“God is most glorified in me when I am most satisfied in Him.” (John Piper) This sentence has had a grip on me for quite some time. I have memorized it, filtered many things I do and think through these words, and I have tried to comprehend human satisfaction here on earth while dissecting what it means to glorify Him. I believe this statement to be true. However, I feel like a failure. I am certain that my life doesn’t show that the glory of the Lord has satisfied the longings of my heart when I continue to search for more, or better, or… in short, sin. Truthfully, I struggle with finding contentment in Him alone. I want Him and….
“I am the bread of life; he who comes to me shall not hunger, and he who believes in me shall never thirst". (John 6:35).
As I read and reread this verse, I can’t help but to ask myself: Am I drinking from the right well?
This, of course, takes my mind back to a tidbit I read somewhere about the symbol of the cup. You see, back in the days of David, well before Jesus walked the earth (somewhere between 1140 B.C. and 586 B.C) the cup was used as a significant symbol. The host would use it to send a message to his guests. If your cup, as a guest, was kept full, you were still welcomed. If your cup grew empty then the host was letting you know, your time of visiting was over. However, and this is the part that I love, if the host was really enjoying your company, he would not only fill your cup but fill it until it was overflowing onto the table and running off onto the floor. Can you picture it? Can you picture being wanted, enjoyed and loved so much that Our Heavenly Host not only fills our lives with His presence, His love, His everything…He actually gives us more than we need…He gives abundantly. And unconditionally.
There have been so many times in my life that I’ve excused myself from His table, not accepted His invitation to stay as He is about to refill my cup. I have hidden, I have been distracted and I have not allowed Him to fill my cup. Instead, I’ve tried to fill it myself out of my own selfishness. How humbling it is for me to write these words. When I come to the end of myself, and I hear His ever-present whisper, calling me back to His table, I show up empty and ashamed. This is where I am in my life: ashamed and thirsty but I know without a doubt He has saved a seat for me and my cup has been kept full in anticipation of my return. I write with tears in my eyes at the realization of my disobedience, stubbornness, and spoiled attitude I’ve had towards Him. In pondering all of this I think I’ve come to the conclusion that we won’t be fully satisfied this side of heaven. Perhaps we aren’t meant to be, that our longings are actually His invitation to draw closer to Him.
How my heart longs desperately to see the reflection of Christ when I stoop down to drink from His well. I know that when I do, His glory will satisfy the longings of my heart, my thirst will be quenched. I believe this is His invitation to join Him at His table…that it’s His desire to pour Himself over me (and my table) completely.
Saturday, July 26, 2008
Friday, July 18, 2008
Flower Petals We Are Not!
Most likely you’ve heard the quotes: “Don’t just stand there, do something” and “Life isn’t a free ride”. I don’t know whom to credit for these words that have subconsciously lingered in the back of my mind and seeped needlessly into all areas of my life, including my relationship with the Lord. Although I know my thinking to be false, I often times fall into the trap of thinking that I can do something to earn God’s favor…to make Him love me more. Or help Him justify why He chose me, of all people. He knew exactly what He was getting when He chose me but somehow I think I can make my sin up to Him by serving Him more or better or harder in addition to asking for forgiveness. Why do I do this time and time again, when I know God simply says to believe in Him?
We are “do-ers”. It makes us feel like we are contributing to mankind as well as to God’s kingdom. It gives us value and purpose, which lead to feeling as though we have earned something for our efforts. Sometimes it’s a paycheck or the feeling of being needed and finding acceptance. Not necessarily bad things. However, I wonder if we have taken something healthy, such as working and serving too far. If we are looking for fulfillment through the vary things we say we’re doing for the Lord rather than getting our needs met through the Lord. We need to be honest with ourselves when we answer the question: Are we serving man or God?
Why do we think and live as though it’s not enough to simply bask in His presence and acceptance of us?
“Be still and know that I am God.”
This old hymn comes to mind frequently. I haven’t sung it since I was a young girl but boy, have these simple words stayed tucked away in the deepest crevices of my heart. Not until I sat with them recently, attempting to comprehend their simplicity did I truly grasp their meaning.
“Be still and know that I am God.” (Ps. 46:10) Notice it doesn’t say anything about paying Him back (not that we could). Notice also, that is doesn’t say, try to be still. It simply says, be still. God doesn’t command us to do (or not do) something that He believes is impossible. He is saying cease from business, from things of earthly value. He doesn’t actually need us to carry out His business. He didn’t necessarily create us for that purpose. He did, however, create us for relationship with Him!
The second part of this verse tells us to know God. The Complete Word Study Dictionary defines this as “to know, to learn, to perceive, to discern, to experience, to confess, to consider, to know people relationally, to know how, to be skillful, to be made known, to make oneself known, to make to know”. This is the most common definition of this word out of its 800 uses in the Bible. To sum it up: make an effort to know Him from the inside out!
Resting in His presence doesn’t necessarily look and feel like service to a Martha kind of gal, like myself. I most likely will struggle with balancing what to do, when to do it and who to do it for the rest of my life. That, I believe, is human nature. I have been gifted with times of fulfillment, assurance, acceptance, and immeasurable peace in times of seemingly no effort on my part. I relish in those times and I know that is what He's all about. I believe it is out of the overflow of this love relationship that we serve with a pure heart. Serve out of love, not obligation.
I believe with all my heart that God is far more interested in a relationship with us than in what we can do for Him. He does not watch our lives and with each thing we do or don’t do and say, “I love her, I love her not” We are not flower petals in His garden; we are His sons and daughters, whom He loves. Period!
We are “do-ers”. It makes us feel like we are contributing to mankind as well as to God’s kingdom. It gives us value and purpose, which lead to feeling as though we have earned something for our efforts. Sometimes it’s a paycheck or the feeling of being needed and finding acceptance. Not necessarily bad things. However, I wonder if we have taken something healthy, such as working and serving too far. If we are looking for fulfillment through the vary things we say we’re doing for the Lord rather than getting our needs met through the Lord. We need to be honest with ourselves when we answer the question: Are we serving man or God?
Why do we think and live as though it’s not enough to simply bask in His presence and acceptance of us?
“Be still and know that I am God.”
This old hymn comes to mind frequently. I haven’t sung it since I was a young girl but boy, have these simple words stayed tucked away in the deepest crevices of my heart. Not until I sat with them recently, attempting to comprehend their simplicity did I truly grasp their meaning.
“Be still and know that I am God.” (Ps. 46:10) Notice it doesn’t say anything about paying Him back (not that we could). Notice also, that is doesn’t say, try to be still. It simply says, be still. God doesn’t command us to do (or not do) something that He believes is impossible. He is saying cease from business, from things of earthly value. He doesn’t actually need us to carry out His business. He didn’t necessarily create us for that purpose. He did, however, create us for relationship with Him!
The second part of this verse tells us to know God. The Complete Word Study Dictionary defines this as “to know, to learn, to perceive, to discern, to experience, to confess, to consider, to know people relationally, to know how, to be skillful, to be made known, to make oneself known, to make to know”. This is the most common definition of this word out of its 800 uses in the Bible. To sum it up: make an effort to know Him from the inside out!
Resting in His presence doesn’t necessarily look and feel like service to a Martha kind of gal, like myself. I most likely will struggle with balancing what to do, when to do it and who to do it for the rest of my life. That, I believe, is human nature. I have been gifted with times of fulfillment, assurance, acceptance, and immeasurable peace in times of seemingly no effort on my part. I relish in those times and I know that is what He's all about. I believe it is out of the overflow of this love relationship that we serve with a pure heart. Serve out of love, not obligation.
I believe with all my heart that God is far more interested in a relationship with us than in what we can do for Him. He does not watch our lives and with each thing we do or don’t do and say, “I love her, I love her not” We are not flower petals in His garden; we are His sons and daughters, whom He loves. Period!
Saturday, July 12, 2008
Adultery?
I’m not so sure I am all that different from Hester Prynne, the adulteress in Nathaniel Hawthorn’s 1850’s novel, The Scarlet Letter. Her life held far more sorrow, grief and complexity than mine yet I feel a connection that I can’t easily dismiss. What we remember most about the story is that she committed adultery and for her sin she was forced to wear a scarlet letter “A” on her chest, telling the world of her infidelity. She was shunned and publicly ostracized. My connection to her is this: I, too, have been unfaithful. I have been a thief, a liar and cheated the One who loves me most. My devotion and affection for Him seemingly ebbs more than it flows. And I tend to give my "first fruits" (my best) to someone other than Him. I take what I want from our relationship, give only what I want to give, all the while expecting Him to be faithful to me, do things for me, bless and protect me. Is this an attitude that stems from a genuine relationship with the Lord? Most of us would agree that it isn’t and in the same breath say,” but that isn’t adultery”. I challenge you to define adultery and then look at your own relationship with the Lord. (Yikes, I know!)
I once read a quote by John Piper that said something to the affect of:
True relationship is not looking to see what you can get out of it. A relationship must be one that is rooted in something first, namely, a delight in the beauty and excellency of God’s character.
Do we know God, really? Or do we only know what He did for us? (not that I am discounting His immeasurable acts of love for us, not at all!) Another way to think about this question: Do we put more value on the gift than on that of the Giver? I think how we answer these questions will determine if we, as Christians, are really all that different from the rest of the world. We can’t put our hope into the Lord and His promises and then live like the world: depending on money, material things, prestige, etc. This would be robbing our Bridegroom the opportunity to glorify Himself in and through our lives.
True contentment comes from faithfulness. Which in short means that we're spending time with Him, that we're in relationship with Him. God often doesn't seem tangible to us, which makes it easy to neglect Him or call on Him only when we need Him. However, the more time I spend getting to know Him (through His Word and prayer), the easier He is to see all around me. God doesn't play hide and seek with us. I believe He always makes Himself easy to find!
I desire to know my Savior far more intimately that I do. I want to live a life pleasing to Him, honoring Him, giving Him the glory that is due His name and His name alone. I am convinced that it is not enough to simply know about him and then live my life however I please. That is not a relationship. That is stealing the most valuable gift from our Beloved who has given us so much more than we deserve.
To say I am grateful that Christ bore my scarlet letter isn’t enough. It just isn’t enough.
"The way we live and the decisions we make are most influenced by the condition of our hearts." Dave Foran (Exec. Director, bible.org)
I once read a quote by John Piper that said something to the affect of:
True relationship is not looking to see what you can get out of it. A relationship must be one that is rooted in something first, namely, a delight in the beauty and excellency of God’s character.
Do we know God, really? Or do we only know what He did for us? (not that I am discounting His immeasurable acts of love for us, not at all!) Another way to think about this question: Do we put more value on the gift than on that of the Giver? I think how we answer these questions will determine if we, as Christians, are really all that different from the rest of the world. We can’t put our hope into the Lord and His promises and then live like the world: depending on money, material things, prestige, etc. This would be robbing our Bridegroom the opportunity to glorify Himself in and through our lives.
True contentment comes from faithfulness. Which in short means that we're spending time with Him, that we're in relationship with Him. God often doesn't seem tangible to us, which makes it easy to neglect Him or call on Him only when we need Him. However, the more time I spend getting to know Him (through His Word and prayer), the easier He is to see all around me. God doesn't play hide and seek with us. I believe He always makes Himself easy to find!
I desire to know my Savior far more intimately that I do. I want to live a life pleasing to Him, honoring Him, giving Him the glory that is due His name and His name alone. I am convinced that it is not enough to simply know about him and then live my life however I please. That is not a relationship. That is stealing the most valuable gift from our Beloved who has given us so much more than we deserve.
To say I am grateful that Christ bore my scarlet letter isn’t enough. It just isn’t enough.
"The way we live and the decisions we make are most influenced by the condition of our hearts." Dave Foran (Exec. Director, bible.org)
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Rescued?
Rescued. This is a word that has repeatedly come to mind these past weeks as I have had the privilege to hear so many stories. These stories have made a lasting impression upon my heart and without a doubt; I have been impacted for life! Stories of renewed faith, of forgiveness, of lives redirected… Praise the Lord! Absolutely! I have also heard stories that have brought me to tears long after the words were spoken. The discouragement, pain and heartache seem too much for any one person and you wonder along side her as she cries out, “where was God? Why didn’t He rescue me?” I think all of us at one time or another have asked this question.
I want to point you to the life of Paul. Oh, how I love that the journey of his life was left for us in the Bible. Paul was terribly beaten and left for dead many times for sharing the gospel of Christ and yet Paul still says that, “… the Lord rescued me from them all.” (2 Timothy 3:10-11) Don’t you wonder how he could say that the Lord rescued him after he was beaten and left for dead? Where was the rescue? What did he mean by that? He certainly wasn’t spared pain or beamed up to the heavens invisibly at just the time he was about to be flogged again. So…how does he say so confidently that the Lord rescued him?
The Greek definition for the word rescued left me with a lot to ponder and may be insightful for you as well. Rescued means, “to drag along the ground, to draw or to snatch from danger, rescue, deliver. This is more with the meaning of drawing to oneself than merely rescuing from someone or something.” Rescuing is more about drawing us closer to the Lord than being delivered from a particular situation. Think about that for a minuet. When have we felt closest to the Lord? In times of difficulty and struggle don’t we cry out to him to deliver us from that particular trial? And although there are times when we have been spared pain and heartache, there are also times when we have to go through it. And when we’re forced to go through it and we rely on the Lord, there is a peace and an assurance. Our deliverance comes when we are dragged, sometimes along the rocky ground and after we have been truly beaten down by the world, from the enemy of our souls to the heart of God. This brings my mind to that of what James tells us, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know the testing of your faith develops perseverance. (James 1:2-3) We need to remember that we will experience hardships. The Lord says that it is inevitable because we are in a battle not against flesh and blood but against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” (Eph. 6:12) Take heart Beloved, the Lord is with you. Perhaps He has rescued you…just not in the way you thought He would. He loves you as you are and wants so much for you to cry out to Him in the midst of your pain, to draw close to Him. When you do sincerely and whole-heartedly, I believe He will reveal Himself to you and wrap His loving arms around you. You will be rescued; you will be drawn to Him.
I want to point you to the life of Paul. Oh, how I love that the journey of his life was left for us in the Bible. Paul was terribly beaten and left for dead many times for sharing the gospel of Christ and yet Paul still says that, “… the Lord rescued me from them all.” (2 Timothy 3:10-11) Don’t you wonder how he could say that the Lord rescued him after he was beaten and left for dead? Where was the rescue? What did he mean by that? He certainly wasn’t spared pain or beamed up to the heavens invisibly at just the time he was about to be flogged again. So…how does he say so confidently that the Lord rescued him?
The Greek definition for the word rescued left me with a lot to ponder and may be insightful for you as well. Rescued means, “to drag along the ground, to draw or to snatch from danger, rescue, deliver. This is more with the meaning of drawing to oneself than merely rescuing from someone or something.” Rescuing is more about drawing us closer to the Lord than being delivered from a particular situation. Think about that for a minuet. When have we felt closest to the Lord? In times of difficulty and struggle don’t we cry out to him to deliver us from that particular trial? And although there are times when we have been spared pain and heartache, there are also times when we have to go through it. And when we’re forced to go through it and we rely on the Lord, there is a peace and an assurance. Our deliverance comes when we are dragged, sometimes along the rocky ground and after we have been truly beaten down by the world, from the enemy of our souls to the heart of God. This brings my mind to that of what James tells us, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know the testing of your faith develops perseverance. (James 1:2-3) We need to remember that we will experience hardships. The Lord says that it is inevitable because we are in a battle not against flesh and blood but against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” (Eph. 6:12) Take heart Beloved, the Lord is with you. Perhaps He has rescued you…just not in the way you thought He would. He loves you as you are and wants so much for you to cry out to Him in the midst of your pain, to draw close to Him. When you do sincerely and whole-heartedly, I believe He will reveal Himself to you and wrap His loving arms around you. You will be rescued; you will be drawn to Him.
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