A Simple Reminder

Part of me wants to sit and wrap my mind around each one of these verses, one at a time…I think I might come out of the endeavor a very different woman…

My Child,

You may not know me,
but I know everything about you.
Psalm 139:1

I know when you sit down and when you rise up.
Psalm 139:2

I am familiar with all your ways.
Psalm 139:3

Even the very hairs on your head are numbered.
Matthew 10:29-31

For you were made in my image.
Genesis 1:27

In me you live and move and have your being.
Acts 17:28

For you are my offspring.
Acts 17:28

I knew you even before you were conceived.
Jeremiah 1:4-5

I chose you when I planned creation.
Ephesians 1:11-12

You were not a mistake,
for all your days are written in my book.
Psalm 139:15-16

I determined the exact time of your birth
and where you would live.
Acts 17:26

You are fearfully and wonderfully made.
Psalm 139:14

I knit you together in your mother’s womb.
Psalm 139:13

And brought you forth on the day you were born.
Psalm 71:6

I have been misrepresented
by those who don’t know me.
John 8:41-44

I am not distant and angry,
but am the complete expression of love.
1 John 4:16

And it is my desire to lavish my love on you.
1 John 3:1

Simply because you are my child
and I am your Father.
1 John 3:1

I offer you more than your earthly father ever could.
Matthew 7:11

For I am the perfect father.
Matthew 5:48

Every good gift that you receive comes from my hand.
James 1:17

For I am your provider and I meet all your needs.
Matthew 6:31-33

My plan for your future has always been filled with hope.
Jeremiah 29:11

Because I love you with an everlasting love.
Jeremiah 31:3

My thoughts toward you are countless
as the sand on the seashore.
Psalms 139:17-18

And I rejoice over you with singing.
Zephaniah 3:17

I will never stop doing good to you.
Jeremiah 32:40

For you are my treasured possession.
Exodus 19:5

I desire to establish you
with all my heart and all my soul.
Jeremiah 32:41

And I want to show you great and marvelous things.
Jeremiah 33:3

If you seek me with all your heart,
you will find me.
Deuteronomy 4:29

Delight in me and I will give you
the desires of your heart.
Psalm 37:4

For it is I who gave you those desires.
Philippians 2:13

I am able to do more for you
than you could possibly imagine.
Ephesians 3:20

For I am your greatest encourager.
2 Thessalonians 2:16-17

I am also the Father who comforts you
in all your troubles.
2 Corinthians 1:3-4

When you are brokenhearted,
I am close to you.
Psalm 34:18

As a shepherd carries a lamb,
I have carried you close to my heart.
Isaiah 40:11

One day I will wipe away
every tear from your eyes.
Revelation 21:3-4

And I’ll take away all the pain
you have suffered on this earth.
Revelation 21:3-4

I am your Father, and I love you
even as I love my son, Jesus.
John 17:23

For in Jesus, my love for you is revealed.
John 17:26

He is the exact representation of my being.
Hebrews 1:3

He came to demonstrate that I am for you,
not against you.
Romans 8:31

And to tell you that I am not counting your sins.
2 Corinthians 5:18-19

Jesus died so that you and I could be reconciled.
2 Corinthians 5:18-19

His death was the ultimate expression
of my love for you.
1 John 4:10

I gave up everything I loved
that I might gain your love.
Romans 8:31-32

If you receive the gift of my son Jesus,
you receive me.
1 John 2:23

And nothing will ever separate you
from my love again.
Romans 8:38-39

Come home and I’ll throw the biggest party
heaven has ever seen.
Luke 15:7

I have always been Father,
and will always be Father.
Ephesians 3:14-15

My question is…
Will you be my child?
John 1:12-13

I am waiting for you.
Luke 15:11-32

Love, Your Dad
Almighty God

Enemies – How do you respond?

“Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles.” 
(Proverbs 24:17)

How do you respond when you hear of bad things happening to your enemies?  Personally, I’m not quite sure.  First of all, it’s hard for me to consider anyone an enemy.  The term seems so extreme.  There are people I dislike, and certainly people who have done wrong to me, but I’m not sure if I would consider them enemies.  So, replace “enemy” with someone who has wronged you…now ask yourself the question: “how do you respond?” 

This verse reminded me of a response I had this past summer when I learned the outcome of a situation that involved a person who wronged me in a big way.  I had been following this situation and anticipating the outcome and its closure for nearly 3 years when news finally came this summer.  For me, the outcome represented a lot:  the validity of right and wrong and a personal confirmation of God’s justice and protection.  Needless to say I was relieved and excited.  Part of me felt compassion on the person involved, but far more than that I rejoiced.  I told friends who were with me on vacation.  I went outside to praise God.  I was elated.  Tonight, months later, I can’t help but think over my response…especially in light of this verse.  Was it wrong of me?  Could I have responded differently?  I’m still trying to figure it out with this specific situation, but I know there are other instances when I could have and should have responded very differently.  The most prominent example of a right response lies with a story of Jesus himself. 

Jesus – He hung on a cross, placed there for reasons that are rooted in lies, personal vendettas and injustice.  There was no good reason for him to hang on that cross…But he was crucified.  It’s hard to say that Jesus would consider those that hung him enemies, but I’ll revert back to my alternate understanding…they were definitely people who had done wrong to him.    Luke 23 describes the scene well:

“As they led [Jesus] away, they seized Simon from Cyrene, who was on his way in from the country, and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus…. Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed. When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified [Jesus], along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”  And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.  The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Christ of God, the Chosen One.”   The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar and said, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.” (verse 26 – 37)

In Isaiah 52:14 we are told that Jesus would be beaten beyond recognition, disfigured and marred from human likeness.  He was beaten and then taken to die on a cross – ridiculed and shouted at…His response to those who did him wrong = prayer.  He asked God to forgive them.  My understanding of the eternal implications of God’s forgiveness is that they would be welcomed into Heaven.  So, if that’s correct, I will also suggest that Jesus was praying for God to forgive those who were killing him – asking that they would join him in Heaven. 

I can’t get my mind around that.  It’s profound and so easily read…yet so difficult to translate into my life and my actions.  Share a heavenly inheritance and spend eternity with a person who has done wrong to me or someone else?  Really, God?  Yes…Really! 

I guess the reality is that we are no more or less deserving of God’s forgiveness…and we are just as susceptible to sin as the next person regardless of whether they are friend or foe.  I can only hope that I would be mature enough to pray for God’s love to embrace and welcome in those whom I, personally, have the most trouble loving. 

Lord, I don’t know how to interpret my responses to those who have done wrong to me or others that I know.  God help me to understand this verse in light of praising and recognizing your justice.  I have a hard time reconciling the two.  And, please God, help me to love those who disappoint me, help me to not rejoice when a foe falls.  If only I could apply the wisdom of this Proverb AND respond in a prayer like Jesus.  Only by your Grace, Father.  Amen.      

A Man of Faith?

 I’m taking an Old Testament class right now.  I’m 3 weeks into it, but it’s incredible.  I have barely scratched the surface of this part of scripture, but I find so much encouragement and faith from the Old Testament – I was pretty excited to take this class.  Obviously starting at the beginning of the Bible, this class has allowed me to again contemplate the life of Abraham. 

 Several times in my life I have looked to Abraham for the great steps of faith he’d taken.  God calls him out among the people and makes a covenant with him, stating that through him, all nations will be blessed.  Later on, when called to make a sacrifice, Abraham takes his son Isaac up to be sacrificed to God.  His incredible faith and devotion has encouraged me throughout my own walk with Christ. 

 Perhaps because of my own recent confusion and attempts to figure out God, I read through his story in Genesis and began to see a completely different side of this Great Man of Faith. 

 I don’t want to discredit the faith that Abraham does show.  Afterall, the writer of Hebrews highlights this faith as he exhorts those reading:

“Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (Heb. 11:1)

Abraham was a man of great faith…but inevitably he was also a man…whose faith, at times, seemingly faltered. 

Confusion and impatience must have brewed in the heart of Abraham for several years.  God promised to Abraham descendents, yet even by the age of 75, he was without child.  Again the Lord promises to give Abram’s descendents the land through which he passes.  Still no child.  Again, God tells Abraham, “KNOW FOR CERTAIN” (Gen 15:13) with regards to the fate of his descendents. 

Wait?  God, do you not see…Abram has NO children! 

Eventually, Abram and His wife discuss the matter, realizing that the Lord had prevented her from bearing children thus far, Abraham sleeps with Sarai’s maid, Hagar.  Hagar bears Abram’s first son, Ishmael. 

Regardless of the importance that is given to a “first son” in the ancient days, this was not the child God was planning to use.  Over 20 years after he first made His promise to Abraham, God finally gives them a child, through Sarah.  His name is Isaac and he became the descendent through which the covenant would continue on.  

Yes, Abraham is a man of faith, but Abraham also had his moments of little faith in the Lord.  Thinking about these lapses has led me to marinate on the idea of control.  God promises his followers a life of blessing and purpose (Jer. 29:11).  We may pursue God out of faith, we may fight for God’s will in our lives, but there is something that happens when God’s hand is seemingly still.  When waiting ensues, or when God’s timeline seems much slower than ours we begin to take things into our own control.  We walk in faith, but fear causes us to, in the middle of that faith journey, do or not do things that we could be trusting God for.  In the same way, we look and we wait and inevitably we find ourselves taking things into our own hands.  Just as with Abram and Hagar, we try to manipulate and control the situation – we try to complete God’s purposes in our own way, on our own time…in all reality that rarely works!

It’s so easy to jump in and try to make things happen…waiting and walking in faith is hardly easy, but we mustn’t forget that God is going to do what he wants to do…we just need to let go and let him do it.

Lord, I confess to you that so often I jump in and try to force your hand to move.  I confess that so often I doubt your promises…especially when you don’t work according to my timeline.  God please help me with this impatience.  I want to wait on you and I don’t want to force things…your ways are right and pure and your timing is perfect…in all that I do, please help me to wait on you.  I thank you for this faith journey that I walk even today.  please continue to help me trust and have faith in your love. Amen 

Looking Back

I am slowly cleaning up my old blog on Xanga.  To do so, I am going back to my oldest posts and deleting and/or saving the ones I don’t have saved already.  I found several that carried over from my first blog on mindsay back in 2003 – I had forgotten that I even had that site.  It’s also crazy to think I’ve been doing this for 5 years.  As I go through this spring cleaning/consolidation, I find it interesting to see where I’ve been and who I was 3, 4 or even 5 years ago.  I’m able to see proof of just how dynamic our lives are and how much we do change over the years.  When you think about life as each day passes you notice very little change…but one day you wake up and realize you’re not the person you were then…and you’re not the person you’ll be in another 10 years.   

 Here is a blog I posted in 2005…enjoy.

Thursday, April 21, 2005

“Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples followed him.  On reaching the place, he said to them, “Pray that you will not fall into temptation.”  He withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.”  An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.”  (Luke 22:39-44) Meditating on Gethsemane (I can’t pronounce this word btw)… Gethsemane literally means “olive press” – where the very life of the fruit is squeezed out…and this place being where anticipation of the cross would literally pressed the lifeblood from Jesus’ body in a sweat.  The “press” of Gethsemane was the challenge of the cross that Jesus faced.  In the “press” of our daily lives we face the challenge of choosing Christ over ourselves.  “Not my will, but yours be done” Easier said than done…at least in my life that’s how it’s been…The reward for submission to the Father far outweighs whatever sacrifice you are called to make, no matter how extreme you think it is…this has also been proven true in my life, when I do find the strength to just “let go and let God” Thoughts of dying to oneself is lying heavily on my heart, and I’m not sure why (other than the obvious daily walk application).  This time I’ll just ponder the ideas…and not try to over analyze why I’m thinking about this now. “I will die to self I will begin to ask God to put me in a service of constant circumstances where to live is Christ I must die to self.  I will be alive unto God.  That I may learn to love Him with my heart, mind, soul, and body.” (~Roger Youderian…about 20 days before he was martyred.) “There is a seeking of honest love Drawn from a soul storm tossed, A seeking for the gain of Christ To bless the blinded, the beaten, the lost.” “Those who sought found Heavenly love And were filled with joy divine, The walk today with Christ above, ……………………………………………”  (unfinished poem by Roger Youderian) ************************************************************ * The most important things in a Christian’s/missionary’s life are deep, close relationships with Godly people that will always bring you back to God.  (thought from last night’s perspectives class)