Setting Our Sights Up
Recently the gals at bible study and myself were looking at Psalm 121. The author lends a beautifully crafted picture of what it is to keep our eyes where they should be, (representing our focus) Verses 1-2:
“I lift my eyes to the hills – where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.”
We can appreciate the pro-active stance the Psalmist takes as he prepares to position himself. Notice he says “I lift my eyes…” He is not waiting for someone else to do it for him, or even swing his arm out and grab onto the person next to him. NO – HE does it. What does he do? He lifts his eyes. KNOWING that keeping them down will not direct his attention to where his help is.
As another Psalmist states: “Why are you downcast O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God …” (Ps. 42:5)
To help paint this picture at bible study, with the help of a sweet little gal, we scattered coins on the floor. Here and there, pennies, dimes, nickels, yes even those collectible quarters. THEN, I tacked dollar bills to the ceiling, $1.00’s, $5.00’s, $10.00’s and a couple of $20.00’s. As the gals came in, their attention was drawn to the coins on the floor, a few gals picked them up and handed them to me, or politely placed them on the tables. I of course came behind them and discretely threw them back on the floor for others to see.
We progressed through a time of fellowship and worship, nothing was said about the ‘big bucks’ on the ceiling. I opened the teaching time, by asking them if they noticed anything slightly different this morning. One gal commented on the coins. Then they began to chat about that. Smiling I said “Yes, you noticed the little stuff on the ground, but did you look UP? All heads immediately flew up. You could hear the “AaaaHa!” Expressions of revelation.
So often we keep our gaze down don’t we? Not allowing our focus to go heavenward. WE MISS SO MUCH! While our focus is down, generally this is when we fall into the pit of disgust, despair, depression and even dissatisfaction. A side note to add here: in Psalm 42, when stated “Why are you downcast O my soul?” The word picture is that of movement ~ a spiral motion, his soul is heading down AND down. His self talk is SMART.
Can you imagine with me, he bows his head and talks to his soul [ definition of soul: heart, mind, the inner being with it’s thoughts and emotions] he continues on “Put your hope in God…” Mainly … “Dude get a grip! God is your answer, now look to HIM!” However I love the second half of the verse as rendered by the Young’s Literal Translation – “Wait for God, for still I confess Him.”
Do YOU have the down in the dump, downcast doldrums? The antidote? Redirect your focus on God’s ability to help you rather than your ability to help yourself. State it. Confess it. Cry out for it. Live it.
May we purpose to setting our sights as the Psalmist did, NOT notice just the little stuff here on the ground, but look UP to God. THAT is where the BIG stuff is (smile).
I leave us with the song that we as a group of God-loving gals sang at each gathering as we ventured through the Psalms:
I lift my eyes up
to the mountians
Where does my help come from?
My help comes from You
Maker of heaven
Creator of the earth
O How I need You Lord
You are my only hope
You are my only prayer
So I will wait for You
To come and rescue me
Come and give me life
– Written by Brian Doerksen
In Him, DeDe (Ps. 92:4 “You thrill me, LORD … as I look UP.”)
Beasty Around the Corner
I learned something very recently. Fear can keep us (me) from going places that we really need to be going. Let me paint a picture for you by what I mean: I used to walk. I would put on my MP3 headset, and set out for a glorious time of worship. I would walk the neighborhood, spend about 30 minutes on my powerwalk, I called it.
THEN, one day the neighbors pitbull (ugly beast) met me at the end of our lane, and proceeded to walk me back up the lane to our house, backwards. I knew NOT to turn and run, he would only see it as a chance to chase. Right when I got to our gate, I slowly reached back and opened it, and slipped into our yard, THAT is when the beast saw he was losing me and charged the gate. I had my pepper spray in my hand the whole time, that is when I chose to use it.
Dead on, target reached. It made him so MAD, he charged again, I sprayed again. He finally pranced away, as I limped away emotionally from the fear. For future precautions, we took the issue up with the neighbor, and the City Animal Control Unit. Since then I have had such a fear of that dog turning the corner and coming at me again, I have not set out walking since then, it’s been a few months.
Until ~ yesterday. Sporting a huge stick AND my pepper spray I headed out. When I got to the end of the lane, oh Beasty was no where to be seen. Whahoo, all the angels are on their feet, high-fiving each other (ok, maybe not – but that is how I felt). Perhaps the ugly beast will never reappear. But my fear can not hold me back. Walk I did, with a glorious time of worship.
There WILL be beasts around many corners. Wisdom will lead us to take precautions. But we can not allow them to keep us captive from setting out. When we do encounter them, and choose to stay put, we may never find out later that they are NO LONGER there. Much of the time, the thing we fear is in our head, not necessarily awaiting us down the lane.
Nearly 50 times we are admonished in the Bible to “Fear not…” or “Do not be afraid.” Yet it is a common default for us all. Paul writes to Timothy about stepping out, using the gifts God has instilled in him, to share the word of God with others, yet I feel this strong statement applies to all fears that hold us back. “For God did not give us a spirit of fear, but a spirit of power, love and a sound mind.” (2 Tim. 1:7)
FREEDOM ~ Jesus show us YOUR power, love us through it, and clear our thoughts, allow discipline and discretion to guide us, so the beasts of our minds would NOT rule over us.
~ DeDe (Ps. 92:4 “You thrill me, LORD ..”)
The Fragrance of Christ
I smell FABULOUS! Even if I do say so myself. Sorry guys ~ girl talk. I was given a gracious gift certificate to one of those good smelly places, lined with rows of bath gels, body oils and room air fresheners, (fortunately I knew NOT to spray THAT on). I played in the bath gels for awhile, and then moved onto the body oils. LOVE the oils! My personal favorite right now is Lavender. I have grown to love the color, the smell, it is fresh and so feminine. That is what came home with me. So, I smell like a field of lavender. I do however, pray I don’t attract bees in my good-smelly-ness.
We are highly sensitive to smell. One of the five senses that strike us with great impact, also one of the most offensive or pleasant. Not only do we smell good, but we can purchase candles, incense, sprays, even night light plug-ins to bathe our homes with fragrance while we sleep.
There is a fragrance however that can not be rubbed on, sprayed or be splashed, but comes from …within. It is the beauty of Christ in our lives, it can and will attract others, perhaps, forgoing the bees ~ smile.
“But thanks be to God! For through what Christ has done, He has triumphed over us so that now wherever we go He uses us to tell others about the Lord and to spread the Gospel like a sweet perfume. As far as God is concerned there is a sweet, wholesome fragrance in our lives. It is the fragrance of Christ within us, an aroma to both the saved and the unsaved all around us.” (2 Cor. 2:14-15, The Living Bible)
In the Tabernacle of Moses, the incense was a prescribed fragrance. Not just any old aroma, but a specific pleasant odor. Certain ingredients were needed, a certain blend. God knew if the mixture was not just right, the out come would be STINKY. Same with our lives, it takes just the right mixture for a pleasant aroma, mixture of the life, love and qualities of Christ. If not, sorry folks, it is just plain old stinky … US (metaphorically speaking of course). Been around a few stinky folks?
Another place where fragrance was a HUGE issue, John chapter 11. Jesus comes to the tomb of Lazarus, telling them to remove the stone, while Martha politely reminds Jesus, that … well after 4 days “…he stinketh.” A big concern for sure. The stone is rolled away and Jesus prays, it was NOT the smell of death that came out. Adding Jesus to the circumstance and LIFE is the result.
Allowing others to see, hear, touch, taste and smell Jesus in our lives is what we are called to. Remember when Mary poured the perfume on Jesus’ feet, in John 12? She didn’t just dab here or there, she POURED enough to cause the house to be filled with the fragrance! Her worship was known, seen and a pleasant aroma. May we too pour it out thick, overflowing, regardless of the cost … loving HIM.
Bathe yourself with and in the qualities of Jesus, and smell wonderful for Him. As we walk in the prescribed fragrance of God, adding Jesus to the mix, others will smell Him. In doing so, as we too pray with His power, and authority, stones will be moved away and others will come out not stinking, but ALIVE!
The fragrance of Christ.
In Him, DeDe (Ps. 92:4 “You thrill me, LORD .”)
Satisfying Passion
Satisfying Passion
A couple of weeks ago, I had the honor of speaking to our senior saints at their Adults Alive Luncheon. They were so much fun! Yet, I HAVE to share with you where and when the fun … began. As our sound man was prepping me with a wireless mic (I use my hands when I talk and I am afraid I will throw the mic at someone), he was having trouble getting the over-the-ear mic to fit properly. It kept falling forward, due to it being too large for my ear. So after bending and crimping it (sorry Pastor, hope it still fit on Sunday) he had this BRIGHT idea and ran off, he came back with, yes – scotch tape! He taped the wire running down my neck to my neck. By now I had the giggles and hardily thanked him for NOT using a stapler!
Soon, after a lovely introduction I took to the platform. Finding out the mic was not turned on, I graciously looked over to the gal who introduced me, (and without thinking) asked her, “Would you turn me on?” AS I lifted the back of my shirt exposing the battery pack. This gal is so quick with wit, she looked to the audience, smiling and said “I haven’t been asked THAT in a LONG time.” Yep, these folks are alert and awaiting a word on PASSION! God has such a wonderful sense of humor.
I spoke to them about Caleb, from the book of Numbers and Joshua. Caleb was one of the 12 that spied out The Promised Land with Joshua. The two reported back to Moses with a good report, while the others were discouraging and caused the people to fear. The LORD was so impressed with this good report, and the reporter, that He stated this about Caleb, “Because My servant Caleb has a different spirit and follows Me wholeheartedly, I will bring him into the land he went to, and his descendants will inherit it.” (Numbers 14:24)
Jumping ahead to Joshua 14, it has been 44 years, Caleb is now 85, and they do possess The Promised land. Caleb approaches Joshua (now in charge) for his land, reminding him of the promise God had made to him. His words are full of conviction and energy. “So here I am today, eighty-five years old! I am still as strong today as the day Moses sent me out; I’m just as vigorous to go out to battle now as I was then.” The hill country Caleb was wanting still had some enemies to conquer, he continues saying this “… the LORD helping me, I will drive them out just as He said.” Caleb still has spunk! Joshua blessed Caleb and gave him Hebron as his inheritance, (latter part of verse 14) “…because he (Caleb) followed the LORD, the God of Israel, wholeheartedly.”
Four times it is said of Caleb, that ”… because he followed the LORD, wholeheartedly.” This wholeheartedly is a wonderful quality. In the Hebrew it is mala, literally meaning to fill, to be full, yet there is more… to satisfy. Quickly, we look at Exodus 40, Moses has just finished setting up the Tabernacle, (verses 34-35) “Then the cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled (mala) the Tabernacle. Moses could not enter the Tent of Meeting because the cloud had settled upon it, and the glory of the LORD filled the Tabernacle.” (emphasis mine)
The Israelites had finished the work as God commanded, but it was not complete – wholly. It was God’s glory – His Presence that filled, that satisfied the Tabernacle, all the design, the articles awaited the Presence. So it was with Caleb, he filled his life with God. Filled, to the level of satisfaction, wholeheartedly.
What do we fill our lives with? What is it that satisfies us? What is that one desire that dominates all the other desires? May I use a trendy word? What is our PASSION? That deep gut burning’, call it. We can have longing, desire, and hunger for so many things, but is there something, someOne who holds our attention so strongly that we have extreme emotion expressed with enthusiasm over it/them?
May God be that focus. Just as a cup, a glass is designed to be filled, satisfied with contents. We too are designed to be a container for the presence of God. Practically speaking, once filled ~ Oh we share it! We pass it on. Psalm 107:9 “For He (the LORD) satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.” If you knit, knit wholeheartedly, if you garden, do so fully. Are you in the season that grandchildren fill you with pleasure, take your filling of God to your grandchildren and do so to the glory of God! Passion is an action word, it does not sit by motionless. Caleb at 85 was ready and willing to keep his satisfying passion rolling!
If asked of me, “What is your passion?” I would have to say, “That my love for God’s word be contagious to others, that they too would come to long for it, with that deep gut burning.”
I leave us with a quote from a dear pastor friend of mine, from his book Holy Passion, “Passion creates opportunities that desire only hopes will come it’s way. Passion builds a highway through mountains that desire just wishes others would construct. Desire waits for others to lead, while passion shows the way.” – Rev. Ben Peters, Chicago, IL.
Let’s pray …
Father we so seek Caleb qualities, to love and serve You wholeheartedly. May we too have a different spirit about us, seeing the good, sharing the report. Empower us to lead and construct the highways where others just sit and wait. Grant us the strength, insight and ability to share it with others. For YOU, may our deep gut burning, our passion, be contagious to those around us. In Your most sacred Name, Jesus. Amen.
Satisfying Passion. Following the LORD, wholeheartedly.
In Him, DeDe (Ps. 92:4 “You thrill me, LORD …”)
The Journey of the Mountian
The hills of life often turn into a mountain of challenge. Ever felt that way? One more heap of this or that, and it continues to grow. I have asked the Lord to tell me about the mountain. It has consumed my mind these last couple of days. I have found that if we sit at its base and do nothing, nothing is obtained, attained, nothing is conquered.
God showed me in His word, different mountains, and the different aspects of His character met at each mountain. There is first the bowing of head, seeking the covering of His Spirit, grace to endure, strength to go on.
As I journey up, I see Noah. Genesis 8:1 as the flood swirled around him, it says ‘God remembered Noah’. God took Noah and placed him on a mountain top, there He made promises and a covenant. I observe the faithfulness of God, I journey on.
I see Abe, Genesis 22. God calls Abraham to the mountain – to sacrifice. There was the laying down of a deep love, yet in obedience … he offered. It says ‘God called out to Abraham’. He again, is faithful.
Exodus – Moses is taken to the mountain, God gives His word. His word becomes their guidance. Guide LORD!
Now I stand at the Mt. of transfiguration, Matthew 17. Jesus invites. It says He takes Peter, James and John with Him, as He uncloaks His humanity… showing His glory. How powerful to be in such a Presence. Jesus is faithful to show Himself to us in our need.
I stand now at my own mountain, perhaps of my own making, the mountain of LIFE. Jesus says… ‘I remember YOU, I am calling out to YOU, I give YOU my word, and I invite YOU!’ OH, the faithfulness of God.
Matthew 17:20, Jesus tells His followers ‘… I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you’.
What is YOUR mountain? God is faithful ~ He remembers us, calls out to us, gives us His word and invites us… enables us through our belief and trust in Him to tackle the mountain, nothing is impossible!
Have a God-loving, mountain tackling week.
In Him, DeDe (Ps. 92:4 You thrill me, LORD …)
His Game
This week at bible study, I challenged the ladies to think outside the box. Yep, put on that creative hat, and ‘create’. On each table was a piece of paper filled with graphics, a pair of dice, some 3×5 cards, and two different colored plastic army men, (borrowed from my youngest son).
The gals were to work as a team, nine teams, nine tables in all. What were they creating? A game, a board game of sorts. THEY had to come up with the starting point, the goal, the rules, figure out the course of the game, the objectives, the stumbling blocks, and the rewards. The cool part was they only had 5 – 10 minutes to do so. You guessed it, moanings and groanings escaped from their lips. I HEARD that! However ~ when the time began, they got really into it!
After the allotted time, I told them ‘pencils down, time to share!‘ I asked the ladies, ‘when I first gave you the instructions what were your feelings, what emotion did you experience’? ‘Frustration’ was blurted out… ‘annoyance’ … one gal said ‘PANIC !’ We then went around the room and shared the games they created, what a variety. These gals can play games! There were treasure hunts, survival games, a couple with military themes, one game was titled ‘Freedom’, LOVE IT! You can imagine the wonderful discussion we had over this, as we thought through the steps of the game, finding it difficult to determine how one wins the game, and clearly defining the rules. .
You ask, ‘what was the purpose of this little exercise?’ This week, in our homework we looked at the blessings of God, also the fear of God and obedience to Him, how they all tie into one another other. My thoughts went to: how often we ‘try’ to change the rules at times in this game called life. How would it be if WE had to come up with the game plan, define the rules, and consider who ‘wins’. My ladies found out just how hard it was (is).
The course we run, the game we play (to help paint a picture) is designed by God. His objectives, His rules, His rewards. SO glad it is His job. No matter how hard I try, that job description still does not fit on my head along with the other hats I wear. I know what you are thinking, what about those times the game path is uncertain, we role the dice, there is freedom to go either way on the board. Proverbs 3:5-6 ‘Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him (KNOW Him), and He will make your paths straight’, (emphasis mine).
We choose God, His plan, His rules, and receive His rewards! Consider the strong words spoken by the LORD in Jeremiah (29:11) “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future’. Oh we CAN’T stop there . verses 12-14 ‘Then you will call upon Me, and come and pray, and I will listen to you, You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the LORD …’
The game is set, His game. Play according to the rules ~ trust, seek, know, call, and pray ~> HIM and you WIN! \o/
In Him, DeDe (Ps. 92:4 ‘You thrill me, LORD…’)
When Life Gets Stupid
I heard a quote yesterday that I thought was SOOO good, I wrote it down, (though short enough to remember). I wanted to jot it in the back of my bible, (but I haven’t yet). I think it good enough to place on the frig among all the photos of family and friends, (so I will).
The quote? “When life gets stupid“. Isn’t THAT so stinkin true! Life just gets stupid at times, crazy with family, friends, church, ministry, chores, phone calls, emails, grocery shopping, baseball … on and on the list goes! Oh I HAVE to add dusting. Since I don’t do it often, I feel better that it even made the list!
I thought about this throughout the day yesterday. Hm, when life does ‘get stupid’, perhaps that stupidity takes it’s liberty, and brings along a dear friend who’s name is chaos.
WHAT do I do with it (them) stupidity and chaos?
Wisdom! That ‘w’ word. Inviting the practical application of my God into my very moment. I think James must have had a few of these days, he says ‘those of you who lack wisdom ASK …’ (1:5) He goes on to say ‘ask the lady at the check out stand.’ NO! Ask your very best buddy. NO! Ask GOD! God, who gives generously. And there ARE days that we NEED to tap into the ‘generous’ offer. Bring on the wisdom, pour it on heavy! There is a time and place to seek counsel, but where do we go FIRST!
So, when life gets stupid, I will ask. Ask God about ‘Sophia’ (no it’s not gossip, it is Greek for wisdom) and ask that He give it generously. Go God! Proverbs 4:5 ‘Get wisdom, get understanding, do not forget my words or swerve from them’.
We ask: God WHAT is it YOU want in this very moment, HOW am I to respond, WHY are my motives important, WHERE should Your name be placed.
WISDOM, inviting God into my very moment.
~ DeDe (Ps. 92:4 You thrill me LORD…)
Healing Waters
Healing Waters
Healing waters, sounds soothing doesn’t it. Peaceful. Inviting. Paints the most tranquil postcard picture, the kind you want to send to others with the tantalizing message of ‘wish you were here!‘
Last week, we looked at the river of God, the waters that needed to be crossed. God delivering us on dry ground. Today, we go in the waters ~ we immerse … healing waters.
We go to 2 Kings 5. There is a fellow by the name of Naaman (Naw- mawn). He is the commander of the army of Syria, known to be great and highly regarded. Victorious in battle and the word says, ‘he was a valiant soldier, but he had leprosy’. The story goes on telling that his servant girl is an Israelite and suggests that Naaman go to Israel and seek out a prophet for healing. To make a long story, not so long, Naaman goes to the King of Israel, who then sends him to Elisha the prophet.
Naaman was READY to be healed, he was packed and had the treasure chest to prove it. He brought along silver, gold and 10 sets of clothing (whahoo ~ portable Macys!) to give as gifts. When he approached Elisha’s house, Elisha sends out a messenger saying ‘Go, wash yourself seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will be restored and you will be cleansed’.
Hm… he sends out his MESSENGER? Dude I expected MORE! Naaman went away quite peeved, and understandably so, after all, he had come all this way. “All I have to do is go dip in the Jordan, you have to be kidding!” What happened to all the ‘call on the name of the Lord, and wave his hand over me’ stuff? I want DRAMA! I want BIG! I WANT to be HEALED!
Leprosy, is not a pretty disease. It deforms, and debilitates. One of the external evidences are skin legions, and in most cases there is a loss of sensation in the feet or hands. Not only the physical pain and disablements to deal with, but in many cultures, isolation is the social response. Naaman was getting desperate.
In Naamans distress over his expectations of grandeur, his servant approaches, and gently expresses, ‘if you were told to do some wonderful, great BIG thing, would you do it? This is simple, you CAN do this, why not just do it?‘ (my paraphrase) Simple obedience. The best definition that I have come across so far for obedience is ‘having a clear understanding of the instructions and acting accordingly’.
Couldn’t get any clearer for Naaman, pretty straight forward. Verse 14, ‘So he went down and dipped himself in the Jordan seven times … and his flesh was restored and became clean’, the New Living Translations says ‘and he was healed!’ Most excellent.
Some dipping and he was good as new. NO, not hardly. Heres the fun part. The Hebrew word used for ‘dipped’ literally means ‘PLUNGE’, to become fully saturated. To help paint the picture, it is the Hebrew rendition of the Greek word ‘baptisma’, yes, baptism, ‘to submerge, immerse’ ~ WET! To go down, and come up taking on the likeness of that which you are immersed in. In water baptism, we go down ‘us’ and come up identifying with and to the Lord Jesus Christ. Dying to self, now alive in Christ.
Naaman went down, immersed in the waters, allowing ALL (again ALL) of him, to become saturated. He didn’t just put his face in the water and pat the water with his hands, He went completely in. He came up … healed. Healing waters. Was there something special in the water? No. It was him going in with ALL he had, obeying the simple, and seeing what God had for him.
What does this story have for US? We too can be saturated with healing – restoring waters. What do we come with? What is our ailment ~ physical, emotional, spiritual? Are we too, getting desperate enough to pack up and seek healing. Oh, we may be asked to do the ‘so simple’ (or perhaps some of us, it is BIG) but … ‘just do it’. Don’t take the simplicity of God for granted, or as Naaman expected, give me something BIG, like ‘oh I have to have the pastor pray for me (yet there ARE times) or have the elders anoint me (there ARE times). What is being asked of YOU? Do you need to take the plunge in the river of God?
I have a very dear friend who REALLY wants healing, restoration in an area of their life. They have not only come to the waters and ‘gone in’, they in a sense waited until the pool was empty and went to the high dive. Yes, the climb up the ladder was tedious, even scary, but they have walked to the edge of the board, and have taken the ‘plunge’. Obedience in such a way, that to others they may seem silly or extreme. But this friend is becoming disabled, and doesn’t want to lose sensation, or experience isolation, they are desperate!
May we too come to the river of God and immerse ourselves. For goodness sake if you feel compelled to do a swan dive, feel free! Some of us may do a belly flop, but hey, at least we are in the water. Allowing Him to soak up every corner, every crevice of our life. A total ‘dipping’ we will do! Silly, simple, BIG ~ even scary? Perhaps. But come on in, the water, the river, the PRESENCE of God is GREAT! Come in and see what God has for YOU!
Immerse yourself in the healing waters.
In Him, DeDe (Ps. 92:4 ‘You thrill me, LORD…)
Delivering Waters
Delivering Waters
Last weekend I had the sweet honor of speaking at our annual women’s retreat. The theme was ‘Come to the River’. The location of the retreat was spectacular. High above the Columbia River Gorge, nestled among the trees. Yet sporting a wonderful view of the river.
Come to the River, being the theme, I shared on 3 approaches to the river of God. The first being, ‘delivering waters, needing to be crossed’, the second, ‘healing waters, are to be immersed in’ and lastly, ‘satisfying waters are for refilling’. I know the gal most impacted was the one upfront, looking into the eyes of the women.
You too are now among us … delivering waters.
We begin our journey in Joshua chapter 3. To give a ‘brief ‘ summary of where we are on God’s time line, Moses has brought the Israelites out of Egypt, delivering them from slavery. They are heading for the Promise Land, their inheritance, a place to call their own. Due to MANY circumstances which could not be contained in this devotional ~ they wander for 40 years. Following Moses’ death, Joshua, whom now holds the reins of leadership, prepares the people to cross the Jordan River into the Land, to take possession of what is rightly theirs. Can you imagine with me, (for humor sake ) what it was like for Joshua as he opened Moses’ will… ‘to Jeped I leave my sandals, to Eliazer my cloak, and to Joshua – THEM. The thousands, those who complain, the dusty ones. May Jehovah have mercy on your soul’. ( Just kidding , totally kidding).
We look now at verse 1, it states that they ‘set out from Shittim and went to the Jordan, where they camped before crossing over’. The King James words it ‘they lodged’ there, they literally pitched their tents. They were SO close, across the river was their goal, they could see it, after all these years, THERE it was! Hm, how many of us too, have had (or are having ) let’s say ~ good intentions. We set out, yet come to the rivers edge and pitch our tents, we camp for while, (perhaps TOO long), knowing that across the river is our inheritance. Jumping ahead ~ it is expressed that the river is at flood stage (v.15). Oh great, we get here and this is what we find, it is bigger, wider, and deeper than we expected.
Joshua summons the people: ‘consecrate yourselves for tomorrow the LORD will do AMAZING things among you’, (v.5 emphasis mine). Looking at the flooded river, yep ‘amazing’ is what it is going to take! I love this ‘amazing’. In the Hebrew it is ‘pala’ (paw-law), meaning as you would think, amazing, wonderful, extraordinary. Yet there is more. Psalms 118:23 ‘The Lord has done this, and it is wonderful in our eyes. Verse 24, ‘This is the day the LORD has made and we will rejoice and be glad in it’. ‘It is wonderful in our eyes’, same word, ‘pala’.
Now track with me, we turn to Genesis 18:14, this is the story where God tells Abe and Sarah that in their old age they will have a son, and remember Sarah laughs ( who wouldn’t !). Backing up to 13, ‘Then the LORD said to Abraham, ‘why did Sarah laugh and say, will I really have a child, now that I am old?’ Then God says, ‘Is anything too hard for the LORD? I will return to you at the appointed time next year and Sarah will have a son.’ Too hard, ‘pala’. Is anything too amazing for God, too hard for HIM?
The river is RAGING. Joshua has the priests who are carrying the ark of the covenant, God’s very presence on their shoulders, go to the rivers edge. ‘When you reach the edge of the Jordan’s water, go and stand in the river‘ ( v.8 ) There was no – raise your hands high, bow 3 times, SHOUT with all your might, (that comes later at the walls of Jericho). Just stand. Don’t get me wrong there IS a time to shout, bow and raise your hands, but also a time to ‘stand’, (see Eph. 6:10-18). To take the toe of life and place it in the water, the raging water, takes courage. The KNOWING that once we do, what is too hard, is an opportunity for God to do ‘amazing’ things among us. Jesus says in Luke 18:27 ‘What is impossible with men, is possible with God’. God takes the ‘im’ in impossible and turns it into ‘I AM’.
Verse 15, ‘Yet as soon as the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water’s edge, the water from up stream stopped flowing‘. Go God! As they walked to the middle of the river, ‘they stood firm on dry ground’. Here is a wonderful analogy for us. As Israel passed by, the priests stayed right there in the middle of the river, until all were safe. God’s presence staying in the middle of OUR circumstance until we are safely on the other side. He goes into the water with us, He stays and crosses exactly where we are.
Twelve men were chosen to gather a stone from the middle of the river and take it to the other side, symbolic of God’s deliverance at the river. There in the sanctuary where I spoke, in the middle of the isle I had a treasure chest full of stones. I felt God wanted us as women to identify ‘our river’. We, standing on one side, and NEEDING to cross over to our inheritance in God, taking possession. At first I thought, a rough stone will do, we are after all, rough and still a work in progress, but the Lord told me, ‘no – a smooth stone,’ symbolizing too that as we cross over, walk through the river on dry ground, taking the Presence of God with us, standing and seeing God do amazing things in and through us, we are being smoothed. I likened it to God taking us and our circumstance in His hand, His fingers rubbing us smooth. The gals were encouraged to take a rock and write on it (pen provided) what was ‘too hard’, what they wanted – NEEDED from God. Joy, freedom from fear, no longer being insecure, deliverance from consuming habits, a real, REAL sense of His love. These can be the river we cross.
Coming to the river requires a decision. There is most often a tendency to hover near the waters edge. It is a meeting place with God, a place of dedication, devotion. Yes, take time to search, and be searched (Ps. 139) pray, but NEVER stay there. Our inheritance (joy, freedom, assurance, security, love), awaits us on the other side. Our option? Turn back … into the desert, wander some more, even go back to captivity. Us … too hard ~ God … AMAZING!
It is in the RIVER that we take that first ‘step’ and stand. We take God with us, to the very middle of the circumstance, and we stand FIRM! Safe and dry. We do as the 12 leaders did, we take something from the river as a reminder, and build that altar before God, HERE and now YOU preserved me, YOU brought me through, YOUR presence stayed there in the middle of it all, to see me to the other side! Isaiah 43:1-2 “Fear not, for I have redeemed you, you are Mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you, when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you…”
We need only to cross the waters. God with us, God in us, God delivering us.
In Him, DeDe (Ps. 92:4 ‘You thrill me, LORD …’)
Random Acts of Kindness
This morning I witnessed a random act of kindness, to be perfectly honest it nearly brought tears to my eyes. Kind of like those moments on Little House and the Prairie when Laura would be kind to Mrs. Olsen ~ heart wrenching isn’t it!
I was driving near the County Courthouse, when in the middle of the congested intersection sat a car, an older gentleman and young gal hop out and begin to push the disabled vehicle. THEN all of a sudden, across the street came their help. Two women ran to the back of the car, one swung the strap of her purse around her neck, the other gal, placed her clutch purse between her teeth, and they both began to push with all their might. The car was soon out of the intersection. I would have LOVED to hear the conversation between the older gentleman and the women, with the ‘thanks so MUCH’ offering to pay them for their labor, kindness these days doesn’t come cheap and FREE – well there is always a catch somewhere, or so it seems. Then ’oh it was nothing’, they part and go on their way. Kindness.
Years ago, I worked at my dad’s fast food restaurant. One day a little boy, about the age of 6 or 7 came in, he asked for a small ice cream cone, and politely placed on the counter the now moistened coins so tightly clutched in his hand. I looked at the pile of nickels, dimes and pennies, in knowing it wasn’t enough, the little guy saw my hesitation. The worried look on his face would melt any heart. I quickly reached in my pocket and pulled out a few more coins, I looked him in the eyes, with a huge smile “perfect amount“, I told him. Then there was even a more worried look on his face, he didn’t trust my kindness. I quickly went over and made him the largest ‘small’ cone I had ever made, handing it to him, he never took his eyes away from mine as he reached up, took the cone, backed away and slowly walked out the door. Kindness.
The bible defines kindness as ‘goodness of heart’, as found in Galatians 5:22-23 the listing of the Fruit of the Spirit. Kindness is among the qualities of Christ that we too possess and share with others as we allow His Spirit to flow in and through us. John MacArthur says this about kindness, ‘it is the genuine desire of a believer to treat others gently, just as the Lord treats him’.
It is fairness, a tenderness, a true concern for others. Kindness at times comes across as a weak quality if we possess it, we have to be TOUGH! Look out for number one – ME! That is why at times it is not to be trusted. That is NOT the fruit of the Spirit. It is taking the time to kneel and begin to write in the sand, as Jesus did. Bringing the attention to the kindness and grace extended to us and the NEED to extend it to others. Kindness.
I was interested to see what it is to NOT extend, be or show kindness. According to The Complete Word Study Dictionary of the New Testament, it states that acting in unfairness, callousness even (here’s the clincher) iniquity is un-kindness. Hm…
May we begin to help rephrase ‘random acts of kindness’ to ‘routine daily expressions of kindness‘. Oh we may need to dip into our pockets and pull out a few coins, lovingly help with a hefty push. Even make the cone bigger than expected. A smile, a wave, opening the door for someone who’s hands are full or may even be crippled. In doing so, we go – do and be Jesus to others.
I so enjoy how one resource words it, I will close with this: “Kindness is the grace which spreads throughout the whole nature mellowing all which would be harsh and stern” (W.E Vine)
Kindness, rendering our hearts to others as Jesus renders to us!
In Him, ( Ps. 92:4 ‘You thrill me, LORD …’)
For YOU!
I love words, some capture my attention and I can’t let them go until I have a really good understanding, then I work them some more (I know, I am geeky). I have been working on and through ‘meno’, the Greek word for ‘abide’ as found in John chapter 15. Through an online study we are on week 9 of what it is to ‘abide’ – fascinating.
This season, I am drawn to ‘egeiro’ (e-gay-row) Esti egeiro in particular. HE has RISEN! Just the sound of it in Greek inspires awe. Esti egeiro. He has risen doesn’t just imply He, Jesus is no longer here lying dead in the tomb, THAT is big news in it’s self, as Luke states in verses 1-8 of chapter 24, the women come to the tomb and are greeted by 2 men, (angels) who inform them “why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here, He has risen!”
There is much doctrine and theology built around the resurrection, but today I look simply as the love and desire Jesus has for us!
Esti egeiro, He is not only no longer dead, He takes the posture of STANDING! Egeiro, to stand, to rise, to be FULLY watchful, fully awake. What is it that would bring the Son of God to His feet? In all rights, Jesus is tired; He’s just been beaten, thorns are perceing his forehead, he is nailed to a cross and died for crying out loud! But NO! HE stands! And STANDS up with authority! The enemy would have loved for Him to stay down. Can you imagine with me, the horror of the demonic hovering over the burial site “stay down, STAY DOWN, give up!”
What brought Jesus to His feet? ~~~~~> YOU!
Pause – think on that! The resurrection POWER of the Almighty God stood up, ALIVE, defeating death, bringing that power to the lives of each and every person on the face of this creation, those who look to Him in awe, trust and faith.
Esti Egeiro ~ LOVE~ He has Risen ~ He stood up for … YOU!
Blessed Easter season!
In Him, DeDe (Ps. 92:4 You thrill me, LORD …)
The Fabric of Our Life
If you could describe yourself with the imagery of a fabric, what would you be, what color, texture, and your use? In our morning ladies bible study we have been studying the Tabernacle of Moses, found in the book of Exodus. This week we stood at the veil, the tapestry that guarded the presence of the Most High God. Behind the veil was the Holy of Holies, God’s living room, the Ark of the Covenant, topped with the mercy seat.
As we looked at the veil, four colors were used representing four divine qualities of Jesus. First, white ~ His purity, purple ~ royalty, red ~ His ever constant flowing sacrificial blood, and blue ~ heaven, home with the Father.
With this, was a fresh ability to see with creative eyes into our own fabric. As the women were seated following worship, they teamed up with one other gal. They were presented with questions to help guide them through discovering how they too could describe the fabric of their life. YET – they could not just answer the questions, they had to share the answers with the other gal, and when called upon each gal shared the others answers, thus each woman got to hear her self described. Impacting.
These were the questions:
1. If your life were a fabric, what colors would you see?
Would there be one or many colors?
What would they represent?
2. What kind of cloth would it be —- plain cotton, linen, smooth or textured, clean, new or tattered and torn?
3. What would be the use of the fabric, decorative or functional? (Examples: I would be a table runner, a bath towel, a fine ball gown, or a dust rag)
As we went around the room, I noticed that besides the common factor of the DNA quality of WOMAN, beyond that . we were … VARIETY. So many colors, textures and uses. There was a lot of thought going on, laughter and yes – tears. One gal shared she saw herself as the color qualities found in a prism, all the shades of light, representing beauty – His beauty found in her, (knowing this gal, so true . mature and God loving).
Another gal, saw herself as black, due to a dark past, yet red where Christ now resides, with yellow . new life of hope, and pink for her femininity. ‘Many colors’, was one response, because of her indecisiveness (how honest!)
The textures were just as vast: soft and transparent, and silk with its so many forms . rough, smooth, and one of the strongest natural fabrics. One gal was clean and new, another ‘cotton’ with all the wrinkles, yet ironed out by God. ‘OH BOY’ one gal shares – ‘tattered, and mended, a patchwork’. One gal, a seamstress says wool, flexible, good for the cool or warm times. This one ~ I thought humorous but oh so true, she was suede, the evidence of her kids brushed her one way and her husband the other!
As the veil in the Tabernacle was HIGHLY decorative with the colors and the cherubim embroidered throughout it, it too was very functional. My ladies began to see themselves as both, full of beauty, but full of purpose (this little exercise was ‘doing the job’)
One gal shared she saw herself as a nightgown, soft, cozy and feeling of security, another she was a coat – wide enough to shelter, and warm enough to give comfort. ‘An apron’, was shared, she was a ‘doer/worker’. There was mention of ‘snuggly blankets’ and one gal smiled as she described herself as a towel, going behind her kids and wiping up the messes.
As I prepared to wrap up that session, the ladies asked “what are YOU?” Hm… I think I would say ‘my color is purple, perhaps a more shade of lavender, desiring my King so strongly but fall short of the nobility to wear the color myself. My material would be that of burlap (don’t laugh). It can be very rough, but through time it softens, and I would say my function … as a bag, filling up as to be taken and given out again.’
How would YOU describe yourself? The fabric of YOUR life, are you cozy, rough, (needing Holy Spirit fabric softener)? Are you dark in color or bright and vibrant? Or perhaps you are ‘camouflage’ as to hide your true self? Are you primarily decorative only, or functional? May the qualities of Jesus come out in our colors, our texture, and our purpose.
The Fabric of our life.
In Him, DeDe (Ps. 92:4 You thrill me, LORD )
Passion to Privilege
Passion to Privilege
Ever been given something that caused you to be so excited; you could not wait to show and share it with someone? Perhaps an object or even a new perspective you now have, an answer to prayer, or a triumph in your life. Our excitement in the Kingdom of God is not meant to be kept to ourselves.
We see this in David’s life. As he wrote with passion many of the Psalms, he couldn’t wait to tell of … ‘what he had’. In Psalm 18, he begins with:
I love you, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. (v.1-2)
This was not written as a teen skipping through the fields with his sheep. NO! David had come out of one of the biggest trials of his life ~ Saul was out to kill him! Yet God delivered him, and he HAD to tell about it. He declares:
He reached down from on high and took hold of me; He drew me out of deep waters. He rescued me from my powerful enemy, from my foes, who were too strong for me. They confronted me in the day of my disaster, but the Lord was my support. He brought me out into a spacious place; He rescued me because He delighted in me. (v.16-19)
Psalm 20 David takes his victories and shares them …
In times of trouble, may the Lord answer YOUR cry. May the name of the God of Jacob keep YOU safe from all harm. May He send YOU help from His sanctuary and strengthen YOU from Jerusalem. May He remember all YOUR gifts and look favorably on YOUR burnt offerings. May He grant YOUR heart’s desires and make all YOUR plans succeed. May we shout for joy when we hear of YOUR victory and raise a victory banner in the name of our God. May the Lord answer all YOUR prayers. (v.1-5 emphasis mine)
This week while at bible study, the Lord showed me something very personal; I sat next to a new gal, she in her mid 60’s, declared she is NEW to the bible and knows nothing about it, I found that to be true as I showed her where the book of John was. As the study progressed I helped her fumbled through the pages to find the verses we were looking at.
Then at one point I was driven to near tears. It hit me, what an awesome privilege to sit next to this woman. She was so hungry and wanted to learn so badly. Later, as she prepared to leave, she told me of her frustration of feeling inadequate when it comes to the bible and God things. I had the opportunity to share with her my passion for the Word of God and how that passion grew from trials in my life and God meeting with me. THIS encouraged her, she is coming back next week! My excitement and passion ~ now a privilege!
Let no foul or polluting language, nor evil word nor unwholesome or worthless talk [ever] come out of your mouth, but only such [speech] as is good and beneficial to the spiritual progress of others, as is fitting to the need and the occasion, that it may be a blessing and give grace (God’s favor) to those who hear it. (Ephesians 4:29 The Amplified)
I admit I have taken this verse ‘slightly’ out of context, yet the truth is so relevant. May my excitement and passion be verbalized as to cause growth in others!
What passion has or is being birthed in YOU that someone next to you could benefit from? Do as David did, share God’s truth, share it from your life. What an honor and privilege to have God pour into our life as we in turn pour it out to others!
Passion to privilege.
In Him, DeDe (Ps. 92:4 You thrill me, LORD …)
Obstacles of Distraction
This morning at bible study, as the ladies walked down the small hall way to the door opening to our class room, they were met with – ‘obstacles’. They had to weave their way past 2 garbage cans, a large room divider on wheels and stacks of boxes. I wanted them to ‘work for it’, to enter the room. See what you are missing at bible study! I enjoyed the looks, the comments, even the suggestions of moving the obstacles. At one point I had to leave the room, to find that our senior pastor had come in to greet the gals, and he too noticed the ‘stuff’ blocking free access to the room, and asked if we ‘needed any help’. (thanks Pastor)
I am always looking for ways to make a good point, to bring the gals something they can get their head and heart around. This week we studied the altar of incense in the Tabernacle, and the significance it paints of ~ prayer.
God has gone to great extent to make way for us to have relationship with Him. He longs for conversation. Not any conversation, He wants intimate one on One time with us. As we looked at the process to enter the Tabernacle it literally took alot of work, but since Jesus came, the work was and is DONE! As the veil was torn we now have complete access to the Most Holy God. YET, again YET, why do we still hesitate in our approach to God. Since the way is now clear, the obstacles are more likely of our own making. Hm …
I suggested to the gals that as they came in to class, they had to go past the garbage, (not pretty is it) past the dividing wall, and the stacks of stuff to get to their goal ~ the coffee and donuts AND bible study, (not particularly in that order). They ALL made it too. I then asked them how do YOU approach your time when you pull out your bible, homework, and prayer? Do you allow obstacles to hold you back, or hesitate? Do you keep going regardless? Does the garbage in our life distract us, or are the dividing walls erected to keep us from a full view of our God. The stacks of stuff, have you too noticed that if it is not properly dealt with, we just move the stacks from place to place.
One gal said, she came in and through and didn’t even notice the obstacles. We all had a good laugh, cause we are all moms, and at times, that IS our life, FULL of things we have to crawl past, step over, and climb around. But we don’t give up do we, we don’t use it as an excuse.
I gently posed the challenge that the next time we are tempted to stop and pay attention to the ‘obstacles of distraction’ in our life, keeping us from time in God’s presence, that we think of entering the door to bible study ~ we wanted in, and moved past, regardless. I am not saying we don’t deal with our garbage, walls and stuff, we do, we just don’t use them to keep us from GOD! Get in His presence, turn and then take them on. Go God!
The door is WIDE open, come on in! Enjoy!
In Him, DeDe
Speak Lord!
Speak Lord!
“What? What was that, did you call me?” Have you too experienced thinking you heard your name called. Troubling isn’t it? The world is so loud at times; to hear your name called, and being assured you heard correctly, can be a challenge.
I am suppose to be studying the altar of God, in the court of the Tabernacle of Moses, but keep coming back to an assignment given to me by a pastor, ‘how God choreographs our lives through relationship, the Holy Spirit and His word’. Perhaps, I am still standing at the altar on this one; BOTH are relationship, the Holy Spirit, and His word.
I was taken to 1 Samuel chapter 3, the boy Samuel is in the Prophet Eli’s care. One night Samuel hears his name called. Little Sam was being ‘trained’ to hear the voice of the Lord. Notice how patient the Lord was, He could have sent another prophet to Samuel and Eli saying ‘look here, little proph in training, God wants you to know …‘ proceeding to share the word of the Lord with him. Or, Eli could have just said, ‘here’s the deal ...’ continuing with a tough, confrontive lesson. No, God is gentle. He wanted SAMUEL to hear and receive the word, personally.
The Lord comes at night, in the quiet and speaks Samuel’s name. I find it interesting that at first Samuel mistakes the voice as Eli’s. He goes to him, trying to discern the voice. Either way, Samuel acted, even in his ‘not-so- assuredness’. He got up and inquired.
Eli the wise teacher is used in this process of learning. Sending Samuel back to bed, then provides opportunity for Samuel to REALLY hear God. Verse 9, “if the Lord calls to you; say ‘speak Lord, for your servant is listening.’” To me, these are some of the most life changing words of advice ever recorded in the bible. “Speak Lord, I am listening”, what an invitation!
To hear God, and want to listen to what He actually has to say, is quite daring, I might add. The God of the entire universe speaking to ME, whooo! I LOVE what happens next, just as Samuel says the words God was looking for, “I am listening …” the Lord came and stood there, (v. 10) Presence is accompanied with listening. LOVE IT! God knows, He REALLY has Samuel’s attention now, saying “Samuel, Samuel“. There is another place that God repeats a name, remember “Abraham, Abraham …” just as Abe’s hand is raised ready to sacrifice Isaac (Gen. 22). God KNOWS when He has our full attention. Again Samuel says, ‘speak, for I am listening’. Then God shares with him His word.
In this we learn ~ hearing God’s voice:
First, God’s voice requires a trained ear, we will hear Him. Jesus says, “My sheep listen to My voice’ (Jn. 10:27) This ‘listening’ means to give ‘an audience to, to understand’, but most importantly, the opposite of this listening is ‘to talk’, meaning WE stop talking and are quiet while HE speaks, we ‘shut up and listen up’. (smile) Often I have heard folks say, “God doesn’t talk to me, I can’t hear Him”. My response would be, ‘are you quiet long enough to allow Him room to … talk.‘ There is a time for dialogue, but also a time for quiet.
Second, He will come again and again. He will continue speaking until He gets the answer He is looking for. Ever felt you are hearing the same thing, over and over again. Everywhere you turn, ‘there it is – again’. In His speaking, He may use the radio, TV, books, people, His written word, and the pulpit.
Thirdly, others may help in the process of hearing God, go to them, go to those whom God has entrusted to you through relationship; one who you know already hears God’s voice.
Fourth, expect God’s presence. Where His presence is, He is speaking. And lastly, God’s word is personal. He knows us by name, and calls us by name. Keep an attentive ear, for YOUR name. Be seated and ready, as an audience on opening night, excited. When you hear it … be oh so quick with “speak Lord, I am listening“.
This week, may we listen . TRULY listen, offer times of quiet.
Speak Lord!
In Him, DeDe (Ps. 92:4 You thrill me, LORD …)
you can view my personal daily blog at http://butgod.blogspot.com
Awed by God
Awed By God
Title, achievements, wealth even appearance, these are the qualities that we look for to be amazed by another. We are so captured by what we read in the media and hear through the air waves, that without the awe of people or circumstance, we tend to slip into a stupor, a daze of ‘blah’. We desire, long for – even pursue to be found . .. marveled. We seek the BIGGER, the more grand to keep our senses alive.
With all this stimuli, are we found awed by God? Do we see the same excitement when we read His word? Do we pursue it, position ourselves for it? hm ~
Joshua told the people “Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow the LORD will do amazing things among you” (Joshua 3:5). They were preparing to cross over into the Promise Land. It had been YEARS of waiting, years of telling of the promise, now they were going to experience it. There was great anticipation.
They were called to ‘consecrate’ themselves, this was the call to ‘make oneself holy’, in that, they were to set themselves apart, separate from the norm, prepare, position. In their preparedness, God would do amazing, ‘awesome’ things in their midst. Fascinating, that the Hebrew wording is the same for their part as it is for God doing His part; consecrate, separate from the norm, where ‘amazing’ is to be separate, distinguished, to be extra-ordinary! See the pattern? They prepare to be amazed, and God just shows up. Are YOU awed by God?
Psalm 46:10, “Be still and know that I am God“, LOVE this verse! It is translated ‘cease striving’ in other versions. Cease striving, means ‘to release’, but not only that, it means ‘to become weak, to let drop’. We are releasing those things as if in a tight grip of our hand, as we do – we will know God, letting God BE God. It is not merely the ability to gather information; it is a ‘knowing by experience’, this experience is done through relationship. Relationship with God, what an awesome, extra-ordinary opportunity. Are YOU awed by God?
In the New Testament, it says that people were amazed, and marveled when Jesus healed the sick, calmed the storm, and taught with such wisdom. There is a time also; that Jesus just appeared, and show His nail scarred hands.
Thomas, he was known for his doubt. I appreciate his honesty. He said, what most of us may have been thinking and feeling. John 20, Jesus appears to the disciples following His resurrection, it says that Jesus stood among them, saying “Peace be with you” and then said to Thomas “Put your finger here, see My hands … stop doubting and believe”. Thomas responds, “My Lord and my God“. It doesn’t say it, but I would believe this was said as he falls to his knees. Thomas was awed by God, the revelation of WHO He is. Are YOU awed by God?
Are we found feeling ‘blah’? What is it that would cause us to ‘awe’, be in wonder, marveled? Do we allow ourselves the permission to release what we hold so tight, and experience the Lord? Do we seek relationship? Do we prepare for the extra-ordinary of God? Do we listen to the wisdom of Jesus? Do we allow Jesus to step up to us and show us His nail scarred hands?
God is BIG, bigger than anything that Steven Spielberg can create or even image. This week, allow the opportunity to be awed by God.
May we stand with hands lifted high, eyes closed, and quote the words of David ‘For Thou are GREAT, and doest wondrous things; Thou art God alone! (Ps. 86:10) May our attitude be “Nothing and no one comes close to You! I start talking about You, telling what I know, and quickly run out of words..” (Ps. 40:5 The Message)
Awed by God.
In Him, DeDe (‘You thrill me, LORD …’ Ps. 92:4)
Trim Your Wick
Trim Your Wick
The CANDLE . Warm glow, dancing of the flame, the slow drip of the fragrant wax. Soothing isn’t it? One could sit for hours in its shadow, just admiring the affect it has on us.
At bible study, as the women enter they are greeted with a white linen covered table; with two tapered
candles burning in long stem crystal holders. The atmosphere is warm and elegant, inviting. There is something about … a flickering flame.
The Lord revealed Himself many times in the flame, the bush with Moses, where he was commissioned, and Yahweh gives us His name, “I AM THAT I AM” (Ex. 3). The pillar of fire at night to the Israelites, extending His guidance, warmth and protection (Ex. 13). Solomon dedicating the Temple, fire came down from heaven as God’s glory filled it (2 Chron. 7). One can not talk fire, forgetting to mention the show down on Mt. Carmel, Elijah and his God against the prophets of Baal (I Kings 18).
Oh, we may not be calling God down from heaven these days to consume our sacrifice to prove a point, but the use of the flame on a smaller note, we can understand. The theme of the candle or lamp in the bible is strong. In Psalm 18:28 David writes “For thou wilt light my candle: the LORD my God will enlighten my darkness”. Psalm 119:105 “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path“. It is God that burns, His presence, His word that lights our way; it is in our very next step we desire Him to be present. Light our way O God!
With the joy and privilege of the candle comes responsibility, tending. The priests 
DAILY tended to the lamp in the Tabernacle. Along with the sacrifice, the water, the light, these needed daily attention. When God gave strict instruction of the articles for the Tabernacle, He included the ‘wick trimmers’. Exodus 25:38, the wick trimmers were made of pure gold.
The Lord spoke to me about the need to come DAILY, seeking His presence, His word, that FRESH FIRE, depending not on yesterday’s experience! As I trim my wick and prepare for a fresh word from God, His presence comes. As He did with Moses, He will reveal Himself to me, commissioning me for the day. As the Israelites, He will guide me. As His temple, He will fill me. Just like Elijah He will do great things in my midst.
How is your flame burning? Is it yesterdays fire, or has it gone out completely? Seek as
David did,.. ‘light my candle O God!Fresh Fire. trim your wick, for a pure, even, lasting flame, Go God! (wouldn’t that look great on the Yankee candle label)
Have a God loving, burning bush week.
In Him, DeDe (Ps. 92:4 You thrill me, LORD .)
* You can read my daily blog at http://butgod.blogspot.com/ (copy/paste to your search bar)
God is Our Initiator
God is Our Initiator
I have the privilege of doing research for pastors. I LOVE it! I get to do what I call … play. I dig around in the original language, cross reference and put the puzzle pieces together. This last week, I worked on God is Creator. This pastor gives me just the title and I run with it. This was not only fun, but impacting.
I began at the very beginning. Genesis 1:1, ‘In the beginning God created …’ Created is bara (baw-raw) in the Hebrew. Lovely word, it means to create, select, and choose. It expresses creation out of NOTHING. Genesis is an awesome display of creating out of nothing. It is also to engrave, carve. Paints a wonderful picture doesn’t it?
Bara is used ONLY in context to God as the One who creates. Many other words are used for create, such as– to make, to form, establish. All are qualities of God, yet ‘bara’ emphasizes the ‘initiation’ of an object. God initiated the world, He initiated man/woman. He initiated covenant with man. He initiated a love relationship, “We love, because He first loved us” (1 Jn 4:19)
There are other places God initiates. David says in Psalm 51:10 ‘Create [bara] in me a clean heart O God, and renew a right spirit within me’. David goes to the One who could do such a thing. He isn’t asking God to take and use what is already there in his heart, but to create something completely new, use new materials, God materials. THAT is our God! As bara is the initiation of something, may I suggest, David cried out ‘start something here, right here in my heart God!’
Ephesians 2:8-10 (NLT)
God saved you by His grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.
Have we found ourselves frustrated, because we may do or even ‘be’ what we don’t want? We attempt over and over to change, but to no avail. What do we want – NEED God to start, create, even carve in us? Place there for the very first time. God is the God of start, the God of firsts. God is our Initiator!
May we implore of God as David did, ‘Create in me ________ O God’ (you fill in the blank) Be honest! Watch as God does His handiwork in YOU!
Have a God-loving, allowing God to create, week!
In Him, DeDe (Ps. 92:4 You thrill me, LORD …)
Waiting in the Upgrade
There has to be a verse in the bible SOMEWHERE, giving the call to … upgrade. Hezekiah 7:3, yes that is it … ‘those of sincere desire to accomplish much, will seek to improve that which is already possessed.’ (Totally kidding! no such verse, sounded good)
Last night, I sat horrified starring at the computer screen; soon my head was in my hands, as tears stung my eyes. It’s GONE! ALL GONE! To upgrade my bible software to the newest – fastest – BETTER program, I had to ‘uninstall’ what I did have. So I began the process. Bible Explorer vaporized, Wordsearch 7 only a memory. ALL the commentaries, dictionaries, 18 bible translations now lost. Oh, the pain!
Confident I had pushed the right buttons, that 5 letter word, that sends chills down even the geekiest neck, flashed across my screen ‘ERROR’. I could NOT install the new version. Mind you, that for some this is a minor event in one’s life, but for a bible teacher, this is my Kitchenaide, (which I have no clue how to use) my industrial vacuum, all the gadgets most swoon over.
I sat starring into the black abyss of the screen. Then it dawned on me, I reached forward and laid my hands on the computer screen – “in JESUS NAME, come out of there!” Obviously I do not have enough faith, the screen did not fall as if under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, or scripture begin to run across my screen in neon lettering, NOTHING.
Then I resorted to plan B. CHOCOLATE! That was it; I hadn’t had any in 3 days. So, I drowned my sorrows in a bowl of fat free chocolate frozen yogurt. I felt better, but the program still didn’t work! Being the teacher that I am, thought there IS a lesson in this.
‘Wait on the LORD, be of good courage and He shall strengthen thine heart, wait I say on the Lord.’ (Psalms 27:14) real verse.
So, I wait ~ until Monday morning when I call the tech support for the installation challenged morons – that is me.
Is there something you are waiting for? It is NOT all gone, restoration is on the way!
Waiting in the upgrade …
The Mis-used Gift
The Mis-used Gift
This last week I have been studying in the book of Exodus, preparing for our new ladies study of the Tabernacle of Moses. I NEVER get tired of the story of God delivering, guiding, providing and dwelling with His people. I am in chapter 32. I love the heading of this chapter, so to the point, tells of the whole sad scenario in 3 words… The Golden Calf.
While Moses is up top on the Mountain getting the instructions for the materials and the building of the Tabernacle, the children of Israel were down below… ‘playing’.
Chapter 25:1-3, 8 (NIV)
“The LORD said to Moses, “Tell the Israelites to bring me an offering. You are to receive the offering for me from each man whose heart prompts him to give. These are the offerings you are to receive from them: gold, silver and bronze… “Then have them make a sanctuary for me, and I will dwell among them. Make this tabernacle and all its furnishings exactly like the pattern I will show you.”
Fascinating! While God was telling Moses to have the people bring HIM their gold… the gold HE provided for them, when leaving Egypt:
And the people of Israel did as Moses had instructed; they asked the Egyptians for clothing and articles of silver and gold. The LORD caused the Egyptians to look favorably on the Israelites, and they gave the Israelites whatever they asked for. So they stripped the Egyptians of their wealth! (Ex. 12:35-36)
See what the people were doing with a portion of the GOLD. The gold they were to offer to HIM. GOD’s gold.
The people grew extremely impatient waiting for Moses. Moses was their leader, the spokesman for their God. No leader, no God was their mindset… we can’t see our God, we can’t touch our God… so what did they do … ‘make their God’. Isn’t that so true today! We want… we make to fill and feed our insecurities.
The people went to poor Aaron, (yes, I like this dude) telling him, ‘make us gods, who will go before us’. So Aaron told them ‘take off the gold earrings that your wives, your sons and your daughters are wearing and bring them to me.’
They did so, and the golden calf was made… Aaron built an altar in front of the calf, and sacrifices were presented by the people. They continued on as mentioned in verse 6 ‘they got up to indulge in revelry’. The King James says ‘they rose up to … play’. They were mocking, and as verse 25 says ‘they were running wild’. You can imagine what ‘running wild’ means – they were being ‘naughty’.
God sends Moses back down off the mountain, and Moses finds this MESS! In his anger AFTER he throws the tablets to the ground… he melts down the golden calf and grinds it into powder, then adds it to the water and makes the people drink it. It was the only way to ‘completely’ destroy the idol.
What a stinkin waste of good GOLD! Gold that was provided for the people for a specific purpose! The Tabernacle, a place God’s presence would dwell, a place of worship.
After I got over the chuckle of Aaron’s response to Moses… ‘I threw in the gold, and looky there, out came a calf’ – HA! The Lord spoke to me in this. We do the same thing today… God provides something, someone, even a circumstance intended to be used for HIM, His use… His presence – His glory… and what do we do with it… we make it into something for … US! Once it is made, we worship, we play, run wild…
May we seriously consider what the Lord has given us… gifts we have (are) mis-using, that is intended for HIM. To be direct and specific… do we have talents, skills, finances, time, relationships (the list goes on), are we taking those and making for US?
Personally, I don’t want God to make me ‘eat’ or drink something that was meant for a blessing, because I mis-used it! I get enough of humble pie! How about you?
Have God-loving, don’t mis-use the gift, week…
In Him, DeDe (You thrill me, LORD …) Ps. 92:4
Yielding to the Yoke
Yielding to the Yoke
Many times as I prepare to write a study or devotion, I have PAGES of research. There are yellow stickys slapped all over my hand written notes, definitions, scripture verses, cross references, and yes a few doodles here and there. I believe as I began to actually write this particular devotion it would be out of my own personal spiritual journal entries that I glean from most. My head is bowed as I consider those things He has whispered in my ear these past couple of weeks. Thank you Jesus.
Yes, I will quote from the original Greek, steer you towards some awesome principles, but it is the heart of what God is saying that I ask you to keep in mind. We will spend the next few weeks considering what it means to get strapped in with Jesus, and go for the wildest ride of our lives! Yielding to the Yoke. Let’s begin…..
Jesus says in Matthew 11:28-30 (KJV)
Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden,
and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and
learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye
shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy,
and my burden is light.
This is an invitation. It is personal. It does not come at a more perfect time. The invitation is on going. It is however, one that requires a R.S.V.P. How many times we procrastinate in our R.S.V.P. because we are just not sure that we can commit or actually wait for a better offer to come along. Well loved one, it doesn’t get better than this.
The context of what Jesus is speaking to is that of the traditions of the day, the forced customs of carrying the burden of the law. There was so much ‘do’s and don’ts’ that they actually lost sight of ‘being’. Sound familiar today?
The Pharisees called obedience to a program (religious duty) – Jesus calls obedience to a person (relationship – discipleship).
Often we read something, and it is quick and we pass over it. Not this time.
I spent nearly 2 days on the phrase ‘come unto Me’. But first, we look at what Jesus was talking about just before He said this, it was in His prayer that He says (verse 27) “My Father has entrusted everything to me. No one truly knows the Son except the Father, and no one truly knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.” Can you see the holy huddle? This is close proximity- intimate fellowship between the Father and Son. It is as if, they are embraced. I can see Jesus drop an arm and reach out … to you and I, saying “Come here, be with US”. Oh the US of God. Remember the ‘Let Us’ of the book of Genesis? “Let Us make man in our own image” (Gen. 1:26). “Let Us go down and confuse their languages…” (Gen.11:7 – Tower of Babel).
“Come unto Me”. This request is a statement of ‘belonging’. I love the word picture described here in the Greek. It was NOT a casual “Oh you-who, when you have a moment, could you venture over in this direction”. It literally means, ‘come HERE, move forward, come near – right here, beside … Me.’
Oh you may think “so what’s the big deal?”
Consider this. You are in a crowd, there is so much activity it is difficult to even concentrate, your shoulders sag because the demands placed upon you are too great, from others AND (or) yourself. You are weary, tired, one could even say ‘overwhelmed’. You look over, and Jesus catches YOUR eye. He speaks directly to YOU. What do you do? Do you move? Do you go to Him? Hm…. There is NO better place to be, then near, right there – beside Jesus.
What will it take, to get you to go to Jesus? If weariness is not enough, do you have to reach complete exhaustion, the sense of defeat, or even a fallen state, before you attempt to move?
I would offer that position is everything. Due to the fall of man, there was a dividing line between us and God. Jesus came, lived- died- and went back to the Father for our ‘position’. He re-positioned us. He picked us up and placed us right back next to the Father. That is what redemption and grace is, it means something that has tipped over and not in its right place, it is then picked up, re-set and now sits where it belongs.
Do we need some‘re-positioning’? Come unto Me.
I leave you with these same verses (Matt. 11:28-30) as expressed in The Message.
Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me.
Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you
how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch
how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay
anything heavy or ill-fitting on you.
Next week we will proceed on through these verses, but first capture, get a hold of, regardless of your condition… the ‘come unto Me’ and GO!
Have a God-loving, go and position yourself right beside Jesus – week.
In Him DeDe (Ps. 92:4 You thrill me, LORD …)
The Exposed Heart
The Exposed Heart
I asked the Lord to tell me about the heart. The heart of man, the good, the bad and the ugly. He didn’t tell me. He showed me. MY heart. Not exactly what I was asking for. Please know this was NOT a time of warm fuzzy feelings and desiring a group hug. You can bet that from this moment on, I will be VERY careful for the things I ask the Lord to tell me!
In this same moment I invited the Lord to go to those deep crevices of my heart and examine them. Places that even I am not yet aware of. I pictured this like one of those deep cave expeditions, you know the guys wearing kaki shorts, back packs on, with the flashlight strapped to their foreheads. Each turn and twist unknown or never seen before until the light shines on it, examining closely, each rock formation, every nook and cranny.
David sought this too, of his own heart, Psalm 26:2 (see also Ps. 139:23-24)
Test me, O Lord and try me
examine my heart and my mind.
I am amazed at the depth and extent that David was asking of God. ‘Test me, examine me’, these are courtroom terms, meaning to investigate closely, see what evidence there is to be found and yet while you are there … refine and purify.
David wants God to look at his heart, emotions and will, his intellect, understanding – even the wisdom he walks in. BUT he does not stop there… he says examine too … my mind. The word he uses for mind is the Hebrew word that can actually be translated as ‘kidneys’ (reins). This is the figurative word picture of ‘the inner most and most private aspect of a person’. * I can sense the deep groaning of David as he cries out, “O God go deep, here in my heart, but don’t stop there… go deeper, don’t stop until You have seen and dealt with all of me”.
David expresses too in Psalm 19:14
May the words of my mouth and the
meditation of my heart be pleasing in
Your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my
Redeemer.
It is not only our words that God desires pleasure from, but the ‘goings on’ (if you will) of our heart. Those things, events or people we set our mind on, our internal thoughts, those things we wrap our emotions around.
Meditation can also mean the ‘whispering or murmuring’ of our heart. What are we whispering about? Are there longings there that should NOT be, yet we feel safe because we have not actually verbalized them? I found this question in the New Living Life Application Commentary, and it so took me back – it evoked tremendous thought and pondering on my part, not to mention GREAT self evaluation.
How would we change the way we live if we knew that every word – every thought was FIRST examined by God?
Ps. 139:4
Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely
O LORD.
Phew! As we wipe the sweat from our brow… THAT is intense. I believe many of us would say as Isaiah did (Is. 6:5) “Woe is me! For I am undone, because I am a man of unclean lips …”. I would say … “I am a woman that fails to provide You O Lord, with pure and selfless thoughts, my heart wrapped where it should not be… WOE is me!”
Jesus says in Matthew 5:8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God”. As I study this verse, this is how I understand it. Exceedingly glad is the man that keeps his mind, will and emotions clean and continues on in the cleaning process, for he will ‘see’ (horao) God. This ‘seeing’ is the equivalent to the Hebrew version of ‘experience’. Experiencing God in such a way that he will actually perceive Him and get Him. The opposite of this? If we do not pursue the purity of God in our lives, ALL of our lives, He will hide Himself from us, He and His God’s things will be kept a secret to us.
The heart exposed. May we allow Him to be the Expeditionor, who straps on His light of love and goes deep!
Have a God-loving deep groaning for His searching and dealing ~ week.
In Him, DeDe (Ps. 92:4 You thrill me, LORD …)
* Complete Word Study Dictionary of the Old Testament
Walking the Deck
Walking the Deck 
This afternoon, my youngest son and I were home alone. As I sat in the living room enjoying a rousing episode of Blog Log Cabin on HGTV, he called out rather energetically… “Mom hurry I NEED you”. As I came into the family room, he hands me a controller to Playstation (like I know what to do with it). He begins to yell out commands, which I assume I am supposed to be following. I took a seat and thus begins the hysterical game playing on my end. I was laughing so hard, I began to wheeze, tears were filling my eyes so much I could hardly see the screen.
We were playing the Lego version of Star Wars, he kept saying “follow me!” I was TRYING! I didn’t know which buttons to push, so I pushed them all. Somehow I was supposed to get my man up on that scooter thingy. Much to my own amusement, I kept crashing into trees. My job as I found out later, was to be a distraction so his guy could finish his mission. Before I knew it, Matthew says, “Ok… you can stop now” – had I even begun? The theme to Star Wars came on and I knew he was victorious. My job was finished there (well…until he became hungry for lunch).
Amazing what part we play in others lives isn’t it? Hm… That reminded me of a show our family watched recently. It was a documentary on those massive ships in the military. One in particular was an aircraft carrier. They focused in on the department that had been lovingly called the ‘yellow jackets’ (Flight Deck Officers). These were the men and women who, yes, wore yellow jackets and spent their time up top on the flight deck. One of their duties was known as ‘walking the deck’. Knowing a pilot was either preparing for take off or landing they would line up across the deck, and slowly – meticulously look for any debris. The debris if left on the flight deck could be very hazardous to the plane and pilot.
I find it very interesting as I liken it to our own relationships found in the Kingdom of God. We have many roles we play in others lives, like cheerleader, counselor, confidante, mentor, teacher, friend. But we are also to ‘walk the deck’ if you will, and do our part helping to remove any debris or obstacles along the way. We are called to encourage. Much of the time our encouraging a brother or sister takes … ‘action’.
How many of us could say we had experiences in our own lives that we wished someone – ANYONE – would have told us ‘THAT’ was coming and, ‘Look out!’ Alerting us, even removing the hazardous debris. Maybe, just maybe, we too would have heard the theme to Star Wars playing in the background – declaring a victory in our lives (personally I prefer the theme to Rocky!)
Remember the story of Jonathan and David? They are a prime example of this. They shared a special friendship. Jonathan was heir to the throne. Yet he loved and saw something in David and did what he could to ‘clear the way’ to see David succeed. 1 Samuel chapter 18 says that Jonathan made a covenant with David; he took off his robe, tunic, his sword, bow and belt and gave them to David. What a symbolic gesture! A ‘denying, selfless, gesture’. He was handing the kingdom to David. One of the obstacles removed? Himself. He was telling David, ‘I step out of the way’.
As we follow this story, Jonathan goes to great measures to protect, love, encourage, and strengthen David.
Paul too speaks of this, 1 Thessalonians 5:11 ‘Therefore encourage one another and build each other up…’ This verse packs a ‘double’ punch. Paul says ‘encourage’ one another. Meaning ‘come along side, to aid with help’, here’s a dandy – ‘to beseech with a stronger force’. You’ve heard the saying ‘they know how to get in my face.’ That is EXACTLY what Paul is saying. We are called to get in each others faces, with the bridge of love and relationship. We are to admonish, exhort to better things, cheer each other on in God, even reprove at times.
He then says, ‘build each other up’, the King Jimmy says ‘ edify’. Paul is talking in architectural terms. We are constructing… NOT demolishing! To edify can also mean to ‘prepare, create, to help arrange, to shape’. Yes, we are called by God to help shape one another. I always look to see what is the opposite of what we are to be or do. In this case… the antonyms of encourage and edify – to be still, quiet, to corrupt, and to destroy and cast down. Hm… deep thought.
I LOVE Hebrews 10:24 ‘…let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds’. ‘SPUR’ – ever been ‘spurred’ by someone? That affective – creative – encouragement to action, or feeling.
Recently I was spurred on by a dear friend; they shared concern, counsel, prayer, and scripture. Everything was there, except – for the cheerleading pom-poms, (which is a good thing!) They included themselves in my circumstance and just like the yellow jackets… they PARTICIPATED! I have another friend, whom she and I send each other cards of love. It is our way of ‘cheering’ each other on, edifying one another, making each other smile, and saying beyond any doubt ‘I love you, I am here for you, and I will walk your deck.’
The yellow jacket’s goal is to help provide a safe environment for their pilot to complete his mission. They joined forces, doing their part, to allow for a safe take off and landing – walking the deck.
May we too, put on yellow jackets (in spirit of course) link arms and join forces – inviting too the heavenly forces. May our words of encouragement, be met with our actions of love. May we love enough to point out, pick up, and remove debris. May we love enough to build up, not tear down. May our ‘come along side’ be motivated to help shape another… shaping them into the image of Jesus.
‘Spur on’ dear loved ones of Christ! (Raw-Raw – pom poms flying high! Theme to Rocky playing on the loud speaker)
Have a God-loving, looking good in yellow – week.
In Him, DeDe (Ps. 92:4 You thrill me, LORD…)
Broken for Good
Broken for Good
OH the pain! The past few weekends we have been working on getting our wood cut and ready for the winter months. Yesterday we split close to 3 cords. My hubby’s new toy is a gas powered splitter. All the guys are grunting with glee!
This puppy can do the job! HOWEVER, it still has to be managed. You would think, due to it’s price tag, the machine would grab a log, split it, roll it, split again and gift wrap it AND nicely place it on the stack. BUT NO!
Our youngest son is up in the trailer, he rolls the log down to David, where David places the log on the splitter, as we roll it for multiple splits, it is then my job to stand as close as I can to it (while straddling the wheel) and ‘clear the shoot’. I grab, then throw the pieces off to the side, where our teen age son, then stacks it.
My body is so stinkin sore today, I do believe I will never move or operate the same again.
As I stood there listening to Avalon on my headset, I began to see the process of the ‘breaking’ of the wood. Many of the pieces were sleek, straight logs, they went through quickly and with out any problems. Then there were the ones FULL of knots. As we plunked that hummer down on the holding bed, the gas powered hammer came with great force. The wood was butted up against the back panel, the hammer pressed right into the middle of the wood. It continued to amaze me, that regardless of the aim of the hammer, we never really knew where the break would come.
The breaking made some awful sounds at times, there were creaking, cracking and then those deep ‘Sci Fi channel’ moans and groans. Each piece that came off the holding bed now looked distinctly different from before it met the splitter. One particular log, was very large in diameter, I counted 19 pieces of split wood from that one log.
The purpose as you know is to take the log and create it by cutting, splitting and forming it to be of use. We could NOT take that tree, and put it in our wood stove… it would indeed be useless to us … in that form.
The Lord has been speaking to me about ‘brokenness’. How being broken can create us, form us to be of HIS use. Sure – we can be a great tree, tall and years of growing getting us to that place. Withstanding even terrible storms at times. We become a place of strength, offering shade and shelter for others. However, there are other uses yet to come to life. He now needs us to be in a different form. The ‘forming, cutting, breaking’ process can bring us to a place of being broken for good. Not as in final, but good in the hands of the Potter, or in this case the Splitter.
King David shares a time in his life when he too is ‘broken’. The prophet Nathan has come to him and pointed out his adulterous affair with Bathsheba. David’s heart is convicted and he is so aware that God can not continue to use him in this condition – he repents, and comes before God. Psalm 51, verse 10 David cries out “Create in me a clean heart, O God and renew a right spirit within me.” He continues in verse 17 “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.”
David should know. If you have observed any of his life, he was up – down, in – out in his obedience to God. Yet, he loved the Lord. It is David that pens “I love you, O LORD, my strength. The LORD is my rock, my fortress, my deliverer, my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge.” Psalm 18:1-2
I believe David not only wanted to be right with God, he wanted what God had in store for him, the next phase of his life if you will. It is David’s heart and spirit, the seat of his emotions, his mind and his will where God wanted to form something in and through him. He then sought brokenness. He sought God’s presence. He placed himself in a position to receive God’s mercy.
What is it to be broken, to have a contrite heart before the Lord? This is what I asked the Lord as I began to ponder it. It is not only recovering and being restored from a sinful choice or habit. It is the chiseling away at the hard and stony places of our heart. That knotting spot in the wood.
First we see that a broken spirit is acceptable to God.
The process? This breaking in the Hebrew is not just a crack, a fragment here or there, only to deface. But it is literally to burst in pieces, to shatter, (here’s the really painful part) to crush. The same Hebrew thought is given when Moses came down off the Mountain and saw what was going on with the children of Israel; remember the dancing and the golden calf? It says that Moses took the tablets of God and threw them, breaking them in to pieces (Ex.32:19). The pieces were so many, that it could not be repaired, God gave Moses new tablets. O that God would give us a new heart. And He does.
A few weeks ago, I was driving through rush hour traffic, WAIT – may I rephrase that… I was STUCK in rush hour traffic. At this time, every one of the fruit of the Spirit was put to the test in and through me. There definitely was NO patience operating. Love had indeed gone out the window, kindness along with it. Joy was no where to be found. Goodness was only a memory. It was then, that I heard the Lord speak to me… (in my heart) “You need to be broken”. I was surprised by this, I told the Lord, “I was, I had been, I am…” It was His response that has caused me on this new journey of brokenness. He said “No, you can still stand on your own”. CRUSH! GROAN!
I have observed in others and found in my own experience that if we choose and step in line for a walk of brokenness, it is a hefty amount better than it being forced on us (can I hear an AMEN!)
Charles Spurgeon said, “If we chasten our own spirits the Lord will spare us, He never breaks with the rod of judgment those who are already sore with the rod of conviction.”
For many of us, the painful part of being broken is the first initial stance of surrender. It is coming to terms that there is something-Someone bigger than us. Seeing and understanding just how tiny we are to the BIG SomeOne. We find in 1 Peter 5:5-6 “… God opposes the proud but give grace to the humble. Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that He may lift you up in due time.”
I believe humility brings us to a place before God, but being willing to be broken will KEEP us there and stay the course. Staying under God’s mighty hand – that is where the bruising comes, the crushing, and the breaking of the wood (if you will). O but the forming is sweet. Psalm 34:8, again David writes “The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit”. The Lord is close. What David is saying is not only is God near by, but the word picture is that of ‘ready at hand’. The Lord knows EXACTLY what is going on. He is ready to love, guide, extend mercy and grace, and save. Save… love this word. It is taking us from a tight and narrow place, and placing us in wide open spaces. As Peter writes… “that He (God) will lift you up in due time”.
David writes too, in Psalm 139 verse 5 “you hem me in – behind and before; you laid your hand upon me”. Oh to be so loved by God that He purposely surrounds us, brings us in close for a season. When the timing is right -releases us just a bit. To soar. “They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.” (Is. 40:31)
Isaiah 57:15
The high and lofty one who lives in eternity, the Holy One,
says this: “I live in the high and holy place with those whose
spirits are contrite and humble. I restore the crushed spirit of
the humble and revive the courage of those with repentant hearts.
I see it not only as a challenge to invite the process of being broken before the Lord, but also an opportunity. A dear friend recently reminded me, that once we pray those prayers of “Oh Lord, do in me what You will – break me Lord, and change my heart.” That is indeed, our voluntarily climbing up on the wood splitter, and having Him apply pressure, and cracking us, forming us. Yes, there are those ‘O GOD!’ moments… those ‘groanings that cannot be expressed in words’ (Ro. 8:26) But the outcome, is acceptable and pleasing to the Lord. Useful, for Him… broken for good.
Are you in a tight and uncomfortable place? In due time. His time. He will release that powerful hammer, and you will roll off the holding bed, new and useful, affective. Philippians 1:6 “being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus”.
May we all have a new understanding, that we were created for Him. “For from him and through him and to him are all things.” (Ro. 11:36)
“For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago”. (Eph. 2:10)
Have a God-loving, inviting the pressure for good results – week…
In Him, DeDe (Ps. 92:4 You thrill me, LORD…)
Inspired Fountain 