries to each item or quality on that list. Well, so it is with the “list” of the qualities of the “Proverbs 31 woman.”

But it’s not a check list—the kind you seek to do or knock off so that you can get a gold star at the end of the quarter. It’s sooooo not that at all. This “list” or this account is a description of what a virtuous woman looks like, acts like, strives toward, accomplishes and believes.

Each description is sort of a facet of the diamond she is—for she is strong; each description is sort of a chapter of a life lived for Christ—for she is faithful;
each description is sort of a gift—for she leaves a legacy worth passing on to her children;
each description is a demonstration of honour—for it is the heart of her husband that safely trusts in her, for he is known in the gates—and the fruit of her work praises her there, too;
and finally each description is sort of a manual for women—for each one is an instruction, each one defines what Titus 2 succinctly directs older women to teach younger women.

the way of parenting

So this morning I’m looking out at the blanket of fresh snow over the fields. I think of the beauty of it all and think how amazing it is that it covers all the flaws… the dirt and weeds, the uneven spots… And then I think of character… the character training in children. The pointing to Jesus… the Author and Finisher of our faith. The only One who can show the way on the path, the only One who can cover our dirt… our weeds… and wash us white as snow.

Train up a child in the way he should go:
and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”
Proverbs 22.6

And what does this training do?

My son, keep thy father’s commandment,
and forsake not the law of thy mother:
Bind them continually upon thine heart,
and tie them about thy neck.
When thou goest, it shall lead thee;
when thou sleepest, it shall keep thee;
and when thou awakest, it shall talk with thee.
For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light;
and reproofs of instruction are the way of life:”
from 6.20-23

Reproof and instruction are the way of life… I mull that over and over as I recall how impressed I was last night regarding the training of children. The nurturing, protecting, raising, training, guiding, instructing, correcting, persuading, and praying for and over children. Then I mull over… pray over the children. Pray. Pray over. Pray over and over and over. And over again. nurture, protect, train, guide, instruct, correct, persuade and pray over and over and over. It seems a drudgery, doesn’t it? It seems wearying, doesn’t it? Or can it be seen as the greatest and most noble calling.

As we talked with parents of a younger family last night, we were encouraged and inspired by their zeal and enthusiasm to walk and stay the course. I thought of how I was once in their place not too long ago. I thought of how things were before some trials of life wearied my way. I thought of how things looked before some of the more recent bends in the road. I thought of how things used to be. And then I thought of how they must remain.

It’s taken some real effort to press on and stay the course sometimes. Effort bcz I’ve given in or fought against the lethargy of the enemy, the weariness in well-doing, and the daily-doubters. And then I read the Psalms…

I think the practice of regularly reading the Psalms is one of the greatest blessings of our homelife. I often wonder where we’d be if we didn’t stay the course and continually seek to apply the truths of God’s Word-namely (but not exclusively) the Psalms.

We talked last night about the particular influences on our parenting – those things which inspired and those things which hindered. We talked about vigilance and determination to stay the course. We also talked pretty candidly about those points of failure or wrong turns in the road. This family is currently at the same point on the path we were 10 or 15 years ago. I see them avoiding the snares on that part of the road and am so encouraged to take stock or “know the state of the flock” and seek to avoid those clear and present dangers on the path. The LORD continually reminds me over the years to stay the course… that though a few are older and no longer home, there are many lives yet to shape and guide… that I cannot afford to waste time or to think for a moment that then end of the course is near. It’s today… it’s just begun!
Every once in awhile I think that we’d all do well to now and then reassess our situations and do a little housekeeping in our families – in our parenting… remove clutter, repair the floors or walls, go through the reading materials, check the daily schedules to see where the holes are. You know, the little holes in the day where great siphons creep in and drain the life and resolve right out of a home.
I think it’s a marvelous thing to take a good long look in the mirror… a good honest look and ask: am I where I meant to be and am I where God wants me to be today? Am I on the right path or have I wandered from the way and actually have no real idea where I’m heading?

I am so grateful for the fellowship with brothers and sisters in the LORD – for the iron sharpening iron. How blessed we are and how often we miss this tremendous gift of the LORD bcz we’re looking for something else.

Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering;
(for he is faithful that promised;)
And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:
Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

Hebrews 10.23 – 25

celebrating the blessings of Christmas

We celebrate so many things this year… the blessing of the gift, life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ our LORD and Saviour. How how great is the love of the Father that He lavishes us daily with gifts and joy unspeakable. We celebrate the birth of our Saviour and praise the God of Heaven and earth for His goodness and mercy. As each day passes, we are more profoundly aware of how little we can fathom the love of God. So… all we can do is take the gift of salvation and say: Thank You, LORD… thank You.

naomi

We celebrate the gift of our 9th child, the precious little gift born in our home on Christmas Night ten years ago.

Gleaning from the field of the LORD

God is good all the time…. ALL of the time, in all places for all time: God is the great I AM.

When I traveled a bit north to join other sisters in the LORD at a wonderful Titus2 meeting this past Thursday evening, I wasn’t actually aware at that point what the next few days would bring — and yet, the LORD, in His mercy, ordered up the days and provided all that was needed — I see that so well now. We had unexpected guests stay with us for a few days and many “things on the docket.” I pray the LORD will use all the events, conversations and times we spent together to help me grow in faith and apply what I was to glean and to discard or set aside whatever else for another time. I wish I’d worked more diligently to keep Titus2.3-5 in mind so that as each event happened I might have asked: how can this or that be used to help me love my husband, love my children and be a keeper at home? How can all of these things be sorted and applied that I would take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ—and more, how can I cast down imaginations and every high thing… In all I want my life to be a living sacrifice—and if that’s true (and it is), what can I take and use from the days just spent?

It seems that when there are multiple events, and varied ones at that, much of the “good things” are buried and over days must be decompressed, revisited and sorted out. That’s what this week seems to hold, I suppose. And as I work at the many things that need to be done this week, I pray to not let go of what I had in my hand last week or that if the needful of this week fills my basket, I don’t just dump it all. ~wink~

The LORD continues to teach me to trust in Him for the ordering of the days and as I had particular plans that had to be altered or put off, I saw that I needed to fully rely on Him and trust that His will was being done and I sought to be obedient to that. I was overwhelmed by either what was going on at the moment or by thoughts of things that needed to be done. In a few different moments of weariness, I didn’t retain the necessary guard to guide my thoughts and words and I found myself murmuring over unimportant things or being touchy about words and opinions and needed to just remember (1Thessalonians) prove all things and hold fast to the good. And now… as I look back I say: omygoodness, and aren’t we just closing out the study of 1Corinthians? Aren’t we just studying about bearing all things, believing all things, hoping all things,enduring all things — suffering long and being charitable? O, how dull of hearing I am.

I share all this bcz I can see that for women – surely myself included, the mind is, or can be, quite a messy battlefield at times. At yet another gathering — this time, hundreds of believers at a memorial service last night, I was talking with a sister in the LORD and after talking of floods, rain and snow and God’s care and provision through each, we compared that to ways the enemy comes in like a flood to attempt to thwart what God is doing in and through a life. I hadn’t seen this sister in the LORD in quite awhile and she was asking me about letters I used write and I told her that I hadn’t done them in quite some time. I explained that it was ironic that she was asking about them and shared that I was intending to begin sending them out again very soon. I told her I’d allowed the enemy to thwart the work that had been ongoing and she shared that she, too, had done a similar thing regarding ministry the LORD had given her to do. She had listened to the lies of the enemy and had backed off from some important things and she and I both concluded that there will be people who will not like us, not agree with us but that we cannot be derailed or flooded out by their thoughts toward or about us. Rather, we must weigh what is said against what God has said and search out the truth and obey His leading and be forbearing with those who disagree with us and just continue traveling the path the LORD has set before us.

Many good things are covered up — covered up by lies of the enemy, by busyness, by poor planning, by “weariness in well-doing” or even by more good things! As I sort out the good things and sift out the difficulties and lift out the needful, I pray to share the blessings of the LORD as these are and have been wonderful days. So, again… I want to glean day by day from the field of the LORD.

To walk with and watch the LORD

What a defining day this has been. And with an opening line like that, one might assume I’ve come to some great revelation or conclusion about a matter, or that some marvelous epiphany has occurred in my walk. No, and yes… no, nothing huge has been happening, no great changes or anything like that, but, rather, it’s wintertime. Every year about this time a defining event happens that tells me no more sitting outside, no more warm, sunny afternoons are going to be enjoyed by the water or the rose garden. It’s wintertime now. Every year with the first frost, all the leaves fall from the huge walnut trees. We watched off and on for hours this morning as the leaves fell in great clumps and the tree that was full of frosty leaves this morning is bare this afternoon. Each year I think of filming the great display of God’s handiwork, but instead, I just watch. The frost signifies the end of the hydrangeas, the roses and calla lilies.. the drooping leaves are a sad sight to me today. It seems wintertime has come early this year.

The woodstove that heats this home is continually being checked on today as we get into the groove of feeding it with wood and keeping the back porch stocked with a good supply. This is the hard season of the year… it’s the time of year that requires a different kind of work—different than summer, that is. In summer, there’s kind of a smooth, airy feel to the days — not so, in winter. So the delicious summer is a savory memory to me today. The memory or wonderful times, the heat and water of Georgia, Southern California, Oregon, and Eastern Washington… and points in between all flood my mind today as the chill has set in and is hard to shake. I don’t appreciate it, but I know I want to and so am looking for the blessing of the season. And the LORD, in His gracious mercy, is teaching me the joy of winter and cold weather, the necessary passage of seasons so dear to me. And in this instruction I find great wisdom and comfort that He carries us through the seasons of our lives and is showing me the importance of enjoying the Autumn season of my life as He brings to mind the many ways He blessed and worked in the Spring and Summer seasons of my life.

So we continued on in our study of 1Corinthians 11 this morning. Again, we didn’t even scratch the surface (no surprise here) but talked at length about God’s order in the gathering of the saints and His design for the inner working of the body and the necessity that the body be in unity. O, this is a challenging matter bcz of all the personalities that comprise the body of Christ and all the views, experiences, traditions and interpretations of God’s will for believers. Paul writes in verses 18 & 19 about divisions, etc., and we talked this over this morning and see that these things occur today probably more than ever with the advent of instant communication, books, gatherings, and a myriad of other resources readily available.

As I’ve mulled this over, I can only conclude that the answer to the divisions and schisms in the body is: the Word- for the lack of devotion to reading, studying and meditating on the Word and spending time in prayer is at the heart of troubles men face (by “men,” I mean men, women and children). Whenever there is a problem in our body we can trace it to one of those things (and in our home, for that matter!). Even misunderstandings can be traced to one of those things—well, those, and lack of bearing, believing, hoping and enduring all things in love. Whenever there’s a problem, it’s a matter of one or more of those things not being heeded. So we talked further about the bearing with one another, tarrying one for another and so on. What a blessing it is to walk with and watch the LORD.

Bling

It seems to me that studying the Word needs to be like enjoying a 5 course dinner. By this, I mean, that the time we spend in the Word generally tends to be more like a “fast food” drive through. We tend to skim instead of study and grab a quick snack instead making a feast of the Word. I know… I do this. I grab a bite here, a slice there, a drink now and then and think it’s refreshing – and it is, but so often, when I do this, I realize I am missing so much… so much more is right there – available to me – just for me: fresh bread from the LORD, day by day.

Last week in our Bible study we were considering 1 John 2 and the verses that caught our attention were 15-17:

Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.”

So, we talked about what that means, loving the world and the things in the world and being conformed to the image of the world. The young people instantly said: the Bling! Bling (baby)!” So we talked about Bling. Wes asked, is “bling” what we’re looking for and is it righteous, honourable, holy, modest… to be looking for Bling? Is it honourable to want to be ostentatious? And if we’re looking for “bling” are we doing so to draw attention to ourselves? We all agreed that that’s the whole purpose of “bling” and more for “Bling-bling!”

By the way, from Wikipedia: “Bling-bling” (sometimes shortened to simply “bling”) is a hip hop slang term which refers to expensive jewelry and other accoutrements, and also to an entire lifestyle built around excess spending and ostentation. In its essence, the term refers to the exterior manifestation of one’s interior state of character, normally displayed through various forms of visual stimuli.

So, this week we came back to the same chapter and were set to read on from verse 18 to the end, but first talked about the past week and what the LORD was speaking to each one of us. Well… “Bling” came up and we were sharing how just mulling over one passage or one thought over the week has such an impact on the what and why’s of life or what we’re doing and why.

So, through the week I found myself asking: am I doing this or that, or wearing this or that, or liking this or that for the right reasons? Am I looking for bling? Do the bling, bling’s of this world grab my attention—and keep it? Or, after a first response of wow! to this or that bling that grabbed my attention, is my next response is to walk away from it? Is my resolve to not be conformed to the image of this world? More… do I begrudge walking away from bling? I mean, don’t I deserve it? I’m thinking of the MaryKay consultant who, last week, said: “O, you deserve it!” And as I drove home later that night I thought on that comment… you deserve it. I thought of the number of instances where I’ve heard that phrase: You deserve it. You ought to do what you want. You need a break today. You work hard, you deserve a vacation. You’ve gone a long time without, now you deserve to have this… and on and on. I’m not dissing anyone… I think I say some of these very same things myself. But I’m mulling over these thoughts — bling and self…

Ah, what I deserve and what I have been given… thank You, LORD, for Your grace and merciful kindness.

Take no Thought

Just as God is, and is in, the big picture, the devil is meddling in the minute details. God’s working all things together for our good and the devil’s working everything to confusion. It’s not so much that the enemy wants us to totally yield to him, it’s that he wants us to *not* yield to God. Simple as that. We don’t necessarily have to focus on the enemy’s plans, or set our eyes on him — the enemy simply desires our eyes to shift away from God — to the enemy or to ourselves, it matters not where we look or what we do — just so long as we take our eyes off the LORD.

We do this when we have something before us that needs to be taken care of or worked out or whatever. We fret over the outcome, over the details and over the timing. When a child of God is fretting, the enemy is delighting. For the enemy of God sees that the child of God has shifted his trust in God’s care and provision (or has ignored it).

I’ve been mulling over a talk we listened to the other night. The speaker was talking about the passage in Matthew 6, beginning at verse 25, where the LORD is saying: “Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?” And the speaker was saying that it is a sin to worry for the LORD has commanded: take no thought… You see, “take no thought” is one of the sweetest commands the LORD has given us. As I have been mulling over this passage, I have come to see a couple of new angles I either hadn’t seen or I had forgotten. Taking no thought means that we totally and completely rest in the capable care and provision of the LORD. What’s more, when we take no thought, it’s conveyed that we have utter and complete faith in the Father and His ways, His provision, His plans, His purposes, His design, His timing — every single detail that concerns us. When we shift our attention (regarding those particular details) and we start looking for ways to take care of our concerns, we’ve just violated the command to: “Take no thought.” Now, it may seem as though I’m taking a passage and dissecting it and lifting out a statement and building a whole case around three words… and it may seem I’m taking a bit of liberty or the speaker we were listening to was taking liberty to say: “It’s a sin to worry.”

My husband used to say this to me. I guess it’s why it has stayed with me over the last couple of weeks. My husband typically does not fret over the provisions of this life. His trust is in, and his eyes are fixed on, the LORD. He believes and I believe it’s a sin to worry.

So, I’ve been thinking about the ‘watchcare’ of the LORD. I’ve been thinking how He is utterly and completely aware of every single thing that pertains to each one of us… all of our quirks, our likes and dislikes, our idiosyncrasies, our past, our present, our future. He’s intimately aware of every thought we’ve thought and every dream we’ve dreamed, every wish we’ve wished, every hope we’ve hoped and every whim, motive, desire –every scheme, every trick, every lie –every conniving thing we’ve ever done. He knows every disappointment, every resentment, every retaliation, every denial, every distortion, every exaggeration, every hurt, every jealousy, every bitterness, every trial, every embarrassment, every loss, every shame we’ve ever experienced. He knows every feeling of hope, of joy, of love, of fear, of excitement, of anger, of passion –everything we’ve ever felt, everything we’ve ever thought, everything we’ve ever experienced: He was there before, during and after. Every time. Your life is more to God than what you’re going to do, eat, drink, wear or live. God’s so concerned about you and me that He tells us: “Take no thought.”

He’s saying: trust Me. Please trust Me. I am *for* you. In Me is *yes!* for you. I don’t mean to imply that God is saying, yes, dear, whatevvvvver you want. No. He’s saying trust Me, I *will* take care of you. Count on it. Mark it. Believe it. I am taking care of you.

To the end of that chapter, He is guiding faith. Faith says, yes and okay. Faith says, yes and I will. Faith says, yes, LORD, I’m Yours and I am listening. Faith says, no matter how things seem to be to me today… I will trust You, LORD, and I will wait on You.

The Law

I’ve been thinking about a bunch of things tonight. I mean, I was vacuuming flies and I had lots of time to think. Seriously, hundreds of flies. Actually, it felt more like dozens of hundreds of flies. So I was vacuuming them up with Wes’s shop-vac. I have never seen so many flies in all my life– truly. As the day passed, the flies increased by such an alarming rate that I was beginning to feel as though an OT Egyptian style plague had come upon our home. We did have the fellowship here today and we did share a meal and the door was open all the while and the flies multiplied and multiplied. And multiplied. Many “fly-strips” were completely filled. Seriously, it was incredible and more than I have ever seen. But I said that already, didn’t I? Probably a hundred or more were sort of caught in the stairwell and still more covered all the books and the fan blades above the light in the kitchen. And the ceilings… everywhere.

There’s almost a sadistic drive to vacuum up and hear the thwp sound of the vacuum as another pesky fly goes into the vacuum hose. I had to learn to seal off the end of the hose when the vacuum is turned off so that the flies don’t fly out and multiply further.

So I was thinking about people’s stuff. You know that “issues” we each deal with. I find it interesting that when someone’s dealing with something that’s not “our issue,” then it’s really quite easy to sit back and think that issue is really pretty awful. I mean, I think we sometimes get pretty smug and think… well, at least I don’t do that or at least that’s not my issue. I was thinking about smoking. I mean, I was not thinking about smoking, but rather, I was thinking about the habit of smoking. I remember a few kids asking: …is that person (in line to buy cigarettes at the grocery store) going to hell? It’s so easy to think our stuff’s not nearly so dastardly as someone else’s stuff. Like there are degrees of sin. You know, sin sin’s, and then bad sin’s and then the really, really bad stuff. I think we like to think our stuff falls in the category of “everyday sins,” the every day stuff people do. Well.. coveting a little, or lying a little, or gossiping a little or being a little disobedient on the road or whatever. But we’re sort of smugly proud of the fact that at least we don’t smoke or swear or do (really) bad things. Well, not like smoking, anyway. So I was thinking about the “sin categorizing” I do sometimes. This is bad… but it’s not as bad as this______ and so as long as I don’t do_______, then I’m pretty much okay.

I was thinking about the law. We love the law when it’s on our side. You know, for example, if a policeman were to come onto the scene just as you had pulled over because you had a sudden blow-out of a tire and couldn’t repair or change it yourself, then you’d think the law was great –the law being the policeman. The helpful policeman. Awwww. But then, consider: you’re speeding. In a school zone. Children are present. You don’t have your driver’s license with you. Your tabs are also expired. You’re also not wearing a seatbelt. Dumb law. Mean policeman. Creep. See how differently we look at things when our “issue” is involved?

I think we do that with sin. It’s really bad unless we’ve deemed it to not be “that bad.” The law is a schoolmaster that brings us to repentance. It’s our guide. Psalm 119 is a marvelous Psalm about the law… the perfect law of God and how the Word of God is our protection, a lamp unto our feet and light unto our path. The Word is Truth. It is only against this Truth that we can truly see *the* Truth. For the truth is not in us—for we would lie. But God is not a man that He should lie and so He cannot/will not compromise truth. He is Truth. So, no matter how we see things, unless we see them in light of God’s Word –in light of the truth, we will not have wisdom nor truth – no matter how much we think we know.

Praise the LORD that regardless our issue, there is forgiveness with God and with God all things are possible and He will place His law in our hearts and none of our steps shall slide. These, from Psalm 37 (vss 26, 27 and 3,4,&5):

He is ever merciful, and lendeth; and his seed is blessed. Depart from evil, and do good; and dwell for evermore.
Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed. Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.

So the flies remain, pesky flies they are. But it’s been a good reminder to me of the pests that plague us from time to time. It’s not always the stuff we can see that’s the most irksome. It’s more often the stuff we (and others) cannot see that plague us the most. And are doing the most damage.

The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. -2Peter 3.9

It is in the spirit of prayer and repentance that we see the light of the LORD –the forgiveness, the cleansing, the enabling… the light to our path. Then, no matter how great or small our “issue” seems to us to be. With God, all things are possible. But we must humble ourselves and call on His name.

For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments:
and his commandments are not grievous.
For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world:
and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.
Who is he that overcometh the world,
but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?
1John 5.3-5

ps — By the way, I picked smoking in my example bcz smoking’s an easy target. No hidden message was intended there and no accusation, either. I just picked something… could’ve been anything – food, even.

lingering to rush

I always feel like 1 Thessalonians is like lingering over a great cup of coffee and fresh hot bread with butter and jam and then glancing at the clock: and it’s like a race to get out the door to catch a plane. You know what I mean; the times you linger in pleasant conversation and then suddenly it hits you: you’ve got to leave –right now! 1 Thess starts like a soothing chat and ends like… well, sort of like that moment when you’re standing in the doorway of a train and hear the PA system: please step away from the doors.

As you hug and say the good-bye’s, you race through all the important stuff you meant to say but reminisced too long to say them and then you recognize that some very meaningful things will be missed or imperative instructions won’t be given unless you just blast them out sort of like bullets firing from a machine gun. So you make several points in as few words as possible and hope they’ll stick more than all the things you said during that seemingly unhurried portion of the visit. So… yes, that’s what Thessalonians is like to me. And motherhood.

We do that, as mothers, to our children. We stand at the door and say all the stuff in about a minute and a half that we had already spent years teaching them and then think we need to tell them again when they leave on a trip or whatever. Or even when they go to visit for a few hours somewhere. You know… the list that starts our sounding a bit wistful and then speeds up as you see the doors closing and the seatbelts fastening… Be sure to call when you get there. Mind your manners. Be sure to say thank you. Be sure to ask interesting questions. Listen well before you answer. Be gracious. Be helpful. Be careful of what activities you agree to do. Don’t do anything you wouldn’t do if your father were standing next to you. You’ll be fine, the LORD will watch over you: He’s faithful. Remember, I’ll be praying for you. Have a good time. Be careful. Greet all of them for us! Be good! God bless you…. I loooooove yoooooooo……..

And they’re off. And you pray. 1 Thess 5 is sort of like that.