"I have declared the former things from the beginning; they went forth from my mouth, and I caused them to hear it. Suddenly I did them and they came to pass. Because I knew that you were obstinate, and your neck was an iron sinew, and your brow bronze. even from the beginning I have declared it to you; before it came to pass I proclaimed it to you, lest you should say, 'My idol has done them, and my carved image and my molded image have commanded them.' Isaiah 48:3-5
sobering thoughts. God told the Israelites that He had explained to them what He was doing so that they wouldn't claim that their other gods had done it. I don't pretend to be a commentator on Isaiah so I won't attempt to explain the passage as if I am one...
However, in my life, this passage is very applicable. For one reason alone.Idols. For some odd reason, I do think that the idols in my life can deliver satisfaction or that somehow these things that I desire more than God will fulfill me. They don't.
All week I have been thinking about the question, "What will make me happy?" What do I want more than anything else in order to make myself happy? Will it really fulfill me? Will I really be happy when I get it?
For those who read this and struggle with infertility, you know that when God did give you a child, although there is a sweetness and a desire fulfilled, it does not ultimately make you happy. Then your desire moves to something else and you desire that more than God....
For those who are single, or desiring to be single, you may not know yet, but the goal of finding satisfaction in a mate will also be the same. You may reach your goal and have what you desire, only to have lost sight of the truth of God's Word that none can satisfy like God. Or you may gain a spouse only to see that they won't make you happy like you want to be happy, causing you to despise them.
We are only supposed to worship the One True God, not the things He has given us to enjoy for this life. "Even from the beginning, I have declared it to you, before it came to pass I proclaimed it to you, lest you should say, 'My idol has done them, and my carved image and my molded image have commanded them.' '
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Saturday, March 3, 2012
Saturday, February 25, 2012
parenting and grace
As a parent, I am continually telling my kids not to touch things. That is a bit of an understatement. Today, literally, three times in a row after correcting one of them they would touch the 'forbidden' object. It was very hard not to become frustrated with the continual disobedience.
but as I was in the middle of the rather annoying moment, I thought about my relationship with God.
How often do I do exactly what He has said no to? Minute by minute. Daily. Every week.
I'm grateful for the Grace of God in the person of Jesus who took my place, my punishment, because it would have been overwhelming how much I owe God from my sin.
But He took it instead. What a strange Gospel, this one that we believe in....that God would take the punishment I deserved. In the terms of parenting, I would be the one going into the Time-Out, instead of my child...wow. Its overwhelming even now.
but as I was in the middle of the rather annoying moment, I thought about my relationship with God.
How often do I do exactly what He has said no to? Minute by minute. Daily. Every week.
I'm grateful for the Grace of God in the person of Jesus who took my place, my punishment, because it would have been overwhelming how much I owe God from my sin.
But He took it instead. What a strange Gospel, this one that we believe in....that God would take the punishment I deserved. In the terms of parenting, I would be the one going into the Time-Out, instead of my child...wow. Its overwhelming even now.
Monday, February 20, 2012
Recently, I received a book from a sweet friend named Kathy. :) It was regarding the First Lady, Jackie Kennedy. The book was very interesting as it described a large part of her life with the President and then with her second husband, whose name I can not spell. :) Anyhow, it was also an eye opening for me.
Jackie Kennedy longed for enough money to do whatever she wanted whenever she wanted. Her wish was granted. Strangely, as anyone can imagine, she was never satisfied with the millions her second husband had given her. She was portrayed in the book as an ugly, snobby, rich lady. I'm not certain this is altogether true across the board, however, it was a consistent theme throughout the story. Also, it was not recorded whether or not she had given any of that money away. It seemed to be expressed that she merely spent it on herself and gifts for her children, family or friends. Rarely were there any mentions of charities that benefited greatly from her wealth. Additionally, she redecorated her houses endlessly, never satisfied with the way they looked even when they were completed.
It was a great reminder to me of the following passage in 1 Timothy 6: 6 But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. 8 But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. 9 Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
11 But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses.
These things are more important than all the diamonds, rich clothes, fancy houses, endless travels, rich friends, and powerful influence in the world. I am learning to be content with where I am. Choosing this day to be content with the food, clothing, housing, etc... that God has given to us. They are more than enough. :)
Jackie Kennedy longed for enough money to do whatever she wanted whenever she wanted. Her wish was granted. Strangely, as anyone can imagine, she was never satisfied with the millions her second husband had given her. She was portrayed in the book as an ugly, snobby, rich lady. I'm not certain this is altogether true across the board, however, it was a consistent theme throughout the story. Also, it was not recorded whether or not she had given any of that money away. It seemed to be expressed that she merely spent it on herself and gifts for her children, family or friends. Rarely were there any mentions of charities that benefited greatly from her wealth. Additionally, she redecorated her houses endlessly, never satisfied with the way they looked even when they were completed.
It was a great reminder to me of the following passage in 1 Timothy 6: 6 But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. 8 But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. 9 Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
11 But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses.
These things are more important than all the diamonds, rich clothes, fancy houses, endless travels, rich friends, and powerful influence in the world. I am learning to be content with where I am. Choosing this day to be content with the food, clothing, housing, etc... that God has given to us. They are more than enough. :)
Friday, January 27, 2012
wait
the smoke curls through the house. I'm not quite sure how it all got there, as it was a simple burned pan. But the smoke has lasted throughout the day, into the night and well, it seems as if we are chain smokers now. :)
It makes me think of sin. Sometimes my sin doesn't seem to affect any one at all. Other times, like this smoke, even though the original cause is removed, just like the scrubbed pan, the stench of sin still remains. There isn't much I can do about the consequences of what I have done in life. Sometimes I just have to wait until they become less and less and less, until one day I won't smell them, I mean see them anymore. But sometimes that smell is overwhelming.
It makes me think of sin. Sometimes my sin doesn't seem to affect any one at all. Other times, like this smoke, even though the original cause is removed, just like the scrubbed pan, the stench of sin still remains. There isn't much I can do about the consequences of what I have done in life. Sometimes I just have to wait until they become less and less and less, until one day I won't smell them, I mean see them anymore. But sometimes that smell is overwhelming.
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
see my baby
"One more tired story, Mama", she asks, the little
blond curls messily lying on her head. And the little
hands rubbing her eyes as she yawns. Oh, she longs for
the stories that have laid long within me, the stories
that I have tried so hard to write and now beckon to
come out, but I hold back. She's only one. the days
will come when they will pour out and I will write them
and finally fulfill the dream that I had as a child. To
write and illustrate and dream dreams for my children,
of characters that only lie within me and wait for that
day when my babies will long for one more tired story.
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Finish...
On Sunday, Jon and I became part of a new Sunday School class at our church on the topic of marriage. It was great! :) At one point, the speaker made a comment about how unfortunately, most of us will never do something that will be remembered by all. We will live mundane, daily lives, that will cause many after us to struggle to remember our names. Thus, the daily, everyday stuff are the things that God is interested in, the right now stuff. These moments are what makes it all worthwhile.
So today, as I was reading in 1 Kings 7, I saw a man who sort of fits in with that idea. He will most likely never have a Bible study series named after him. His name: Hiram. Here are some of the verses that describe him. "Now King Solomon sent and brought Hiram from Tyre. He was the son of a widow from Naphtali and his father was a man of Tyre, a bronze worker; He was filled with wisdom and understanding and skill in working with all kinds of bronze work. So he came to King Solomon and did all his work." (1Kings 7:13-14) Now, since I'm not a scholar by any stretch of the imagination, I don't know if the "his" at the end of the sentence is referring to King Solomon or to Hiram. Either way, the point remains. Hiram completed what he was asked to do. He finished his work.
In a culture where a halfhearted response seems okay, because "they gave their best shot at it", I think this concept is really important. I need to finish what I started. I need to complete what God has given me to do. I need to finish well with my daughter and my husband. I need to do what I said I would do for my family, friends and my church. I need to do all that I have been given to do.
So today, as I was reading in 1 Kings 7, I saw a man who sort of fits in with that idea. He will most likely never have a Bible study series named after him. His name: Hiram. Here are some of the verses that describe him. "Now King Solomon sent and brought Hiram from Tyre. He was the son of a widow from Naphtali and his father was a man of Tyre, a bronze worker; He was filled with wisdom and understanding and skill in working with all kinds of bronze work. So he came to King Solomon and did all his work." (1Kings 7:13-14) Now, since I'm not a scholar by any stretch of the imagination, I don't know if the "his" at the end of the sentence is referring to King Solomon or to Hiram. Either way, the point remains. Hiram completed what he was asked to do. He finished his work.
Monday, December 26, 2011
surrender
Last night, I was watching a Veggie Tales movie with my daughter called "Josh and the Big Wall." About halfway through the show, one of the characters was trying to convince the Israelites to continue doing things God's way by telling them, "God's ways don't always make sense." Wow! How true that is!
To that end, I don't know what all God is doing in my own life, and I don't understand what He is doing in others lives, but this I do know, I'm asked to surrender.
That subject is the title of a book by Nancy Leigh Demoss, called Surrender.
The word surrender has always been up there with the song, "I surrender all" and the word submission in my book. I am not certain what all of that means, but I do know that I don't want to do them willingly. :)
Surrender sounds like the end of a war. It sounds like the words one yells at the end of a game of capture the flag. I don't think those terms come easily or quickly.
But they are necessary.
To surrender oneself to God means a bit of sacrifice, giving up of my emotional mindset, my desires, my needs, my wants, to do what God wants.
I loved the examples that Demoss gave, the missionary couples who willingly chose to continue to be with the people who would eventually kill them, those who choose to continue on even when defeat seems certain. What about the example of Christ? He surrendered his rights and his will to the Father's will. And refused to remove himself from the bloody cross...for your sake and mine.
I was reading through this particular book and saw some examples of people who had released their right to know and signed a blank piece of paper for God, saying that they would do His will, even though they didn't know what it was.
I think that's where I need to be as well....willing to do anything, rather than having to know what I'm surrendering to first. I'm surrendering to God not to a situation. I'm surrendering my will to His: today and tomorrow and the next day, although I will make mistakes. I will chose the right things sometimes and the wrong things other times. Thankfully, I don't take this road alone. I go with God. I go in His strength. Walking and failing and getting back up again so that I can again choose to follow this God who gave up all for me to become one of us and to surrender His will to that of the Father's so that I could choose to follow Him.
To that end, I don't know what all God is doing in my own life, and I don't understand what He is doing in others lives, but this I do know, I'm asked to surrender.
That subject is the title of a book by Nancy Leigh Demoss, called Surrender.
The word surrender has always been up there with the song, "I surrender all" and the word submission in my book. I am not certain what all of that means, but I do know that I don't want to do them willingly. :)
Surrender sounds like the end of a war. It sounds like the words one yells at the end of a game of capture the flag. I don't think those terms come easily or quickly.
But they are necessary.
To surrender oneself to God means a bit of sacrifice, giving up of my emotional mindset, my desires, my needs, my wants, to do what God wants.
I loved the examples that Demoss gave, the missionary couples who willingly chose to continue to be with the people who would eventually kill them, those who choose to continue on even when defeat seems certain. What about the example of Christ? He surrendered his rights and his will to the Father's will. And refused to remove himself from the bloody cross...for your sake and mine.
I was reading through this particular book and saw some examples of people who had released their right to know and signed a blank piece of paper for God, saying that they would do His will, even though they didn't know what it was.
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