New Year’s Eve

Today, Neil wraps up with the second part of our foundational statements.  I intend to keep these pages handy and use them often during 2012.

And speaking of 2012, as the end of this year has come to a close, I’ve been reflecting a bit on how this little project has impacted my life…  For sure, it’s challenged me in matters of discipline and writing, but those were minor goals.

Over the year, I’ve had to dig in and really own the idea of who I am in Christ.  I’ve been grounded again in some of the basics of my faith; I’ve had renewed perspective on the truth of spiritual battle.  I’ve been healed and inspired as I’ve heard God’s voice speaking to me.

I’m still contemplating the direction for my blogging in 2012…  It may be obvious, but I won’t be trekking through Neil’s devotional again (although it was a wonderful experience).  Stay tuned – I will update this blog with my future intentions in a week or so.

How about you?  I know it’s been a while since we’ve had comments (which was cool – I heard from several of you that you were reading and enjoying while remaining anonymous), but I’d love to hear just a couple of lines from you if God has spoken something to you during this year.  

I wish you a blessed 2012 – may God continue to tend the seeds of His word so they can produce lots of fruit.  Love and grace to you - Happy New Year! 

Say it out loud

I know, it sounds hokey.  What’s the deal with Neil wanting us to read his stuff out loud?  And often? 

If you go back and read what Neil has written, it’s all based directly on scripture.  He combines and shortens, but God’s word is there. 

Here’s the thing – God’s word isn’t like any other book ever written.  It was God-breathed and has power to change our lives (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

It’s not a static thing; here’s what Hebrews says:

For the word of God is full of living power.  It is sharper than the sharpest knife, cutting deep into our innermost thoughts and desires…  Hebrews 4:12

If I remember right, in the NIV, the first part uses the phrase “living and active.”  Think about that – it is God’s breath, it’s alive, and it is an agent of change for us…

And about reading aloud…  There’s power in the spoken word in the spiritual realm.  We won’t understand it all this side of heaven, but here’s what Isaiah says:

The rain and the snow come down from the heavens and stay on the ground to water the earth.  They cause the grain to grow, producing seed for the farmer and bread for the hungry.  It is the same with My word.  I send it out and it always produces fruit.  It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it.  Isaiah 55:10-11

As we wind down to the last day of the year, I’m thankful to be drawn back to the sense of awe for God’s word; I’m looking forward to digging in deep in the new year.

Active vs. passive

Although it’s not correct according to grammar, today’s reading reminds us that the word Christian works as a verb, but not as an adjective.  Sure, it might describe the things I believe in, but if it’s a passive description, it’s not an accurate one.

We don’t get to just add Christ on to our lives.  You can take an old, rusty car and give it a shiny new paint job, but it’s still a piece of junk.  You need a new car.  When we allow Jesus to take over, radical transformation takes place – we become the new thing.

No, we’re called to be so much more than passive believers. 

Nobody can live my faith for me.  I might be inspired by other people, but I am responsible for my own spirituality.  Just like I make sure I eat every day, I take time to get fed spiritually, too.  I work at my faith; I strive, not to achieve salvation, but to experience all I can of this beautiful gift, salvation. 

Where’s the point of application for me?  I’m reminded of how important it is to keep my focus on the right things; I’m reminded to be battle-ready at a moment’s notice.  Growing passive can happen so easily; I’m challenged to stay intent as I follow Christ.

I’m responsible for what, now?

While reading today’s entry, it was hard to shake the mental image of Neil getting the emergency call, jumping in his Emergency Vehicle (think something between an ambulance and the Ghostbuster-mobile), and heading to the scene, sirens blaring.

Funny, but not helpful.

Sometimes his methods are a little iffy in my book, but the heart of what he was getting at is awesome.  We each are responsible for our own character, we’re directed not to judge someone else’s character, and we’re told to meet each other’s needs. 

Marriage, work, family relations – we all struggle from time to time with feeling like we’re being taken for granted.  If we don’t guard our heart, that feeling can lead us to a point where we are so focused on ourselves and our needs that we’ve lost sight of the other people involved.  And then, bad things happen.

Neil’s rockin’ it old school:  I’m responsible for my character.  I’m responsible to meet the needs of those around me.  Funny thing – when I’m doing those things, I’m not focusing on myself; when I’m taking on those right responsibilities, I’m truly happy.

Unconditional

I can reason my way into believing God’s love for me is unconditional.  After all, He made provision for my mess-ups long before I was born.  He sought me out, brought me into His family, and has given me an inheritance alongside His Son. 

I can remind myself of all the stories I’ve read, episodes from the Bible that show His character:  love.  He’s faithful, He rescues and restores, and He does it all because of His passionate, ongoing love for us.  For me. 

In the end, though, as easily as I can reason my way into something, I can reason my way out.  I can believe that I am the exception to the rule; surely, I test the limits of God’s patience.  If not now, than someday…

I live in a broken world with broken relationships, and this side of heaven, I’m not going to know – truly – what unconditional love looks like. 

But I get glimpses, and He whispers to me in that moment that I’m seeing evidence of Him… 

Making a commitment to marry my husband was a big deal for me.  It meant that I no longer got to hold something of myself back in case I got hurt.  It was a terrifying, thrilling experience.  And I haven’t regretted it for a day.

In the end, I simply have to decide to take that risk with God – believing He loves like He says He does – and logic has little to do with it.  It’s an act of my will; it’s a decision not to hold any part of myself back.  Regardless, He will always love me.

I think I’ve posted it before, but I’m drawn again to Romans 8:38-39:

And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from His love.  Death can’t, and life can’t.  The angels can’t, and the demons can’t.  Our fears for today, our worries about tomorrow, and even the powers of hell can’t keep God’s love away.  Whether we are high above the sky or in the deepest ocean, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Producing fruit

Today’s poem was sad and sweet; the thing in today’s reading that caught my attention, though, was this:  Our goal is to abide in Christ, not to bear fruit.  Jesus promised that if we abide in Him, we will bear much fruit.

We’ve already decided that my goal can’t be to have a perfect family, or even a very good one.  I can’t make my kids get along, nor can I make them make good choices.  All I can do is be the very best Mommy I can be.  I have to trust God for how my kids turn out. 

In the same way, I have to trust God to produce the fruit in my life as I abide in Christ.  And I don’t have to worry – it’s His delight to do that!  It’s an awesome thing to be reminded to stay in the vine.  That’s my focus for today.

Nothing is impossible

Today, Neil uses absolutes:  His [God’s] goals for you are possible, certain, and achievable.

He reminds us of what the angel told Mary:  Nothing will be impossible with God.

What are His goals for me?  For starters, He has put me into a specific family, neighborhood, and church; He has directed where my kids go to school.  In each of my spheres of influence, starting (and most importantly) with my family, that I be the best wife, Mommy, daughter, neighbor, friend and mentor I can possibly be.

I spent part of Christmas Eve-day at the Urgent Care – yes, I’m sick on Christmas.  I expected to wait for hours, but instead, I was greeted by cheerful front desk staff members, treated kindly by a nurse, and met a very sweet doctor who took good care of me. 

And I made a point to thank each of them for working on Christmas Eve.  I know, they probably enjoy the overtime, but my guess is they would rather have been with their families.  My point is just that God has made me who I am so that I can be a blessing wherever I go.  Sometimes, the assignments will be small, like thanking someone; other times, they will be big and scary. 

As the angel said, Nothing is impossible… 

Merry Christmas!

Seeking the Giver

To one person the Spirit gives the ability to give wise advice; to another He gives the gift of special knowledge.  The Spirit gives special faith to another, and to someone else He gives the power to heal the sick.  He gives one person the power to perform miracles, and to another the ability to prophesy.  He gives someone else the ability to know whether it is really the Spirit of God or another spirit that is speaking.  Still another person is given the ability to speak in unknown languages, and another is given the ability to interpret what is being said.  It is the one and only Holy Spirit who distributes these gifts.  He alone decides which gift each person should have.  1 Corinthians 12:8-11

It’s Christmas, and we’re working with our kids on the importance of giving.  That’s a tall order when you’re 5 (or 7) and you know there are presents with your name on them!  At the heart of the discussion, though, is the idea that it’s not just a package; someone put some thought into it, went out and selected it, paid for it, and wrapped it.  It was given with love.

Yeah, ask me after tomorrow morning how that went…  But we’ve got to try, right?

The spiritual gifts God gave are pretty spectacular.  I needed to be reminded; that’s why I wrote out the verses above.  But just like a kid saying, Give me the present!, the temptation is to be so wowed by the gift that we forget what it’s all about.

This Christmas, I’m reminded to be impressed by the gift, but also that its purpose is to make me seek the Giver.

God so loved the world…

It’s two days until Christmas, and I’m thinking about how God so loved the world that He gave…  Jesus was love incarnate, here on the planet to demonstrate sacrifice in ways we’d never conceived of.

As Jesus dealt with people, he usually cut to the chase.  He skipped past what was being asked and addressed the issue of the heart – Sell all you have and give it to the poor (to the rich man asking about being saved).  Where is your husband (to the woman at the well)?  …and so on.

As a parent, it’s easy to be consumed with the immediate issues; sometimes, I know I miss the big-picture questions.  Neil calls them:  gut-level needs that determine their sense of worth and belonging.

This one got me:  Does your child know that he [or she] is loved and valued from the way you talk to him [or her]? 

Like Jesus, I want to see past the immediate issues to the heart of the person who’s standing in front of me.  I want to meet those needs that only God can see.  Now that I’m looking for them, I’m trusting Him for wisdom…

Gifting

It’s funny when our worldly thinking spills over into our life as it relates to God’s kingdom…  Jealousy, insecurity, and a desire for importance?  We see someone with fantastic gifting and, sometimes, we think, I wish I could do that! 

Paul wrote about it being almost-okay to be envious of spiritual gifts, but I believe he was being ironic.  He was pointing our attention at what was desirable – what God has to offer, instead of what the world has.

Our tendency is to compare ourselves to others, and it’s not good.  If we think we look good compared to someone, it’s at their expense, and it’s a temporary fix for our feelings of insecurity.  If we’re down on ourselves because there’s always someone better, it’s a false sense of humble-ness.  Making comparisons give us the feeling that things aren’t fair; true humility holds God in His right place, the giver of all things good, in whatever measure He wants to give.

So if God is the one who gives me any spiritual gifting I might have, my worth as a believer comes from Him who gave it to me, instead of from me – I had nothing to do with how it was given!

And beyond that, God’s word says that if I want more gifting, I must use what I have been given (see the parable of the talents in Matthew 25). 

Thinking of the guy who buried what the master gave him in the ground, I love this from Neil:  Tragically, many people go to the grave with their music still in them, never contributing to the symphony of God’s work.

Today, I’m going to be thanking God for how He has made me, and asking Him for wisdom on how to rightly use my gifting.

Picking on children

Yesterday, we talked about fear and spiritual conflict.  As I read through today’s entry, I quickly moved from tinges of fear to anger.  Who would pick on a child like that?  It’s not that I expected anything good from the devil, but that’s pretty low. 

So my eyes were opened to the scale of the plan against our families and our kids. 

I’m encouraged by what Neil had to say, though:  A child’s best defense against demonic attack is his simple, trusting faith…  Furthermore, your children have the added protection of being under your authority.

I’m reminded of how very important it is that I pray daily for them to provide a spiritual covering.  And I’m thankful that God answers those prayers, even when I’m not sure what to pray. 

I’m also reminded to pray for discernment as I work with my kids.  If something is amiss, I know the Holy Spirit will alert me.  I intend to be paying attention.

Still creeped out?

As many times as we’ve read about dealing with oppressive spirits, I’m surprised by my gut reaction to spiritual conflict:  I still fight fear.  Or, at least, being creeped out to an inordinate level… 

The thing that got my attention was this, in the last paragraph:  When fear is controlling a believer, the Spirit of God is not, and Satan has the upper hand.  Fear of the enemy and faith in God are mutually exclusive.

So apparently I have room to grow in my faith here… 

Realizing that the outcome depends entirely on God goes a long way towards boosting my confidence.  If I focus on myself, and what I might be doing wrong, I sink like Peter in the sea when he took his eyes off of Jesus.  Do I trust?  Yes; Lord, help my unbelief.

Spiritual heritage

If we only read one entry from Neil all year long, this would be the one I’d pick.  Here’s why:  Being a Christian is not just a matter of getting something; it’s a matter of being someone…  Being born again transformed you into someone who didn’t exist before.

It’s the plot of mistaken identity for Christians who don’t know who they are in Christ – you’re a citizen of a new country now!  You’re the lost princess!  The ugly duckling who’s really a beautiful swan!  The superhero who has just discovered his powers!  If only we could find a good example or two…

And Neil brings us back to the truth that who we are determines what we do, not the other way around.  We just have to get the reality of how Godsees us.  The schemes of the enemy make total sense – like that abusive boyfriend (yes, this is a recap post), he keep in line by lies about who we are.  The day we get sick of it and tell sin we’re over him is the day we break free – Christ has already won the battle!

Be encouraged today.  Join me in pondering, as Neil puts it, our spiritual heritage.  And join me in living it out today…

Remembering to ask

In days past, we’ve covered the idea of our kids and spiritual conflict. 

Today, I’m reminded that as a parent, sometimes I find myself caught up in dealing with the symptoms of a problem that I forget to look for a root cause.  It’s like playing that game at Chuck E. Cheese’s with the mallet where you’re trying to smack the moles as they come up.  As many as you hit, they just keep coming…

If it’s a medical problem, we go to the doctor.  If it’s an attitude or behavior problem, we focus on the attitude or behavior.

Today, I’m going to be asking God to show me where the root causes are for things we deal with every day.  I’m so grateful for the wisdom God gives us when we remember to ask for it… 

Signs and wonders

Here’s a question:  if someone were to come into your church, preaching and healing people and having words of wisdom (information that nobody else but the person involved would know), how would you react?

In years past, healing ministries were more common, as were fakes and abuses.  I didn’t know any of these evangelists personally, but I did attend a healing service when I was in college.  My friend’s dad worked in the administrative offices of the man, so I was told some stuff about him that most people didn’t know.  There was nothing scandalous, but plenty that didn’t sit right with me, including his marital status, the kind of car he drove, and the types of hotels he stayed at – I don’t begrudge a guy a reliable car, but this wasn’t so far removed from the excesses of the PTL days.

At any rate, most of my friends didn’t quite know what to think of him, but if people were being healed, well, it must be God, right? 

Just because the era of old-time healing ministries seems to be fading, it doesn’t mean it won’t resurface in some form or another.  It’s an awesome reminder Neil gives us today:  We are to love God, obey His Word, and test all signs, wonders, and dreams.

Soul fruit

Soul prosperity – it sounds so abstract, doesn’t it?  I’m smiling, because right now I’ve got all kinds of R&B songs running through my head, cued by the word soul…  (now you do, too, don’t you?)

I’m grateful that Neil wrote that last paragraph.  We’ve got a measure for how prosperous our soul is, and it’s the list of the fruits of the spirit:

But when the Holy Spirit controls our lives, He will produce this kind of fruit in us:  love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control…  Galatians 5:22

As I invest myself in becoming more like Christ, this list gets less impossible, and more like something I’m on the road towards.  Today, I’m going to be conscious of the choices I’m making to (or not to) allow my soul to prosper.

Effective or defective…

Funny thing – the days Neil talks about parenting, I’m totally convicted.   That never happened before I had kids. 

The part that jumped out at me was Neil’s evaluation of Eli, the priest:  Eli was an effective priest but a defective parent.

We’re not supposed to categorize, but so much of what happens in parenting seems to fall into the Not-So-Significant box, especially for those of us who are in leadership at church.  There’s a temptation is to sacrifice the little things en route to the big thing we’re a part of.

There’s a CD that lives in my husband’s car, so once in a while I find myself listening to it.  It’s by Steven Curtis Chapman, and one of the songs was written about his wife:  You are changing the world, one little heartbeat at a time, making history with every touch and every smile…

I’m so challenged, and yet I’m so inspired. 

Many days when I feel like a failure, or (maybe worse!) a mediocre parent, I’m encouraged by friends who have been there, made some mistakes - sure, but have raised loving kids who are serving the Lord.  Watching those kids love God with all their hearts blesses me more than I can say.  I want that for my kids.

(To those friends reading this, thank you.)

Hope

The year I graduated from college, I spent Christmas alone.  My parents were living in Colorado, my brother flew out to be with them, and my boyfriend flew to Oregon to visit his family (thanks, hon!).  My roommates had flown home to see their families.  My aunt and grandma lived close-ish, and I spent an hour or so there on Christmas Eve, but I was sick, and nobody who’s 80 needs to be around sick people. 

Even at the time, though, I was thankful that circumstances were what kept me from being with family…  I did have a loving family, and many people who spent Christmas alone don’t.  It sounds weird, but in a certain sense, I was glad for the experience. 

Am I still willing to walk in someone else’s shoes, even in this joyous season?  For me, the lights and carols were a sweet irony that year.  For folks who are alone or in painful circumstances every year, well…they are the ones who need hope.

Jesus came as a light in a dark world.  I want to be that light to the hopeless around me…

New wineskins

Recently, I ran into my junior high youth pastor – I haven’t seen him since I was in junior high!  He left our church to be a senior pastor just as we were leaving his youth group.  It was awesome to see him and catch up.

Among the things he said that totally blessed me was this:  You’ll never know how influential your junior high group was.  So many of you had a call on your life.  You guys were amazing – you would sit on the floor for 45 minutes and worship every Wednesday night…

It reminded me of another time I was talking with a children’s worship leader at a conference, and I was reminded of my grade-school days.  God gave me a picture of the amazing things going on in the sanctuary of our church – things were exploding (not literally, of course) – and downstairs, the basement was packed with kids lifting the floorboards above with praise and worship.  The work upstairs was built, to some extent, on what was going on downstairs.  My mind was blown.

These days, at our church, the youth group is on fire (again, not literally, although they are called the FIRE Squad), and our youth pack the front rows – THE FRONT ROWS – and throw all they’ve got into worship every Sunday morning. 

I’ve heard from the youth leaders that some of these kids come from rough homes; they bring broken hearts and require a lot of love and care.  It’s our job, as a church family, to embrace them and love them and release them to do God’s work. 

New wineskins?  Check.

Pride and spiritual conflict

What a fascinating premise today – pride is linked with spiritual conflict. 

I’m working on a thought.  Here it is:  pride is the expression of selfishness, and selfishness is the root of sin.  We want our way instead of God’s way.  What if pride isn’t just another (deadly) sin?  Isn’t rebellion, however slight, at the core of pride?  And rebellion against God is, indeed, what sent Satan out of heaven.

So pride leaves a door open for spiritual conflict.  Resisting the devil goes hand in hand with acknowledging my place in God’s protection, with humility. 

The passages Neil gives in the first paragraph are so practical.

1 Peter 5:1-10 talks about serving one another.  The phrases that stuck out were that we are to lead not by telling folks what to do, but by being a good example (v. 3), which demonstrates humility, and the directive that each of us is to serve one another in humility (v. 5). 

James 4:10 was worded so beautifully in the New Living Translation that I’m writing it for you here:

When you bow down before the Lord and admit your dependence on Him, He will lift you up and give you honor.

My marching orders for the day.

No fear

Sometimes Neil gives information I wasn’t necessarily looking for…  It’s helpful, though, to have the facts and be prepared with a plan.

Have you ever been awakened in the night, at 3am or otherwise, sensing a presence?  If I have, I can’t remember it.  I did, however, experience a fearful wakeup of another kind…

My husband was away on a business trip, and I hate being alone, especially at night.  In the middle of the night, I was awakened out of a sound sleep by what I thought was someone pounding on my front door.  Thinking it through in the light of day, intruders don’t usually knock, but at the time, it was terrifying.

I sat up in bed, listened for all I was worth, and then said out loud, “God, if someone’s out there, please show them the enormous, big, burly angel you have guarding my house.” 

And then it hit me:  if I was so sure that the angel was there – God was diligently protecting me – what did I have to be afraid of?  Instantly, the fear was gone.  I laid back down and went right back to sleep.

Neil’s steps are:  Consciously place yourself in the Lord’s hands, resist Satan with the spoken Word, and go back to sleep. 

I’ll log that away, should I ever have to use it.

The conversation

I’ll admit it – I’m reluctant to have the conversation with my kids.  You know, the one where I explain the spiritual realities and pitfalls.  Maybe they’re too young…  If I did it right now, they would be terrified.

But it’s not too early for the prep work.  I can look for opportunities to lay the foundation for the full lesson at a later time; I can listen for any experiences they may have and be ready to deal with and explain them, on an age-appropriate level. 

I’m a Sunday school teacher for elementary aged kids; I can look for opportunities to speak the truth about spiritual forces and Christ’s authority. 

When it comes down to it, it’s not hard or complicated.  I just need to think through the words I would use. 

I appreciate Neil’s conclusion: Knowing his [the devil’s] schemes and learning to resist him and take authority over him is the biblical response…the fear of the Lord is the one fear that expels all other fears.

Lesson plans

Today, I’m challenged by this from Neil:  Whatever we think will make us happy, satisfied, successful, etc., is what constitutes our belief system.

Kind of deep for a Friday.

I’m reminded, though, of a shift that happened when I was a teacher.  We were required to write out our lesson plans for each week (in a Lesson Plans book, of course) for two reasons – first, to keep us on track, and second, if we woke up sick, a substitute would have a fighting chance to make it through the day, sanity intact.

Probably it was the result of a seminar our principal attended – she never really said – but at one point, she changed the way she wanted us to write lesson plans.  In each 1½ inch square for each subject for every day, in addition to the workbook page numbers, etc., we had to write lesson objectives.  I learned to write small.

I also learned, after a brief struggle, the value of having a specific, measurable objective in mind as I taught the lesson.  I felt a sense of accomplishment when, at the end, I could see that I had met my goal.  I learned how to write objectives in my sleep, too.

As this year comes to a close, I’m inspired to reflect on what my life objectives are – what I think will make me happy, satisfied, successful, etc.  No, I won’t drag out my old lesson plan book (I’m sure I still have one around here somewhere!), but I need to get better at looking at the big picture.  I’m going to be asking God to speak to me in that process.

Why don’t you join me?

Don’t open that door

So there’s this dog, see?  Neil’s illustrations crack me up, although I’m guessing PETA might have things to say about beating the dog…

That being said, I was pondering the cause and effect at play here… 

I once had a roommate who was a little lost on the concept of cause and effect.  Unfortunate things would happen to her, and she would never see them coming!  (She is the sweetest person on the face of the earth, for the record.)  We would watch things happen, see what was ahead, and think, Of course she’ll get it this time!  No, hardly ever.

The principle of cause and effect are written into the universe; read the book of Proverbs if you need a refresher.

My point is this:  we’ll never overcome sin unless we identify the cause.  Until we do, stuff will just keep happening to us – or so it will seem. 

Thank you, Neil, for reminding us that God would never set a system in place in which we were powerless; He set us up to be able to win. 

Now, about that dog…

Conflict and opportunity

If I could take just one thing to heart from today’s reading, it would be this:  Judgmental people are people in pain.  It’s the key for me to be able to recognize confrontation as an opportunity to be gracious to someone and tend to their needs, instead of curling up into a ball (on the inside, if not on the outside), or lashing out in return.

I don’t know many people who enjoy conflict; it seems we each have our own way of either avoiding it or dealing with it badly.  Conflict should come with an instruction manual, full of lists of Dos and Don’ts, don’t you think?  It should have drawings, too.

I love that Neil shows us how to sidestep the surface issues, though – that’s where we usually get caught up!  There’s almost always something else beneath the surface, hence the emotional charge.  So if I can get over the instinct to self-protect, I realize I have nothing to defend (that’s where trusting God, for real, comes in), and I can show love to someone who needs it.

I just ear-marked this page in my book.  If you’re reading along online, I guess putting a bookmark on today’s page would be the equivalent. 

Bucking the system

So here’s where it gets personal…  No, I never joined the hippies or protested anything, but my tendency in dealing with rejection is to act preemptively. 

Can’t cope with the popular kids?  Fine.  I’ll make friends with the kids who actually need friends.  Don’t think I’ll make the team?  Fine.  I just won’t try out.  Relationship not working out?  Fine.  I’ll bail before I get a chance to get even more hurt. 

Kind of a passive-aggressive rebel attitude, I guess, but Neil’s point is still valid:  as long as I’m looking to evaluate my worth on what or who is around me, I’m looking in the wrong place.  It’s when my value and identity is found in Christ that I’m secure.

Equal distribution

The poor clarinet player…  High school and rejection just seem to go together, hand-in-hand, don’t they? 

Instead of reliving those experiences, though, today I was remembering reading through the gospels as a high school junior or senior.  I can remember reading what Jesus said to the Pharisees, priests, etc., and thinking to myself, Don’t say that, Jesus!  Then they won’t listen to you!  I was embarrassed for Him.  Even though I knew the end of the story, I didn’t want Jesus to be rejected. 

Jesus knew what we’re learning:  we’ve already got love and acceptance.  We don’t need to go looking for them.  Jesus carried the sense of who He was when He came to earth; I want to carry that same sense of identity with me after I’ve been with my heavenly Father. 

I love this from Neil today:  God has not equally distributed gifts, talents, or intelligence, but He has equally distributed Himself.  Our sense of worth comes from knowing who we are as children of God.

Controllers

On my first reading of today’s entry, I thought, Wow – this is hard core world culture – I’m not sure how to relate!  I don’t know too many people who are the climb-the-ladder-at-any-cost type, although I know they’re out there.  

Reading it again, though I zeroed in on the word:  control.  In my circles, people aren’t cutthroat (they’re mostly nice).  I do, however, run into people who have control issues.  On occasion, I am one of them.

I know we’ve explored control issues on past days, and the conclusion was that insecurity is what drives us to want to control what’s around us.  We’re uncomfortable and fearful because life is unpredictable.

What I’m seeing today is that the thing we fear is, at its core, rejection.  Makes sense, right?  I’d rather have you focus on what I’m doing than on who I am.

Keeping this in mind will help me deal with the worst offenders.  And hopefully, if I really take it to heart, it will help me not be one of them.

Rejection

Let’s all ponder rejection for a bit, shall we?  Good times.  Yet somehow, Neil always seems to give us what we need for healing and transformation from God’s word…

What is it about rejection that makes us take it personally?  A dad (or mom) leaves and a divorce happens, and the kid wonders what he or she did to make them leave.  The job interview doesn’t lead to employment, and we’re left wondering where we’re lacking. 

For today, I’m going to ponder the fact that God doesn’t reject me; He went to great lengths to come and find me, and paid an unthinkable cost to bring me into His family. 

Neil writes that we’re going to learn to handle rejection positively.  Let’s stay tuned…

The lost princess

Since the last time we looked at this issue of mistaken identity, I’ve watched the movie Tangled about a dozen or so times, and love the way it plays out for this analogy.

Rapunzel is a princess who, as a baby, is kidnapped by an evil woman who pretends to be her mother so she can use Rapunzel’s magical powers to stay young forever.  As you might imagine, Rapunzel gets raised by a woman who feigns affection, but her every motive is selfish.  It’s pretty tweaked, poor girl.

Spoiler alert:  the climax of the movie happens when, inevitably, Rapunzel realizes that she is the lost princess.  The power her not-so-very-much mother had over her is broken as Rapunzel pieces together what has happened.

The happily-ever-after is that Rapunzel is reunited with the king and queen, her real family, has a week-long welcome home party, and goes on to rule the kingdom with grace and kindness.  And oh, yeah, she gets the guy.  (Did I mention?  At least 12 times…)

In our world, the father of lies manipulates us and keeps us living a life that’s far below what our true Father ever intended for us.  We may as well be emotionally abused captives in a very tall tower, living in constant fear.

Once we see ourselves as we really are – the princess of the kingdom (or prince, if the shoe fits), transformation is total and permanent. 

Thank you, Neil, for the reminder today.

Scrubbing

Marker pens are hard to get out of kids clothes.  They make washable ones, but those aren’t nearly as fun, for some reason…  Worse than a stain I know I’ll never get out is one that fades just a little each time I scrub on it, giving me hope that someday, if I work hard enough, the stain will be totally gone.  Ha.

When we get saved, God starts the long process of scrubbing out from us the mindset of the world.  We were born into this fallen place, and until God starts His changing work, the mindset of it looks pretty permanent. 

With each scrub, God is removing the stain…  The less there is, the more I see things from His point of view.  Living by wisdom makes for such a great life because we’re in harmony with the universe!  God wove His wisdom into it as He created it. 

I love the language Neil uses:  He has made His will known primarily in His word, and He delights when we humbly submit to it and obey it.

God delights in us!  That’s what I’m going to be chewing on today. 

Plus, I think I’m going to hide the markers…

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