My uncle died this morning.
Now, before you feel sorry, let me say that I never had the pleasure of meeting him.
I vaguely remember seeing his face on a picture shown to me a while back.
Mom always talked about him though. How he always protected her as a big brother, how she always went to go sleep over to his house as a little girl when he got married because she missed him being home, how he always bought her little things to spoil her...
The latest that we had heard from him was that he was in the hospital on the brink of death with collapsed lungs from a cough that persisted and got worse...
But death has no sting.
Mom told me the news this morning and she got teary eyed... as did I. I never met him but the reality of it all- that he's not on this earth anymore but in glory- just blazed my reality. I said to myself, "Man, he's there. He made it..." With an inkling to want to clap in congratulations and celebration.
Tonight mom was desperately trying to reach my uncle's wife, the lady that she had grown to view as a sister. She seemed frantic but a helpless frantic, with tears swelling up as she hung up, dialed the number, let the phone ring which no one picked up, dialing another number, no one picking up and so on. She finally got another number and dialed it. She was able to speak to my uncle's wife... to hear her voice and some music... they were having a wake at that very moment.
In the midst of her child-like tears she said, "I'm just calling you to say God bless you and to let you know that He is your strength right now. Thank you so much for what you did all these years for him. I know you spent your whole lives together from such a young age till now..." and she continued with a sweet life story. I wanted to stay with her to just be there as if my presence offered comfort... but at the same time, I wondered if I should leave. So with tears in my eyes and a lump in my throat, I quietly left the room. She wanted to be alone. Soon enough, she closed the door to her room.
Out of all of this, what caught my attention was that my mother was encouraging someone else while the tears were streaming down her cheeks. Do you see what I'm trying to say?
I saw a glimpse of selflessness in a moment that could have been completely devoted to self.
Instead of wallowing in self-pity or reminiscing in past memories, she took that opportunity, that moment to call my aunt to see how she was doing. And even in the midst of my mother's tears, I am sure that my aunt was comforted to receive that phone call from so far away; to know that even if miles, and mountains, and valleys and rivers separate us as a family, we are closer than we think.
Today I thought of death, I though of heaven, I thought of sorrow, I thought of the joy that awaits, I thought about family, and saw strength in the midst of tears.
"My flesh and my heart may fail; But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever."
Psalm 73:26
Friday, January 28, 2011
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Moment of truth
Temptation puts on the glamorous dress. Attracting.
Always ready for the masquerade, she rarely shows her true hideous self.
She plays coy, hard to get so you're lured in.
She tells you beautiful poems and sings
like the Sirens to hypnotize your senses.
She makes everything seem enticing and incredibly pleasing.
She assures you it's ok, nudges you and says, "Go for it."
So what are you going to do?
"Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith..." 2 Peter 5:8-9a
"...give no opportunity/foothold to the devil." Ephesians 4:27
"So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you" James 4:7
"I seek you will all my heart, do not let me stray from your commands." Psalm 119:10
Always ready for the masquerade, she rarely shows her true hideous self.
She plays coy, hard to get so you're lured in.
She tells you beautiful poems and sings
like the Sirens to hypnotize your senses.
She makes everything seem enticing and incredibly pleasing.
She assures you it's ok, nudges you and says, "Go for it."
So what are you going to do?
"Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith..." 2 Peter 5:8-9a
"...give no opportunity/foothold to the devil." Ephesians 4:27
"So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you" James 4:7
"I seek you will all my heart, do not let me stray from your commands." Psalm 119:10
Saturday, January 22, 2011
World: I plus Me does not equal YOU
I'm taking an internship class that's titled "Service-Learning." Interesting that I never examined the title... I just read it. I completed an assigned reading today that introduces the class... and serving, and compassion, and helping. I never thought I'd see this in a class... or even be in a class that's all about serving. A rather long excerpt made my jaw drop, my eyes widen, made me hold my breath, made me grin and chuckle. It's worth reading. Please do.
Sometimes I help, and sometimes I don't
I hold the door open for one behind me, or I rush through preoccupied in thought. I vote, but not always. When solicitations come through the mail, some catch my eye or heart and I send at least something. Others I basket as junk mail. A friend is having a hard time. I think I should phone to see how she is, but I just don't feel like doing it tonight.
I'd do anything to help the family. But how much is enough? When to stretch a little further? Whose needs come first?
Those close to me get an immediate hearing. The suffering of people more remote gets sporadic attention. I'm only vaguely aware of it. It's out there somewhere.
Whom should I help anyway? Senior citizens, battered children, human-rights victims, whales? Well, if I don't defuse the nuclear threat, there'll be no tomorrow. But if we don't support education and the arts, what kind of tomorrow will it be?
If I stop to think about it, I help out for all kinds of reasons. Maybe it's because I should; it's a matter of responsibility. But there's usually a maze of other motives: a need for self-esteem, approval, status, power; the desire to feel useful, find intimacy, pay back some debt.
Sometimes I'll help though organizations. But the purpose of helping and the people who really need it often seem to fall through th cracks. Maybe I'd rather do it one-to-one, keep my options open, help out here and there.
I expect my government to relieve suffering. Sometimes it does. But it also pays farmers not to produce wheat while somewhere, every forty-five seconds, a small child starves to death. And a public official, no better or worse a person than I , finds reason to justify this policy- but would probably do everything he could, faced with one starving child.
There are times when service is effortless. Other days, burnout. With one person, I'm totally open and present. With the next, I might as well be on Mars. Sometimes the chance to care for another human being feels like such grace. But later on, I'll hear myself thinking, "Hey, what about me?"
Over Gandhi's tomb are inscribed words that say: Think of the poorest person you have ever seen and ask if your next act will be of any use to him. That'll flash through my mind as I prepare to throw a Frisbee. And when I spend fifteen bucks dining out and going to a movie to ward off boredom, I might recall that a fifteen-dollar operation could restore someone's sight in a third-world country. I'm moved by the power of Gandhi's invitation, "Live simply that others might simply live." But I'm not at all clear about how to heed that, day in and day out, here in the affluent West. Sometimes I feel a little guilty.
I'm fortunate, for the moment, to have good health and loving friends, to be housed and fed, with work to do and some time to play. When I myself need help, there's usually someone to call. I'm able to spend some time away from places where suffering is really visible and just can't be screened out.
Yet there are few days when I'm not feeling human pain, my own or another's. If it's not there in front of me, I see a steady stream of images of misery on the evening news of a suffering planet: homeless one huddled by a doorway or tree; old one looking vacant in a nursing home; slain revolutionary or national guardsman, both teen-agers; drunk driver just realizing he's killed his whole family; starving child's bloated belly and haunted eyes; victims of natural disasters; helpless leaders, helpless helpers.
Some images I ponder; what's that one saying? Others make me uneasy; I tune them out. Some make me angry; I want to get up and do something. Others make me sigh; horror and compassion. And finally I might have to turn away, close off, and escape into some philosophical sanctuary. It's all just too much.
How can I keep my heart open and not go under? I've got my own life to live, after all. Still, I'd like to do more for others. What do I have to offer, and what would help most?
I was able to actually relate to some of this... were you?
It's incredible how generous we can all be but then turn around and be so selfish.
I'm even more moved by Christ's words: "'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater..." Mk 12:31
Sometimes I help, and sometimes I don't
I hold the door open for one behind me, or I rush through preoccupied in thought. I vote, but not always. When solicitations come through the mail, some catch my eye or heart and I send at least something. Others I basket as junk mail. A friend is having a hard time. I think I should phone to see how she is, but I just don't feel like doing it tonight.
I'd do anything to help the family. But how much is enough? When to stretch a little further? Whose needs come first?
Those close to me get an immediate hearing. The suffering of people more remote gets sporadic attention. I'm only vaguely aware of it. It's out there somewhere.
Whom should I help anyway? Senior citizens, battered children, human-rights victims, whales? Well, if I don't defuse the nuclear threat, there'll be no tomorrow. But if we don't support education and the arts, what kind of tomorrow will it be?
If I stop to think about it, I help out for all kinds of reasons. Maybe it's because I should; it's a matter of responsibility. But there's usually a maze of other motives: a need for self-esteem, approval, status, power; the desire to feel useful, find intimacy, pay back some debt.
Sometimes I'll help though organizations. But the purpose of helping and the people who really need it often seem to fall through th cracks. Maybe I'd rather do it one-to-one, keep my options open, help out here and there.
I expect my government to relieve suffering. Sometimes it does. But it also pays farmers not to produce wheat while somewhere, every forty-five seconds, a small child starves to death. And a public official, no better or worse a person than I , finds reason to justify this policy- but would probably do everything he could, faced with one starving child.
There are times when service is effortless. Other days, burnout. With one person, I'm totally open and present. With the next, I might as well be on Mars. Sometimes the chance to care for another human being feels like such grace. But later on, I'll hear myself thinking, "Hey, what about me?"
Over Gandhi's tomb are inscribed words that say: Think of the poorest person you have ever seen and ask if your next act will be of any use to him. That'll flash through my mind as I prepare to throw a Frisbee. And when I spend fifteen bucks dining out and going to a movie to ward off boredom, I might recall that a fifteen-dollar operation could restore someone's sight in a third-world country. I'm moved by the power of Gandhi's invitation, "Live simply that others might simply live." But I'm not at all clear about how to heed that, day in and day out, here in the affluent West. Sometimes I feel a little guilty.
I'm fortunate, for the moment, to have good health and loving friends, to be housed and fed, with work to do and some time to play. When I myself need help, there's usually someone to call. I'm able to spend some time away from places where suffering is really visible and just can't be screened out.
Yet there are few days when I'm not feeling human pain, my own or another's. If it's not there in front of me, I see a steady stream of images of misery on the evening news of a suffering planet: homeless one huddled by a doorway or tree; old one looking vacant in a nursing home; slain revolutionary or national guardsman, both teen-agers; drunk driver just realizing he's killed his whole family; starving child's bloated belly and haunted eyes; victims of natural disasters; helpless leaders, helpless helpers.
Some images I ponder; what's that one saying? Others make me uneasy; I tune them out. Some make me angry; I want to get up and do something. Others make me sigh; horror and compassion. And finally I might have to turn away, close off, and escape into some philosophical sanctuary. It's all just too much.
How can I keep my heart open and not go under? I've got my own life to live, after all. Still, I'd like to do more for others. What do I have to offer, and what would help most?
I was able to actually relate to some of this... were you?
It's incredible how generous we can all be but then turn around and be so selfish.
I'm even more moved by Christ's words: "'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater..." Mk 12:31
Monday, January 17, 2011
Sweet Closure
Today was officially the last day of winter break.
Tomorrow a new semester starts, which I'm completely excited for. Elated.
But today was a day to which I said, "Please don't end..." not because I'm dreading tomorrow. Not at all. Rather because today was such a wonderful day.
Have you had those days or moments? Where it's so wonderful and even perfect that it seems like a dream that you wish could last forever? Today was one of those for me.
In the morning I woke up to an alarm... one which, to my surprise, wasn't an interruption at all. I opened my eyes and thanked the Lord just for the simplicity of being able to do just that: open my eyes. After a little bit, I opened the book that I've been reading called Simple Faith by Charles Swindoll. Then I started getting hungry so I actually ate breakfast in bed... something I don't think I've ever done. I went to go get my cereal bowl and sat on my bed with the covers up to my hip, put my headphones on and clicked my ipod to "Background" by Lecrae feat. C-Lite, a song I've listened to more than 50 times this weekend alone (and a lot as my bedtime song as I doze off and quietly whisper the lyrics). As I sang the song this morning while sitting under the covers my heart kind of reached out to the Lord... making the song my prayer. And after listening to the song about 6 times I set my ipod aside and kept reading Simple Faith. A portion of the book that captivated me and made me just pause and pray was when the author quoted a book of prayer that finished like so,
"Take away my roving eye, curious ear, greedy appetite, lustful heart;
Show me that none of these things
can heal a wounded conscience,
or support a tottering frame,
or uphold a departing spirit. Then take me to the
cross and leave me there."
Take me to the cross and leave me there. Take me to the cross and leave me there.
I kept repeating that... just to the Lord.
That phrase isn't just "a phrase." It's a statement of abandonment... like someone's last will. Do you see? It's a petition of finalization; as in, "This is all I want."
Like the hymn that says, "Give me Jesus, Give me Jesus. You can have all this world. But give me Jesus."
It's someone finding everything in Christ; not needing anything else. Abandoning oneself in Christ.
That was my prayer this morning.
I took my guitar out and started singing to God. Practicing some new songs as well. Sweet time.
Washed the dishes while listening to an introductory sermon on Ephesians. Reminded on being a believer who knows what she's got in Christ and living as such. We are never bankrupt in Christ. Ever.
Later, I took mom and pops to lunch which we thoroughly enjoyed. We were all hungry so we got to eating. Sometimes it's so quiet at the table that one wonders if something's wrong. This wasn't the case. The silence at the table today for lunch was sublime. Just to be able to look at mom and dad and be with them eating... I smiled quietly and thanked the Lord for that moment. It might not seem like such a big deal but small moments like those, as simple as seeing mom and dad face to face, made my heart grateful.
We later went to leave food to my sis and her husband. She felt uncomfortable that we went to go leave them food. The thing is that mom and dad have given both of them so much since they got married that even my sister's husband isn't used to it. And this giving is not a forced giving. On the contrary, mom and dad continually think of different ways to give them things and they gladly do it. My sis and her husband feel a sort of uncomfortability or some inkling of wanting to refuse so much giving. And don't think I'm trying to magnify anybody's giving here... the aspect that I'm trying to amplify is the aspect of recieving. It makes me think of the Lord... how much He gives. You know? How much DOES He give? Man... too much. But sometimes we just need to learn how to recieve... to recieve gladly, joyfully.
We went to the store to buy goodies and I took the opportunity to buy jel-o. A lot of people don't like jel-o but I LOVE it. I bought 6 different flavors and made them as soon as I got home so they could cool off for the evening.
We watched a video and dad took mom and I out to Starbucks. As I went up the stairs to change really quick, I said, "What a wonderful day it's been. I'm happy." Not like something super extraordinary happened like there was a birth in the family or someone won the lotto... no, it was the cherishing of the simpleness of today. It was so simple yet so grand.
It was dad's first time going to Starbucks so that was cute :) Fully enjoyed it. Mom and I wanted to hang out with dad some more so we all went to Borders. Really wanted to buy a C.S. Lewis book called The Weight of Glory but I left it for another time. Drove mom and dad back home and we ended the night eating jel-o from tiny cups. Just like the old days when I was 5.
Dad said, "You know times like these where we get to fellowship and just be together makes me want these moments to never end..."
"I couldn't agree more," I said.
Maybe the retelling of my day was pretty boring. But think of your days. Do you enjoy them? I pray that I may praise the Lord everyday of my life... whether circumstances are bleak.
Find the small details in life that make it worth living. Seeing the sun rise, smelling the rain, hugging those you love, eating jel-o.
If it weren't for the Greatest detail in the entire universe, the smallest pleasure in life would be insignificant.
Tomorrow a new semester starts, which I'm completely excited for. Elated.
But today was a day to which I said, "Please don't end..." not because I'm dreading tomorrow. Not at all. Rather because today was such a wonderful day.
Have you had those days or moments? Where it's so wonderful and even perfect that it seems like a dream that you wish could last forever? Today was one of those for me.
In the morning I woke up to an alarm... one which, to my surprise, wasn't an interruption at all. I opened my eyes and thanked the Lord just for the simplicity of being able to do just that: open my eyes. After a little bit, I opened the book that I've been reading called Simple Faith by Charles Swindoll. Then I started getting hungry so I actually ate breakfast in bed... something I don't think I've ever done. I went to go get my cereal bowl and sat on my bed with the covers up to my hip, put my headphones on and clicked my ipod to "Background" by Lecrae feat. C-Lite, a song I've listened to more than 50 times this weekend alone (and a lot as my bedtime song as I doze off and quietly whisper the lyrics). As I sang the song this morning while sitting under the covers my heart kind of reached out to the Lord... making the song my prayer. And after listening to the song about 6 times I set my ipod aside and kept reading Simple Faith. A portion of the book that captivated me and made me just pause and pray was when the author quoted a book of prayer that finished like so,
"Take away my roving eye, curious ear, greedy appetite, lustful heart;
Show me that none of these things
can heal a wounded conscience,
or support a tottering frame,
or uphold a departing spirit. Then take me to the
cross and leave me there."
Take me to the cross and leave me there. Take me to the cross and leave me there.
I kept repeating that... just to the Lord.
That phrase isn't just "a phrase." It's a statement of abandonment... like someone's last will. Do you see? It's a petition of finalization; as in, "This is all I want."
Like the hymn that says, "Give me Jesus, Give me Jesus. You can have all this world. But give me Jesus."
It's someone finding everything in Christ; not needing anything else. Abandoning oneself in Christ.
That was my prayer this morning.
I took my guitar out and started singing to God. Practicing some new songs as well. Sweet time.
Washed the dishes while listening to an introductory sermon on Ephesians. Reminded on being a believer who knows what she's got in Christ and living as such. We are never bankrupt in Christ. Ever.
Later, I took mom and pops to lunch which we thoroughly enjoyed. We were all hungry so we got to eating. Sometimes it's so quiet at the table that one wonders if something's wrong. This wasn't the case. The silence at the table today for lunch was sublime. Just to be able to look at mom and dad and be with them eating... I smiled quietly and thanked the Lord for that moment. It might not seem like such a big deal but small moments like those, as simple as seeing mom and dad face to face, made my heart grateful.
We later went to leave food to my sis and her husband. She felt uncomfortable that we went to go leave them food. The thing is that mom and dad have given both of them so much since they got married that even my sister's husband isn't used to it. And this giving is not a forced giving. On the contrary, mom and dad continually think of different ways to give them things and they gladly do it. My sis and her husband feel a sort of uncomfortability or some inkling of wanting to refuse so much giving. And don't think I'm trying to magnify anybody's giving here... the aspect that I'm trying to amplify is the aspect of recieving. It makes me think of the Lord... how much He gives. You know? How much DOES He give? Man... too much. But sometimes we just need to learn how to recieve... to recieve gladly, joyfully.
We went to the store to buy goodies and I took the opportunity to buy jel-o. A lot of people don't like jel-o but I LOVE it. I bought 6 different flavors and made them as soon as I got home so they could cool off for the evening.
We watched a video and dad took mom and I out to Starbucks. As I went up the stairs to change really quick, I said, "What a wonderful day it's been. I'm happy." Not like something super extraordinary happened like there was a birth in the family or someone won the lotto... no, it was the cherishing of the simpleness of today. It was so simple yet so grand.
It was dad's first time going to Starbucks so that was cute :) Fully enjoyed it. Mom and I wanted to hang out with dad some more so we all went to Borders. Really wanted to buy a C.S. Lewis book called The Weight of Glory but I left it for another time. Drove mom and dad back home and we ended the night eating jel-o from tiny cups. Just like the old days when I was 5.
Dad said, "You know times like these where we get to fellowship and just be together makes me want these moments to never end..."
"I couldn't agree more," I said.
Maybe the retelling of my day was pretty boring. But think of your days. Do you enjoy them? I pray that I may praise the Lord everyday of my life... whether circumstances are bleak.
Find the small details in life that make it worth living. Seeing the sun rise, smelling the rain, hugging those you love, eating jel-o.
If it weren't for the Greatest detail in the entire universe, the smallest pleasure in life would be insignificant.
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Where are you?
Well I've recently been convicted of many things... a good sign.
I don't want to go into all the details because it would just take too long.
This morning I woke up, thanked the Lord, ate breakfast, exercised, took a shower, washed the dishes.
PAUSE.
I've been trying to take advantage of every single minute of my day to think of the Lord... or to take something in that will help me focus on Him, run towards Him.
(Mind you, right after taking a shower I was led to "depart" from Facebook... it has been a conviction that I do spend quite a lot of time on there... and if it's not big chunks of time, then it's little minutes of my day that I use in order to check up on it. In other words, I go into my Facebook everyday. And that puts me NOT at ease... it makes me uncomfortable... to want to go to that site everyday.)
So before I began washing the dishes I went to http://www.gty.org/, to the sermon archive and I was searching for a sermon that would speak. As in, speak directly to me, as if the preacher were personally admonishing me, Katherine.
I started listening to a sermon from Galatians 1 but after 15 minutes of it, that wasn't what the Lord was wanting me to hear. I typed in the search box of Grace to You, "listening to God." Ding! Like a pastry ready to be taken out of the oven, I found the message titled, "Be Careful How You Listen."
"Yes," I said.
*Click* and the sermon began while I turned the faucet on to wash.
John MacArthur gave 4 "tests by which you can validate your spiritual condition..." how you listen. The 4 were: listening evangelistically (listening to what God has to say for the sole purpose to spread the word and shine your light), listening authentically (be no hypocrite), listening fruitfully (like a seed in good soil grows, we must also grow), and listening obediently (do what He says; not just "wanting to" do what He says, but actually putting it into action). If you're interested in the sermon follow the link http://www.gty.org/Resources/Sermons/42-106_Be-Careful-How-You-Listen?q=listening+to+God. But, aside from the various points that MacArthur made, the phrase that stuck with me was, "The kind of listener you are will tell you your spiritual condition." Not too hard to understand.
So I asked myself, "What's MY spiritual condition? I'd like to know yes."
Note: sometimes one forgets to examine oneself in the midst of the "religious" life to delineate the evidences that one is still following Christ. If not examined, one can easily fall prey to the enemy and not even know it.
After recognizing things in my life that are not pleasing to the Lord (pleasing others more than the Lord, needing to go to FB everyday), and therefore moved to wanting to erase those things from controlling my life, this message/sermon was a good way to begin that process: where am I? (spiritually speaking)
The aspect of the message that most struck me was: you'll know where you're at when you recognize what type of listener you are. As if the way you listen is a proof of where you are in the Lord... or if you even are in Him. But this makes complete sense. If you have a consuming passion for the Lord, you will obey Him. But what will you obey? You will obey what He says to obey. But in order to obey, you must hear Him first no? So you must be a good listener in order for you to obey (which is an evidence of your spiritual condition: listening and obeying Him is a great spiritual condition). You can listen to Him, but not obey Him, so there's the forgetful hearer, and it is revealed where you are spiritually.
So just meditating on where I am right now with the Lord, I have come to the conclusion that I am running dry. Serving in ministry, singing and playing the guitar, and running dry. This is an alert. Frankly, the verse that says, "'Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'" (Matt 7:22-23) has been brought to mind. So these people actually did all these things in Jesus' name yet, they were not the Lord's. Do you see what I'm trying to say? That one can think that one is in the Lord but one may not have the faintest idea that they are not. And I'm not trying to scare anybody or make things more complicated. Not at all. Actually, this blog makes things all the more clearer to me: there are evidences that you are in the Lord, so make sure that you see these in your life and you're a-ok.
It's like taking any class: the teacher teaches you and every now and then you have a quiz or test to see if you're actually learning something. The test reveals if you truly understood that material.
So examining ourselves and lining up the evidences that Christ is dwelling in us is crucial to living a life pleasing to Him. It should be a regular part of our lives, a habit, to do this. It's not like a person's going to say, "Oh no! You're actually making sure you're really a Christian?!" like if checking yourself now and again is a sign that you're going to hell. Actually, this should be something to be admired, something a wise person does often. To know your spiritual condition (and fix whatever you need to fix), to know where you stand in Christ, to have evidences and proofs available to line yourself up by, is such an opporunity given by the Lord. There we see grace again because He has made evidences available to which we can simply check off or leave blank (according to if we see those in our lives or not) and He allows us to take the time to examine ourselves because He wants, so much, for us to be in Him 100%.
So I encourage you to do this regularly, examine yourselves, your hearts, your walk. And for evidences of a true saving faith, read my other blog called "Make Much" and follow the link.
I don't want to go into all the details because it would just take too long.
This morning I woke up, thanked the Lord, ate breakfast, exercised, took a shower, washed the dishes.
PAUSE.
I've been trying to take advantage of every single minute of my day to think of the Lord... or to take something in that will help me focus on Him, run towards Him.
(Mind you, right after taking a shower I was led to "depart" from Facebook... it has been a conviction that I do spend quite a lot of time on there... and if it's not big chunks of time, then it's little minutes of my day that I use in order to check up on it. In other words, I go into my Facebook everyday. And that puts me NOT at ease... it makes me uncomfortable... to want to go to that site everyday.)
So before I began washing the dishes I went to http://www.gty.org/, to the sermon archive and I was searching for a sermon that would speak. As in, speak directly to me, as if the preacher were personally admonishing me, Katherine.
I started listening to a sermon from Galatians 1 but after 15 minutes of it, that wasn't what the Lord was wanting me to hear. I typed in the search box of Grace to You, "listening to God." Ding! Like a pastry ready to be taken out of the oven, I found the message titled, "Be Careful How You Listen."
"Yes," I said.
*Click* and the sermon began while I turned the faucet on to wash.
John MacArthur gave 4 "tests by which you can validate your spiritual condition..." how you listen. The 4 were: listening evangelistically (listening to what God has to say for the sole purpose to spread the word and shine your light), listening authentically (be no hypocrite), listening fruitfully (like a seed in good soil grows, we must also grow), and listening obediently (do what He says; not just "wanting to" do what He says, but actually putting it into action). If you're interested in the sermon follow the link http://www.gty.org/Resources/Sermons/42-106_Be-Careful-How-You-Listen?q=listening+to+God. But, aside from the various points that MacArthur made, the phrase that stuck with me was, "The kind of listener you are will tell you your spiritual condition." Not too hard to understand.
So I asked myself, "What's MY spiritual condition? I'd like to know yes."
Note: sometimes one forgets to examine oneself in the midst of the "religious" life to delineate the evidences that one is still following Christ. If not examined, one can easily fall prey to the enemy and not even know it.
After recognizing things in my life that are not pleasing to the Lord (pleasing others more than the Lord, needing to go to FB everyday), and therefore moved to wanting to erase those things from controlling my life, this message/sermon was a good way to begin that process: where am I? (spiritually speaking)
The aspect of the message that most struck me was: you'll know where you're at when you recognize what type of listener you are. As if the way you listen is a proof of where you are in the Lord... or if you even are in Him. But this makes complete sense. If you have a consuming passion for the Lord, you will obey Him. But what will you obey? You will obey what He says to obey. But in order to obey, you must hear Him first no? So you must be a good listener in order for you to obey (which is an evidence of your spiritual condition: listening and obeying Him is a great spiritual condition). You can listen to Him, but not obey Him, so there's the forgetful hearer, and it is revealed where you are spiritually.
So just meditating on where I am right now with the Lord, I have come to the conclusion that I am running dry. Serving in ministry, singing and playing the guitar, and running dry. This is an alert. Frankly, the verse that says, "'Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'" (Matt 7:22-23) has been brought to mind. So these people actually did all these things in Jesus' name yet, they were not the Lord's. Do you see what I'm trying to say? That one can think that one is in the Lord but one may not have the faintest idea that they are not. And I'm not trying to scare anybody or make things more complicated. Not at all. Actually, this blog makes things all the more clearer to me: there are evidences that you are in the Lord, so make sure that you see these in your life and you're a-ok.
It's like taking any class: the teacher teaches you and every now and then you have a quiz or test to see if you're actually learning something. The test reveals if you truly understood that material.
So examining ourselves and lining up the evidences that Christ is dwelling in us is crucial to living a life pleasing to Him. It should be a regular part of our lives, a habit, to do this. It's not like a person's going to say, "Oh no! You're actually making sure you're really a Christian?!" like if checking yourself now and again is a sign that you're going to hell. Actually, this should be something to be admired, something a wise person does often. To know your spiritual condition (and fix whatever you need to fix), to know where you stand in Christ, to have evidences and proofs available to line yourself up by, is such an opporunity given by the Lord. There we see grace again because He has made evidences available to which we can simply check off or leave blank (according to if we see those in our lives or not) and He allows us to take the time to examine ourselves because He wants, so much, for us to be in Him 100%.
So I encourage you to do this regularly, examine yourselves, your hearts, your walk. And for evidences of a true saving faith, read my other blog called "Make Much" and follow the link.
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Impressing who?
It's interesting how much we (really I mean "I") rely on what other people say about me to reassure myself of me.
Pardon me if I seem to make tiny things a big deal but I like examining things a lot... maybe over-assessing? Call it whatever you want but here goes:
So I got a new haircut. Kind of drastic. My first reaction was, "Oh my gosh you look hideous!" For a moment I actually regreted the cut... Mom said it was amazing! And everybody else said it was amazing. So then, I was convinced that the haircut was great. But why did I have to wait for everyone else to say that it was amazing in order for me to agree and say, "Oh yah the new do IS amazing!" and be happy?
Or I imagine myself at work and people telling me my shoes look ridiculous. I'll probably never wear them again... even though they're pretty comfy. (Actually, this really did happen.)
When people tell me I look great or my hair is beautiful I kind of tend to open up some more... like I am more outspoken, more assured, more confident. When people don't, I am more reserved, more shy, uncomfortable. Why? I detest this! Waiting for others to approve in order for me to show my real self, in order for me to be comfortable.
Mom said, "I've noticed that you show your real personality, your real, fun and outgoing self when others 'boost' you up."
POINT BLANK! Dead on! That's exactly what I do. I wait for others' approval of me in order for me to be myself. How shallow. How superficial.
She said, "You know you are who the Lord says you are, not what other people say you are."
Straight up!
And yes, the Lord cares much less about the outside than what's inside (although, vestiment is not completely disregarded in terms of glorifying God in the way we dress). But if I am sure and set on the truth of what His Word says who I am in Him, then that would transcend to my life (how I live it out). My living would reflect what I actually believe defines me: other people or the Lord.
So it seems, sadly, that I have been dependent on others to, in a way, make me who I am. I can't believe this...
(While I'm typing this I can't believe this.)
Because in all reality, if a person had told me "Oh my gosh why did you cut your hair that way? It's all crowding your face and the choppy layers don't suit you..." I would have been mortified! (Although, it's really displeasing to hear this from someone.) But from previous personal experience, such a comment devastates my life! Really. So this shows how much power this 'topic,' if-you-will, has in my life. As lame as that sounds, I confess that I've been living with this perspective: if other people aren't happy with me, then I'm not happy with me (with looks).
And yes, most of what I'm talking about has to deal with outer looks, but this whole thing bothers me! And the bother seems to be a good one. Because this 'bother' is telling me, "Um... you really should stop thriving off of what other people say about you." Other people don't see this (taking other people's opinions into consideration) as "bad" (which I'm not saying it is) but when this "dependency" on others' feedback engulfs your life to the point where your joy is taken away, then there's a serious problem; it is revealed, brought to light who you think defines you.
I mean I know people give suggestions, which is great (if it's glorifying to the Lord) but you must thrive on only one thing: His Word; you must thrive only on one person: Jesus.
So I have revealed what a focus has been in my life: people's opinions about me. (How crazy is that? They're even OPINIONS! Not even solid truths! Wow...)
And I pray that my focus be turned to Him who defines me. So much so that I may be more worried (in the sense of "busy with") His kingdom than with others' opinions (pleasing or displeasing).
I'd rather be pleasing to the Lord and displeasing to others than be pleasing to others and displeasing to the Lord.
P.S. Check this site out http://setapartgirl.com/home.html
It's really cool and solely for girls wanting to live for Christ ;)
Pardon me if I seem to make tiny things a big deal but I like examining things a lot... maybe over-assessing? Call it whatever you want but here goes:
So I got a new haircut. Kind of drastic. My first reaction was, "Oh my gosh you look hideous!" For a moment I actually regreted the cut... Mom said it was amazing! And everybody else said it was amazing. So then, I was convinced that the haircut was great. But why did I have to wait for everyone else to say that it was amazing in order for me to agree and say, "Oh yah the new do IS amazing!" and be happy?
Or I imagine myself at work and people telling me my shoes look ridiculous. I'll probably never wear them again... even though they're pretty comfy. (Actually, this really did happen.)
When people tell me I look great or my hair is beautiful I kind of tend to open up some more... like I am more outspoken, more assured, more confident. When people don't, I am more reserved, more shy, uncomfortable. Why? I detest this! Waiting for others to approve in order for me to show my real self, in order for me to be comfortable.
Mom said, "I've noticed that you show your real personality, your real, fun and outgoing self when others 'boost' you up."
POINT BLANK! Dead on! That's exactly what I do. I wait for others' approval of me in order for me to be myself. How shallow. How superficial.
She said, "You know you are who the Lord says you are, not what other people say you are."
Straight up!
And yes, the Lord cares much less about the outside than what's inside (although, vestiment is not completely disregarded in terms of glorifying God in the way we dress). But if I am sure and set on the truth of what His Word says who I am in Him, then that would transcend to my life (how I live it out). My living would reflect what I actually believe defines me: other people or the Lord.
So it seems, sadly, that I have been dependent on others to, in a way, make me who I am. I can't believe this...
(While I'm typing this I can't believe this.)
Because in all reality, if a person had told me "Oh my gosh why did you cut your hair that way? It's all crowding your face and the choppy layers don't suit you..." I would have been mortified! (Although, it's really displeasing to hear this from someone.) But from previous personal experience, such a comment devastates my life! Really. So this shows how much power this 'topic,' if-you-will, has in my life. As lame as that sounds, I confess that I've been living with this perspective: if other people aren't happy with me, then I'm not happy with me (with looks).
And yes, most of what I'm talking about has to deal with outer looks, but this whole thing bothers me! And the bother seems to be a good one. Because this 'bother' is telling me, "Um... you really should stop thriving off of what other people say about you." Other people don't see this (taking other people's opinions into consideration) as "bad" (which I'm not saying it is) but when this "dependency" on others' feedback engulfs your life to the point where your joy is taken away, then there's a serious problem; it is revealed, brought to light who you think defines you.
I mean I know people give suggestions, which is great (if it's glorifying to the Lord) but you must thrive on only one thing: His Word; you must thrive only on one person: Jesus.
So I have revealed what a focus has been in my life: people's opinions about me. (How crazy is that? They're even OPINIONS! Not even solid truths! Wow...)
And I pray that my focus be turned to Him who defines me. So much so that I may be more worried (in the sense of "busy with") His kingdom than with others' opinions (pleasing or displeasing).
I'd rather be pleasing to the Lord and displeasing to others than be pleasing to others and displeasing to the Lord.
P.S. Check this site out http://setapartgirl.com/home.html
It's really cool and solely for girls wanting to live for Christ ;)
Make Much
It's Thursday!
I cut my hair!
I'm excited for classes! :D
I'm stoked for the Lord!
Life is what you make of it.
Times'll come when you'll be able to say, "I hate life..." but don't :) instead, make the best of it. It's up to you to make much of that situation. Make the best of it.
So I'm excited for this upcoming semester :) I have 6 classes but that's not bringing me down a bit :D
I'm excited for what I'm going to learn, for the challenges to come, for the victory that's already mine, for meeting new people, for drinking more of the Lord's living water throughout the semester, for listening to awesome sermons on my ipod on my way to class or just be jammin' to Brooke Fraser and mouthing the words (or maybe just singing out loud ha ha ;) ), for drinking hot Starbucks chai in my 7:30 a.m. class, for looking at the mountains while I walk from the library to Columbine Hall and think of the beauties in life while I smile my way to class and look at my feet while my mind ponders on the sweetness of friends.
In the Lord, there is no limit. So why limit yourself? Nothing's impossible :)
I've completed my goal for winter break: I've read two books, Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis and Don't Waste Your Life by John Piper and I have started to read Uncompromised Faith by S. Michael Craven. Although I am not even halfway through, the book is about "overcoming our culturalized Christianity," (that's the subtitle). It mainly meanders its way through how we live in a pluralistic society in which Christianity is sugar-coated and God is only spoken in vague ways; how faith lived out today has become a personal matter (which it shouldn't be: check Jesus out in the Word and see how private He was about the Father and what He came to the earth for ;) ). Uncompromised Faith has actually been a little hard to read because I find it hard to comprehend... not what it's saying but how things are being said (not a big deal... just how the author writes). But it's good to read it to:
1) see other's perspectives on how the world is coming down
2) relate to what's being said
3) really ask myself, "Am I compromising my faith in any way?"
On Merriam-webster.com "compromise" is defined as "something intermediate between or the blending qualities of two different things." Synonyms were, "accomodation, give-and-take, negotiation." And it's interesting to read this because it has nothing to do with a definite or clear-lined boundary of anything. It kind of reminds me of "lukewarm." There's blurriness in this picture; so now relate that to the faith. Is my faith set straight? Is it clearly defined in my life to the point that I can defend my faith (1 Peter 3:15)? A lot of people like to compromise, and I've found myself in that situation, where God is minimized to human perceptions and His authority is wrinkled into our brains so much so that everything, even our faith, becomes humanized. It's no longer something divine or purely from the Lord; it's spoiled and crooked. Therefore, one becomes blinded or just plain ignorant. "My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge." Hosea 4:6
How can a compromised faith be defeated? Dive deeper into the Lord. Study His word and LIVE IT. Pray, spend time with God. Nothing else is going to trample this worldly view of "faith."
It all comes down to a fact: your faith is true or it's not. I always ask the Lord to remind me to examine my faith! Here's a typed sermon from John MacArthur that I find very helpful (follow the link):
http://www.biblebb.com/files/mac/examine.htm
I totally encourage you to read it!
SOOOO I pray that this be my walk even through this semester at school! And continually at work.
Make much of Him :)
I cut my hair!
I'm excited for classes! :D
I'm stoked for the Lord!
Life is what you make of it.
Times'll come when you'll be able to say, "I hate life..." but don't :) instead, make the best of it. It's up to you to make much of that situation. Make the best of it.
So I'm excited for this upcoming semester :) I have 6 classes but that's not bringing me down a bit :D
I'm excited for what I'm going to learn, for the challenges to come, for the victory that's already mine, for meeting new people, for drinking more of the Lord's living water throughout the semester, for listening to awesome sermons on my ipod on my way to class or just be jammin' to Brooke Fraser and mouthing the words (or maybe just singing out loud ha ha ;) ), for drinking hot Starbucks chai in my 7:30 a.m. class, for looking at the mountains while I walk from the library to Columbine Hall and think of the beauties in life while I smile my way to class and look at my feet while my mind ponders on the sweetness of friends.
In the Lord, there is no limit. So why limit yourself? Nothing's impossible :)
I've completed my goal for winter break: I've read two books, Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis and Don't Waste Your Life by John Piper and I have started to read Uncompromised Faith by S. Michael Craven. Although I am not even halfway through, the book is about "overcoming our culturalized Christianity," (that's the subtitle). It mainly meanders its way through how we live in a pluralistic society in which Christianity is sugar-coated and God is only spoken in vague ways; how faith lived out today has become a personal matter (which it shouldn't be: check Jesus out in the Word and see how private He was about the Father and what He came to the earth for ;) ). Uncompromised Faith has actually been a little hard to read because I find it hard to comprehend... not what it's saying but how things are being said (not a big deal... just how the author writes). But it's good to read it to:
1) see other's perspectives on how the world is coming down
2) relate to what's being said
3) really ask myself, "Am I compromising my faith in any way?"
On Merriam-webster.com "compromise" is defined as "something intermediate between or the blending qualities of two different things." Synonyms were, "accomodation, give-and-take, negotiation." And it's interesting to read this because it has nothing to do with a definite or clear-lined boundary of anything. It kind of reminds me of "lukewarm." There's blurriness in this picture; so now relate that to the faith. Is my faith set straight? Is it clearly defined in my life to the point that I can defend my faith (1 Peter 3:15)? A lot of people like to compromise, and I've found myself in that situation, where God is minimized to human perceptions and His authority is wrinkled into our brains so much so that everything, even our faith, becomes humanized. It's no longer something divine or purely from the Lord; it's spoiled and crooked. Therefore, one becomes blinded or just plain ignorant. "My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge." Hosea 4:6
How can a compromised faith be defeated? Dive deeper into the Lord. Study His word and LIVE IT. Pray, spend time with God. Nothing else is going to trample this worldly view of "faith."
It all comes down to a fact: your faith is true or it's not. I always ask the Lord to remind me to examine my faith! Here's a typed sermon from John MacArthur that I find very helpful (follow the link):
http://www.biblebb.com/files/mac/examine.htm
I totally encourage you to read it!
SOOOO I pray that this be my walk even through this semester at school! And continually at work.
Make much of Him :)
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Serving and serving
The main purpose of ministry is to bring others to Christ.
I have been serving in ministry since I was 14. Whether singing, teaching Bible studies, advising another, planning church events: somewhere in the midst of all the hustle of ministry, I seemed to lose sight of this. Not in its entirety rather, but this vision seemed to become blurred. I mean, walking into Jr. High having nothing in your mind but, "Well today is the day the Lord chose to save souls!" is astonishing. I want to do that EVERYDAY. But once ministry becomes some type of chore or just something on your to-do list, something's gone astray.
His Word says, "The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance." 2 Peter 3:9
The only reason the Lord has not come yet is because He's waiting for His people to repent. This supernatural patience that He owns is in effect up to this point in the universe, in our lives.
I've found myself "overloading," if you will, in servitude. I've heard books say that this is both good and bad. Good because it's all you want to do: serve, do something for the purpose of the Kingdom, use everyday of your life in ministry (and I'll elaborate more on this a bit later). Bad because you don't want to burn yourself out, you have to give time to other things in life.
Elaboration
As I mentioned under the "Good" part of "overloading" in ministry: all you want to do is serve, for His purposes and use every waking moment in ministry. Now let's be reminded that ministry is not only within the worship center (usually called church) walls. If that's all you think of when you think of ministry, then you must go back to the word and read the ministry of Jesus... He was barely within walls. He was always out and about in the streets of cities, walking up to the most secluded and vile people who were ostracized because of some reputation, desease, or tradition. He took ministry with Him everywhere.
If "overloading" means using every minute of everyday thinking of what you can do (wherever you are) for the Lord's purposes, then go ahead and overload.
If "overloading" brings to mind how Martha felt, "Mary...sat at Jesus' feet and heard His word. But Martha was distracted with too much serving," (Luke 10:39-40) then there must be a facet of "serving" that does not please the Lord. Jesus came to Martha's house (she invited Him in) and He began teaching. Mary took the initiative of actually stopping everything she was doing to sit at the Lord's feet to just merely listen to Him. On the other hand, Martha just kept trying to get things done as fast as she could, sort of as if she was running late trying to serve the food, and she later complained that Jesus admonish Mary to help her finish all the to-dos (because that's what it seems the serving had become: "to-do's"). Jesus said to her, "'Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed and Mary has chosen that good part."
The word "distracted" here is literally "dragging around," which implies that Martha was in a tumult (MacArthur commentary). In John MacArthur's Twelve Extraordinary Women, he said, "Martha...fussed over her hostessing duties. She wanted everything to be just right...What Martha was doing was by no means a bad thing. She was waiting on Christ and her other guests. In a very practical and functional sense, she was acting as servant to all, just as Christ had so often commanded. She no doubt began with the best of motives and the noblest of intentions. But the moment she stopped listening to Christ and made something other than Him the focus of her heart and attention, her perspective became very self-centered. At that point, even her service to Christ became tainted with self-absorption and spoiled..." (p.161 & 164)
Once we forget who should rule in our lives and focus on "completing this and that" to get it over with or we barely have any delight in what our ministry is, we have to drop everything and reflect. Once you find yourself dragging and trying to push yourself to go to ministry and pep-talking yourself or just merely tired and frustrated: STOP. Refocus. "Why am I serving?" If the Lord's purpose of saving souls is not gladly driving you to serve, then stop serving. Take some time to pray, reading His word with enough time to reflect on it, to converse with Him about it, to listen to Him.
I've found that in all the business, my listening deafens bit by bit. NOT GOOD. You can serve, but above all you must listen.
So my longing is to get up and sing and play the guitar, talk to others, live with the mindset and heart of pointing others to Christ, for Him to save souls. For the heavens to rejoice and all the angels to cheer and clap and have a huge celebration because that one person accepted Christ into their heart. Ministry points to Christ. If it's not, then it's not ministry. It's deministry. If you're not ministering, you're deministering.
May all that I do point to Christ.
Help me Lord
I have been serving in ministry since I was 14. Whether singing, teaching Bible studies, advising another, planning church events: somewhere in the midst of all the hustle of ministry, I seemed to lose sight of this. Not in its entirety rather, but this vision seemed to become blurred. I mean, walking into Jr. High having nothing in your mind but, "Well today is the day the Lord chose to save souls!" is astonishing. I want to do that EVERYDAY. But once ministry becomes some type of chore or just something on your to-do list, something's gone astray.
His Word says, "The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance." 2 Peter 3:9
The only reason the Lord has not come yet is because He's waiting for His people to repent. This supernatural patience that He owns is in effect up to this point in the universe, in our lives.
I've found myself "overloading," if you will, in servitude. I've heard books say that this is both good and bad. Good because it's all you want to do: serve, do something for the purpose of the Kingdom, use everyday of your life in ministry (and I'll elaborate more on this a bit later). Bad because you don't want to burn yourself out, you have to give time to other things in life.
Elaboration
As I mentioned under the "Good" part of "overloading" in ministry: all you want to do is serve, for His purposes and use every waking moment in ministry. Now let's be reminded that ministry is not only within the worship center (usually called church) walls. If that's all you think of when you think of ministry, then you must go back to the word and read the ministry of Jesus... He was barely within walls. He was always out and about in the streets of cities, walking up to the most secluded and vile people who were ostracized because of some reputation, desease, or tradition. He took ministry with Him everywhere.
If "overloading" means using every minute of everyday thinking of what you can do (wherever you are) for the Lord's purposes, then go ahead and overload.
If "overloading" brings to mind how Martha felt, "Mary...sat at Jesus' feet and heard His word. But Martha was distracted with too much serving," (Luke 10:39-40) then there must be a facet of "serving" that does not please the Lord. Jesus came to Martha's house (she invited Him in) and He began teaching. Mary took the initiative of actually stopping everything she was doing to sit at the Lord's feet to just merely listen to Him. On the other hand, Martha just kept trying to get things done as fast as she could, sort of as if she was running late trying to serve the food, and she later complained that Jesus admonish Mary to help her finish all the to-dos (because that's what it seems the serving had become: "to-do's"). Jesus said to her, "'Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed and Mary has chosen that good part."
The word "distracted" here is literally "dragging around," which implies that Martha was in a tumult (MacArthur commentary). In John MacArthur's Twelve Extraordinary Women, he said, "Martha...fussed over her hostessing duties. She wanted everything to be just right...What Martha was doing was by no means a bad thing. She was waiting on Christ and her other guests. In a very practical and functional sense, she was acting as servant to all, just as Christ had so often commanded. She no doubt began with the best of motives and the noblest of intentions. But the moment she stopped listening to Christ and made something other than Him the focus of her heart and attention, her perspective became very self-centered. At that point, even her service to Christ became tainted with self-absorption and spoiled..." (p.161 & 164)
Once we forget who should rule in our lives and focus on "completing this and that" to get it over with or we barely have any delight in what our ministry is, we have to drop everything and reflect. Once you find yourself dragging and trying to push yourself to go to ministry and pep-talking yourself or just merely tired and frustrated: STOP. Refocus. "Why am I serving?" If the Lord's purpose of saving souls is not gladly driving you to serve, then stop serving. Take some time to pray, reading His word with enough time to reflect on it, to converse with Him about it, to listen to Him.
I've found that in all the business, my listening deafens bit by bit. NOT GOOD. You can serve, but above all you must listen.
So my longing is to get up and sing and play the guitar, talk to others, live with the mindset and heart of pointing others to Christ, for Him to save souls. For the heavens to rejoice and all the angels to cheer and clap and have a huge celebration because that one person accepted Christ into their heart. Ministry points to Christ. If it's not, then it's not ministry. It's deministry. If you're not ministering, you're deministering.
May all that I do point to Christ.
Help me Lord
Friday, January 7, 2011
Learning to Breathe
One would suppose that if we are born, we should know how to live. Like entering some profession. You usually enter a profession with the sufficient knowledge to guide you in all its endeavors.
However, life is not such that you exit the womb with a manual at hand. That hasn't been devised yet... and frankly it never will be.
We have no manual for life. And this manual I'm speaking of is one that tells you, "Once you've completed your 15 years of life you must begin to search for your future house on your county's property site. You may find that at..." Sort of a step by step process. And as ridiculous as that may sound, I myself have daydreamed of such a patented invention. But we are no robots, therefore that's out of the question.
I have a job, just applied for a second one, I have my eye on a house on sale right down the street (I sometimes even tell it, "You're mine..." as I drive by), I'm graduating in a year and I don't know where I'm going after that, I want to go on a trip to Virginia or California (it'll mostly be Virginia) that I yet have to save up for, I'm requesting information from various psychology/counseling organizations to volunteer and maybe set a rapport there for a future career, I gladly serve in Jr. High ministry and I also long to serve in the young adult/college ministry, I have 6 classes ready for me on the next train...
So the above offers many "Ifs" and "Maybes." You could call them plans or even dreams. However, in this segment of my life I feel like I am at a turning point. Like at a crossroads. What decisions to make, which way to go, how fast to go, how slow to go, do you look at your feet while you're walking so you won't get discouraged by the long seemingly unending road ahead or do you look ahead to become encouraged to keep going or would that in turn discourage you because of how long it seems?
We don't learn how to breathe, we just do. So how come it seems so complicated to live?
Well then let's ask, "What's driving you?" You're not driving yourself that's for sure. But something IS.
Some can say it's your desires and passions, others can denote them as whims. But why do we even HAVE desires and passions? Who or what creates those? Here comes the question we all love:
Who do you worship? You MUST worship something. Some decide to worship their money, their idleness, their work, their giftings or Jesus Himself.
In my life I like to think, "Either you worship God or you don't." Simple and to the point. Either you love Him with your life or you don't.
And THAT'S the defining moment at the crossroad.
As you worship Him (note the "as"... it's not a one time thing... it's a continuous, progressive thing), you WILL know where to go. You WILL know where to turn. You WILL know how fast to walk. You WILL know where to look. You WILL know when to pause.
All desires and passions take you somewhere. But how do you know that your desire and passion is the right one...that where they'll take you is actually where you're meant to be when you get there.
If it glorifies the Lord, it's His will. 1 Corinthians 10:31 says, "So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." (emphasis added)
We don't have a step by step manual for our movement on earth, but we do have the Book of Life (literally)in our hands for our time here which even echoes into eternity (the rest of everything). I'm not being metaphorical either. That's exactly what it is, the Book of Life given by the sole Creator of the universe; that God you can't see. So if He created the universe, that includes what's in the universe. It includes you and I. So if it weren't for His gracious will of creating us (giving us life, the reason you are reading this at this exact moment... because He decided to make you.) you wouldn't exist. Do you see the scope of eternity? Even a genuine glimpse of it tends to shock even for a millisecond... enough to get your purpose back on track.
As I'm learning how to live, I'm learning where I must go. But this is only because I ask the all-knowing being God for where to go... like a child asks daddy for permission. I cannot see the future, and in all sincerity I'd rather not. He can though :) And I'm so glad He can because that means He knows where I'm supposed to be in 10 years, in 3 years, in 5 months, in 2 days, tonight. I say "supposed" because He has a plan for me. He's already made my schedule. But it's up to me to follow it or do my own thing. But I choose to follow it. It's a perfect schedule, you know. There are no glitches in it because He planned it all.
So when He asks me every morning, "Do you want to follow the schedule I set up for you today?"
I'll say, "I do."
However, life is not such that you exit the womb with a manual at hand. That hasn't been devised yet... and frankly it never will be.
We have no manual for life. And this manual I'm speaking of is one that tells you, "Once you've completed your 15 years of life you must begin to search for your future house on your county's property site. You may find that at..." Sort of a step by step process. And as ridiculous as that may sound, I myself have daydreamed of such a patented invention. But we are no robots, therefore that's out of the question.
I have a job, just applied for a second one, I have my eye on a house on sale right down the street (I sometimes even tell it, "You're mine..." as I drive by), I'm graduating in a year and I don't know where I'm going after that, I want to go on a trip to Virginia or California (it'll mostly be Virginia) that I yet have to save up for, I'm requesting information from various psychology/counseling organizations to volunteer and maybe set a rapport there for a future career, I gladly serve in Jr. High ministry and I also long to serve in the young adult/college ministry, I have 6 classes ready for me on the next train...
So the above offers many "Ifs" and "Maybes." You could call them plans or even dreams. However, in this segment of my life I feel like I am at a turning point. Like at a crossroads. What decisions to make, which way to go, how fast to go, how slow to go, do you look at your feet while you're walking so you won't get discouraged by the long seemingly unending road ahead or do you look ahead to become encouraged to keep going or would that in turn discourage you because of how long it seems?
We don't learn how to breathe, we just do. So how come it seems so complicated to live?
Well then let's ask, "What's driving you?" You're not driving yourself that's for sure. But something IS.
Some can say it's your desires and passions, others can denote them as whims. But why do we even HAVE desires and passions? Who or what creates those? Here comes the question we all love:
Who do you worship? You MUST worship something. Some decide to worship their money, their idleness, their work, their giftings or Jesus Himself.
In my life I like to think, "Either you worship God or you don't." Simple and to the point. Either you love Him with your life or you don't.
And THAT'S the defining moment at the crossroad.
As you worship Him (note the "as"... it's not a one time thing... it's a continuous, progressive thing), you WILL know where to go. You WILL know where to turn. You WILL know how fast to walk. You WILL know where to look. You WILL know when to pause.
All desires and passions take you somewhere. But how do you know that your desire and passion is the right one...that where they'll take you is actually where you're meant to be when you get there.
If it glorifies the Lord, it's His will. 1 Corinthians 10:31 says, "So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." (emphasis added)
We don't have a step by step manual for our movement on earth, but we do have the Book of Life (literally)in our hands for our time here which even echoes into eternity (the rest of everything). I'm not being metaphorical either. That's exactly what it is, the Book of Life given by the sole Creator of the universe; that God you can't see. So if He created the universe, that includes what's in the universe. It includes you and I. So if it weren't for His gracious will of creating us (giving us life, the reason you are reading this at this exact moment... because He decided to make you.) you wouldn't exist. Do you see the scope of eternity? Even a genuine glimpse of it tends to shock even for a millisecond... enough to get your purpose back on track.
As I'm learning how to live, I'm learning where I must go. But this is only because I ask the all-knowing being God for where to go... like a child asks daddy for permission. I cannot see the future, and in all sincerity I'd rather not. He can though :) And I'm so glad He can because that means He knows where I'm supposed to be in 10 years, in 3 years, in 5 months, in 2 days, tonight. I say "supposed" because He has a plan for me. He's already made my schedule. But it's up to me to follow it or do my own thing. But I choose to follow it. It's a perfect schedule, you know. There are no glitches in it because He planned it all.
So when He asks me every morning, "Do you want to follow the schedule I set up for you today?"
I'll say, "I do."
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