There are always things that are constant in our lives. For example, I know that as soon as my classes switch I will ALWAYS have the three MINIMUM students that will approach me where I stand, lean in, say my name over and over and ask me what we are doing today in class. It never fails. NEVER EVER. No matter how many times I remind the class that our outline is always on the board. Or how I explain how the next hour will go. Or the fact that they have practically the same routine since August. IT NEVER FAILS. It is a constant I wish would go away.
Then there is the constant that life will let you down. A Debbie Downer, I know. I don't say this to be mean or pessimistic I promise. But it always ends up that myself or someone else is will have a bad day, try to retrace what went wrong and get frustrated that life doesn't understand our need for fulfillment or efficiency. Somehow life didn't get the memo that we already have this great plan for ourselves. We have this idea of how others should behave toward us. We know exactly how traffic could be solved if everyone would drive as we do. Does the lady in Walmart not CHECK her 50 photo frames to make sure there are proper working barcodes? And does she NOT realize that I am running late and really just need a role of masking tape for a lesson I just made up in my head when I woke up that morning??? Does the house not understand that today was NOT THE DAY to have plumbing issues, AC malfunctions or sticky locks? Life letting us down never fails. Unfortunately.
So what then? Darrell preached an amazing sermon this past Sunday from Philemon. This is prolly my FAVORITE series so far that he has done. Which is saying a lot I think since all of his series have been mind-blowing and God-filled. And the fact that this 3 part series comes from a single chapter. He preached about several things but one thing he pointed out was how we can get so caught up in focusing on the negative. It's everywhere! How our thoughts can be consumed with negative aspects of our lives. But God says to take all of our thoughts captive and make them obedient to Christ. Which can be soooooo hard! The idea of how many thoughts that are NOT obedient to Christ that run through my mind on an hourly basis is shameful. The verse on ceaseless prayer really comes to mind as I ask myself how to keep my thoughts in line and ask the Holy Spirit to redirect me. Whew. Good grief.
Fortunately for me there is the greatest constant of all. God. SO CONSTANT in His faithful love to me. How undeserving I am of His love that is lavished upon me. How unappreciative I am of His constant whispers and interceding devotion. How forgetful I am of His ability to know far better than I ever will. To make all things work together for my good. To allow me to enter His gates with thanksgiving in my heart and His courts with praise. To let me serve something that is higher and greater than myself. God thank You for the opportunity and privilege. Thank you for the constant goodness in my life. I pray that I become more aware of that than of the negative.
"You stay the same through the ages, Your love never changes, there might be pain in the night, but joy comes in the morning! And when the oceans rage, I don't have to be afraid because I know that You love me, and Your love never fails." - Jesus Culture
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
How Far?
How far should we go? How much should we help? Lately I have been thinking about how we help people in need. People we know that are hurting. People that we have never met that have substantial needs that we can meet and choose not to.
I gave a bellringer to my class. The question was "What can you do to help Haiti?" I had one student raise his hand and ask, "what if you don't think we should help Haiti?" I told him to explain why he thought that. His answer was that we shouldn't help them because they have never done anything for us. I told him he was entitled to his opinion, but it bothered me. It bothered me that myself and a rising generation tends to look for what we can gain from helping others. It is always a give-take. Or at least an IOU situation. I will help you, but you better remember that I did. What does God say?
It's awesome how He is showing my things that tie in to my life and how I live it out. I finished Hosea a couple days ago and decided to read Amos. I have never read Amos and considered it one of those books that can be noted in the bible but not really high up on the list. It starts out with Amos basically calling people out on their sin. He talks about how everyone is not really doing what they should especially God's people who actually know better. How true is THAT statement???
In chapter 5 it talks about forgetting and oppressing the poor for our personal gain.
"You trample on the poor and force him to give you grain. Therefore, though you have built stone mansions, you will not live in them; though you have planted lush vineyards, you will not drink their wine. For I know how many are your offenses and how great your sins. You oppress the rightgeous and take bribes and you deprive the poor of justice in the courts." Amos 5:11-12
So what kind of excuse do we use to not meet other's needs? They don't deserve it? Do we deserve the grace that God has given us? Do we deserve salvation? Or how about the fear that any money I give or time I spent will be wasted or won't make a difference? Well the money I spent on the five times I ate out in the last week sure didn't go toward a better cause. Maybe a larger waistline. The time I spent watching tv or playing Mario Brothers didn't release a burden for someone who was hurting. So anything I offer will be a difference from what I am doing now. What about "they got into poverty, they can get themselves out"? Really??? What about the times that I constantly get myself into sin? And God freely forgives me?
As more and more of the pieces come together for what God has in store I am becoming more aware of what my life should reflect. Will it be a perfect of example of who God is? I hope so. I say all this with conviction and then I find myself stumbling again. I get back up. I pray the damage I do is minimized by the reconstruction. How far should we go? I am preparing my heart for more than I think it can take. I am asking the Holy Spirit to break me down and show me a way that involves intense sacrifice on my part to meet the needs of others who are so lost. I pray for God's love and strength when I feel like I can't go on and I can't stand under the weight. I pray for opportunities to speak and be silent and to simply go where He goes, say what He says and pray what He prays. As far as it takes.
Where You Go I'll Go - Jesus Culture - This is an amazing song. Listen to it and simply make it a prayer of worship and promise.
I gave a bellringer to my class. The question was "What can you do to help Haiti?" I had one student raise his hand and ask, "what if you don't think we should help Haiti?" I told him to explain why he thought that. His answer was that we shouldn't help them because they have never done anything for us. I told him he was entitled to his opinion, but it bothered me. It bothered me that myself and a rising generation tends to look for what we can gain from helping others. It is always a give-take. Or at least an IOU situation. I will help you, but you better remember that I did. What does God say?
It's awesome how He is showing my things that tie in to my life and how I live it out. I finished Hosea a couple days ago and decided to read Amos. I have never read Amos and considered it one of those books that can be noted in the bible but not really high up on the list. It starts out with Amos basically calling people out on their sin. He talks about how everyone is not really doing what they should especially God's people who actually know better. How true is THAT statement???
In chapter 5 it talks about forgetting and oppressing the poor for our personal gain.
"You trample on the poor and force him to give you grain. Therefore, though you have built stone mansions, you will not live in them; though you have planted lush vineyards, you will not drink their wine. For I know how many are your offenses and how great your sins. You oppress the rightgeous and take bribes and you deprive the poor of justice in the courts." Amos 5:11-12
So what kind of excuse do we use to not meet other's needs? They don't deserve it? Do we deserve the grace that God has given us? Do we deserve salvation? Or how about the fear that any money I give or time I spent will be wasted or won't make a difference? Well the money I spent on the five times I ate out in the last week sure didn't go toward a better cause. Maybe a larger waistline. The time I spent watching tv or playing Mario Brothers didn't release a burden for someone who was hurting. So anything I offer will be a difference from what I am doing now. What about "they got into poverty, they can get themselves out"? Really??? What about the times that I constantly get myself into sin? And God freely forgives me?
As more and more of the pieces come together for what God has in store I am becoming more aware of what my life should reflect. Will it be a perfect of example of who God is? I hope so. I say all this with conviction and then I find myself stumbling again. I get back up. I pray the damage I do is minimized by the reconstruction. How far should we go? I am preparing my heart for more than I think it can take. I am asking the Holy Spirit to break me down and show me a way that involves intense sacrifice on my part to meet the needs of others who are so lost. I pray for God's love and strength when I feel like I can't go on and I can't stand under the weight. I pray for opportunities to speak and be silent and to simply go where He goes, say what He says and pray what He prays. As far as it takes.
Where You Go I'll Go - Jesus Culture - This is an amazing song. Listen to it and simply make it a prayer of worship and promise.
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