My coloring book

Photo taken from: http://www.art-is-fun.com/free-abstract-coloring-page.html

Life without emotion would be like having a coloring book without any color.  It would seem simply boring, mundane, and overall unbearable.  Yes, any good coloring book has some great designs and perhaps some beautiful images, but color must be added.

As I allow emotions to color my world, I find life to be filled to the brim with excitement, last minute deadlines, frustration, happiness, sadness, and everything in between.  For most of my life, I have colored my life as the equivalent of a toddler with a book.  No matter what the lines said around me, I was intent on scribbling green all over one page and red all over another until a feeling faded and I went onto the next one.

It made for a life filled with color but not always the easiest to manage.  Sometimes I would get stuck on one color, despite having a whole array of colors to use.  That being said, I am learning!

I am learning that while emotions are fun and definitely add splashes to life - they do not define life.  The challenging emotions or even downright awful emotions that come at times help me become aware of my thoughts and feelings on a situation but the emotions do not get to do all the choosing of how I will act or continue feeling.  Why in the world would I just grab at the first crayon that jumps out of a box to use, when there are so many choices?  As an artist and daughter of the most High God who has an ability to think, navigate, and create, shouldn't I choose which colors to use?  Shouldn't I decide where, how, and for what purpose to use them? Absolutely, which is why an emotion that arises does not simply get to rule the moment, instead it must be considered, tested, and controlled.  Trouble is, I'm not sure where the colors belong all the time.  Other times, I'm longing to use a pretty pink crayon but find only broken up blue crayons in my box.  The good Lord helps me find the appropriate crayon or teaches me which one to use and together this disorderly scene turns into absolute beauty.  I still don't always color in the lines but I also don't color strictly sporadically, instead I live a life that has purpose, meaning, and order.  Or at least, that's what I intend.

Together, the Lord and I are making this little life beautiful one page at a time.  As for the pages I've screwed up, mysteriously His beauty and grace makes even those pages look great.  One day this book will be complete and what will be definitive will not be the strayed lines or the pages full of scribbles - but instead the story of His grace will be whispered across each page.  I am an artist, but He is the master artist, and His story will be told.

Trust or Terror

Life has been feeling an awful lot like a test of balance.  I look down and find myself walking on this super tall high wire with nothing but death-defying space between the ground and myself.  The only thing between sudden death and me is a very thin wire.   As long as I maintain proper alignment, doing the exact right things, it will be okay, or so I hope.

Photo Credit: http://www.thebettermom.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/tight_rope_walker_530w13.jpg

People treat life in this way quite a bit.   We act as if we can just figure out the proper life algebraic equation, then we can achieve the results we want. While  y=mx + b and can define the slope of a line, we are desperate to figure out the equation that can help us achieve the particular life outcome we are seeking. 

Photo Credit: http://mathforum.org/cgraph/cslope/pictures/intercept/blueslopeonethird.gif

As if our lives could truly be graphed, predicted, or controlled!  Life is a whole lot messier than that!  It is actually far more beautiful.  If there is one thing we can learn from our friend Frodo Baggins, it is that the adventure of life is far from a tightrope of clinging to the right steps.  It is characterized by a willingness to both begin and continue the journey.  Once a journey is begun, friends come along, and together choices are made with resulting outcomes.  But not every choice can be defined as the right choice.  No, it is the willingness to journey forward that is important.  Sometimes there are miraculous rescues, terrible losses, and anecdotal fun that become characteristic of such journeys. 

Photo Credit: http://meonthemovie.blogspot.com/2012/12/the-lord-of-rings-fellowship-of-ring.html

So, I too journey forward.  This week, I put notice at work.  Curative will no longer have this employee effective January 3^rd.  And, for at least a short while, I will no longer have a regular paycheck.  Who is my provider?  The Lord on High.  But it sure was nice seeing Curative’s name in my bank account every other week for the past 5 years.

Each day is a decision.  Will I trust the Lord today, or will I live in terror and fear?  My enemy takes every opportunity to threaten me with death and despair and he has plenty of material for accusation.  Sometimes the choice between trust or terror is made multiple times a day.  Some days are better than others.  But God is always on the throne and He is always willing to meet me even in my messiest moments.

http://www.steamboatsmyhome.com/blog/mud-season-in-steamboat-springs-co/

And so this is the lesson He teaches me:  His love, providence, and care are not dependent on the steps I take on my imaginary tightrope.  There is no tightrope for the people of God.  The God of Moses, Jacob, Daniel, David, Mary, Peter, Paul, Martha and all the rest saw His name glorified and His purposes revealed through the mistakes and successes of His people.  The God of Stacey is that very same God.  You see, it is not about the person that trusts God, but it is actually about The God who is the same yesterday, today, and forever, who people have found trustworthy for centuries.  This God who has revealed his grace towards us time and time again.

I love Him, more than words could say.  I’m so glad He rescued me from the tightrope of a works-based lifestyle.  I’m thankful for the kingdom of grace that allows for the beautiful adventure He has given me and I’m amazed at His story of grace that has characterized my own life and the lives of so many around me.  I am where I am today because of Him and tomorrow will be the same.  Though situations may declare that I have failed and faltered – it pales in comparison to His ever-present Goodness and Grace.  The question is not – have I failed God today?  But rather, God – where are you leading today?   I seek to follow Him, knowing that through the trail may not always be simple or easy, I will never be left alone.  Mistakes will be made, but better than a fancy gps phone that can find a new route – He always has a way for the journey to continue even if it means fording a river.  The fallen trees along the road often bring me nearer to Him, and that is far better than “getting it right”.

Photo Credit: Stacey Beckman

Do not allow despair to overwhelm or overtake you.  Choose in this moment to trust, and if you have to, in the next moment again.  Allow the King who gives peace in all circumstances to guide and protect you.  May you have grace on your journey and may His Kingdom come.

For further reading:

Philippians 4

Psalm 91

Psalm 34

John 10

 

Alone with Jesus…a take on the adulterous woman with Him

The Great Teacher, the God-Man, Divine, yet Present, He has healed many, but He won’t on this day.  He had readied Himself to teach, but now they bring me before Him.  Pointing fingers, raising up voices of condemnation, threats against me for what I have done.   They see me worthy of death, but today on this day, they stay their hands.  They want this great Jesus to sound the alarm of my execution.

For What I’ve Done. 

I have no defense.  Even if I did, there is no one who would stand with me.  I am caught, alone, ashamed, and very much afraid.  All I can do is wait for this Man to agree with these teachers and condemn me.  My life has been a half-life, unworthy, a life lived against the law of God, and I am unclean.  I know it, I can feel it within. 

As I stand without hope, this Holy one, yes I’ve heard of Him.  He speaks with authority.  He begins to write in the sand.  And, then he speaks, I cringe.  Suddenly, I watch as my accusers lower their heads and walk away.  One by one, my accusers have left and I…am…still…alive.  As I begin to attempt to replay in my mind what words he spoke to the crowd, he addresses me directly.  He pronounces no condemnation over me, advises me to leave my life of sin.  I look into His eyes, all I can see is love.  I see a resolve within Him that I cannot understand.   How can He, a man who teaches above the law, withhold condemnation?

So here I am, alone.  My accusers have left, the only one apparently worthy to accuse me, has chosen another way.  He withheld condemnation, stayed my execution.  He has given me a new chance at life, and now I have a choice. 

Will I choose to live a full life, a good life or will I give into the voice of my accusers and stay in who I’ve believed myself to be, a sinner without hope?

----------

It’s been some time, but there He is again, this Jesus.  Except now the crowds are accusing Him.  He’s lifted up and just gave His last breath.  The world now holds theirs. 

3 days have passed.  This Jesus is ALIVE.  I understand. He died in my place.  For Me.  Oh to live a life worthy of the gift He’s given. 

Free.  Not onto myself, but onto Christ.  Silence the voice of my accusers, and the voice from within, I will follow the life that He lived.  I will follow Jesus.  He gave His life, I will live accordingly.   

For further reading:

John 7:53-8:11

Phil. 1:27

Reflections on Jesus: Joining Him on the water

Jesus and Peter on the Water

It's all there, right in Matthew 14:22-33.  Oh, impetuous Peter. He sees Jesus walking on water and asks to join Him.  Jesus invites him out, and he begins to walk...on water!  The commonness of the story begins to steal away from the miraculous. But if you've ever been in water, it is anything but solid, and I don't know about you, but I have yet to walk on it.

Jesus could have swam to meet the disciples in the boat.  This would have been a feat of strength, but not a miracle.  Instead, he chose to walk.  I like to imagine Him taking an easy stroll to the boat where the disciples were.  Peter's steps on the other hand became less confident when wind threatened to pull him under.  From an outsider's perspective, the question arises -what does the wind have to do with it?  Jesus invited Him and He has full control, surely the wind was no surprise to Jesus.  Surely, Peter didn't think it was his own power that was allowing him to walk on water!  

Photo Credit: godbricks.blogspot.com/2012/08/more-water-walking.html

But even after Peter began doubting and sinking, he knew who to cry out to.  He called to Jesus, who pulled him back up and together the two men walked back to the boat.  Jesus did not grab Peter and throw him in the boat as if there was any danger, no, he grabbed onto Peter, strengthening Him and the two walked back to the boat together.  I'm not sure of the distance, but certainly they had to take a step or two to get back into the boat.  Peter's faltering and fear of the storm did not change Jesus' willingness for Peter to walk.  While Peter's fear may have hampered his enjoyment of the miracle in process, it served to only magnify the One who Peter had but to utter a word to for help.  

We share a similar Journey

On my current journey, I feel an awful like Peter.  I see the miraculous that God has invited me to.  I have even stepped out of the boat.  The first steps have been exciting and terrifying all at the same time. I have an overwhelming sense that I'm walking into situations that if I start doubting, I could easily sink!  Not a happy thought.  Until I consider this altogether important detail - I have not left the boat alone.  I am walking by the grace and strength of my God and King.  Why should the storms of life or questions cause me to stumble?  It is by His grace that I am here in this moment, and tomorrow's moment will also be in His grace.  Come what may, I follow He who has gone before me, is always with me, and has promised to be there tomorrow.  His will shall be done and His love is a secured promise, but it is the intimacy of trust and deepening of relationship that comes from this walk which is the prize I seek.  

So, where are you on your journey in this season?  Are you enjoying the adventurous water walk with Jesus?  Are you walking on the water but slowly sinking because situations arise that tell you Jesus is untrustworthy or that you can't do what He's asked?  Are you sinking and afraid to cry out for help?  Have you gotten out of the boat?  

He asks different things from each of us, but the invitation is always the same - an invitation to the great adventure of following Him out where are feet can no longer touch solid ground.  Is there risk?  Always.  Will storms arise?  Most likely.  Whether we are sinking or standing secure on water - will He be with us?  Without a doubt.  Is there anything more exciting than following Him out of the boat?  Not a chance.  

I don't know about you, but now that I've left the boat - I couldn't imagine turning back.

Grace to you on your journey.  

Mixing in the Fruit

I love fruit on the bottom yogurt.  It’s tasty and delicious.  It is particularly enjoyable when some of the fruit foundation mixes in with the plain yogurt on top.  That does not happen without my spoon mixing it up, so there’s some movement involved but very little.  When I was younger, I enjoyed eating the yogurt independently, and then moving onto the fruit.  The yogurt tended to be bitter, but the fruit payoff was satisfying to me. 

Sometimes believers tend to treat God the same way I treated yogurt.  They live out their daily activities fairly independently from God, but always return to their foundation and seek Him.  It is a way of separating the secular from the sacred, or the holy from the day to day living. 

It is one way to choose to live.  But the far better way is when the fruit mixes in with the yogurt.  At that point, the fruit  alters the taste of the bitter yogurt making the whole cup of yogurt an enjoyable and tasty experience.  When we allow the Spirit of God to walk with us throughout the day – speaking love to our hearts and helping us navigate our day to day, even minute to minute interactions – the whole of our lives changes into life that is completely saturated with the Goodness of the Lord.  He does the beautiful work, but we do have to choose to allow Him to do it.  

Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him. - Psalm 34:8

Shining like Stars

One of my favorite aspects of life in Southern Wisconsin is the beautiful scenic drives between towns.  There is nothing better to turn my frown into a smile than a drive through the countryside.  Typically, I enjoy doing this in the daylight when unending farmland, farm and wildlife, rivers, ponds, and trees are in view.  Recently, as I drove from Fort Atkinson to Janesville late in the evening, I had the joy of driving with only my headlights and the light shining down from the multitudes of stars above.

As a city girl of late, it is rare to see stars due to the artificial light that drowns it all out.  However, out here, the stars are free to shine their beauty for all to see.  I couldn't help but think of the students that God has given me the joy to work with and my recent prayer for them which can be found in Philippians.

'Do everything without grumbling or arguing,  so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky  as you hold firmly to the word of life.' - Philippians 2:14-16

I am so excited to come along God's children as they pursue higher education and to equip and encourage them so that they are filled to the brim with the love of God and equipped to let their light shine before their fellow students, professors, and co-workers, thus impacting the world with more of His beautiful light and the Kingdom, Jesus died to bring about.

There is something incredibly beautiful about viewing the lights from the stars.  While the sun allows all of us to dwell in the day which is fantastic, the stars shine bright offering beauty and hope amidst sometimes overwhelming darkness.   The love from a follower of Jesus can point the way for others to seek Him out wherever they are currently standing.

May we all, wherever we stand, shine brightly like the stars above.

Dawn always comes

Dear Child of the Living God:

As a human, we are all too familiar with the dark nights of the soul.  When all seems so dark due to pain, illness, fear of the unknown, or any other plaguing pain and not a friend's comforting word or anything else will do.  Please let me encourage you to do but one thing:

Seek the companionship of your Heavenly Father whose love for you never will fail.  He will meet you in the darkest of places.  Though you fear to take a step - call on Him for He has promised to never leave you.  Do not rely on the distractions of technology, people, or even your vivid thought life to numb your mind from the pain.  Mind numbing is not the solution but only serves to lengthen the darkness.  Though it may feel like death to sit in the darkness - do that and call out to the One who knows you inside and out.  It is in those dark places that He will bring a comfort and a peace that can steady your heart and renew your strength.  He has promised to never leave you and He keeps His word.  Allow Him to shed His Light in the darkness.  You will soon rise and meet the day.      

~Written as one who has fallen along the darkened road and risen yet again time after time for He who has promised is Faithful.

"Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me."  - Psalm 23 v 4

Adoptive Resources

To adopt one must have the heart capacity and the resource capacity.  To adopt without heart would be cruel.  It is usually quite difficult to adopt without at least some resource capacity.  Some out of country adoptions even require that you own your own home or are married.  Adopting through the foster care system demands you have an extra room available.  Adopting privately usually involves a high financial cost.


I would love to adopt a child.
I have enough love to give to a child but lack the financial resources at this time and have limited relational resources in caring for a child.


I would love to adopt a dog from the humane society.
I have the capacity to care for the dog, but I lack a stable residence where dogs are allowed.

I am not in a position to adopt at this time.

On the other hand....God has abundant love and abundant resources to adopt all who desire to come to Him.  His adoption is 100% paid for by Christ's work.  He has infinite time, resources, and love to provide all that we'd ever need.  

What amazing love!

Goodbye Orphanage

Orphan Annie

If you are familiar with the hit musical, "Annie", you've heard the story.  Orphan Annie struggles day by day to survive life in an orphanage all while believing her parents are out there somewhere waiting to bring her home.  As an outsider, you find out her parents are dead, and a plot develops where two individuals pretend to be her parents to receive a hefty prize sum waiting to award the individuals who claim Annie as their daughter.  Why is their prize money, you ask?  Because a wealthy man loves Annie and wants her to be happy.  He'd love to adopt her, but Annie insists that she wants her birth parents.  The plot to harm Annie is discovered, and Annie is rescued both from the criminals and the orphanage.  She proceeds to be adopted by a man rich in both love and resources.  Happy ending for the little orphan Annie, who will now be known as Annie Warbucks.  A girl no longer an orphan with a hopeless future and a plot to harm her.  No, she is now a girl with a new name, new identity, and has a forever family with a promising future.  It's a great story that has been beloved since it first hit the stage in 1977.  

But what if the story did not end that way?  What if the plot was found out, Annie was rescued, but she had to stay in the orphanage?  She was saved from criminals but her life continued on in the orphanage.  Sure, Annie was saved, but she's still an orphan.  Poor little Orphan Annie, no family, no identity, and while she now knows the truth of her birth parents death, she remains an orphan.  Sure, she can be adopted by another, but there is no sure guarantee that she will find a family.  Maybe Annie, would one day look to the other orphans as family members until they all reached maturity and went off to scratch their way into the world.   And, don't worry, someday Annie will die and again be reunited with her birth parents!  It's a less than satisfying ending, don't you think?  

Photo credit.  Sara Krulwich.  As seen in The New York Times 12/12/06

Trust me, No one

No child wants to stay in an orphanage.  No patient wants to stay in the hospital.  No pet lover wants to see an animal stay in a shelter.  Refugees in camps long for home.  Following rules of a religion will not bring life.   

Why is this?  Nutrition, hygiene, a bed, safety, and order is not enough to fill our hearts with life.  We were made for more than that.  We have a need for love, belonging, identity, and relationship.  The basics may sustain existence, but surviving on the basics may squelch life.   

 Orphanage Bedroom in Bulgaria.  http://tinyurl.com/lxcfuce

 

Get out of Hell Free

Sometimes, as Christ followers, we make the mistake of stopping at the revelation that we were saved from a great evil - sin, death, and the devil.  We act as if we were left to wander around on this planet and scratch out our existence alone.  We see that the Creator of All, sent his son Jesus to save us from the horrible darkness that left us hopeless.  As grateful as we are, we still tend to fall into a pattern of resolving ourselves to hold on day by day until we reach heaven.  Then the curtain will roll, and our happy ending will finally come, the promise of heaven.  

The work of the cross is not simply a "get out of hell" free card.  

Point to the cross and you too can have heaven!  

The work of Christ's death is not merely a doctrine of sin management.  

Unable to remove that pesky guilt from your conscience?  Look to the cross today.    

The Invitation

Our Father in Heaven has sent out the greatest invitation to man.  Come to the Cross, be clean, find life, be my Sons and Daughters, and go forth in the purposes I have called you to.  Look, you see Jesus?  He has paid your penalty.  He has served your sentence.  In turn, receive His rightful inheritance - welcome to the Family!  You are home.  He  essentially cleansed us from our identity as lawbreakers and slaves, and called us into his Family not as servants or orphans, but sons.   

A good parent with resources does not give their child a cot and porridge 3 meals a day.  A good parent who has the resources gives their child a bed, a pillow, blanket, and a room of their own.  A parent trains their child to walk in the right way and gifts them with all that they need to go along on that path.  A parent provides identity, security, discipline and a never ending supply of love.  

Christ's death and subsequent resurrection restored all that was wrong.  Christ, the Father's only son - both 100% God and 100% man lived a perfect life, died, and rose again, and with Him he made it possible for many sons to know their Dad.  He taught us that we could approach the Creator of the Universe as "Daddy".  By the greatest rescue mission of all time, He freed us from darkness and didn't stop there but brought us into His kingdom.  (If you want to get excited, check out Colossians 1)   He made a way, as the old hymn states to bring "many sons to glory".  

Image Credit to: http://goo.gl/7EH3Q6 found via Google Search

Never Alone, Called to Good Works

He would never leave us alone.  Jesus promised to send the Holy Spirit and He did just that.  (John 14:15-12)  The Holy Spirit is far and above the best friend you could ever hope for.  He leads, guides, speaks Truth, comforts, and confirms your identity as a child of the True King.  

God's family is wonderful and I could spend a long time reveling in the goodness of being His daughter...and frankly, I do.  But, He's also given us good work to accomplish.  We have given work this terrible reputation of being awful and living for the weekend.  But that's not the kind of work, Christ has given for us to do.  The best kind of work is one that allows for a sense of accomplishing something, enjoyment in using our abilities to create, explore, and glorify our God who Has created all things.  There is great joy in learning how to do a task and being entrusted to do it well.  I think that's kind of what being about the Father's business looks like.  

Father trains son to perform house work.  Copyright Flint Journal 2010.

I don't know about you, but I'm so thankful that Annie's story ends with her adoption by a dad who loved her so much.  I'm glad she didn't spend the rest of her childhood living in an orphanage.  I'm even more grateful that our Father in Heaven loves us so much that He made a way for us to be His sons and daughters.

1 John 3:1  See how great a love the Father has bestowed upon us, that we should be called children of God!  And that is what we are!

John 3:16  For God so loved the world, He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him, shall not perish but have eternal life.  

  

Ephesians 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Thoughts from a Dream Catcher

God is so good and loves to reveal His glory.  One way He does this is by giving us a dream bigger and greater than ourselves.  These dreams are given to us by God and we catch them into our hearts.  His dreams are more than we can ever hope to accomplish on our own.  But God's dreams are God breathed and it is His power that brings them forth, it is our job to trust him and walk with Him as he brings about the very thing He first laid in our hearts.

Never take your eyes of the Dream Giver and stare at your dream.  Notice, I said your dream for after He gives the dreams to our hearts, we can't help but take hold of them.  Take your eyes off of the Dream Giver and you will find yourself frustrated and your way bent.  Do not put your hope in the dream.  Keep your hope on God, for He is the One that brought the dream to your heart and He will see it accomplished.  Your job is to follow Him, which you can do a whole lot easier when you keep your eyes on Him.  You may be waiting years for this dream to be fulfilled, but trust in God. Trust that the road He is taking you down is straight and trust that the destination is not your dream, the destination is the road further traveled with the one your heart truly loves - God.

A dream is an invitation to take a journey with God.  That journey will draw you closer to Him, allow you to lean into Him in deeper and richer ways, and will assuredly be a blessing to so many others.  As long as you stay the course and remember that no matter where the destination lies, the true goal is always to be closer and more like Him.  If you take your eyes of Him, you may lose a lot more than just your desired goal - you could find yourself wandering alone a part from the Lord.

The beauty of your God given dream still pales in comparison to the beauty of God himself.  May we all be always able to say - my heart finds rest in God alone and my truest joy is found in journeying with Him.   No matter what the situation holds,  He is good, loving, holy, and altogether beautiful.


Deuteronomy 31:23  The LORD gave this command to Joshua son of Nun: "Be strong and courageous, for you will bring the Israelites into the land I promised them on oath, and I myself will be with you."

Psalm 62:1 For God alone my soul waits in silence; from him comes my salvation.

Proverbs 20:24 A man’s steps are from the LORD; how then can man understand his way?

Ephesians 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Death doesn't get to win

28 years ago, my parents lost their only son, my grandparents lost their first grandchild, and my sister and I lost our big brother.  His story is a tragedy.  Being young as I was at the time (under a year), it has been suggested that my heart would not feel so much pain over it.  I have spent 28 years living in a family with the hole that he left.  Trust me, I have been impacted but there is hope in tragedy.  Mostly, I seek to celebrate a life that was short but completely valuable and lovely.  Our lives are but vapors no matter how long, but we bring glory to our creator because He chose to form us in His image.

The significance that we are celebrating Jesus' resurrection this year on the very date 28 years ago that my brother passed away is not lost on me.  For Jesus Christ did not only die a tragic death which paid for my sins and yours.  He did the impossible; He rose to life.  This story has become commonplace and we treat coming back from the dead as if it is a normal and expected occurrence.  It is NOT.  Not only is it unusual for people to return from death's door, it is actually completely abhorrent that God would suffer at the hand of those He created and then turn around and offer us a gift that would be impossible for us to earn.

But, glory be to the King - for He did the impossible and loves doing the impossible all the time.  I'm so thankful that I have been given new life.  Life enough for today and life for the endless days ahead.  I'm thankful that I get to live today and tomorrow with the joy that when death comes to take me, I will but walk into life.  My faith will be sight and my hope completely satisfied in Him.  If you are reading this, my prayer for you is that you have that same joy.  As I get older, I don't look back but look forward to the untold adventures to come.  God is good, even in the darkest days and Jesus is proof.  Death doesn't get to win because God wins every time.

I admit this song is a bit unorthodox for celebrating Easter, but every time I hear it, I can't help but celebrate that we've been given life unending and that is all because of what happened over 2,000 years ago.  Enjoy and Happy Resurrection Sunday!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfOaTbadP64

Reflections on this Good Friday

At the foot of the cross….

We find that our sins are taken care of and we have access and relationship to the one true God.  No more are we separated, we are brought near.  For He took our weight upon Himself.  

      

The station of who we are - rich, poor, slave, free, awkward, lonely, socialite, famed, and criminal matter not in the face of the righteousness which covers all who come and take of the free gift. 

 

It is not a matter of being the first, the smartest, wisest, or most cunning.  No, it is a gift completely separate from what you do.  It is a matter of grace.  No man can claim to have earned or surpassed another to procure it, for it is a free gift.  

And love, there is no further need to seek to be valued and loved by others who can fail and injure.  The God-Man, Jesus the Christ became the standard for love by sacrificing Himself for you and for me.  

 

While prized crude oil must be conserved and protected for the resource will end and then people will be without; the love of Christ which is offered to all is endless and the gift of grace He offers is for every man who will recognize his need, and accept with open hands and an open heart this gift.  

As a recipient of such a limitless gift, we are free to offer and share it with all!  Suddenly, we no longer judge people by their stations, abilities, or failings.  We see them as they truly are, people loved by God with great worth because He made it so.  

This is why we share, forgive others, love, sacrifice, care, celebrate, and scream of His goodness from the mountain tops.  He is the One we all long for, but we are often unable to see.  And one evening, he held his arms out of his own free will and in the greatest act known to mankind - He offered Himself.  

"But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed." - Isaiah 53:5

"For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heave, making peace by the blood of the cross". - Colossians 1:19

"To the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen." - Jude 24

Hymn

This blog moment brought to you by the years of piano lessons that has left me with an ability to understand simple music notations and by the people in my life that taught me hymns have a richness that is worthy of review and song.  

I ran across a hymn this evening, that I have never sung before.  When I cam across the lyrics, they simply came alive and I wanted to share them.  I will quote only verse 1 and 2 here.  But for further reading, simply search the title and author, and you will find it many places.  

I am His, and He is mine (Written by George Robinson)

Verse 1:  Loved with everlasting love, drawn by grace that love to know,

Spirit breathing from above, Thou hast taught me it is so!

O this full and precious peace from his presence all divine;

in a love that cannot cease, I am his and he is mine;

in a love that cannot cease, I am his and he is mine.

Verse 2: Heav'n above is deeper blue, earth around is sweeter green,

Something lives in every hue Christless eyes have never seen.

Birds in song his glories show, flow'rs with richer beauties shine

since I know, as now I know, I am his and he is mine;

since I know, as now I know, I am his and he is mine.

For a rendition of the song sung, go to: http://www.newhopeconnection.com/page_to_print.cfm?id=213&content_id=319

When you know, that you know, that you know, that you are loved by God and love Him in return - there is a beauty that can scarcely be described.  I have no further words to add to such a beautiful hymn.  

A blogger always returns to her blog/Joy is Here

It has been some time since I bothered to share my thoughts with a blog post.  It has been so long, that it took me several minutes to remember the name of this website!  All things have seasons and I suppose I was in a non-blog writing season.  I am not troubled in the least by this.  I have had several concepts of late that I have desired to share with any blog readers out there.  So as suddenly as a rainstorm hits the dry wearied ground, I find myself writing again.  It is a welcomed friend.

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The anticipated second return of Christ and the gift of Christmas has been heavy on my mind.  After all, during Christmas we celebrate the coming of Jesus into this world as a small babe; proof once and for all that God cares immensely for humanity.  (I can appreciate ants...but I would seek to go to their level to save a single one; I prefer the joys of being human.)  Throughout the Christmas season, we sing songs of joy, the promised peace on earth, and of course many exchange gifts with one another.  We talk of joy and peace but it really doesn't take a long reading of the newspaper to realize we do NOT live in a peaceful world.  No, sadly even a cursory reading reveals not only the troubles of various nations but our own cities and towns: A child at age 6 passes away from a deadly disease, a body found recently by a dog walker in Madison, a young police officer is gunned down by her own husband...a victim himself of the terrors and monsters of war.  If we take the joyous songs at face value, I would be tempted to proclaim we do NOT live in a world of peace and joy and so these songs are lies.  After all, anyone who tells you that everything is sunshine and roses is selling something, run away!

I find myself trying to have conversations that are a bit deeper than the typical happenings of daily life with anyone who will journey there with me.  I find within others what I already know of myself- there lies within the heart of man fears about what is to come, who they are to be, the purpose of it all, and desperation to live life fully followed by the struggle and difficulty of doing so.  The failure to grasp at life leads us to settle for cheap satisfactions and entertaining distractions from things that truly matter.  Where is the peace and joy?  Is it simply a lie we tell our children so they can have a fun season?  By no means.

Christ's life was not understood by the majority of His day.  They were looking for a King to free them politically, when Christ came to proclaim the captives free of the spiritual bondage humanity was under.    His life and death ushered in a NEW reality, His Kingdom on earth.  His sacrifice made it possible for the impossible barrier between men and God - the sin that kept unholy men away from a Holy God - to be lifted.  Christ at the perfect time, in the perfect way, restored relationship of men to God by paying a debt no man could pay.  In Christ's kingdom, men's relationship with God is restored, a new people of promise were offered family relationships with all the rights and responsibilities that being a part of a family entails.  They called themselves the Church, Christ's bride, a people of God set a part to proclaim a New Kingdom.  A kingdom unlike any of man's kingdoms as this perfect kingdom offers peace and joy with Christ as King.  A kingdom that does not decay, change rulers, is worth more than all the riches of men, and can be found by the simplest of small children.  When Christ left, he promised to return and with his return will bring the Fullness of His Kingdom.  How this will look, I cannot say but the Bible is clear, He will return.  

What Christ began by entering our time and our world was an ushering of His new Kingdom.  When He left, He left us the most precious of all gifts - The Holy Spirit.  The people who trust Christ now who live post this glorious day are now kingdom people who are able to live out of this kingdom grace.  Kingdom people can have a close relationship with God and others (Joy), a steady heart and mind are given (Peace), and people are able to live with purpose as they pursue their part in the grand story that God is telling. The kingdom is here and it is still to come.

  Is a vow between two lovers any less true despite their love not yet withstanding years of struggle?  Not in the least, but a love that withstands the test of time is both sweeter and richer.  It is possible for two lovers to be more in love on their 60th anniversary as opposed to their first.  Do not be mistaken; His kingdom has come, though the fullness of His kingdom is not yet complete.  Love offered on a wedding day is not the end; it is only the beginning of two lives becoming more and more one.  The birth of Christ sparked joy in the shepherd's that day because they had waited centuries for the promised one to arrive.  We are able to have joy and peace now because His Kingdom is here and it is yet to come.  The Holy Spirit can confirm all these things in our hearts even when what we see is incredibly painful and dark.  It is possible to live in kingdom joy now.  

"So Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him" - Hebrews 9:28

"Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering for he who promised is faithful." - Hebrews 10:23

"When Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God." Mark 12:34a

"Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.” John 18:36

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May the joy of the Lord and His glorious kingdom be your strength and heart's cry as you enter into 2013.