Random Thoughts

"Here it is again, The Great Reversal; many of the first ending up last, & the last first" (Msg)
I'm ok with this verse except when it is applied to the 1 or 2 people who have harmed me deeply. What if they spend eternity with the Lord, too? As a Christ follower, I should desire that they do. But as a person broken as a result of their acts, something inside of me screams "No!" Lord, help me to forgive them.
Psalm 25:11 "Keep up your reputation, God; forgive my bad life; It's been a very bad life." (Msg)
Psalm 25:15 "If I keep my eyes on God, I won't trip over my own feet." (Msg)
Keep me from tripping today, Lord. Help me to focus on you.

You have no idea how God works!

I read this in Matthew 16 a couple days ago. Context: Peter is trying to get Jesus to not go to Jerusalem where he was going to suffer and die. Jesus told Peter, "get out of my way" because "you have no idea how God works." Now those are strong words to someone who's openly opposing the injustice that awaits Jesus in Jerusalem. We're supposed to be passionate and brave when we fight injustice, right?

 Then Jesus goes on to say that if we intend to follow Him, we have to let Him lead (16:24). If I put these two things together, it says that there will certainly be times that the direction Jesus is going wouldn't be my first (or 14th) choice! I, like Peter, obviously have a lot to learn about how God works. And the way I learn about how God works is to keep letting Him lead and not "get in the way" of where He is taking me/us. Last Sunday at church, I knew God was asking me for a new level of trust, a mustard seed of faith, just to listen in this whole area of justice and be willing to follow. Is it vague? Yes. Do I see the "goal" of this passion for justice? No. Will I just faithfully and courageously follow where He leads?  I'm thinkin' about it......

This is your blog!!

I know how busy everyone is, but I'd love to hear some of your thoughts about what you are reading! I learn so much from you! Please, please, please - use this great tool that we have to communicate. It doesn't have to be much - just a sentence or two - just a word or two!
Remember - this is the Grace Community Blog! I started it, but it's not mine. It's our community's.
If you aren't on the author list but would like to be, send me an email at mamasherry@cableone.net and I'll send you an invitation.
I'm looking forward to seeing more posts!

By the way, if you have a favorite link or would have a suggestion for the "look" of the blog, let me know. There are thousands of options available to us. Thanks to Brent Hood for suggesting I list the weekly readings!

Invincible

"...what good thing must I do to get eternal life?...just do what He tells you..."
Once again I'm hearing "listen & obey". A theme for me? Or has it always been there & I've purposely blinded myself to it because of the (perceived) cost to me?
Actually God is showing me some amazing things as a result of listening & obeying. Worship is deeper (wasn't Sunday awesome??!!). I'm seeing God in areas I haven't before. I'm still a bit wary of the "obey" part, but I'm moving forward and trusting Him. I shared my story at Grace Groups this week. It's always a bit scary to put yourself out there but this was the first time I was really nervous ahead of time. I'm kind of an "out there" person - ask me about my life and I'll tell you, but this time was different. I was scared to talk about this part of my life, but I knew it was what God was telling me to do, so I listened and obeyed. And while telling my story was painful what happened after has been such a gift. Normally after sharing I feel "teller's remorse". I hear negative statements in my head "You shouldn't have said that" "You're so stupid", that kind of thing. Plus I feel bathed in shame. But I realized Wednesday morning that I didn't feel any of that. I was calm, my head was clear, and even though I didn't know what was coming next, God did (does). I just need to listen & obey.
So it was so affirming this morning to read Psalm 24: when I scale Mount God...God is at my side and with His help I make it. This is what happens to God-seekers, God-questers. NLT says God is "...strong & mighty; the Lord, invincible in battle."
Thank You, Lord, for your affirmation that you are walking with me through life as I strive to draw closer to You. Imprint Your presence in my mind and on my heart. Don't ever let me forget your strength and might!
I pray that you walk with our Invincible Lord today, leaning on His strength & might!
Live large!!

proverbs questions

Hey, all. I find Proverbs confusing. If God loves everybody, how come he's mocking the mockers and cursing the wicked? Can he do both?
Sussy

Foundations

Every day on my way to work, I drive past FRHS - West Campus. I always have to check out the Bed Tower construction - it's fun watching it go up! It's at the point now where I can see the progress, although it hasn't always been that way. When the construction began I remember feeling frustrated that I couldn't see what was going on because of the fence surrounding the site. It seemed like it took FOREVER to see any progress. That big ol' crane just seemed like a waste sitting out there - it didn't look like it was being used at all! Then one day I could see a lone steel girder (is that what they're called?) over the confines of the fence. Day by day there were more. Before I knew it there was a second floor! And a third! It's been exciting watching it grow. All of this went through my mind today as I drove past and it occurred to me that during that long period when it seemed nothing was happening, the contractors were working diligently to ensure the addition had a sturdy foundation. Even though I didn't see any progress, the workers were there, establishing the base for the rest of building.
Reading through the New Testament is doing that for me. I get impatient with my progress - not just in keeping up with the reading schedule, but also with my Spiritual progress - and I have to remind myself that even though it doesn't look like anything is getting done, God is in there working diligently to create a sturdy foundation for me. Just like the contractors on the Bed Addition, He knows that if I don't have that foundation everything else will just fall down around me.
There have been a few days this winter when I thought "surely no one is working there today!" I couldn't see anyone outside, but a glance at the lot where the workers park tells me that they are indeed there. Unseen by passersby, they are hard at work in the heated, lower portion of the building, doing what needs to be done.
This is such a great picture of what happens inside me during the "winters" of my life. I may think God has forgotten me in that cold, dreary place, but if I would just look around, He's there - hard at work warming my heart, doing what needs to be done to keep my foundation firm. I praise and thank you, Lord, for not forgetting your servant!

Wild Flowers

There was so much good stuff in what I read this morning, I've decided to split it into different postings.

Matthew 6:30 says, "If God pays such attention to the appearance of wild flowers - most of which are never seen - don't you think He'll attend to you, take pride in you, do His best for you?"

This is what I like about The Message - it brings in facets of the Scripture that I would never see on my own. And in this verse, the phrase "most of which are never seen" really struck a chord with me. Think about it. God created thousands of beautiful flowers that grow in the wild. His creation of them was/is perfect -they weren't just an after-thought. Yet, the majority of them grow, blossom, wither and die without having ever been seen by a human eye. Still, God created them to be beautiful, not just functional. This is how much attention he pays to the wild flowers.

This knowledge then forces me to look at the last part of Christ's question "...don't you think He'll attend to you..." To really look at it, I have to personalize it "...don't you think He'll attend to Sherry, take pride in Sherry, do His best for Sherry?" My immediate reaction to that question is, "Of course I believe that." But that's a trite response. Do I, truly, deep down at gut level believe that God will/does attend to me, take pride in me, do his best for me?" Do my actions each day - each moment - live out that kind of faith? These are hard quesions for me. It's difficult to be that honest - with God, with myself - with you. I think that more often than not, I don't trust Him. I don't ask Him for help. I have selective hearing when it comes to His counsel. So, once again I'm brought back to my lessen from the first days readings - listen and obey. That seems to be my theme for the year.

This really is exciting stuff for me! I know it may seem I'm being hard on myself, but I'm not. I know this is a learning process - one that will continue until...gosh. I don't know. Do you think we ever stop learning? What God is revealing to me is so precious!! And posting my thoughts helps cement these revelations, even more than just journaling does. So, thanks again, for walking through this with me. I really am looking forward to seeing more people post their thoughts!

The Lord's Prayer

Well, I'm still behind, but I don't want to go too fast and miss anything, so I'll try and be satisfied with the pace I'm at. I've decided to continue reading in The Message as it seems to stir something deep within me.

Have you ever read the Lord's Prayer in The Message? It's so beautiful. "Our Father in Heaven, reveal who you are. Set the world right. Do what's best - as above, so below. Keep us alive with three square meals. Keep us forgiven with you and forgiving others. Keep us safe from ourselves and the devil. You're in charge! You can do anything you want! You're ablaze in beauty! Yes, yes, yes!"

I love that - "set the world right". "Keep us forgiven...and forgiving OTHERS." And I especially like the sentence "You're ablaze in beauty"! What a word picture that paints!!

The Sermon on the Mount

I just read the Beatitudes in The Message...what beautiful words. Just a few notes: vs 13 - "you're here to be light, bringing out the God-colors of the world." I like that - "God-colors" - & I'm part of it! vs 15: "Be generous with your lives: by opening up to others you'll prompt people to open up with God..." Sounds like Grace Groups. vs 22 "the simple moral fact is that words kill." Reminds me of Mary who said "Lord, put your arms around my shoulders and your hands over my mouth" - that, too, is my prayer. vs 43 "I'm telling you to love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst...This is what God does. He gives His best - the sun to warm and the rain to nourish - to everyone, regardless; the good and the bad, the nice and the nasty." Thank you, Lord.

And my favorite: vs 47 "In a word, what I'm saying is, GROW UP. You're Kingdom subjects. Now live like it. Live out your God-created identity. Live generously and graciously toward others, the way God lives toward you."

That is my prayer for all of us - to live out our God-created identity.

no longer will the poor be nameless...

I was just reading along, catching up, when this line in Psalm 9 (The Message version) made me literally stop breathing for a few seconds. "...No longer will the poor be nameless..."  My mind went to the story John told me of the Dalit woman at the registration desk when his medical team was in India. She was asked her name.......but.....she couldn't answer. If she had a name, she didn't know what it was. Her father called her, "girl" or something less appropriate. Her husband called her, "wife" or "woman" if he spoke to her at all. She did not have a name.......  She did not have a name! 

Then I remembered the stories of radiant joy on the faces of Dalit women who join a self-help group and go to the bank to establish an account. There they not only get an account, but an "identity card" that they proudly display. It says "I exist."  I AM a person, and I have a name.  Part of God's plan for justice is that EVERYONE has a name, a unique identity, a right to be recognized as a valued member of humanity.  I love our recent Sunday morning theme on living large and using our voice to speak up for those who not only have no voice, but have no name!

I'm still in catch-up mode...

I had hoped to get a little further in my reading yesterday, but only started one more day. I need to remember that it's not quantity, but quality that matters. What happens is I start reading and something hits me between the eyes and I stop to journal. And (as you've no doubt noticed from my first posting) when I write I tend to write A LOT!! LOL! But, it's all good - I'm excited to hear God speaking to me and that keeps me going.

By the way, it's very easy to post your own thoughts on here. Just send me an email (or call) and I'll send you an invitation. The email explains what to do from there. Once you get signed up, all you do is click on "new post" in the upper right hand corner of the page and away you go!!

Ok, so - on to what I'm hearing the Lord say...

I'm just at the verses that talk about Christ's temptation. He resists, not on His own, but because He has God's Word deep in His heart. He learned the stories as a young boy, He believed them and understood their meanings. And now, when He is tempted, when the battle rages, He falls upon those Words. Simply by speaking them, Satan is silenced. He cannot fight against such Truth.

I'm not very good at memorizing, but I remember one time when I was troubled - fighting temptation, completely overwhelmed with the situation. I sat at my desk, paralized with fear. I remember putting my head in my hands thinking "I can't do this. Lord, help me". And immediately I heard "I have not given you a spirit of fear". His Words had an instantaneous effect. The fear was gone and I was at peace. I was able to do what had to be done and it wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be.

God's Word is so powerful! Why then do I not learn it? Not just memorize it, but LEARN it, burn it deep within my soul that I might silence Satan when he pursues me? He could be stopped dead in his tracks. I have the most powerful weapon in the universe at my fingertips and I don't use it. Why? Selfish desire. The enemy has convinced me that my desires are better for me than God's. Even now, typing those words, knowing it's not true, there's a part of me that's screaming, "NO!!! DON'T LET GO!!! YOU DESERVE THOSE DESIRES!!! YOU NEED THOSE DESIRES!!! YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO LIVE WITHOUT THOSE DESIRES!!!". But even louder than the screaming is the Holy Spirit, gently whispering, "I know your desires and I will give you what you need. Don't be afraid. Don't worry. I love you, I care for you. You were created for much greater things than what your tiny brain can come up with. Have faith. LIVE LARGE!"

Starting out...

OK, true confession time...I've never blogged before. Never have felt the need. But at Management Team last week, it was suggested that a Grace Community blog would be a great way to keep everyone connected (and accountable) this year while we read through the New Testament. After reading the first few days of readings, I really felt that I should take the plunge and start the Blog. So, since I'm trying to listen and obey (you'll understand after you read the posting below), here it is! I hope you all will join with me and share what you are learning and hearing as you read through the NT with me!!

I'm really excited about reading the New Testament this year (I'm only committing to that - if I read Psalms and Proverbs, that's a bonus for me). I've never read the NT from start to finish. Of course, I'm already behind. And I just got started yesterday, the 8th, but already God is revealing awesome things to me!

In the first verses what stood out was that everyone LISTENED and OBEYED. Mary listened to the angel and instead of panicking and saying "I can't do that" she obeyed. Joseph knew that his family would be ridiculed, but he, too, listened and obeyed. The wise men heard in a dream that they were not to return to Herod and they obeyed. God told Joseph to take his family and flee to Egypt and he obeyed.

This makes me wonder - how many times have I heard the Holy Spirit speaking to me and I knowingly didn't listen or obey? I feel very small, very lacking in faith. I'm asking God to increase my faith, to give me His courage, His strength to listen and obey when He speaks. To Live Large!!

I was getting a bit discouraged with day 2 and 3. Nothing was connecting with me. When that happens, sometimes I'll read a different version - this time I chose The Message and that did the trick. In The Message, verse 7 says the Pharisees and Sadducees were "showing up for a baptismal experience because it was becoming the popular thing to do..." John (who definitely Lived Large) angrily challenges them saying it's their lives that must be changed - that just being baptized won't work. Even being descendants of Abraham doesn't make them special. He tells them "...they are a dime a dozen. What counts is your life. Is it green and blossoming? Because if it's deadwood it goes on the fire." And in verses 11 and 12 when he speaks of Jesus "...the real action comes next. The main character in this drama...will ignite the kingdom life within you, fire within you, the Holy Spirit within you, changing you from the inside out."

So many things run through my mind. How many times do I do something, buy something, watch something because it's the popular thing to do? Is my life green and blossoming? I don't want to be deadwood. I'm asking God to help me see life through His eyes. To help my life blossom with the truth of His love and who He is.

John's words about Jesus are powerful! Jesus is the "main character" in the drama...OUR drama...MY drama. Do I recognize him as the main character or have I relegated Him to "supporting actor" or "walk on character" only giving Him a role when it fits into MY storyline? Forgive me, Lord. Forgive me for forgetting that YOU are the most important person in my life.

This all brings me back to the lesson I gleaned from the first day's reading: listen and obey. If all I give in to are my own desires, of course I'm going to be the center of the story. I'm always going to be concentrating on me, me, me, looking for that next thing to make me happy (ah...the Pharisees and Saducees doing the next popular thing). If I don't listen and obey, I will never move from selfish pleasure (deadwood) to a life fulfilled - a life that is green and blossoming - a life Lived Large.