Feathers

 It is like a man who goes up on a tall tower - like the empire state building and rips open a feather pillow shaking all the feathers out. A few, fall at his feet and are easily recaptured, but most travel far and wide, to places unseen, unknown. 

Feathers aren't going to cause you pain when you run into them in a few years, they aren't going to stop you from fulfillment of a dream or making a friend. But gossip, just like those feathers, can never be re-gathered, it can never be taken back, you can never get back the spill of gossip - it will go to places unseen and unknown and when you encounter it again - it will cause pain. 

I am pretty sure everyone has experienced gossip coming back to them about themselves. When that happens, it is always tempting to correct the gossip, to identify the originator and to put them in their place.  But if I try to run it down I will never find rest or peace, it would be just as impossible as chasing down feathers dropped from the tower spire.  Imagine how ridiculous someone on the ground would look chasing these floating feathers and becoming upset when they could not gather them all.    I have grappled with this and realized that...

...when I  accept God's estimation of me, I stop worrying about what people say about me.

 Esteeming the praise of men, over the praise of God, creates in me a bondage of fear of men. (and women)

I am certainly not saying that we should live irresponsibly or disregard instruction, wisdom or correction. We should simply live our lives the best the Bible tells us how to. To love God, love people, submit appropriately, live humbly,  and try not to cause others to stumble through our behavior.

When I know I have been the topic of gossip, I often pray that God will recapture all those feathers for me. There is no way that I will ever be able to address it, no way that I could recapture feathers and convince others of the untruthfulness of the words spoken against me or my family. And in trying to undo the tangle of someone else's web - I too would need to climb a tower and rip open a feather pillow - I too would be guilty.

And one of my very favorite quotes from Mother Teresa

            
People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered.  Forgive them anyway.

            If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives.  Be kind anyway.

            If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies.  
Succeed anyway.

           If you are honest and sincere people may deceive you.  Be honest and sincere anyway.

            What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight.  Create anyway.

            If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous.  Be happy anyway.

            The good you do today, will often be forgotten.  Do good anyway.

         Give the best you have, and it will never be enough.  Give your best anyway.

         In the final analysis...

it is between you and God.  It was never between you and them anyway.

Psalm 62:5-6 NLT

Let all that I am wait quietly before God,
    for my hope is in him.

 He alone is my rock and my salvation,

    my fortress where I will not be shaken.

Goodnight,

Amanda

5 Steps towards finding more JOY.

Colossians 15b-17

And always be thankful. Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.

Some days, I wake up with a headache, my house is a mess, work is hectic, the car runs out of gas AND gets a flat tire, in the rain, and I am bone drenched in highway crud and weariness.  Some days I really don't feel like praising God for anything.  I really don't. 

I was having one of those migraine days when I said to a friend of mine "Do you ever feel so tired and worn out that you just plaster a smile on your face to get through the day?" and she didn't smile and nod or agree with my self pity, instead she looked me dead in the eyes and said "You know, that's a choice" and it was a little shocking.  So she continues, "Can I pray with you right now?"  I nod, we pray, she encourages.  She isn't judging or angry, she's pointing out the fact that I choose to indulge feelings, to let them rule my day, or to reject them and choose truth.
I look at the life of the woman who tells me to choose joy.  If anyone had a reason to choose self-pity, anger or hostility towards God, it would be her. Her life is marked with loss, yet she sees me, long faced because I'm tired, and encourages me. She encourages me. Who am I that this woman should spend her time encouraging me? Yet she does. 

 Phiippians 2:1-18NASV

Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

   So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.  Do all things without grumbling or disputing; so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I will have reason to glory because I did not run in vain nor toil in vain. But even if I am being poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice and share my joy with you all. You too, I urge you, rejoice in the same way and share your joy with me.

"make my joy complete"  Paul is in jail.

What on Earth could make his joy complete? Does he ask for freedom? A hot meal? A comfortable bed? Nope - He asks that people will love each other, be united in one purpose and will put others before themselves.  Why? So that they will be happy.  His concern, the thing that will bring him joy, while in jail facing death, is seeing his brothers and sisters in Christ grow in their faith to the point that they can rejoice no matter their circumstances and share that joy with each other. 

Read the book of Philippians, read it from the perspective of someone in prison.  Does it sound angry? Is it drenched in woe and self pity? No.  In fact, it is a letter which encourages the reader to find joy, to rejoice, 16 times in four short chapters.  

Why would a man in prison send encouragement to the rest of the world? and How can we have JOY in-spite of our circumstances? He tells us. 

#1 - Encouragement in Christ -  "Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion..."

Paul is asking a rhetorical question here, but he makes the point that we have encouragement through Christ and his love for us and our freedom from sin!  We talked about this on Day 4 of our study. Encouragement is found in Christ - but remember what that means.  Day 1 we learned that through Jesus Christ all of creation was made, so finding something to be joyful about in creation, a beautiful sunset, a sunny day, time with family or friends, these are all joys found in and through Christ. 

#2 -  Serve others - "Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests,but also for the interests of others."

It seems counter-intuitive to spend time serving others when you yourself are in need. Maybe it is knowing that there is someone else worse off that you, or maybe it is becoming humble, but service leads to a happy heart. Service pulls our focus away from our own lives and our own troubles and forces us outside of ourselves to look after another's happiness, another's troubles.  It makes us lay down the part of ourselves that focuses on our lack, even momentarily, and chose to focus on the life of another. 

#3 - Have an eternal perspective - "Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

We talked about perspective on Day 2 of our study, having the right perspective changes everything. Right about here is where some start arguing that practicing joy is a silly view of the world. That being happy and serving others sounds well and good, but it isn't going to change anything.  Kids will still be abused, people will still starve, war will still cost many lives, and joy can't change any of that.  And to those people I say, neither will the lack of joy.  Being angry never fed anyone, being focused on yourself never prevented a war, abuse was never stopped by complaining.  But joy, expressed joy, joyful people, look so different and out of place in the world that they do make a difference in our lives.  But what about overdue bills, and my family member who is dying, surely God doesn't expect me to have joy about this! This isn't fair! And you would be right, it isn't fair, or right, but neither was Christ dying for us.  Grace to the sinner isn't fair or right, and the truth is we can't handle fair and right, we need grace and mercy.  So in the midst of tragedy, in a squalid jail cell, we CAN choose joy, and choose to rejoice in Christ, the consolation of His love, the fellowship of His Spirit, no matter our circumstances.  We can find small things to rejoice in every day we end the day still breathing. 

#4 - Decide to have joy and stop complaining and arguing - "So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.  Do all things without grumbling or disputing; so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation"

Somethings need a lot of explanation, this one doesn't, just knock it off. Stopping complaining and arguing is about being obedient to God.  He gave all for us, surely we can give up complaining.  Complaining and arguing is like shooting yourself in the foot or friendly fire, it hurts those we love and look after the most.  

#5 - Share joy with others - "you appear as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I will have reason to glory because I did not run in vain nor toil in vain. But even if I am being poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice and share my joy with you all. You too, I urge you, rejoice in the same way and share your joy with me."

As you discover an eternal perspective, I encourage you again to keep a journal and write down the things in your life that bring you joy. In ten years you probably won't remember that sleepless night worrying about a bill, but you will remember a joy drenched day spent with your family.  Make memories of joy and thankfulness and then make joy and thankfulness your habit, you won't regret it! Sharing joy with others shows them Christ's light and plants a seed of joy that can grow into a tree of joy that can drop the fruit of joy right back into your life.  Sewing joy, reaps joy!

Finally, joy isn't just a cliche, it's throughout the Bible, who wants to live life without joy? and Joy isn't some ideal you work for - it isn't about YOU doing enough to GET some joy - JOY is a GIFT from God.  Joy is waiting for you, you just have to accept it and unwrap it and pass it along. 

Romans 15:13

I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Philippians 4:4

 Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice!

Romans 14:17

For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

Psalms 4:7

You have given me greater joy than those who have abundant harvests of grain and new wine.

Psalms 16:11

You will show me the way of life,
    granting me the joy of your presence
    and the pleasures of living with you forever.

My life, because of all the great things God has done and is doing for me, should be marked with intentional thankfulness.  Christ wants to fill us up with His message of love of mankind and peace.  He wants our joy and thankfulness to overflow so richly that it teaches others and we can't even help ourselves except to praise God and thank him for the glory he has bestowed on us!  As this study wraps up, I encourage you to rejoice in the Lord!  Rejoice in all the things you have studied this week, in all the truths learned and all the ways that you are in Christ, free from sin, wrapped in an eternal glory. We have so much to be thankful for, even in the midst of trials, I encourage you to hang on to the joy you find in Christ, put away the long face and hold on with both hands to joy.  Choose Joy!

The abundant life

Colossians  3:12b - 15a

you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace.

The perfect dress. They have reality television shows dedicated to helping hopeful women find and "Say Yes" to the perfect dress. The most beautiful hair and make up, the loveliest flowers, the coveted venue, the lavish decorations, the perfectly decadent frosted dessert.  Women look forward to their wedding day with the greatest of anticipation and desire.  

Ezekiel 16:8-14

And when I passed by again, I saw that you were old enough for love. So I wrapped my cloak around you to cover your nakedness and declared my marriage vows. I made a covenant with you, says the Sovereign Lord, and you became mine.

 “Then I bathed you and washed off your blood, and I rubbed fragrant oils into your skin.  I gave you expensive clothing of fine linen and silk, beautifully embroidered, and sandals made of fine goatskin leather.  I gave you lovely jewelry, bracelets, beautiful necklaces,  a ring for your nose, earrings for your ears, and a lovely crown for your head.  And so you were adorned with gold and silver. Your clothes were made of fine linen and costly fabric and were beautifully embroidered. You ate the finest foods—choice flour, honey, and olive oil—and became more beautiful than ever. You looked like a queen, and so you were!  Your fame soon spread throughout the world because of your beauty. I dressed you in my splendor and perfected your beauty, says the Sovereign Lord.

Here God describes his tenderness and love for His Bride. Every bride desires to looked upon with such love and tenderness, to be comforted, protected and provided for, but also to be adorned with love. 

The 'average' wedding costs just under $27,000.00 these days!  Money spent chasing that perfect fairy-tale dream. As brides plan their wedding some become obsessed with the details. Someone coined the term "Bride-zilla" to describe a bride who is never satisfied, to describe a woman for whom enough is never enough.  She has the most beautiful dress, but argues over the quality of her shoes, the loveliest hair, but nit-picks her make up.  These brides aren't just doing their best to plan a most memorable day, they struggle with discontentment. Making their bridesmaids, mothers, even their future spouse miserable all for the sake of have the 'perfect' 12 hour day.  

Not all of us will be brides, not all of us will have children, not all of us will own a home, not all of us will have a great career - each of us have a path before us - each path is different, but the question is the same.  Can we be content with the path before us? . 

Jill lost her job today. After years of loyal and excellent service at her accounting firm she was laid off with no notice. Her boss asks her to clean out her desk, Jill asks "Is this any way to treat a loyal employee?!?!" All the way home she stews over her bosses just letting her go without so much as a weeks notice.  She mutters to herself about stopping at the grocery but decides against it because she thinks she probably won't find a job any time soon so she had better save some money! She pulls in the drive and slams the car into park.   Her elderly neighbor is out in her garden, she waves and calls "Hi Jill"  Jill just huffs into the house and changes into her sweat pants. She spends the next 4 hours calling, texting or messaging her friends to tell them how awful her day was and how her ex-boss is the biggest jerk on the planet.  She goes to bed angry and wakes up in a foul mood the next day. 

Jennifer worked next to Jill.  After years of loyal service she too was laid off, but instead of becoming angry and defensive, she remains calm.  Jennifer knows, knows it in her soul, that in all circumstances God has a plan.  Because Jennifer knows this she doesn't spend time and energy on anger and upset, but immediately starts thinking "Hmm, If I am being laid off here, God must have another opportunity ready for me, I had better go find it!"  Jennifer stops by her bosses office one last time before leaving to ask if he could recommend a job at another firm. She realizes that he looks very stressed himself, but a look of relief washes over his face as Jennifer asks.  He thinks a minute before pulling a card out of his desk and writing something on the back.  "This is a friend of mine who works in HR at a company across town, you might try them?"  Jennifer thanks him and leaves.  On the way home Jennifer stops by the grocery to pick up a few things.  At the checkout Jennifer is friendly to the cashier and notices they have a help wanted sign in the office window.  She inquires with the cashier who tells her the position isn't really at the store but in their accounting department. Jennifer stops in the office and speaks with the store manager before leaving, he gives her the contact information for the position and spends a few minutes talking with her about her qualifications.  Jennifer gets home a little later than usual because traffic was bad and she is pretty sure her ice cream is a melted mess, but she puts away the groceries and then hops online to complete the online application and resume submission for the grocery accountant position.  Then she emails the friend of her old boss to inquire about any openings before eating dinner and then calling a friend. On the phone, Jennifer doesn't ridicule her boss or complain but rather explains that she lost her job today and asks for some prayer.  Before she hangs up her friend mentions she thought she saw something at her work about their accounting department hiring, she will look into it and call her tomorrow with the details.  

What if I also told you that Jill and Jennifer go to the same church, participate in the same Bible study. A few summers ago their single ladies Bible study focused on the themes of thankfulness and contentment. 

 Jill heard about contentment and thankfulness and dismissed it as a Pollyanna view of the world that has no practical application in life other than mind numbing stupidity.  Jill would call herself a realist.  

Jennifer heard about contentment and thankfulness and decided that she was going to try this radical way of living by trusting God for every need and seeing every circumstance as God opening a door and changing life, however painful it might be, to the better. Jennifer would call herself a believer.

To the Jill's of the world I say this, I used to be Jill. All that anger and discontentment didn't make me any more real, it just made me a lot more depressed.  Embracing despair doesn't make a situation better, ignoring good things in your life doesn't lighten your load.   Discontentment typically leads to sin.  Major, life changing, horrible consequences, sin. 

Ezekiel 16:16-20

You used the lovely things I gave you to make shrines for idols, where you played the prostitute. Unbelievable! How could such a thing ever happen?  You took the very jewels and gold and silver ornaments I had given you and made statues of men and worshiped them. This is adultery against me! You used the beautifully embroidered clothes I gave you to dress your idols. Then you used my special oil and my incense to worship them.  Imagine it! You set before them as a sacrifice the choice flour, olive oil, and honey I had given you, says the Sovereign Lord.

 “Then you took your sons and daughters—the children you had borne to me—and sacrificed them to your gods. Was your prostitution not enough? 

Contentment isn't just an ideal, it's a state of mind, a conscious decision not to flip out when things don't go our way. Contentment is a conscious decision to remain faithful to God's calling and path for our lives in the midst of our circumstances.  These aren't just cliche phrases.  They are the power to live life abundantly. 

Paul's path led to a jail cell after years of faithfully serving God.  Paul had every reason to be discontent, yet Paul sat in his cell writing letters of encouragement to the believers around the known world and he writes 

Philippians 4:11- 13

"Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have.  I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength."

In another letter Paul writes

1Timothy 6:6-8

 Yet true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth. After all, we brought nothing with us when we came into the world, and we can’t take anything with us when we leave it. So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content.

But it isn't just Paul who encourages us to be content in our circumstances, Jesus also taught us to be content and revealed that through hard times come great rewards

Matthew 5:3-12

“God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him,
    for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.
 God blesses those who mourn,
    for they will be comforted.
God blesses those who are humble,
    for they will inherit the whole earth.
God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice,
    for they will be satisfied.
God blesses those who are merciful,
    for they will be shown mercy.
God blesses those whose hearts are pure,
    for they will see God.
God blesses those who work for peace,
    for they will be called the children of God.
God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right,
    for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.

“God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers. Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted in the same way."

Paul has one more bit of advice

Galatians 6:14

 As for me, may I never boast about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of that cross, my interest in this world has been crucified, and the world’s interest in me has also died.

Paul finds his contentment, and his glory, in Christ and because of that the desire for everything else, the discontentment, has been crucified with Christ. 

Ugly Ducklings

Colossians 3:12a

God chose you to be the holy people he loves

Several years ago, a reality television show promised women the opportunity to change anything and everything about their physical appearance. The "Swan" contestant would start off as an 'ugly ducking'. The woman would be shown to a room with plastic surgeons and encouraged to change her waist line, her breast size, her nose, her chin, everything about herself that she found disdainful.  

After weeks of painful surgery the 'Swan' was revealed.  A panel of judges voted on who had become the best 'Swan' and when the show ended, everyone went home.  All of the "swans" returned to their normal lives. Except some didn't. Some suffered mental breakdowns because they realized that changing an outward appearance wasn't the fix they were seeking, some had children who didn't recognize them, some had boyfriends and husbands who didn't like the new and improved look. 

All that time, pain, stress and recovery from surgery, to become a swan, and many times nothing really changed. 

1 Samuel 1:1-11

There was a man named Elkanah who lived in Ramah in the region of Zuph in the hill country of Ephraim. He was the son of Jeroham, son of Elihu, son of Tohu, son of Zuph, of Ephraim.  Elkanah had two wives, Hannah and Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah did not.

Each year Elkanah would travel to Shiloh to worship and sacrifice to the Lord of Heaven’s Armies at the Tabernacle. The priests of the Lord at that time were the two sons of Eli—Hophni and Phinehas. On the days Elkanah presented his sacrifice, he would give portions of the meat to Peninnah and each of her children. And though he loved Hannah, he would give her only one choice portion because the Lord had given her no children. So Peninnah would taunt Hannah and make fun of her because the Lord had kept her from having children. Year after year it was the same—Peninnah would taunt Hannah as they went to the Tabernacle. Each time, Hannah would be reduced to tears and would not even eat.

“Why are you crying, Hannah?” Elkanah would ask. “Why aren’t you eating? Why be downhearted just because you have no children? You have me—isn’t that better than having ten sons?”

Once after a sacrificial meal at Shiloh, Hannah got up and went to pray. Eli the priest was sitting at his customary place beside the entrance of the Tabernacle.]  Hannah was in deep anguish, crying bitterly as she prayed to the Lord. And she made this vow: “O Lord of Heaven’s Armies, if you will look upon my sorrow and answer my prayer and give me a son, then I will give him back to you. He will be yours for his entire lifetime, and as a sign that he has been dedicated to the Lord, his hair will never be cut.”

Hannah thought her life was a mistake, she would never be enough, she would always be mocked.  

In our Hannah moments we pray for the relationship that will never be right, we fear we will never have the right man, the right job, the right look, the right things. Sometimes the hurt goes deeper, and we wrap our hurts in whispered words -   Cutting, Suicide, Divorce, Infertility, Widow.   We hold onto hope that someday, something will happen to change it.  

Psalm 32:8

The Lord says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life.
    I will advise you and watch over you.

Psalm 37:23 

The Lord directs the steps of the godly.
    He delights in every detail of their lives.

Psalms 139:3

"You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. 

Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed." 

Hear healing when I say, You are not a mistake.  Nothing about you is a mistake!  Your body, your situation, your pain - all of it - all known, all accepted, and all guided by God himself. 

Right here is where some close the book.  They don't want to hear that their situation was part of the plan.  That pain which ripped their lives right apart was planned? Incredulously they ask, This was the plan?!

No. This wasn't the plan. The plan was perfect and beautiful and whole in a garden with God. Eve chose sin instead. Sin slashed it's path out of the Garden, and sin still leaves us slashed, gasping and shocked, but it's in the wake of our gasping and shocked existence that God steps in and says:

Jeremiah 31:3

Long ago the LORD said to Israel: "I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love. With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself.

and

Romans 8:28

And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. 

David, the great psalmist, knew a little something about God's plans. 

Psalm 139:1-6, 13-16

You have searched me, Lord,and you know me.
You know when I sit and when I rise;
you perceive my thoughts from afar.
You discern my going out and my lying down;
you are familiar with all my ways.
Before a word is on my tongue
you, Lord, know it completely.
You hem me in behind and before,
and you lay your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
too lofty for me to attain.....
....For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.
My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place,
when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
Your eyes saw my unformed body;
all the days ordained for me were written in your book
before one of them came to be.

Find comfort in knowing God will guide your path, that God is not only aware, but delights in every detail of your life. Hold onto the hope written in these verses. Find peace in knowing that every moment of life was laid out before a single day had passed.

Now watch this - 

 1 Samuel 16:6-11, 13

 When they arrived, Samuel took one look at Eliab and thought, “Surely this is the Lord’s anointed!”

 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” (emphasis mine)

Then Jesse told his son Abinadab to step forward and walk in front of Samuel. But Samuel said, “This is not the one the Lord has chosen.”  Next Jesse summoned Shimea, but Samuel said, “Neither is this the one the Lord has chosen.”  In the same way all seven of Jesse’s sons were presented to Samuel. But Samuel said to Jesse, “The Lord has not chosen any of these.”  Then Samuel asked, “Are these all the sons you have?”

“There is still the youngest,” Jesse replied. “But he’s out in the fields watching the sheep and goats.”

“Send for him at once,” Samuel said. “We will not sit down to eat until he arrives.”

...So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon David. 

Seven tall, strapping, good looking sons.  Seven were passed over. God says, "Go get the sheep herder!"

You see, God isn't looking for a swan, he isn't looking for the one who has everything together. He's looking for the ugly duckings of the world, He's looking for the ones who lie awake at night and cry bitter tears.  The ones who know that they are incomplete and need someone to see past their seven older siblings and choose the sheepherder.  God hears those prayers whispered by the broken-hearted saint. God hears your prayers, God heard -struggling with infertility- Hannah's prayers.

1 Samuel 1:20, 26-28

..and in due time she gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, for she said, “I asked the Lord for him.” 

“Sir, do you remember me?” Hannah asked. “I am the very woman who stood here several years ago praying to the Lord.  I asked :the Lord to give me this boy, and he has granted my request.  Now I am giving him to the Lord, and he will belong to the Lord his whole life.” And they worshiped the Lord there.

Hannah gave birth to Samuel, her only son. She dedicated her son to the Lord and kept her promise.  Samuel the boy grew up to become Samuel the prophet, and Samuel the prophet stood in Jesse's living room, passed over seven strapping sons to find God's king in a sheepherder.

Ephesians 3:20

Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. 

Your situation may seem a hopeless mess.  But God delights in every detail of your life. Have faith that God will keep his promises.  I would encourage you, if you struggle with trusting God's plan, write these verses on some 3x5 note cards and put them up where you will see them every day, beside your bed, on your bathroom mirror, where ever you will see them read them as daily reminders.  God has a plan for your life, for you, for your pain, and for your situation.

Small town girl

We took the weekend off - back at it today =) I hope this series blesses you!
Colossians 3:11

 In this new life, it doesn’t matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile,circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized, slave, or free. Christ is all that matters

My cat flips back and forth on the carpet attacking a straw wrapper. She leaps and pounces, retreats and attacks again, ears and tail flicking wildly. She rolls and bites and flails and stalks. She pauses to look up at me every so often, as if she is checking to make sure I witness her imagined prowess.  Then just as quickly she returns to her charade, overpowering the wrapper and prancing away proudly. 

How often I have been just like her.  Puffed up with pride over my imagined victory, ready to strut my stuff - I'm pretty awesome!  I wonder what God thinks about this pride.  I imagine he sees my proud silliness much the same way I witness my crazy cat!  But pride in my life causes much more than straw wrapper destruction.  Pride in my life can cause real damage. God seeks out the humble.

Picture this:

A young, small town girl, engaged, turns up pregnant so she leaves home to visit relative in another town.  Sounds like the plot of a Lifetime movie, instead it's the humble beginnings of the greatest story ever told. Christ's story. 

Luke 1:26b - 35, 38

God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee,  to a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David. Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you!”

Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean. “Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “for you have found favor with God!  You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus.  He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David.  And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!”

Mary asked the angel, “But how can this happen? I am a virgin.” 

The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby to be born will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God.

Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” And then the angel left her.

God used the humble, the girl who calls herself a servant, to bring us the Savior, Christ the Lord!

Mary isn't just humble, she also trust the Lord!  So many times pride is just a front for what is really going on inside us - fear! We act like we have it all together, even when we are afraid.  This is pride.  Mary was afraid too, she was confused and disturbed! Mary's response? "I am the Lord's servant." She trusts the Lord, even when life throws her for a loop (and this is a pretty big loop!) she still affirms that she trusts the Lord and will serve Him. 

Luke 1:39 - 56

 A few days later Mary hurried to the hill country of Judea, to the town where Zechariah lived. She entered the house and greeted Elizabeth.  At the sound of Mary’s greeting, Elizabeth’s child leaped within her, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.

 Elizabeth gave a glad cry and exclaimed to Mary, “God has blessed you above all women, and your child is blessed.  Why am I so honored, that the mother of my Lord should visit me?  When I heard your greeting, the baby in my womb jumped for joy.  You are blessed because you believed that the Lord would do what he said.”

 Mary responded,

“Oh, how my soul praises the Lord.
    How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior!
For he took notice of his lowly servant girl,
    and from now on all generations will call me blessed.
For the Mighty One is holy,
    and he has done great things for me.
He shows mercy from generation to generation
    to all who fear him.
His mighty arm has done tremendous things!
    He has scattered the proud and haughty ones.
He has brought down princes from their thrones
    and exalted the humble.
He has filled the hungry with good things
    and sent the rich away with empty hands.
He has helped his servant Israel
    and remembered to be merciful.
For he made this promise to our ancestors,
    to Abraham and his children forever.”

Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months and then went back to her own home.

Mary isn't just accepting her fate here, or trying to ride out the storm, she is rejoicing in God's plan for her life! Her humility is shown throughout her song of praise.  

Mary does something very practical here.  She goes and finds someone who will share her burden. Mary finds comfort in her Aunt, she finds support, grace, and understanding.  Not everyone is going to understand Mary's situation, but Elizabeth does! Mary is humble enough to ask for and seek out help in her situation.  I find it very interesting that there is only one verse dedicated to the three months that Mary stayed with her aunt.  We don't hear about late night conversations, encouragement, morning sickness, or any of the other things which most certainly happened during that time. More often than not our pride and our fear are all wrapped up together.  Mary overcame pride by embracing humility, she overcomes fear by embracing joy!  Yes, but Mary was the mother of Jesus, she was pretty much perfect anyhow, right? But Mary needed a savior just like all the rest of us need a savior, a fact she points out in her song of praise. 

 Jesus grew up and had siblings, children of Mary and Joseph.  One of their children was named James, he wrote the book of James and shared this about pride: 

James 4:1-10

What is causing the quarrels and fights among you? Don’t they come from the evil desires at war within you?  You want what you don’t have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous of what others have, but you can’t get it, so you fight and wage war to take it away from them. Yet you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it.  And even when you ask, you don’t get it because your motives are all wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure.

You adulterers!Don’t you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again: If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God.  Do you think the Scriptures have no meaning? They say that God is passionate that the spirit he has placed within us should be faithful to him And he gives grace generously. As the Scriptures say,

“God opposes the proud
    but gives grace to the humble.”

So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world. Let there be tears for what you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor.

James was also a son of Mary, a brother of Jesus. Can you imagine growing up with Mary as your mom and Jesus as your brother? Yet from those circumstances, and though the power of the Holy Spirit, James shares with us a deep understanding - Humility pleases the Lord.  

God honors the humble, He gives them grace.  

Your past life and your current status, doesn't matter!  You can be from the best family or from the wrong side of the tracks, you can have everything or have nothing.  Christ is all that matters. 

Joined

Colossians 3:5-9

So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don’t be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world....You used to do these things when your life was still part of this world. But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language. Don’t lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds. Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him.

It is God's desire that through the transforming power of the Holy Spirit we will put to death the evil and sinful desires of this world.  Just as Christ was crucified, we want to crucify the sinful nature and be raised again into NEW LIFE!

When a baby elephant is old enough to be weaned they still aren't big enough to do much damage. So the circus owner seperates the baby and mother and using a thick rope ties the baby to a post.  The baby will pull against the rope over and over and never break free.  After a few months, the swaying begins.  The baby will sway back and forth each time tugging on the rope, each time remaining a captive.  

After several months the swaying continues but the tugging stops.  The elephant is convinced they will never break free....so they stop trying.  Full grown elephants never forget that they are tied and can never escape.  They sway, but they do not pull.  This is why a small rope and picket can be used to keep the behemoths captive.  They never realize that the rope which held them so securely as a young elephant could easily be snapped or pulled free in their current state.  They are held captive only by the belief that they are captive.  In reality, they could leave anytime. 

Romans 8:1-19

So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.And because you belong to him, the power[a] of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death. The law of Moses was unable to save us because of the weakness of our sinful nature.[c] So God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins. He did this so that the just requirement of the law would be fully satisfied for us, who no longer follow our sinful nature but instead follow the Spirit.

Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace. For the sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never did obey God’s laws, and it never will. That’s why those who are still under the control of their sinful nature can never please God. But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you. (And remember that those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them do not belong to him at all.) And Christ lives within you, so even though your body will die because of sin, the Spirit gives you life because you have been made right with God. The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you.

Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do. For if you live by its dictates, you will die. But if through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature,you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children.[h] Now we call him, “Abba, Father.” For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children. And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering. Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later.  For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who his children really are.

Once you receive Christ, you are no longer a slave to sin.  You are no longer that baby elephant, you are reborn, recreated, given a new life, a new spirit!  Your old spirit was joined to Adam and his sin and death from the Garden of Eden.  Your new spirit is joined to Christ and HIS life and work, even his resurrection from the grave! You are no longer bound the rope of a curse and you no longer have to live as a slave to sin, you can snap that old rope any time you please.  How? In Christ. 

John 17:20-26 Jesus says:

"I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message. I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me. “I have given them the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are one.  I am in them and you are in me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me.  Father, I want these whom you have given me to be with me where I am. Then they can see all the glory you gave me because you loved me even before the world began!

 “O righteous Father, the world doesn’t know you, but I do; and these disciples know you sent me.  I have revealed you to them, and I will continue to do so. Then your love for me will be in them, and I will be in them.”

Jesus prayed specifically for you and me!  Jesus says, "I will be in them"  Jesus joins his life to ours through salvation!  What great news!

Colossians 1:26-29

This message was kept secret for centuries and generations past, but now it has been revealed to God’s people.  For God wanted them to know that the riches and glory of Christ are for you Gentiles, too. And this is the secret: Christ lives in you. This gives you assurance of sharing his glory.  So we tell others about Christ, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all the wisdom God has given us. We want to present them to God, perfect[a] in their relationship to Christ. That’s why I work and struggle so hard, depending on Christ’s mighty power that works within me

Paul elaborates further.  Not only is Christ in us, but we are able to work mightily because Christ is joined with us. Imagine that!  Our lives are joined with the one who is the great healer, the one who fed 5000 people, the one who walked on water, the one who called Lazarus forth from the grave, the one who casts down demons, the one who defeated death and rose from the grave himself, and the one who sits at the right hand of God the Father in heaven.  

Does this mean we never make mistakes? Does this mean we can't sin or fall or screw up big time? No, we still have a choice, but it does mean that when temptation comes instead of fighting a battle, instead of dwelling on past sin, instead of living as a captive, we can turn to Christ, we can live IN CHRIST and we can hold on to him. And when we do screw up, we can lay down guilt and shame and the belief that we will never get this right, and claim God's word that I am still, always, IN CHRIST.  While we struggle and while we may live with the consequences of our sins, we can still rejoice and walk forward IN CHRIST rather than remain a slave tied to sin. 

Romans 8:31-39

"What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us?  Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else? Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one—for God himself has given us right standing with himself. Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us.

Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.” No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[b] neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord."

This!  This is the Good News! Not only is it freedom from death - it is freedom to life and freedom from sin and it's rule over our lives.  This Good News is that we are joined with Christ and all things secure, unable to moved from our standing in Christ.  Praise God!  Hallelujah!