Posted on May 28, 2009 at 7:24am.
It is easy to believe that worshipping other gods is an Old Testament thing with golden calves, statues, and poles. It is easy to think that way, so that we don’t have to look at the things that we put before God. The author in Deuteronomy 13 is probing his readers love for God, our love for God, to discover if we love him with all our heart and with all our soul. And then he follows it up with an admonishment, “It is the Lord your God you must follow, and him you must revere. Keep his commandments and hold fast to him.” I hold on to a lot. I hold on to people, I hold on to things, I hold on to ideas, hopes, desires, wants. I hold on to a lot. I am praying this morning for the courage to let all these things fall out of my grip, so that I may hold fast to Jesus. Easier said, than done, but I am relying on the Holy Spirit to move me, strengthen me, empower me to hold fast today.
Posted on May 21, 2009 at 1:22pm.
Let’s be honest. We go to a lot of events that our kids are a part of that are literally painful. Some of those recitals and school plays are rough, and tough to survive. In the beginning I took videos of everything, then still shots, and now I don’t even think to bring a camera. Thank God for texting. Last night while I waited through three hours of a musical buffet to hear my child sing in a group of 50 for 5 minutes, I was able to catch up with friends, and finish a couple of projects at work all through the wonderful gift of texting. Terri was home sick, or I never would have gotten away with that. Then, my little girl, all grown up now, hit the stage, and I had an attitude change. It dawned on me that a year or so from now there will be no more karate exhibitions, plays, or recitals. I will miss these painful presents. I will just be happy at that point if they text me
Posted on May 19, 2009 at 7:57am.
Yesterday started rough, with back to back meetings all morning. Then right smack in the middle of a busy schedule a Divine appointment was added. I was told by the receptionist that there was a man waiting to see me. Sure this was a man, but he had the face of a boy I met almost 19 years ago, a kid who was a part of this ministry years back. He has been searching for Christ his whole life, looking to everything and anything else, and finally ended up back in a place where he once remembered and felt something very different. He came home looking for Jesus. And yesterday, the Kingdom expanded by one. Praise God!
Posted on May 18, 2009 at 7:50am.
I did not want to come to the office today. Starting the week heavy, and weighed down. I enjoyed a Sunday of serious overeating. Seconds, and thirds at lunch yesterday - one of the best mac and cheeses sweet Terri has ever made. Then homemade pizza for dinner, and the biggest bowl of ice cream covered with M&M’s and chocolate sauce I have had in quite some time (because quantities of dairy like that typically give me a migraine). So this morning I was glad it was a bit cooler, threw on a bulky sweater, and have begun to muddle into the day, while inside feeling nauseous, and a bit sluggish. But beyond the physical I am feeling heavy with the weight of turmoil going on in the lives of so many around me, so much grief, pain, and hardship. Feeling the weight of decisions in front of me at church and at home. And once again, starting over - coming to Jesus the author and perfector of my faith. Looking for to Him as a weak man, and heavy laden, and expecting to find rest and relief.
Posted on May 13, 2009 at 8:07am.
That is the message of Deuteronomy 8. God’s people are reminded not to forget Him, and the works He has done. “He led you all the way in the desert”, “He humbled you causing you to hunger, then feeding you with manna”, “as a man disciplines his son, so the Lord your God disciplines you”, God is bringing you to a good land”, “BE CAREFUL THAT YOU DO NOT FORGET THE LORD YOUR GOD”, “who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. He led you through the vast and dreadful desert”. God did a mighty work for, and in His people, and He has done a mighty work in me, and in you. I was reminded in this chapter how I was led, humbled, fed, disciplined, brought to a new place, brought out of the sin my life was enslaved to, and led through some pretty dreadful desert experiences in my journey. God has done a mighty work in His people, in me, in you. May we never forget that work, or forget Him, and may our history be used to empower us to trust Him for the call on allof our lives, and keep us em-pathetically humble to those who need the same rescuing and saving that we have received. I remember His work, and am so very grateful.
