Try It! You'll Like It!

You can not experience the fullness of your relationship with God if you are holding out on Him.   He has so much to offer to His children.

He holds nothing back from us.   He gave it all and He wants us to live in the complete and total freedom that being related to Him bestows on us.


But we hold onto our 'stuff' like we can deal with it on our own.   Like He can't handle it.   Like He doesn't know more about it than we do.   Like He just wouldn't understand.   Like we don't trust Him with it.   Or like it is too precious to trust to anyone, even Him.


Oops!   There it is.   A lack of faith.    Where is a mustard seed when you need one?   


He tells us mountains will move, yet we balk at a bump in the road.   


He says we can have anything we ask for if we only believe, but we won't take a step towards what we want because we can not let go of what we have.   We hold on to garbage when He offers priceless riches!


Jesus came so that we would have abundant lives here and now.    Not just for the indescribable eternal hereafter with Him that we can't even begin to imagine.   His kingdom is at hand.  It is here and now.  We are His heirs.   We are owners.   Why are we only standing in the doorway when we could be walking in and possessing the land and all it has to offer?   It's not a scavenger hunt.   It is buried treasure!   Treasures like peace, emotional and spiritual well being, joy and inner power.


He said "take my yoke upon you"  and we are so stiff necked with our own pride and burdens that His yoke just seems to be another bit of stress to add to the load....Even though He said it was easy and light.

To paraphrase, He said "try it, you'll like it!"   Take Him at  His Word.   Don't  hold back any longer.   Trust Him with your stuff... your treasures and your junk.      He will care for it better than you can any way.     

Sacrifice

Many have made sacrifices.   Parents give up their own personal desires so that their children will have what they need.     A husband or wife give of themselves to support one another  and  make their marriage strong.   Friends set aside differences to maintain their friendships.   A soldier will lay down his life to protect and defend  his country or  the people of a foreign land.   Police officers, firemen, soldiers all put their lives on the line for the sake of others.   

It is the most noble act.    It's nothing new.     It has been going on for centuries.     Men and women of courage and integrity and honor give their lives for others.

So what makes it so incredible that Jesus sacrificed His life for us?

For one thing, although Jesus was a man, He was no ordinary man.    He was our Creator God in the flesh.   He is the One that walked in the garden with Adam and Eve.      He is the one that spoke and the whole earth and everything in it came to be.    He is the one that holds it all together.

For another thing, He planned His sacrifice.   He knew it would be necessary from before creation, before time began.  

God created us to be His friends.   He made us to be like Him.   He wanted someone to relate to.   Someone to hang out with.    He wanted us.     But He didn't want us to be slaves to His every command.    He wanted us to choose Him, so He made us with our own volition.    He gave us options.      And He only had one rule.     Don't eat the fruit from that tree. You will die if you do.     Everything else in the world is yours.   But don't touch that tree.  In fact, it would be good if you didn't even look at it or think about it.     Hah!

Being human, and having self will,  of course we were curious.   When some charismatic creature came along and sweet talked us into eating that fruit, how could we be blamed?   After all, God is so good.  Everything else in the garden was made for us.   He won't let us die over eating one little bite.   Will he?     

The tree of the knowledge of good and evil.        Before we gave in and gobbled it up, we didn't even know there was such a thing as good and evil.    Everything just 'was'.      Neither good nor bad.   No right or wrong.   Except for that tree.    Even the tree was not good or bad.   It just contained knowledge.  

But now we knew.   Or at least we thought we knew.    It was confusing.

The fruit tasted pretty good, but had a funny after taste.

Now we were consumed with new thought.   What was right was wrong.   What was wrong was right.   We knew there was good and we knew there was evil.   But we had no understanding of it.  How do we decide?   So we tried to hide that we knew.  Our conscience had been activated and for the first time in time, we turned away from God.

We not only turned away.   We tried to hide.   From God.   What a ridiculous plan.    Already our thought processes were skewed.... and all because of some tasty fruit.

God came looking for us.   Everything was going according to plan.  He knew what we had done.  He knew where we were 'hiding'.   So naturally He tossed us outside the garden and sealed it up so we couldn't get back in.      Like the disobedient children we were, we had to suffer the consequences of our decision and live with this terrible knowledge from the tree.  He separated Himself from us.  It was horrible!!   But Gaaawwwddd!   It's not fair!  

However,  if we had never chosen that tree... if we had never been cast out of the garden. and away from Him..  how would we know the difference?   We would be those innocents lolling around in the luxurious garden with no understanding of God's goodness.    No appreciation for what He provided for us.    We would be His slaves.  Loving Him because we didn't know any different.

We would be unspoiled by sin, but we wouldn't have to choose Him over the "pleasures" of sin.     And that's what He wants.    He wants us to choose Him.     He didn't want it to be mindless and  effortless on our part.   He wanted us to know the difference it would make to choose Him.  He wanted us to know what it was like to live separated from Him so we could make an intelligent choice.

He knew what we would do.   He created us to do it.    He had already made arrangements.    He spent eternity planning it and setting everything in place for it. He contemplated it beforehand.   

When it was the right time on earth, He left the eternal streets of gold and the glory of Heaven.   He left the light of the Father's righteousness.    He left His glory and magnificence.  He left the worshiping angels.  

He stepped into time.... into His creation.   He became one of us.    He didn't come as God to rule over us.   He came as God in human flesh.   A baby, held and fed and nurtured.   A child under the discipline of his parents.   An adolescent.   A young man.  An adult.

He was subject to every rule and regulation of man.   He was subject to every  human emotion, feeling, pain, heartache, fears, desires, satisfactions, lusts, hunger, weariness.  

He knew His future.   He had planned, anticipated and dreaded this for eternity.   He came to die.   To be tortured.   To be outcast.  He came to sacrifice himself for us.   To cover us with His blood so that we could be made right with God.   He came to love.

Every breath He took, He knew what was ahead.   Every passing year brought Him closer to the event.   Birthdays came and went.   Every choice He made took Him to torture, humiliation and mutilation.     The closer in time He came to the cross, the more difficult it became for Him.   Every miracle was part of the countdown.   It was almost unbearable for Him that last night in the garden... when he plead with the Father to remove this 'cup' from Him.    He could have stopped it.   He could have wiped the slate clean; put us all back in the garden and cleared our heads of knowledge.   He could have removed the choice from us.   He could have done anything.

He offered Himself up to be beaten and bruised.   He laid Himself on the whipping post.   He dragged His cross up that hill.    He let us drive the nails into His hands and feet.   He even became the thing that He detested.   He became that thing that cannot exist in the flesh crushing presence of God.  He became every wrong thing we ever did or will do or think to do.   He became the stain that is inherent within each of us.   He suffered separation from the Father as God turned His back on His only Son.   Like Adam and Eve being cast out of the garden, the Father cast Jesus away from His presence.  God the Father could not look on the sin.     
 
It was accomplished.   The plan had come to it's climax.    The ultimate sacrifice had been made.    God died for His creation.     Dead.   Finished.

Three days later.
He's been to Hell and back.
He rises from death  to live forevermore.

HE ...RISES...FROM ...DEATH ...ALIVE ... FOREVER

Why do something so drastic?    To get our attention.    To make us sit up and take notice.    To pay the price that the Father deemed necessary.    To fulfill His promise.  To make a way for us to be saved from eternal condemnation and damnation.   To make a way for us to be what He created us to be:   His friends, His children, like Him.    Now we have the knowledge and the understanding.    We are now capable of making a choice because we know the difference between choosing  Him and rejecting Him.   

The difference between relationship and separation.    Between good and evil.     

It is a simple choice but it is not easy.   The choice is to believe... to have faith... and to ask Him to forgive us  and save us because of what He did on the cross, not because we deserve forgiveness or salvation.    

 The words 'thank you' are not enough.    A life spent worshiping and serving Him is not enough, but it is all we have to give in return for His sacrifice.

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.  For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.    He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.   And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.   For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed.   But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God."   ( John 3: 16 - 21 )

Splattered Faith (Known) a "View from the Ninth" story

O LORD, You have searched me and known me. You know when I sit down and when I rise up; You understand my thought from afar. You scrutinize my path and my lying down, And are intimately acquainted with all my ways. Even before there is a word on my tongue, Behold, O LORD, You know it all. You have enclosed me behind and before, And laid Your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful ...for me; It is too high, I cannot attain to it.” - Psalm 139:1–6

 
KNOWN.... there is nothing He does not know about me.  No thing.

So I can come to Him completely unveiled and bare faced... bare souled.

Withhold nothing because He sees it anyway.  Even the thoughts that I hide from myself.   My entire being is naked before Him.

 He not only sees it.  He understands.  He feels it.  He has compassion.

We can pour out everything from our deepest hurt and anger to our most inconsequential thought to the most delightful joy.

What I would scream at the world... I SHRIEK at Him.  He can take it.  In fact, He cherishes it.

His shoulders are broad and solid and his terrible arms are open wide to receive us. He WANTS our pain, our tears, our worries to be laid at His feet... THROWN at Him .. SPLATTERED  all over Him.   He does not take it lightly.  He receives what is absolutely killing us inside and holds it gently to His heart.  Our offerings of tragedy and the sharp edges of our pain are precious to Him.  He embraces them with His immeasurable grace and wisdom.


He 'encloses" us, entwining Himself around us and in us.   Cradling us in Intimacy.      He is loving, comforting, giving freedom and new life, new understanding.  He is 'growing' us.  He is telling  about His love and His plan for us.  He shows us who we are to Him.    He is teaching us to love with disregard for how we feel or for what we want.

When we are done.  When we have spilled and emptied our insides and our darkness. When we finally look up to face Him,,, there is no need for words or thoughts other than praise and repentance.. The praise is for Him... to thank Him and acknowledge what He has done.     The repentance  for us... to cleanse our hearts and souls and conscience.


Our needs are known. Our desires are known.

How can I not adore and worship this God for whom there are no explanations.. only unspeakable and unimaginable words.

"Such knowledge is too wonderful for me...too high.   I can not attain it."

Does Jesus Have A Pocket?

During a recent worship service, I was moved to tears.   They came suddenly and unexpectedly.   Rolling down my face.. falling uncontrollably from my heart.     As usual, I  was unprepared for this event.   I never have tissue in my purse.   Most of the time I don't even have a purse.  You would think that having been a Girl Scout leader for 12 years, I would at least follow the most basic of the Girl Scout Laws;   "Be Prepared".    But, not me.

Fortunately, my dear friend was  sitting next to me in the church pew and she noticed my dilemma.   She is ALWAYS organized and prepared and I don't know if she ever was a Girl Scout.  It is her God given gift to be prepared. 

She reached into her ever ready and always well stocked purse and produced a hanky.

Well, actually it was a man's handkerchief.

Seriously?   She actually had a handkerchief in her Mary Poppins bag of surprises.     I am not sure why she carries a man's handkerchief in her purse.   Who in the world carries a handkerchief  anymore?

Maybe she believes that at some point in time her big manly man husband will burst into uncontrollable bouts of  crying and she will be able to come to his rescue.

Or maybe she has sat beside me in church for so long that she knows that at some point in time I will have the need for a hanky and, as always, be without one.

She has such a sweet heart.    She is a sweetheart. 

Nevertheless, she armed me with the handkerchief and I was able to wipe the tears from my face and eyes and produce a  smile.    A hanky is sooooo much nicer than a tissue.

She comforted me.

It made me think of Christ.    He is our Comforter.      

There are two words used in the Bible which are translated as 'comforter'.

The first is from the root word Nacham which means  "to be sorry, console oneself, repent, regret, comfort, be comforted, suffer grief, repent, to comfort oneself, ease oneself."  

This is a good thing that we can comfort ourselves.  It is healthy to be able to acknowledge our circumstance, to feel regret or suffer grief and comfort ourselves.   We can do this by counting our blessings, by looking for the silver lining, by drawing close to God.

However,  self comfort  can also be self destructive, such as when Esau was so jealous of his brother Jacob that he actually tried to ease the pain of that jealousy by plotting to kill Jacob.  (Genesis 27: 42 When Rebekah was told what her older son Esau had said, she sent for her younger son Jacob and said to him, "Your brother Esau is consoling himself with the thought of killing you.")

When we think we are wronged , do we comfort ourselves with thoughts of revenge?   of getting even?

On the other hand, when we do something we know is wrong, do we try to justify and console ourselves by wrong thinking and reasoning?   We are sorry, but it has to be somebody's fault.   Do we comfort ourselves by placing the blame elsewhere?

The other word for comforter is from the Greek word  "parakletos" which is translated as:  summoned or called to one's side or to one's aid;  or one who pleads another's cause before a judge, an advocate;  an intercessor;  or of Christ in his exaltation at God's right hand, pleading with God the Father for the pardon of our sins;   in the widest sense, a helper, succourer, aider, assistant;  of the Holy Spirit destined to take the place of Christ with the apostles (after his ascension to the Father), to lead them to a deeper knowledge of the gospel truth, and give them divine strength needed to enable them to undergo trials and persecutions on behalf of the divine kingdom.

Jesus is the Parakletos.  He is The Comforter.    The Holy Spirit.  

I don't believe that I can add anything to that definition.  

Isn't it grand to know that when we are overcome by the cares of the world,  Jesus comes to our side to hold and comfort us... to catch our tears in His hands?  Does He have a giant handkerchief in His pocket to wipe away our tears?   Does Jesus even have a pocket where He can keep a hanky? 

When we are wronged, He is  our strength.   When we do wrong and repent, He stands before the Father pleading His blood over us. 

He is the Spirit that moves my friend to be prepared with a hanky just when I need it.   It is her ministry to a sister in Christ.    It is Jesus acting through her to be the Comforter. 
  
We get to choose which comforter we reach for in times of stress and trouble.  No matter what the circumstance, we have a choice.     Do we choose to comfort ourselves?   Or do we allow THE Comforter to come to our aid? 

It is astonishing that a single act of kindness to a hurting heart becomes an act of Holiness.    We can all take a lesson from the handkerchief.   Allow God to use us to reach out to others in their pain and be Jesus to them.

Thank you my sweet friend.

View From The Ninth

 This was my blog heading for a while... when living in Kuwait.    I have some ideas for stories from this time period and so those will be posted as from the "View From the 9th" Collection.   

VIEW FROM THE 9TH: Currently living on the 9th floor of a building in Kuwait with a view over the rooftops and lives of the city. Hopefully, there will be some inspiration and spiritual revelation from God in my life. "and He determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek Him and perhaps reach out for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us. For in him we live and move and have our being."  Acts 17: 26-28

There is a Time to Blow Your Horn

(From the "View From the 9th" Collection)

Driving on the highways and roadways in Kuwait is an unforgettable experience.  Even though there are rules and regulations, no one seems to obey the law.  NO ONE.  Excessive speed and intentional rudeness abounds.   Road rage is normal every day activity.    What is so great about this is that it gives everybody an opportunity to use their car horns regularly.    I would insert a smiley face in here if I could figure out how.     :)

In America, or in my little section of America, we could possibly even forget that we have horns built into our cars, but in Kuwait honking your horn is just part of your daily driving experience.  It is EXHILARATING!

Lay on that horn and blow!!!!!  Whew!

Since I've been home, I keep looking for an excuse to blow my truck's horn.   Alas! so far  I have found no occasion to do so.

However, there are other reasons than  inconsiderate motorists to toot your horn.

Jesus said “I am the way the truth and the life.  No man comes to the Father but through me.”

That's a pretty bold statement.   There is no question that He was announcing to the world WHO He is and WHY He came.

There are so many scriptures where Jesus talks about who He is.   He did not step down or step back.  He tooted his  horn, told people why he was here.   Before he ascended to heaven he commanded us to tell the world His story.    To blow our horns.  Only our horns have to toot about Him, not about us.

Honk!

Some horns are loud.  Others are soft & gentle.   Some horns play symphonies.  Others play jazz.   They have different sounds and are played in varying ways.

Horns are used to announce something... to get people’s attention.    The children of God are listening for and waiting to hear the horns blowing announcing the return of Christ! 

So... toot your horn... Whether your horn plays gently or is blaringly loud, get somebody's  attention and then use that opportunity to tell them about Christ.      What Jesus gave to His children is meant to be announced to the world.

Oh... and if you hear me blowing my car horn sometime, don't worry.   I am just reminiscing.

Follow

At the end of the book of John, Jesus told Peter regardless of what happened to the others  he must follow Him.   Follow the one 'who knows all things'   follow the Maker, the Creator, the Source of all life and breath and power and might and righteousness and wisdom and peace and joy and faithfulness.  "Follow Me!"    Step out onto nothing and in faith know that Jesus will hold you up.   Be set free by relinquishing your entire being to a God who "knows all things"....   and this God resides in me!   Abandon yourself to God.