Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Suffering at the Foot of the Cross

From my description of this blog: "It’s not always ours to defend, to win, to give, to lead…but sometimes to be defended, lost, broken, given, taken, and led…suffering to the foot of the cross..."

In Isaiah chapter 1, I was touched by God's desire to bandage up our wounds, tend to our afflictions - yet we'd rebelled. In Ezekiel, I was amazed by how God reached out to His people over and over trying to explain to them He just wanted to be their God, to provide for them, to help them - to be present. In John 17, I was encouraged by the loving discussion between our Father God and His Son regarding us. In Revelation, I was surprised to see God, once again, seeking the lost and revealing His Son.

There are more examples of God's loving ways towards us in His Word. My favorite verse: 1 Peter 5:10-11 - "And the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will Himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To Him be the power for ever and ever. Amen."

I've learned to talk with God about the things going on - many times just in my thoughts, sometimes on my knees - doesn't really matter the physical posture. But when I bring my thoughts, no matter what they are, to God - He hears and the more I do, the more often He gives me clear feedback. Relationship. Conversation. Presence.

I still wait on Him to answer on some big things in my life. Some things I've waited for answers for 20 years. And, yes, I get frustrated by these sometimes and cry out to God in that frustration. But it's in the daily things I bring to God and the answers He provides daily and moment by moment that gives me the strength to Trust God in the big things...and to sometimes leave them in His hands for a bit - knowing He's sitting with me there in the waiting room holding them for me. This makes me strong, firm and steadfast – it’s a result of trusting close relationship with God that He made possible through Christ.

I talk with God many times throughout the day - asking Him questions, telling Him secrets, allowing Him into my thought processes, asking for His creative solutions to problems, etc. I am learning daily to love and trust my Savior and my God.

I have a Savior who suffered. He knows what it’s like. I have a Father God who has waited. He knows what it’s like. Why wouldn’t I trust Him? That trust plays out in a confidence knowing that whatever this life brings each day – He knows and is present with me closer than any friend.

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Abide Today

A few years ago, I was studying the concept of abiding as described in John Chapter 15 as Jesus describes the vine and the branches. Of course, being a person of little consistent discipline in a lot of areas of my life, I struggled with what I was learning.

I got mad at God - "I can abide in You for a little while; a week or two, maybe a month, certainly not year upon year; I always fall away!!! I can't do this!! It's too hard!" (paraphrased from a distant memory)

Almost immediately after this tantrum, God answered me and I wrote this thought:

Abide Today
Just trust Him and abide in Him today.
Tomorrow is His.
Start in the morning and give your heart to Him and allow Him to give His heart to you.
Receive His heart and allow Him to get your heart ~
     as much of your heart you are willing to give Him today,
     He will receive and handle with love and care.
Trust Him with more of your heart this morning than yesterday.

"Abide Today" (c)by Cindy, September 2007

I've learned through this and by looking back at the day by days that have strung together to form years that: Abiding is a trust that God will lead you through the circumstances of your day. Abiding is a boldness of knowing our heavenly Father has provided a direct relationship between us and Him. Abiding is allowing Him to work in us, through us and many times in spite of us. Abiding is surrendering our need to be God in our life. Abiding is putting God first in everything we do, think, believe.

Abiding takes practice...a day by day, moment by moment acknowledgement and reflection on the previous day/moment and evaluting honestly, with the prayer of 'create in me a clean heart, oh God...' and bringing the previous day/moment to Him if not spent abiding in Him and asking Him to redeem it and refocus your heart on Himself for the next day/moment. He loves us...the relationship between is what He wants - not perfection.

God reminded me, He doesn't expect me to abide in Him for a lifetime... He desires to walk with me ~ step by step. He meets me in the moment by moment.

What better time than today to start practicing seeking Him in the moment by moment. Sometimes with a cry out for help, sometimes with frustration because the reality of what the world and what God is seemingly asking us is very different than what we expect, sometimes in tears of shear exhaustion, sometimes with laughter of being painfully human trying to relate to Holy God, sometimes with comfort of Him showing how He forgives and loves in spite of us.  That's the Love of our Savior and Lord!

I can do anything for a moment, even trust God at His Word, even if I can't see His reasoning or purpose right now.

"Trust Him with more of your heart this morning than yesterday."

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Introducing "Dancing on Wednesday"

A few years ago, I read a book, "Tale of Three Kings" by Gene Edwards. A little book, with some profound ideas as it looks at King David and two of his contemporaries and what made King David a 'man after God's own heart'.

Here is an excerpt:

"Taken from a ‘discussion’ between a young man who sought out an ‘old man’ who had, in the day’s of David and Saul going at it viciously, been one of “David’s mighty men of valor”

The old man said: “David taught me losing, not winning. Giving, not taking. He showed me that the leader, not the follower, is inconvenienced. David shielded us from sufferings; he did not mete it out.”

“He taught me that authority yields to rebellion, especially when that rebellion is nothing more dangerous than immaturity, or perhaps stupidity.” The old man was obviously remembering some very tense and perhaps humorous episodes in the caves.

“No,” he said, now in a voice with a touch of eloquence, “authority from God is not afraid of challengers, makes no defense, and cares not one whit if it must be dethroned.”"
~"Tale of Three Kings", Gene Edwards

When we try to respond to what the world sends our way, without bringing everything before the Lord, laying everything at the foot of the cross, we respond the way the world expects us to. As Christians, God has asked us to work differently...to learn how to bring His Kingdom into our world.

"Dancing on Wednesday" is how I look at the different God's presence makes as we walk as pilgrims in this world. I pray it is an encouragement to those who stumble in...

~Cindy