You know those times when you think you know what's really happening before it happens? You know, the way your thoughts process on how you think you really know what's going on around you? We are all guilty of thinking we know what's best, and thinking we know exactly what is going on in our lives. We turn tragedies into dramas, and make a scene if our thoughts don't line up with what actually happens.
This is life.
This is a Christian life.
We complain, yell, kick, scream, cry, back off, close up. "I thought I knew what was going on, why didn't it happen the way I perceived it?" or "I thought I was following the story...why did it turn on me?"
Friends, this is my life now. In my journey of fully letting myself go, this itself is evident to me that I have a long way to go. I have given God everything else about me, my financial support, my destination, my living arrangements, my friends, my opportunities, my way of worship...but I haven't fully given Him, me.
Let me picture it this way for you...imagine if you will a young daughter looking over her father's shoulders as he works on a project for her. As he works, she peeks over and tells him what to do next. She thinks she knows exactly how this will turn out, and is disappointed to see that it's not the same way she thought. I was that girl, trying to look over God's shoulder. I tried to figure out the end result, before it actually happened. I had let God work on it, but I hadn't given Him my full trust. I kept peeking, interpreting, solving, and concluding before the conclusion hit.
Was I disappointed? Yes....but I got over it. You know why?
Because it's not my life anymore. When I accepted Christ, my control was gone. My heart isn't my own to give away. It's His. I have to let Him take, walk away, and let it happen.
No more peeking. No more solving or jumping to conclusions. Everything happens for a reason, and even though my ending didn't happen...God's did. My patience grew DRASTICALLY. My submission had never been so vivid and apparent. I looked past my own desires for others, and gradually let God take more and more of me through this...but I peeked enough ahead of time to interpret the wrong conclusion. It was a lesson in me that needed to happen. My heart is in good hands...in fact it couldn't be in better hands. What gives me the right to think I know what is better for me than God alone? Nothing, that's what.
Heavenly Father, thank you for kicking me in my butt again. Thank you for friends that are so solid in you, that they can hear what I can't. Thank you for letting me give more and more of me away during this process. Thank you for revealing to me what needed to be revealed. May your will happen for my life, without me peeking ahead. Please God, give me a calm spirit to hear you among all else, and be strong enough to tell myself to do it. God you do so much for me, and you continue to do so. May my life be nothing to me, and everything to you. I can see my heart isn't ready to give away, as you continue to hold it and mold it. Do what you want, and let me be willing to sit in the corner, be patient, and wait for you to call me over so I can be in awe at what you've made for me. Let this be my true heart's desire now, and forever.
I love you Jesus. Amen.
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Ruth
I had a wild hair last night, and I wanted to see which woman of the Bible I was most like. So, as we can do now in our era, I looked up numerous internet quizes on this topic. After taking 3 of them, my results for two of them were Ruth.
Now I had read Ruth many times a while ago. I really stink at reading and learning about all different types of people, but was very intrigued to see that my favorite and most well-known woman of the Bible was most related to me. I wanted to revisit this woman's story and share some key points with everyone.
Elimelech, his wife Naomi, and their sons Mahlon and Chilion migrate to Moab from Bethlehem. The two sons marry two Moab woman, one being Ruth. Elimelech, and the two sons eventually die, leaving all the woman widowed (and heart broken). Naomi plans to return to Bethlehem and tells the two daughters-in-law to go home. Oprah, the other widowed daughter-in-law, does go home. Ruth denies Naomi's request and states "Entreat me not to leave you, or to turn back from following you; For wherever you go, I will go; And wherever you lodge, I will lodge; Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God. Where you die, I will die, and there will I be buried. The LORD do so to me, and more also, if anything but death parts you and me." (Ruth 1:16–17) She was loyal to her family.
Ruth and Naomi return to Bethlehem, and Ruth works the fields to help with finances. The fields belong to a man named Boaz, who has shown great kindness to her. When he had heard of Ruth's great loyalty to Naomi, he personally instructs her to stay in his field and to work for no one else. Ruth and Naomi talk, and Naomi instructs Ruth to go and uncover his feet one night and wait for him to wake up. Ruth does so. Boaz wakes up and states "The Lord bless you, my daughter...This kindness is greater than that which you showed earlier: You have not run after the younger men, whether rich or poor." Ruth was instructed to act, but was bold enough to fulfill the request. I wonder how long she waited at Boaz's feet before he woke up...
Boaz was in close relations to Naomi, and could marry Ruth to keep the family line alive. Now, this part absolutely astounds me. Verses 12-13 of Chapter 3: "Although it is true that I am near of kin, there is a kinsman-redeemer nearer than I. Stay here for the night, and in the morning if he wants to redeem, good; let him redeem. But if he is not willing, as surely as the Lord lives I will do it. Lie here until morning."
Ruth is right there and willing, but Boaz looks at something beyond his personal desires. He realizes that Ruth isn't fully his to take. Ruth even asks for marriage by saying "Spread the corner of your garment over me, since you are my kinsman-redeemer." How could Boaz say no?? He did because his head (and body) were in the right place. Ruth was bold to approach and become vulnerable to him. Boaz did not take advantage of this.
Boaz approaches the kinsman-redeemer that was next in line, and asks him about the estate of Elimelech and the marriage of Ruth. The kinsman-redeemer could not redeem, so Boaz did.
Here is what I take to heart about Ruth:
She was broken-hearted
She was loyal to family
She was bold
She was patient
She was compassionate and self-less
Young women...read about how Ruth and Boaz interacted. Read about how that relationship started. She was bold to initiate her feelings first, but Boaz was wise enough to look past his desires and see that something else has to happen first. Ruth did not argue, and she did not nag about it. She waited. This couple had brought everything to the table, but waited to see what needed to really happen.
To finish...I think these internet quizzes were right on the money with me. I need to look up other woman of the Bible and study them just as much, but Ruth's story is like looking into a mirror...and I am just taken back that God put the desire in my heart for me to look at this story deeper.
What do I need to do to be like Ruth?
I need to be patient.
I need to be bold.
I need to remember that some things are just out of my hands.
I need to be self-less.
How can we as woman in Christ be like Ruth today?
Now I had read Ruth many times a while ago. I really stink at reading and learning about all different types of people, but was very intrigued to see that my favorite and most well-known woman of the Bible was most related to me. I wanted to revisit this woman's story and share some key points with everyone.
Elimelech, his wife Naomi, and their sons Mahlon and Chilion migrate to Moab from Bethlehem. The two sons marry two Moab woman, one being Ruth. Elimelech, and the two sons eventually die, leaving all the woman widowed (and heart broken). Naomi plans to return to Bethlehem and tells the two daughters-in-law to go home. Oprah, the other widowed daughter-in-law, does go home. Ruth denies Naomi's request and states "Entreat me not to leave you, or to turn back from following you; For wherever you go, I will go; And wherever you lodge, I will lodge; Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God. Where you die, I will die, and there will I be buried. The LORD do so to me, and more also, if anything but death parts you and me." (Ruth 1:16–17) She was loyal to her family.
Ruth and Naomi return to Bethlehem, and Ruth works the fields to help with finances. The fields belong to a man named Boaz, who has shown great kindness to her. When he had heard of Ruth's great loyalty to Naomi, he personally instructs her to stay in his field and to work for no one else. Ruth and Naomi talk, and Naomi instructs Ruth to go and uncover his feet one night and wait for him to wake up. Ruth does so. Boaz wakes up and states "The Lord bless you, my daughter...This kindness is greater than that which you showed earlier: You have not run after the younger men, whether rich or poor." Ruth was instructed to act, but was bold enough to fulfill the request. I wonder how long she waited at Boaz's feet before he woke up...
Boaz was in close relations to Naomi, and could marry Ruth to keep the family line alive. Now, this part absolutely astounds me. Verses 12-13 of Chapter 3: "Although it is true that I am near of kin, there is a kinsman-redeemer nearer than I. Stay here for the night, and in the morning if he wants to redeem, good; let him redeem. But if he is not willing, as surely as the Lord lives I will do it. Lie here until morning."
Ruth is right there and willing, but Boaz looks at something beyond his personal desires. He realizes that Ruth isn't fully his to take. Ruth even asks for marriage by saying "Spread the corner of your garment over me, since you are my kinsman-redeemer." How could Boaz say no?? He did because his head (and body) were in the right place. Ruth was bold to approach and become vulnerable to him. Boaz did not take advantage of this.
Boaz approaches the kinsman-redeemer that was next in line, and asks him about the estate of Elimelech and the marriage of Ruth. The kinsman-redeemer could not redeem, so Boaz did.
Here is what I take to heart about Ruth:
She was broken-hearted
She was loyal to family
She was bold
She was patient
She was compassionate and self-less
Young women...read about how Ruth and Boaz interacted. Read about how that relationship started. She was bold to initiate her feelings first, but Boaz was wise enough to look past his desires and see that something else has to happen first. Ruth did not argue, and she did not nag about it. She waited. This couple had brought everything to the table, but waited to see what needed to really happen.
To finish...I think these internet quizzes were right on the money with me. I need to look up other woman of the Bible and study them just as much, but Ruth's story is like looking into a mirror...and I am just taken back that God put the desire in my heart for me to look at this story deeper.
What do I need to do to be like Ruth?
I need to be patient.
I need to be bold.
I need to remember that some things are just out of my hands.
I need to be self-less.
How can we as woman in Christ be like Ruth today?
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
God's Art
So...I am a HUGE sap for nature. I love staring up in the sky and taking pictures of weather. Almost every night that there is a clear sky, I am probably staring up...even though I see it very often. I can walk away from a busy crowd and party to stare up at the vastness that is our universe. The reason that this is the way it is for me is because I think God is probably the greatest artist we will ever know. Honestly...we see wonderful works by people that took them days, months, maybe even years. God made ALL of this in 6 days. I am forever in awe at the stars in the sky, the fullness of trees in spring, the sound of calm rushing waters...because it was truly a work of art made in less than a week. I can always praise God for His creativity and find peace in this.
I heard the following song on the radio one day, and thought "These people are after my own heart!!" If I could pick one song (trust me, it's hard to pick one), this would be the one to show what I am doing in my heart when I'm in the presence of the greatest masterpiece ever known to man.
My challenge...take a walk in God's art museum. Find a place away from the hustle and bustle of your life, when the moon is shining bright and the stars are crystal clear. Sit there and just look at how God works his paint brush. Listen to the song behind it all. God is an artist among everything else. See if you can comprehend just how artistic He is in your life.
Sing Along-Sixteen Cities
When I look into the painted sky
I see so many colors
They're all a part of your design
It's such a brilliant display
Chorus:
I love the way the stars shine for you
And every single mountain bows down
I love the way the universe is singing your song
So I'll try to sing along
Looking up into the dark blue night
I'm in awe of your power
The way the moon pulls the ocean's tide
You are never contained
I heard the following song on the radio one day, and thought "These people are after my own heart!!" If I could pick one song (trust me, it's hard to pick one), this would be the one to show what I am doing in my heart when I'm in the presence of the greatest masterpiece ever known to man.
My challenge...take a walk in God's art museum. Find a place away from the hustle and bustle of your life, when the moon is shining bright and the stars are crystal clear. Sit there and just look at how God works his paint brush. Listen to the song behind it all. God is an artist among everything else. See if you can comprehend just how artistic He is in your life.
Sing Along-Sixteen Cities
When I look into the painted sky
I see so many colors
They're all a part of your design
It's such a brilliant display
Chorus:
I love the way the stars shine for you
And every single mountain bows down
I love the way the universe is singing your song
So I'll try to sing along
Looking up into the dark blue night
I'm in awe of your power
The way the moon pulls the ocean's tide
You are never contained
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