Tag: Fear the Lord

The wilderness

Moses ran to the wilderness. It was in this self-imposed exile that he prepared for his great work. He then led the people of Israel through the wilderness for many years on their journey to their promised land and the work of building a nation.

Elijah also prepared in the dessert for his great mission. After the great triumph over the prophets of Baal he ran back to the wilderness; afraid, alone and seeking comfort from God.

Even Nebuchadnezzar was sent out into the wilderness to live like a beast. Learning in his madness of his place before God.

John the baptist was a man of the fields. Living off of honey and locusts, staying in the wilderness and speaking to all that would seek him out.

Jesus spent 40 days in the wilderness where he also prepared for the great work of his life. Fasting, praying and facing temptations, when he emerged he was fully ready to start the great work of returning God’s people to His care.

It feels to me like we are currently in the wilderness. I am not sure how long it will last, I am not sure what will happen next. Even the best guesses are at this point just guesses, time will tell what occurs next. But I do feel deep in my bones that we are being prepared for a great change.

We need to look at this wilderness and remember that we are being prepared for what comes next. Let us spend less time (and I’m looking squarely at myself here) worrying about what is to come, and focus on what we can gain and learn from this period. Accept the wilderness and grow. We need it to face tomorrow.

Better as two

I find it hard to think of the word marriage without thinking of the scene from The Princess Bride, “Mawwiage…”

This is another issue we have complicated with other ideas like patriarchy, power imbalance, sexual freedom etc. We can’t discuss marriage, for fear of offending the non-typical expressions of the institution that exist in our society.

Again this should be far more simple. Maybe it is no more complicated than, life is better when you don’t face it alone.

The morning after my husband had a stroke I returned home, slept for two hours and then got up and tried to organize the job site that he was working at. I then got the kids sorted out and off to school. I looked passed their shattered zombi-like responses and told them sticking to the routine would help. I then answered phone calls from concerned family and friends.

After all that I found myself alone, with no immediate task to face. I was told Wes would be having tests in the morning, so I wasn’t in a rush to get back to the hospital. It was at this point I felt it. It was physical, not just emotional. It was painful. I felt like I had been ripped in half.

I was staring at the reality that I might have to carry on in life without my partner. I would be alone. A wounded half person facing the grimness of life.

Could I have done it if I had to? Yes. But, I’d rather have my partner and helper back. Maybe this is the true power of marriage; the strength of knowing that you have someone completely on your team. The two of you against the world.

I for one am thrilled to still have my other half. I’m happy to have my husband by my side to walk through the trials of life together.

It isn’t good for us to be alone.

Genesis 2: 18 The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone.
I will make a helper suitable for him.”

Starting over

I was amazed how quickly my six year old son could wear out a pair of jeans. The knees would go first.

The fabric begins by looking a little worn. Then a small tear would appear in the middle of the knee area. That small tear would soon be a full fledged rip. Sometimes I would patch the rip. Then the other knee would go. Sometimes the hem at the back of the leg would also fray. Depending on how long the pants were. The constant wear of walking, fraying the fabric. Even the back pockets would sometime tear – not sure how this was happening, but it would.

At some point I would look at the jeans and decide there was no point continuing to patch them. They would be tossed in the rag pile and I’d have to go buy a new pair of pants.

This has been happening to our society. We have been experience this wear and tear on the social fabric for years. We’ve acknowledged the problems and patched them where we could. The handling of the Covid crisis was a major and violent rip in the social fabric. This was possible because the threads holding up our society were already shockingly week.

It is time to go back to the beginning to start over. We need to stop trying to figure out how to save this pair of pants and rethink the whole thing. Go back to the beginning. Go back to the Creator, the Word, the Spirit. We need to establish what is most important and begin to elevate that. We need to throw our weight behind our values.

Here is a good place to start. When asked to say which is the greatest commandment, Jesus responded.

Matthew 22: 37-40 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

Letting God lead

I was listening to a Scottish preacher that I enjoy, and he started his sermon with what he called an “old Anglican prayer.” I had never heard it before. I am staggered by its profound simplicity.

It went, “Father, what we know not, teach us. What we have not, give us. What we are not, make us. For your Son’s sake. Amen.”

What I like most about these poignant thoughts is that they have the correct order. Much of the praying I do is God, if it’s your will, help me do this, or that. I am specifying what I think needs to be done. In fairness, I am open to His guidance, but I am the one doing the thinking.

This little prayer puts the ball in God’s court. It recognizes that he understands the bigger picture and will have a view that I don’t have. By petitioning him in this manner I allow him to guide my life. He is in charge of what I need to learn, or have or be. Not me. My vision for the future is subservient to His.

This is one of life’s hardest lessons. For me this is a daily struggle. I see what others around me are doing, I see the successes they have, the direction, the sureness and then I look at my own life (which is a complete mess). I have no idea what to do next, but I feel the weight of action. I have no idea how to fix my problems, but I feel the guilt of inactivity. I have no idea how to relate to the world but I feel the judgment of all around me.

This prayer helps me, in a very practical way, hand it all to God.

The noise deafens

Turn it all off. Turn off the noise, the tv, the voices that invade our minds. How is anyone expected to stay sane with all this noise?

Christ lived in a time so foreign to our own. We have great challenges that Christians have never faced before. The distractions and ever present media. It is almost impossible to navigate and move forward. I can turn off the noise, but if no one else does how does that help?

I am looking down the barrel of some pretty ugly days. People have allowed the voices to fill them with fear and anger. I watch as our society is covered by a cloak of virtue but the fruit is hate and distrust.

I have no confidence in mankind today. NONE.

We have to find a path back to God. We have to learn to love others, even if they are wrong, even if they do us harm, even if they wield power, even if they are the underdog, even if they protest what we value. All of us! Not one of us is free of sin. We all hang in the balance.

I honestly don’t even have the words to pray any more. I just pray that God will know and do what is best. I have no ideas, no thoughts.

I am completely empty and I have to put myself fully in his hands.

Do I need to have faith in humanity to be a Christian? Can I be cynical and dejected and still follow him? Is there a different way?

What is forgiveness? What does it look like?

Maybe it looks like a man beaten, bleeding, dying on a cross asking the God of Heaven to forgive the people who put him there. That is a high bar.

Luke 23: 34 Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what
they are doing.” And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.

Lessons from life

I got a call last week from someone, I haven’t seen or talked to in years. She was ‘concerned’ about my political stance. Not sure how she knows what it is, as she never actually asked me about it. She just knew. The worst part was a subtle disapproval of me as a Christian. My politics are different, therefore I wasn’t understanding Jesus, and I am not really a Christian.

This was upsetting to say the least. I know many people with whom I have different politics, but I have never done anyone the disservice of presuming they are not a member of His kingdom.

Then I started to think of my Grandmother. She befriended the people no one else valued. She stayed connected to the woman whose extramarital affair broke up more than her own family. She stayed friends with the person who let alcohol drag her from the centre of polite society. She loved the unlovable. She may not have approved of their life choices, but she loved them anyhow.

Why? That wasn’t her job. Just as it isn’t my job to rank others on the ‘Christian’ scale. It is not my job to condemn others over disagreements in policy. Or to judge people who make different life choices.

Let us not let our fervor for God or what we think as the ‘right’ way tempt us. We have no right to assume the position of judge. When we do so, we are claiming the position of God – something that even Jesus was unwilling to do.

James 4: 12 There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you—who are you to judge your neighbor?

Look to God

These are strange days. You know it. I know it. Something has gone wrong and everything that was chugging along nicely, now seems disconnected and broken. Relationships that used to be easy are now strained. Ideas that used to be commonly held are now questioned. Beliefs that were once respected are now considered immoral.

No matter where you come from the world is out of step. We no longer stand on firm ground. This uncertainty is making people angry and frustrated. We want to force our view on others, we want to fix the problems as we see them. This urge is visible everywhere.

As God’s people, what do we do?

First, we remember who is the great foundation of our life. We look to the rock on which we built our house. Focus on God.

Second, we emulate God. We “walk in the way of love.” By doing this we serve those around us, but we can also create a sense of stability. In the same way a flotation device offers safety to a drowning man. We can be that ‘something’ that people hang onto.

Third, we look to God for strength. We are not strong enough to tackle this world and its trials, but God is. Lean on him. Lean into His love and His salvation.

None of these actions are easy. It will take firmness of character.

What I am suggesting is radical. Stop listening to the world and its directions. Focus on God.

Ephesians 5: 15-16 Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.

Fireworks

We have had the opportunity to see several lovely displays of fireworks this summer. I’m always thrilled with fireworks. Such a glory of light in the dark sky. It is always wonderful to see how much the kids enjoy it also.

This year as I watched, I couldn’t help but wonder, if this is what man can create what would God do? What did the creation of the world look like? What wonder and glory were revealed and displayed as he spoke the world into being.

One day we may know. For now, I can only presume it would be more awe-inspiring than I could handle. Like Moses, I would likely have to hide my face from the sheer magnificence.

Self-doubt

Often when I think about the Bible I find people within it’s pages to whom I relate. I admire Esther’s courage and willingness to be used for the good of her people. I wish I were more like David, who confidently strode into battle with Goliath because of his confidence in God. I love Mary’s heart as she watches her Son become the Messiah.

Perhaps the story that hits closest to home is the story of Moses when he is called to go back to Egypt to save God’s people. Moses sees a bush burning, but it isn’t spreading or burning up. He thinks, “That’s strange” and investigates. Before he knows it he’s standing barefoot, covering his face, talking to the creator of the Universe.

God tells him he wants him to go back and rescue the Israelite people. Moses says, “What if…” God answers. Moses says, “What do I do when…” God answers. God shows him miracles he can preform. Even after all this Moses says, “I’m not a good speaker, you better send someone else.”

Moses is talking to God through a burning bush. God is showing him how to do miracles and when he says, “Go” Moses thinks, “Nah, you can find someone better.” Do you think it might enter Moses mind, that if God had a better choice he would know about it?

I am too often like Moses. My own self-doubt keeps me from feeling up to the task. I think of millions of reasons of why I am not worthy. But like Moses, this lack of confidence in oneself is actually lack of confidence in God’s ability. It was God who freed the Israelite people, it was by his power, Moses was just the vessel. I need to put my faith in the Great I Am and allow him to work in my life.

Exodus 4: 13-17 But Moses said, “Pardon your servant, Lord. Please send someone else.”
Then the Lord’s anger burned against Moses and he said, “What about your brother, Aaron the Levite? I know he can speak well. He is already on his way to meet you, and he will be glad to see you. You shall speak to him and put words in his mouth;
I will help both of you speak and will teach you what to do. He will speak to the people for you, and it will be as if he were your mouth and as if you were God to him. But take this staff in your hand so you can perform the signs with it.”