Initial Response

According to the Merriam Webster student dictionary, a response is a reaction of a living thing to a stimulus. For better or worse, it's what we do when something provokes us.

I would be willing to bet that most of us, if not all of us, have responded in a way we wish we hadn't in a given situation. Most of the time this happens when we receive ALL of the information AFTER we have already acted like a real jerk and then realize if we had just waited we (hopefully) would have chosen a different behavior or words. I'm convinced this is why Ephesians 4:26 is included in the Bible. In your anger, do not sin.

Granted, there are times that our reactions would have been exactly the same. We might still not have chosen the high road. But the reality is, everytime we don't choose the better path we pay a price. We might harm a relationship, we might lose the respect of others, or we might damage our own hearts. Regardless of what our less than stellar response might be, there is always a cost associated with it.

But what about the times that our behavior might be justified? What if our response is warranted based on what is eliciting it? What then?

As much as I hate to say it, as hard as it is to accept, there is still a cost and I'm afraid the price is much higher, much more precious, and not something we should so willingly surrender to pay.

Exodus 32 is the account of the golden calf that Aaron made at the request of the Israelites because Moses delayed in coming down from the mountain and the people said we don't know what has happened to him. (Exodus 32:1 CSB) The people were so desperate for something to cling to they asked for a god instead of crying out to God. It's sad until you realize how often we do the same thing, but that's not the point.

While Moses was with God, the LORD  realized what was going on and said He was going to destroy the people. Moses intercedes on their behalf, appealing to the LORD and His promises and then descends the mountain with the two stone tablets God had given him. And what happened? As he approached the camp and saw the calf and the dancing, Moses became enraged and threw the tablets out of his hands, smashing them at the base of the mountain. (Exodus 32:19)

Could he have asked why? Yes. Did he? No. He saw, he got ticked, and he threw the tablets.

As a teacher, my first inclination would be that he could have taken the tablets and shown them that God Himself wrote on them. That He cared enough to send a personalized gift with instruction that He'd already given. But no, he smashed them in anger.

So what was the cost....what did Moses ultimately pay with for his angry outburst? Proof. Actual, tangible proof that he had just spent forty days with the presence of God on top of a mountain. Yes, he would get another set of stone tablets, but those tablets would also become a reminder of the ones he lost, the original ones that came from a personalized retreat.

So here's my question: how often do we do the exact same thing?

How many of us have our morning quiet time with the LORD, to be filled with His Word and presence, only to lose every ounce of peace we were given within moments of human contact with people we either carried or married? You don't have to answer that. I'm pretty sure most of our answers are similar.

And just to point out the reality of this.....here I am writing, it's 5:28 AM on a morning we knew heading into that we had a two hour delay (so far) and I just looked at the man-child who emerged from his slumber and asked him why he was up. I did not say good morning, I did not ask if he wanted his coffee, I asked him why he was up. Perhaps instead I should be thankful and grateful that he is my baby, he is still home, and he is able to move and give me a good morning kiss. Just sayin'.

In John 14:27 Jesus tells us that He gives us His peace. We have it. It is ours. So if that's the case, why do we so willingly give it away? Do we really forget that easily that God knows exactly what is coming and that He's planned for it? Are we really putting the lifted countenance God gives us after spending time with Him on the altar to sacrifice so haphazardly?

Thankfully the second part John 14:27 Jesus tells us that He doesn't give as the world gives. When I read that and really thought about it, I realized that the world gives conditionally and will take things back as a punishment where Jesus gives unconditionally and abundantly because He knows us and what we need.

It's not easy to keep our responses in check all the time. Our flesh will always fight us with knee jerk reactions. But as we grow in Christ-likeness, our reflexes can improve and our spiritual muscles can get stronger. Let's stop giving up the peace we've been given. It's a gift straight from Jesus and it's meant to be treasured not sacrificed.

Mother May I

Do you remember in the book of Daniel when Darius was 'trapped' into condemning Daniel? To recap, the administrators, prefects, satraps, advisers, and governors went to the king to suggest that no one be allowed to petition any god or man except the king, and that if he does, the offender would be thrown into the lion's den. They knew Daniel would still pray to God and therefore they would have him dead to rights and he would surely die.

Sometimes I think God, in His perfect wisdom, sets us up much the same way.

I read Personally, I find it easiest to determine if the Spirit is leading me by reflecting on how I am thinking, acting, and feeling. If my thoughts, behavior, and feelings line up with the Word of God, I know the born-again part of me is responding to God's Spirit. (Nourish, p. 84)

I wrote the Spirit of God gives us strength to make right decisions so we learn to rely on the Spirit not on our own strength. (summary from Nourish, p. 84)

I prayed God, help me make the decisions you want me to make.

I opened my Devotions for a Healthier You to Day 37 (yes, we are 37 days in to 2018) and saw Proverbs 3:7-8 at the top of the page.

I realized I have a decision making flaw. I wonder if we all do.

* We can not determine or decide things with an unbiased heart.

* We can not (or at the very least should not) make today's best choice on yesterday's answer or wisdom

* Daily surrender, daily submission, and being led by the Spirit are choices continually made because our flesh will always find a way to influence us.

* If we don't consistently engage our heart and mind and make sure they line up with the Word of God, we will act and run on well-worn neurological pathways....aka bad habits

The problem for me, and maybe for you, is that we often try to be wise in our own eyes. Yes, it is possible, maybe even likely, that God has given us some instructions that aren't going to vary much from day to day. But, if we don't check in with Him just to make sure, we could end up off course pretty easily. And while it's tempting to think He spoke and therefore I know, do we really want to chance that something in our hearts hasn't shifted and He's got more for us today than He did yesterday? Call me crazy, but that sounds like an ordained FOMO.

When the instructions were given to Moses on what to do with Aaron to dress him for the priesthood, he was to have a breastpiece that would contain the Urim and Thummim for decisions so that they would be over Aaron's heart whenever he came before the Lord. (Exodus 28:30) We don't have that. We were given the Spirit of God instead to lead us into all truth. (John 16:13) But here's the catch: the Spirit can't lead very well if we don't ask and then follow. 

As kids, many of us played Mother May I. Before each and every step, before we even thought about taking an action and getting caught and having to go back to start, we asked if we were allowed to do what we wanted to do. Maybe, just maybe, if we saw the gift of the Holy Spirit as our perfect advisor in that way, we just might stop being wise in our own eyes. And maybe, just maybe, we might get the health and nourishment we are desperately seeking.

On Eagles' Wings

You have seen what I did to the Egyptians and how I carried you

on eagles' wings and brought you to Myself. 

Exodus 19:4 CSB

When I read that verse on Saturday I thought it was really interesting. Any time I've thought about being carried on eagles' wings I've typically thought about soaring above the problem. God's statement as related to the Exodus certainly doesn't match that idea.

I sat thinking about God's words and that His perspective of the Exodus included Him carrying out the Israelites on eagles' wings.  Part of me wonders if He said that very much on purpose to get the people to understand that being carried from His point of view is not the same as we might understand it. Personally, I think of it as the way I held my kids and carried them into the house or walked around with them in my arms. I suppose that's not always the case. And if I had to guess, I would think that our impression of this idea comes from Footprints in the Sand.

But if that perception is not entirely accurate there must be something we can learn from God's words and the story of the Exodus.

To be carried on eagles' wings:

* God uses a sign or signal to protect us (blood on the doorpost)......but we have to use it

* God provides for our needs (silver, gold, clothing)......but we have to ask for it

* God will lead us by day and night.......but we have to follow Him

* God will keep us from the enemy.......but we can't wander away

* God will wipe out those who seek to harm us.....but we can't turn back in fear

* God will listen to our complaints......but we must follow specific instructions to have our needs met

Not a single aspect of this concept allows us to just sit and watch things happen, or be lifted up and watch it from a bird's eye view; instead, we are active participants.

I will say there are times God swoops in and provides a dramatic rescue. But I don't think those are the norm. I truly believe He wants us to learn to be empowered by the strength He gives us through His Spirit and to realize that we aren't as weak as we think we are. I mean, if we think we are weak, what does that say we believe about the strength of His Spirit that lives in us? The same one that rose Jesus from the grave (Romans 8:11), the same one that is stronger than the one that is in the world (1 John 4:4), and the same one that causes us to walk (again a very active thing to do) in His ways (Ezekiel 36:27)?

Personally, I think the enemy is whispering in our ears way more than we think he is. I think we see things that others are doing, believe we could never accomplish those same things, and forget to attribute what they are doing to God's ability instead of their own. Ouch, I know.

So here's the challenge for today....if we find ourselves comparing what we are doing with what someone else is doing, let's stop and remember it is God who is giving them strength to do it. Whether or not they can acknowledge that fact is not relevant in any way. We know where the power is coming from. And instead of thinking we could never, let's remember that the same God is more than capable and willing to do something equally spectacular in us. The enemy has no business keeping us in defeat because we have a God who wants to carry us on eagles' wings and just needs our cooperation to do it. 

Invited

Weekly Recap ~ January 29th thru February 2

Monday we looked at how the enemy works to keep us distracted and occupied to keep us from believing the promise of an abundant life.

Tuesday we explored the idea that instead of waiting for God to reaffirm what His word says about is, we must just choose to believe it's been decided and accept it.

On Wednesday we took a verse we are all familiar with and examined the possibility that it might have an application we have easily overlooked.

Thursday was all about the value of following directions and the advantages of making sure we read them correctly.

Finally, yesterday we looked at the idea that what is enough for each of us will be different but that the advantage to making sure we are full is that we'll be loved right back to our personally designed rhythm of grace. 

Have a great weekend!

Defining Enough

Exodus 16: 4, 12, 18 CSB

"I am going to rain bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather

enough for that day. This way I will test them to see whether or not they follow My instructions.

"At twilight you will eat meat, and in the morning you will eat bread until you are full. Then

you will know that I am the LORD your God."

the person who gathered a lot had no surplus, and the person who gathered a little had no

shortage. Each gathered as much as he needed to eat.

Last year I read a book titled Emotionally Healthy Spirituality by Peter Scazzero. In this book, he mentioned a practice he started called The Daily Office. The essential idea is to stop at different points in the day to have time with God. Scazzero learned of the practice after spending a week with trappist monks and saw it as their means to remain aware of God's presence while they worked to enable them to maintain healthy balance in their lives. (p.157)

Scazzero continued his quest to understand this by studying David, Daniel, Jesus, and Benedict. He shares that All these people realized that the stopping for the Daily Office to be with God is the key to creating a continual and easy familiarity with God's presence the rest of the day. It is the rhythm of stopping that makes the 'practice of the presence of God' a real possibility. (p.159)

I was reminded of this concept yesterday when I read Matthew 11:28-29 in The Message.

Come to Me all you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.

Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion?

Get away with Me and you'll recover your life. 

I'll show you how to take a real rest. 

Walk with Me.....watch how I do it.

Learn the unforced rhythms of grace.

I won't lay anything heavy or ill fitting on you.

Keep company with Me, 

and you will learn to live freely and lightly.

For I am gentle and humble in heart

and you will find rest for your souls.

This is what I have realized since starting this:

1. If I don't move through my morning quiet time in mechanical way from one thing to the next, each thing I read has time to sink in.

2. Taking time throughout the day, in little pockets of time that are naturally built in (like when I sit down to eat my lunch or wait in the car for the kids to get out of school), has increased the level of calm in my heart because I am realigning my heart periodically.

3. I have yet to gather too much or too little. Sometimes God intervenes with a circumstance as if to say, "That's enough for now.....I'll see you in a little while." This was beyond evident yesterday when I planned on continuing in my devotional book after writing this:

I keep thinking of what I have yet to do and all I want to do is just be quiet and still and

let words wash me, make me new, help me see truth and uncover lies. I forgot how good 

it feels to be slow, deliberate, intentional, and flowing freely in the rhythm I was created

to move. I just want to keep breathing slowly, at the pace designed specifically for me.

Within 2 minutes, my husband sent me a text that he was on his way home from our daughter's orthodontist appointment ~ about 30 minutes sooner than I thought he would. He came home and needed to eat lunch. This involved chips which means no more 'quiet time' because now, chips. So what did I do? Go in our bedroom, close the door, put a pillow over my head, and took a short nap. If he hadn't come home when he did, I'd have kept going. But Jesus knew the unforced rhythm of grace I needed and that included an unscheduled nap.

4. This is not a cookie cutter plan. What I need in the morning is different than what I get mid-morning after I get a few things done. It's different than what I read at lunch, picking up the kids, and if I read later in the day. (typically if I am taking my kids to student ministry and I am waiting for them) Every day is unique. 

I realize this sounds luxurious. And I suppose in a way it is. I certainly feel lavishly loved. And if you'd asked me if I thought I could manage this 2 months ago, I'd have laughed ~ loud, hard, and long. But after being made aware of how much what seemed innocent (scrolling facebook) was robbing me of joy, I decided to try spacing things out instead of looking for updates. I realized that I can read while waiting in a doctor's office instead of staring at mindless tv. And I figured out that my car is a really quiet place to read.

But what we all need to realize is that God wants us to come to Him as often as we need. He knows what the perfect amount of time is. And after awhile, we'll all start to notice some pretty significant changes....in our attitudes, stress levels, ability to assess situations before responding, meet needs, etc. What I've been talking about, letting myself get filled and then serving from that overflow, is actually happening. And it's nice. Really nice. And it's not just for me. It's for you, too.

I may not know what your current schedule looks like, but God does. And I may not be able to tell you how it will fit into each day, but God can. And it may not feel like you have the strength to do this or remember to start, but God will remind you. He has so much for each of us and His Spirit will empower us to do what we feel we can't afford to even try. We have that Spirit in us and it is trying to raise our life back to where it was always meant to be: in communion with Him. Let's let Him love us straight back to the unforced rhythm of grace He's uniquely designed for our lives. It's worth it. I promise. 

The devotional book I am reading in the afternoons is Whispers of Rest by Bonnie Gray.

You can find more information on the book on her website or order it from Amazon or Target.

Following Directions

Last night I was making a recipe I found on Dashing Dish for Mini Turkey Pizza Meatloaves. I had made it once before and it was well received, so I made it again. I had all the ingredients out, I had the proper amounts, and was geared up and ready to go. The directions stated put all of the ingredients in a bowl, except the turkey, and mix well. Then add the turkey. So I did that. Except.....I was only supposed to start withh 1/4 cup of the pizza sauce, not the entire jar.

After some quick thinking, I pulled out a good bit of the 'mixture' to use as the sauce topping and it turned out just fine, but in my haste to follow the directions to get it done, I missed a measurement and added too much.

In Exodus 13, Moses tells the people to Remember this day when you came out of Egypt, out of the place of slavery, for the LORD brought you out of here by the strength of His hand.  He then goes on to explain that when your son asks you about why you abstain from anything with yeast for seven days that you are to say This is because of what the LORD did for me when I came out of Egypt. Let it serve as a sign for you on your hand and as a reminder on your forehead, so that the LORD's instruction may be in your mouth; for the LORD brought you out of Egypt with a strong hand. (v. 3, 8-9 CSB)

If we continue to draw the analogy of Egypt being our enemy and us being slaves to sin until Jesus rescues us, we see that upon rescue we are to remember what He did for us through a reminder on our hand, our forehead, and in our mouth. And honestly, we have to diligently and intentionally do this, becuase we (a) forget or (b) need help believing it. God might declare us free, but sometimes we don't feel it and therefore don't act it.

But what's so interesting about this section of Scripture, is that in Exodus 14:14 we see Moses say something most of us are probably familiar with. In the CSB it reads The LORD will fight for you, and you must be quiet. The ESV reads The LORD will fight for you, and you have only to be silent. The NIV says The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still. And the KJV reads The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.

Now, here's something you might not realize. Regardless of what the translation of the Bible you are reading says (CSB, ESV, NIV, or KJV) the original Hebrew word is the same. What's written in the translation depends upon the method of translation used (literal, thought for thought, or a combination of the two) and the theological disposition of the translators.

However, when you look at the original language and see what the word that is translated in the KJV as peace means, it sounds really odd.  It means to scratch, to engrave, and when applied to men, be silent or exhibit silence.

Now, I am not a theologian, and I have not looked at a commentary, but it seems pretty interesting to me that it says to hold our peace and that the peace we are to hold is associated with a word that means engraved. But it only seems strange for a second until we look back at verses 8-9 in Chapter 13 that told us to let what the LORD has done as a sign on our hand, a reminder on our forehead, and instruction in our mouth. Why? Because that's what God does. He engraves things in us. (Jer. 31:33)

So what does all of this have to do with following a recipe properly? If we do what God says and remember all that He has done for us, if we hold our peace, the enemy can't steal it, kill it, or destroy it. The problem at least for me is that I haphazardly read the recipe and don't follow all of the instructions and then have to correct my mistake. It might turn out okay (because God can use anything) but it would have been better (and less stressful) if I'd done it His way in the first place.

The more I read my Bible, the more I realize that God has given each and every one of us the perfect recipe. My recipe is different than yours because my life is different than yours. He made us all unique. And despite the fact that our ingredient list is the same, the combinations are different, the amounts needed are different, and the end results vary. But all are beautiful to behold. And the incredible thing is that He promises when we seek Him, He will reveal Himself to us. None of us need to depend on someone else to tell us what to do based on what God's Word says, He wants to tell us Himself. We just need to open The Book and find the recipe He has waiting for us.