Whatcha thinkin'?

Ever been in need of a new perspective? Walking around on this planet can sure skew our perspective! Whether we go too far one way or the other, this world sure provides opportunity for messed up thinking, amen?

Well, the Lord intoduced me to one psalmist who felt the same way. His name was Asaph. He is the one through which the Holy Spirit inspired Psalm 73. Throughout the first several verses we can find ourselves agreeing with ol' Asaph as he whines about the ungodly and how they have no struggles...boy, does our thinking easily get off target! He gets to the point of feeling as if he has kept his heart pure before God in vain.

Sure we don't want to admit that...but isn't it is a relief this man of God does? Don't you ever feel like that? Like our own attempts to not fall into our old patterns of thinking are in vain when we see those who are ungodly (or posing to be godly) succeed? It's a tough one. But Praise Jesus, He is not intimidated by it!

So, what is this poor psalmist's plight? Does he just resolve to wallow in his mess? NO WAY! Not when we know our Savior! Thankfully He will not leave us there!

Verses 16-17 say, "When I tried to understand all this, it was oppressive to me...til I entered the sanctuary of God!!" It was THEN, when he came into the very presence of his God, that he got him some right thinkin'!!

The very presence of our God can correct the skewed lies this world bombards us with and it rectifies those messed up thoughts we carry around and allow to bog us down.

Asaph goes on to say, "When my heart was grieved and my spirit embittered, I was senseless and ignorant; I was a brute beast before you." (v. 21-22) Isn't it so when we harbor grief and bitterness we become senseless and ignorant? So what do we do with that? We pour it at the feet of Jesus! He is always with us, holding us, guiding us and afterward carrying us to His glory (see vv. 23-24)

So along with the psalmist, I will say ... "But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign LORD my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds." (v. 28)

Just a thought..

Just a thought to ponder...

"Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful." ~ Colossians 3:15

But what about...?

The other morning, I had run into Target to grab ONE thing! Yeah right. You know how that goes!! Well, my youngest son had been saving his money for a special toy that he finally found there at Target. He asked if he could buy it and I said yes...I was actually excited FOR him! Well, then my oldest...who has not had anything specifically in mind said, "What about me?"

Immediately I thought, well just because HE got something does not mean YOU have to get something. Did I just hear my mother in my own head? Yikes.

My thoughts went back to the instance in Scripture where Jesus, speaking to Peter, says "Follow Me" and it's as if Peter looks around and responds with "Lord, what about him?" pointing to John. Jesus must have felt like I did that day at Target and like most mamas do at one point or another...Why should he have any bearing on you, Peter? You are different people with different callings and I have a plan for YOU and one for HIM.

Well, as I have been meditating on Psalm 37:7, the Lord has used the second part of this verse to bring to my own mind the times I look around and say "What about them, Lord? Why do they get a raise when we get laid off? Why do they get to move but we have to stay? Why do they get away with that while we get disciplined for less?"

Psalm 37:7 says, "Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for Him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways , when they carry out their wicked schemes."

The Lord's command here is not only to be still and wait patiently but also to NOT FRET WHEN men succeed in their ways. The Lord is not only telling US to not fret about it, but He is affirming that men WILL succeed in their ways and you WILL want to point the finger and say "Lord what about them?"

See, Peter's issue, is often my issue...Jesus says FOLLOW ME. That in itself requires sacrifice, dying to self and a host of other "flesh killers". So we point to someone we think is getting away with something and wondering 'how come THEY don't have to follow Him so strictly?' What Psalm 37 is teaching us though, is that to follow Him IS a blessing. It is telling us that we CAN trust Jesus when He says 'Do Not Fret...yes, others will succeed and carry out their wicked schemes even, but YOU will be blessed to follow Me.' The intimacy of a relationship with a God who says, "I want our relationship to be right and intimate."

So I am trusting Him today...whether or not I SEE the blessing, I am trusting that walking closely with my Jesus IS the blessing! Thank you, Father, for being strict with me and keeping me focused on You alone!

Restful Dancing

If we open ourselves to having teachable hearts, we can often learn much from watching children. When they have been loved on and care for well, they have such trusting hearts and they are full of joy.

As I began digging into the first half of Psalm 37:7 this week, I was taken back to my own childhood as I pondered the Hebrew meaning of this verse. The verse is translated, "Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for Him." The original word for 'rest' is damam which means to be silent, still motionless, it is the absence of emotional distress and churning and the ability to be quiet and relax. What a peaceful thought! Just be quiet and relax before Jesus...

Now, the next phrase carries quite a different meaning. It is translated 'wait patiently', which seems similar in the English, but the original word hiyl means to whirl, shake, dance, to wait anxiously and tremble in worship. Intersting, huh? It is nearly a polar opposite, until you look to the little girl in her new 'twirly' skirt...

She floats around the room to the sound of the music in her own head. She twirls and spins with joy as she has not a care in the world. Her Father loves her and delights in her. He carries all her concerns for her; therefore she is free to dance.

Your Heavenly Father loves you. He delights in you and carries all your burdens. (1 Peter 5:7)...you and I are free to dance in worship before the One who watches over us with joy today!

What a Masterpiece!

"What have you done today that only a Christian would do?" ~Corrie Ten Boom


Folding laundry, washing dishes, wiping the counter for the fortieth time....tying shoes, making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and listening to a six-year old read a Clifford book do not sound like very noble activities. Yet Ephesians 2:10 teaches us

"For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."

As my Bible study ladies and I have been meditating on that passage this week, I have pondered the good "deeds" I do as a wife and mother. Corrie Ten Boom's quote is a great reminder, but can be a stretch for me some days. Being a mother is a noble calling in itself, no doubt. But the daily, mundane tasks can certainly leave one feeling a bit forgotten...unimportant. Do you find yourself in the same shuffle...whether you are a mother, a wife, or an employee? Unfortunately we then tend to search for fulfillment elsewhere...TV, in another person, food, too much time on the computer...

Thankfully our Savior (who has not only chosen to save our souls but also our day!) has provided a remedy. He reminds us we are HIS workmanship. The original word used here is the Greek word "poima" which means masterpiece, poem and work of art. That means YOU! Those who are created in Christ Jesus as followers of the Lord Jesus, are a masterpiece of the Creator God.

But just as a priceless masterpiece hanging in a museum points to the creativity of its artist, you and I were created to point to our Creator's creativity through good works which He prepared for us even before we were born! He has a plan for HOW you and I are to display Him to others. The original word translated 'good' is the Greek word 'agathos' meaning benevolent, profitable, useful. Beginning in our own homes, familes and spheres of influence we are to serve with works that are benevolent, profitable and useful to those around us.

'Agathos' underscores the beneficial properties of something and represents something as being advantageous to another, promoting his welfare. Who are you and I promoting? Though we are continually reminded by this world and by our own selfish flesh to promote self...we are called to decrease as we cause Christ to increase. The choices we make each day...our attitude and our activities are to promote Christ alone.

As we fold clothes, wash dishes and read with a child we can promote Christ with joyfulness and thankfulness for His MANY blessings; we can serve our families without complaining and arguing. We can seek to promote Christ as He calls us to use our gifts in our spheres of influence without looking for applause and approval of man, but responding to a Father's call to promote His Son so the lost might be found and Christ might be glorified in all we do. THEN we will be living out those good works HE planned in advance for us to do and looking like true works of art!

Knowing Him

When you meet someone, how long does it take before you begin to trust them? What must they do to gain your trust?

I have never been a very trusting person. Call it discernment or a messy childhood...either way, it takes a while for me to give my heart to trusting someone.

When I met Jesus, it was not much different. I saw my immediate need for a Savior and willingly sought His salvation. But over the years, it has taken experience for me to come to the place of fully trusting Him with EVERY area He reveals to me. I am certain there is more to come, but thus far He has brought me to a place of surrender in several (at times very difficult) areas of my heart. How does He get me there? By continually revealing Himself to me...who He is, the essence and character behind His ways.

Psalm 9:10 says, "Those who know Your name will trust in You, for You, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek You."

The Word God choose to use here to describe the kind of 'knowing' He desires of us is the word 'yada' in the Hebrew. It is a word used of an intimate knowledge, a sexual knowledge as a man knows his wife. God knows that as we inimately come to know His names (which reveal His character and purpose) we will trust Him. He even goes on in this verse to assure us of His promise to NEVER forsake those who seek Him.

What in your life is currently in need of some stability? Your job? Your family situation? Your marriage? Your health? The One True living God is extending Himself to us and offering for us to know His name so intimately that we can fully rely on it without hesitation. We must be willing to dig in and seek Him earnestly. Are you willing?