God has been growing me in my decision-making. He is teaching me to read the indicators of what He is doing around me and in me. Where does He have me in the Word? What is the theme(s) right now of His journey with me in transformation? What is He doing in people around me? What circumstances is He highlighting in response to the decisions I am making? Where is He taking me in prayer? When life is a constant prayer processing with my Shepherd, I'll recognize His voice and follow His leading.
The story of Balaam's donkey provides a wonderful example of being attentive to God's indicators for leading us. His donkey spoke to say "Why have you struck me these three times?" He reprimanded Balaam for not recognizing that he (the donkey) was acting out of character when he ran off the road, pressed him into the wall and laid down. He asked Balaam to consider whether he had done that before, or anything other than fulfilling his duties. Then Balaam realized these were indications that God was putting a block in his way. He had missed it. Was he so set on going that he was no longer watching attentively for what God was doing and saying? God never wants me to hold onto a plan He lays out as the final, unchanging plan. His plans are "living plans" and subject to His remolding, honing, redefining.
Friday, 5 March 2010
Thursday, 4 March 2010
Transforming Beauty (Poem written in Turkey)
Thistle in a desert place
Robed with ragged, thorny leaf
Orb of spears, first budding face
Cruel, protective sheath
Spark within sentinel of swords
Awakens delicate desert flower
Pushing forth to wield its charms
Of beauty’s conquering power
Though few the first, flow’rs multiply
Till rigid thorns are crowded ‘bout
With lovely veil & gentle song
Who thorns’ sharp chords drown out
Sparkling
We said no this week. It was a hard no. No to a shimmering gem: time with people we love and have history with, who shine for Him in dark places; and going to a place we love because of the sweet memories He gave us there. No to what looked like a jewel. But saying yes would have caused our own hearts to be dulled. He has called us to a sabbath life so that we have space to walk in intimacy and connection with Him. Ignoring this dulls His glory in us. Faith and obedience exhibit His beauty. Our loved friends deserve a 'shining one' to come and share with them. Our schedule revealed no room for sabbath living if we chose to say yes. We want to live in such a way as to be sparklers as we hold out the word of life.
Phil 2:15-16: "...so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life-..."
Phil 2:15-16: "...so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life-..."
Wednesday, 3 March 2010
The Eternal Boundaries of Deciding
Are we making decisions by seeing God at work, or by what is practical? By watching the Master's hand for any movement/indicators, or in response to the temporal? (Ps. 123:1,2)
Reflections on Jeremiah 5:21-25. I chose this portion to meditate on because it is about the fear of God. But as I meditated, the Lord took me to the whole pattern of decision-making and responding to Him. The line that stood out was vs 22: "'Do you not fear Me?' declares the LORD. 'Do you not tremble in My presence? For I have placed the sand as a boundary for the sea, an eternal decree, so it cannot cross over it. Though the waves toss, yet they cannot prevail; though they roar, yet they cannot cross over it. ":23-25: 'But this people has a stubborn and rebellious heart; they have turned aside and departed. They do not say in their heart, "Let us now fear the LORD our God, who gives rain in its season, both the autumn rain and the spring rain, who keeps for us the appointed weeks of the harvest." Your iniquities have turned these away, and your sins have withheld good from you.'"
I reflected on what it means to 'tremble' in His presence. Therein lies the key to walking in holiness and fear. The waters and seasons stay within God's command. They would never presume to "turn aside" or "depart". These are pictures to us of the evidence of God's power and presence. This is His desire for me, that I'm ever looking to see evidence of how He is at work around me, and let that guide my way and the ordering of my day; not the urgent, not the time, not the cost, not the demands of others. I'll be at peace within the bounds He sets.
LORD, I ask You to set the 'eternal decree' in my heart that will enable me to recognize the boundaries You have for me, the plans you have for me, and the decisions you want me to make according to discerning the indications around me that are unfolding Your desires. Give me supernatural eyes and a heart that easily detects falsehood, Satanic intervention, fleshly leanings. Teach me to tremble in Your presence, LORD; to regard what You are saying as holy. Guard me from rebellion and stubborness. Keep me in tune with Your covenant ways. The ocean won't cross the boundary because of Your covenant not to flood the earth again. My covenant with You is that You want to flood me with goodness, grace, love, peace and joy, but my sins "withhold good" from me. May it not be so, LORD. I repent of all the times I've trusted my own wisdom or relied on things of this world to make decisions and judgments. Forgive me, Father.
Reflections on Jeremiah 5:21-25. I chose this portion to meditate on because it is about the fear of God. But as I meditated, the Lord took me to the whole pattern of decision-making and responding to Him. The line that stood out was vs 22: "'Do you not fear Me?' declares the LORD. 'Do you not tremble in My presence? For I have placed the sand as a boundary for the sea, an eternal decree, so it cannot cross over it. Though the waves toss, yet they cannot prevail; though they roar, yet they cannot cross over it. ":23-25: 'But this people has a stubborn and rebellious heart; they have turned aside and departed. They do not say in their heart, "Let us now fear the LORD our God, who gives rain in its season, both the autumn rain and the spring rain, who keeps for us the appointed weeks of the harvest." Your iniquities have turned these away, and your sins have withheld good from you.'"
I reflected on what it means to 'tremble' in His presence. Therein lies the key to walking in holiness and fear. The waters and seasons stay within God's command. They would never presume to "turn aside" or "depart". These are pictures to us of the evidence of God's power and presence. This is His desire for me, that I'm ever looking to see evidence of how He is at work around me, and let that guide my way and the ordering of my day; not the urgent, not the time, not the cost, not the demands of others. I'll be at peace within the bounds He sets.
LORD, I ask You to set the 'eternal decree' in my heart that will enable me to recognize the boundaries You have for me, the plans you have for me, and the decisions you want me to make according to discerning the indications around me that are unfolding Your desires. Give me supernatural eyes and a heart that easily detects falsehood, Satanic intervention, fleshly leanings. Teach me to tremble in Your presence, LORD; to regard what You are saying as holy. Guard me from rebellion and stubborness. Keep me in tune with Your covenant ways. The ocean won't cross the boundary because of Your covenant not to flood the earth again. My covenant with You is that You want to flood me with goodness, grace, love, peace and joy, but my sins "withhold good" from me. May it not be so, LORD. I repent of all the times I've trusted my own wisdom or relied on things of this world to make decisions and judgments. Forgive me, Father.
Thursday, 25 February 2010
For His glory
John 9:3-4 records, "It was neither that this man sinned, nor his parents; but it was so that the works of God might be displayed in him."
I was moved by the man born blind from birth. He experienced all of those years of darkness so that he could be a backdrop of God's glory! Is that unfair? No! That is what we are made for-- designed to bring glory to our Father. How do we get off track from our image-bearing to think this life is all about comfort or happiness? The greatest privilege we have is to be bearers of glory, to live life in such a way and relate to God in such a way that He may speak out, "This is [my daughter] in whom I am well-pleased."
I was moved by the man born blind from birth. He experienced all of those years of darkness so that he could be a backdrop of God's glory! Is that unfair? No! That is what we are made for-- designed to bring glory to our Father. How do we get off track from our image-bearing to think this life is all about comfort or happiness? The greatest privilege we have is to be bearers of glory, to live life in such a way and relate to God in such a way that He may speak out, "This is [my daughter] in whom I am well-pleased."
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
