Thursday, March 22, 2012
Do we really understand Easter?
Easter is about to be here yet again & I find myself asking how much we truly grasp what we are celebrating. I have gone to Easter dramas, observed the Lenten season with fasting, and even visited the Savior's tomb in Jerusalem! What troubles me is that all too often we fail to daily celebrate our salvation by witnessing, serving, & seeking the Lord. We fuss & grumble about this circumstance or that but often we have little right or need to do so. So often we become all puffed up with service we do offer, too judgemental in the use of the scriptural knowledge we have, & fail to be true to the very verses we have quoted frequently. We can't say for example that love keeps no record of wrongs and hold grudges - we can't manipulate the scripture to mean what we want it to, to suit our wishes - and any number of other things we sometimes find ourselves doing. Christ died for us & we should celebrate the exchange of his death for our life with service every day. It may be as simple as praying for the sick or as complicated as being involved in a big ministry. Celebrate Christ! Celebrate life! Easter Blessings!
Wrestling with God beyond faith
Recently the Lord reminded me of Jacob wrestling with God & told me to read that story
again...and so I did. It seemed he was telling me I should "hang in there" on several fronts where I wan't seeing the progress I would like to. OK I thought, I will, even though there are days I really wonder what is going on there in the heavenlies. As I pondered this I felt that the Lord was speaking to me about "beyond faith", saying that the required amount is indeed very tiny-only as large as a mustard seed. However, as he has pointed out so many times, patience & obedience is also required - I have worked on those lessons for some time now. So, why is the faithful, patient, obedient believer often waiting & waiting for things? He reminded me that perfect timing (in his time) is an important aspect of these things & that we must be watchful for the lessons in the circumstances! Bingo! I remembered Job saying "though he slay me..." and I vowed to pray for God's timing & sensitivity to the lessons he teaches me as I move with his spirit and not my agenda. Interestingly in the days since three things I had been praying about seemed to have moved ahead a bit! I take this as confirmation & encouragement that he is indeed at work in my life even when I can not see it.
Often I will look back on situations and recognize God's clear orchestration of the time & way a thing has evolved. When things don't seem to be moving they way we want that is the time we need to reflect on other times we thought that & remember the Lord came through.
again...and so I did. It seemed he was telling me I should "hang in there" on several fronts where I wan't seeing the progress I would like to. OK I thought, I will, even though there are days I really wonder what is going on there in the heavenlies. As I pondered this I felt that the Lord was speaking to me about "beyond faith", saying that the required amount is indeed very tiny-only as large as a mustard seed. However, as he has pointed out so many times, patience & obedience is also required - I have worked on those lessons for some time now. So, why is the faithful, patient, obedient believer often waiting & waiting for things? He reminded me that perfect timing (in his time) is an important aspect of these things & that we must be watchful for the lessons in the circumstances! Bingo! I remembered Job saying "though he slay me..." and I vowed to pray for God's timing & sensitivity to the lessons he teaches me as I move with his spirit and not my agenda. Interestingly in the days since three things I had been praying about seemed to have moved ahead a bit! I take this as confirmation & encouragement that he is indeed at work in my life even when I can not see it.
Often I will look back on situations and recognize God's clear orchestration of the time & way a thing has evolved. When things don't seem to be moving they way we want that is the time we need to reflect on other times we thought that & remember the Lord came through.
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