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18
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February
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2010
Posted in : Inspiration, Poetry
Moonlight seeps through window
Illuminating sleepless form
Mental images play continually
Leaving him hopeless, forlorn
Silent tremors slice through his being
Thoughts scramble, searching for meaning
Tender heart, blameless & pure
Questions why hardship must be endured
She once was his, belongs no more
Ravaged heart seeks to settle the score
What went wrong, he cannot say
Agonizing pain he buries away
Drifting slowly to troubled sleep
Restlessly tossing, yearning for peace
Sweet serenity now beyond reach
Tomorrow, tomorrow its comfort he’ll seek
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17
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February
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2010
Posted in : Inspiration, Random Musings
“On the appointed day Herod, wearing his royal robes, sat on his throne and delivered a public address to the people. They shouted, “This is the voice of a god, not of a man.” Immediately, because Herod did not give praise to God, an angel of the Lord stuck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died.” Acts 12:21-23
Recently, as I was reading through the Life Journal, this scripture jumped out at me. It caused me to pause and reflect; do I always give glory to God when “good” things are spoken about me? The answer; “No, I do not.” Often I mutter a simple, “thank you” and proceed with my business. The timing may not always be right for a dissertation regarding how Christ is everything and I am nothing. However, the condition of my heart should always be inspected. After reading that verse I decided to try and focus on giving Him glory even if only pausing to thank Him for being who He is in and through me. Big surprise, two opportunities presented themselves within days.
The first opportunity came through a family member. In May, I will travel to Hengyang, China, to spend two weeks ministering to disabled orphans. Wanting my family/friends to share in my excitement, I emailed a video showcasing the trip. One person responded with kudos to me for embarking on this journey. The words made my heart smile. Expressing my gratitude I stressed that it is the God in me who deserves the honor. I am merely a vessel, and was I not willing, He would surely send someone else. Truthfully, I initially struggled with my response. It sounded kind of lame, not a typical response, and I was concerned about rejection. What would she think? I did not have to wait long, she responded immediately, in complete agreement.
The second opportunity happened at work. I work in the corporate offices of a building supply corporation. My responsibility is to support the personnel at our 80 plus stores. My goal is always to be respectful & helpful. I admit there are days when that support is offered through gritted teeth. Some days I just wake up in a bad mood. Some days I am stressed. And, there are some stores can be more difficult to communicate with than others. On this particular day, a store administrator called & requested something of me. The matter required some research & I told her that if she did not hear from me, to consider all things well. I was able to resolve the situation and decided to go ahead and follow up with an email letting her know. She wrote me back saying, “I tell everyone that you are the best, and you keep proving it.” I was stunned. Acclamations mean little to me: I am jaded from years of empty words without corresponding actions. But when she said, “and you keep proving it”, that meant something! It meant that my actions continue to substantiate my character & integrity, both of which emulate my Heavenly Father, for it is only through Him that I am able to behave this way.
This walk of faith is a second by minute by hour by day progression. We are constantly presented with opportunities to accept or deny Christ by our actions. Let our focus remain fixed on Christ so that our lives may be a testimony of His greatness.
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08
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February
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2010
Posted in : Inspiration, Random Musings
Church, God, Jesus, Sunday school, prayer; these words have been a part of my vocabulary for as long as I can recall. I grew up in a Christian home and have stayed true to my Christian roots through the tumultuous teenage years and into adulthood. My relationship with Christ is ever evolving; I continue to mature and develop a deeper understanding of who Christ is and what it means to walk out my faith. Recently something has become glaringly obvious to me; we have white washed the gospel, watered it down and turned it into nothing more than a “feel good” message. Being a Christ follower is not all about being blessed, prosperous and happy. There are hardships involved, but few are willing acknowledge that aspect of the gospel.
Oh, you don’t believe me? That’s okay, I have proof. This year I have been journeying through the Bible via the Life Journal, it is a reading plan that takes readers though the scriptures in a year. The plan is unique in that it substitutes commentary for reflection. Quiet reflection can be a dangerous undertaking. That is, if you are seriously willing to allow the Lord to speak to you, to say what He wants to say, and not just skim over the hard things. In the last month, I’ve made some interesting discoveries, some hard truths that surprisingly, have brought me comfort.
Let’s start at the beginning: Genesis 31:12 God says to Jacob, “I have seen all that Laban has been doing to you.” That scripture suggests God allowed Jacob to endure hardship. Genesis 45:5 God permitted Joseph to be sold into slavery for His divine purpose. Psalm 10 Finds David lamenting, “Why, O Lord, do you stand far off? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?” Why indeed when we are going through great trials do we sometimes seem to be alone? Perhaps, that is by design, so that we will pursue Him relentlessly. Exodus 3 finds a once prosperous nation of Israel undeservingly enslaved in Egypt. Just like in Genesis 31 God says, “I have watched over you and seen what has been done to you in Egypt.” God knew of their enslavement, and eventually delivered them, but not before they suffered much & many of them died. But, wait, there’s more! Acts 5:41 The apostles were flogged, but left rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for Christ. I don’t recall ever being taught to rejoice over suffering. Acts 14:22 “We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God.” What else can I say?
No doubt this avenue of thought will cause discomfort for some. Perhaps you may even dislike me for daring to speak such heresy, but that’s okay, the religious of the day thought the same about Jesus, so I’m in very good company.
