"When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives." ~Matthew
Ahhh... music. Have you ever stopped and thought about what an intricate creation it is? Our brains are wired to respond to it. It's a powerful weapon of influence. It comes as no surprise to me then that the longest book in the Bible is the Psalms. It has 150 songs. The longest of these songs is 176 verses. ONE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY SIX! That is one loooong song! These words had been written down and preserved for centuries but none of the tunes survived. Interesting.
It seems that tunes are only vehicles for delivering a message. They massage the mind and heart of people into grabbing the words and then they silently slip back into eternity. You can speak directly to someone's heart as well as reveal your own through music. You can use it to inspire, teach and intimidate.
I like to believe that Jesus wanted to sing a hymn after his last meal as comfort. Comfort for both himself and the men that would flee when he was arrested. I can imagine the song ran through thier head all of thier lives. I wonder how many verses it had!
Today, I'm praying for those that need to change thier tune...
Thursday, February 28, 2013
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Gone Fishing
"Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men."
I love the calling of the first disciples, Andrew and Peter. Here comes this carpenter down the beach and he snags two fishermen right away. They just jump off thier boats and take off. They were to be made fishers of men.
There are stories of Peter returning to his nets dotted throughout scripture. He made his living off the sea. It's a hard, uncertain and dangerous way to make a living but I imagine there were times when he ached from the beauty of a sunset or marveled at the carpet of stars. I'm sure there had to have been times when he could see his reflection in the calm of the water as well as times when he feared for his life in a roiling storm. He loved to fish.
The third time Jesus appeared to the disciples after coming back to life, Jesus changed his calling. He told Peter three times that He wanted him to be a shepherd. I can almost hear the urgency in the Lord when He tells him to "Feed my lambs", "Take care of my sheep", and "Feed my sheep". Then he repeats the command, "Follow me!" Once again, he was to leave his nets and follow Jesus.
Lord, help me to know when it's time to fish and when it's time to farm!
I love the calling of the first disciples, Andrew and Peter. Here comes this carpenter down the beach and he snags two fishermen right away. They just jump off thier boats and take off. They were to be made fishers of men.
There are stories of Peter returning to his nets dotted throughout scripture. He made his living off the sea. It's a hard, uncertain and dangerous way to make a living but I imagine there were times when he ached from the beauty of a sunset or marveled at the carpet of stars. I'm sure there had to have been times when he could see his reflection in the calm of the water as well as times when he feared for his life in a roiling storm. He loved to fish.
The third time Jesus appeared to the disciples after coming back to life, Jesus changed his calling. He told Peter three times that He wanted him to be a shepherd. I can almost hear the urgency in the Lord when He tells him to "Feed my lambs", "Take care of my sheep", and "Feed my sheep". Then he repeats the command, "Follow me!" Once again, he was to leave his nets and follow Jesus.
Lord, help me to know when it's time to fish and when it's time to farm!
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
Acts of God
"He (the Lord) does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities." ~David
"Mom, there's a woman sitting in our driveway. She looks hurt." My teenage son was staring out the window, his face reflecting uncertainty and disbelief. "Who is it?" I asked while heading for the door. "I don't know" he squinted, "There's no car."
Her shirt was covered in blood and she was still bleeding from a gash on her head. A cast on her leg showed signs of having been dragged through the forest. "What do you want me to do?" I asked, "Call the police? An ambulance? What? Who did this to you?" Her beautiful blue eyes sparkled with tears. "Can I get a washcloth? I'm so embarassed." She sobbed. I held her close and helped her inside. "Who did this to you?!" I repeated. "My husband," She wailed from a heart in the depth of despair. My tears joined hers but mine were angry ones.
I brought her in the house and talked to her for over an hour while we cleaned her wounds. We sipped glasses of wine, prayed and cried. I gave her a new shirt and threw away her bloodstained one. My husband joined the conversation. He and I pleaded with her to let us do something. We both felt helpless. She did let me take pictures just in case something really bad happens to her. She also let me drive her home but she wouldn't let me in the door. Love your neighbor as yourself kept replaying in my head. I may not have been able to do anything but I knew someone that could! I began to pray vehemently and watch to see how the Lord would answer.
If I pray for vengence or out of anger, I trust that God will be just in his dealings with the target of my fury. Knowing that whatever happened to this man would affect his wife, I was curious just how God was going to deal with him. Personally, I thought a broken leg would've been appropriate or some other physical malady. You know, slip in the shower or something... Muah, ha, ha... God is so much kinder than I am. For that, I am eternally grateful!
Vengence came in the form of a tree. A huge tree fell and took out his shed with his mower inside. It tore through the roof of his garage and damaged his prize possession. Insurance called it "An act of God". Indeed. I found I was relieved that no one was hurt. I was also relieved that I serve a God that doesn't treat me the way others think I should be treated. I pray for this couple several times a day. I don't know just how or what to pray for for them so I trust the Spirit to lead me. He knows everything.
Today, I am praying for the silent sufferers of abuse. Give them courage, Lord.
"Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: 'It is mine to avenge; I will repay,' says the Lord." Romans 12:19
"Mom, there's a woman sitting in our driveway. She looks hurt." My teenage son was staring out the window, his face reflecting uncertainty and disbelief. "Who is it?" I asked while heading for the door. "I don't know" he squinted, "There's no car."
Her shirt was covered in blood and she was still bleeding from a gash on her head. A cast on her leg showed signs of having been dragged through the forest. "What do you want me to do?" I asked, "Call the police? An ambulance? What? Who did this to you?" Her beautiful blue eyes sparkled with tears. "Can I get a washcloth? I'm so embarassed." She sobbed. I held her close and helped her inside. "Who did this to you?!" I repeated. "My husband," She wailed from a heart in the depth of despair. My tears joined hers but mine were angry ones.
I brought her in the house and talked to her for over an hour while we cleaned her wounds. We sipped glasses of wine, prayed and cried. I gave her a new shirt and threw away her bloodstained one. My husband joined the conversation. He and I pleaded with her to let us do something. We both felt helpless. She did let me take pictures just in case something really bad happens to her. She also let me drive her home but she wouldn't let me in the door. Love your neighbor as yourself kept replaying in my head. I may not have been able to do anything but I knew someone that could! I began to pray vehemently and watch to see how the Lord would answer.
If I pray for vengence or out of anger, I trust that God will be just in his dealings with the target of my fury. Knowing that whatever happened to this man would affect his wife, I was curious just how God was going to deal with him. Personally, I thought a broken leg would've been appropriate or some other physical malady. You know, slip in the shower or something... Muah, ha, ha... God is so much kinder than I am. For that, I am eternally grateful!
Vengence came in the form of a tree. A huge tree fell and took out his shed with his mower inside. It tore through the roof of his garage and damaged his prize possession. Insurance called it "An act of God". Indeed. I found I was relieved that no one was hurt. I was also relieved that I serve a God that doesn't treat me the way others think I should be treated. I pray for this couple several times a day. I don't know just how or what to pray for for them so I trust the Spirit to lead me. He knows everything.
Today, I am praying for the silent sufferers of abuse. Give them courage, Lord.
"Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: 'It is mine to avenge; I will repay,' says the Lord." Romans 12:19
Monday, February 25, 2013
Real Piece of Work
"For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." ~Paul of Tarsus
I like to examine the life of Ananias. There he was in Damascus probably trying to figure out how he was going to protect his family, and the Lord calls him. He tells him to walk right up to the very man responsible for the persecution and heal him. Sometimes, I imagine what it must've been like to be his wife! If my husband told me that he was told to go to Straight Street and give sight to a violent man with authority to arrest him, how would I react? I'd probably say something stupid like, "Can't you give old Barnabas sight instead? Are you SURE that's what God said?"
Ananias protests until the Lord said, "Go! This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel. I will show him how much he must suffer for my name." If my husband told me that this guy would suffer, I may be inclined to say, "GOOD!" I'll bet when he left the house, she was on her face before God. Then he brings him home!
What rich fellowship must've taken place at thier house as the men combed the scriptures. What a surprise it must've been when he stood up and preached about Jesus in the synagogues! What a risk they took to sneak him out of the city. How they must've missed him when he left. I'm sure I would've.
You can read this great story in Acts 9.
I like to examine the life of Ananias. There he was in Damascus probably trying to figure out how he was going to protect his family, and the Lord calls him. He tells him to walk right up to the very man responsible for the persecution and heal him. Sometimes, I imagine what it must've been like to be his wife! If my husband told me that he was told to go to Straight Street and give sight to a violent man with authority to arrest him, how would I react? I'd probably say something stupid like, "Can't you give old Barnabas sight instead? Are you SURE that's what God said?"
Ananias protests until the Lord said, "Go! This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel. I will show him how much he must suffer for my name." If my husband told me that this guy would suffer, I may be inclined to say, "GOOD!" I'll bet when he left the house, she was on her face before God. Then he brings him home!
What rich fellowship must've taken place at thier house as the men combed the scriptures. What a surprise it must've been when he stood up and preached about Jesus in the synagogues! What a risk they took to sneak him out of the city. How they must've missed him when he left. I'm sure I would've.
You can read this great story in Acts 9.
Friday, February 22, 2013
Eternal Flow
"He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end." ~Solomon
Eternity. I think of it as a spiritual river flowing through the ages, flooding the universe and dropped into the hearts of men. No wonder Solomon says elsewhere to "Gaurd your heart. It is the wellspring of life." Like a river absorbs a droplet, eternity encompasses the entire timeline of humanity. Eternity touches the world at our hearts. Eternity is set in my heart. AWESOME! How beautiful is that?
""Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him." ~Jesus
Together those streams become a raging river. Alone those steams water thirsty lands. Meditating on the properties of water, while keeping in mind that God's invisible qualities can be clearly seen by what has been made, has been a joyful waterslide! It's raining again...
Today, I'm praying that the thirsty will go to Jesus and drink!
Eternity. I think of it as a spiritual river flowing through the ages, flooding the universe and dropped into the hearts of men. No wonder Solomon says elsewhere to "Gaurd your heart. It is the wellspring of life." Like a river absorbs a droplet, eternity encompasses the entire timeline of humanity. Eternity touches the world at our hearts. Eternity is set in my heart. AWESOME! How beautiful is that?
""Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him." ~Jesus
Together those streams become a raging river. Alone those steams water thirsty lands. Meditating on the properties of water, while keeping in mind that God's invisible qualities can be clearly seen by what has been made, has been a joyful waterslide! It's raining again...
Today, I'm praying that the thirsty will go to Jesus and drink!
Thursday, February 21, 2013
Final Foot Washing
"Now that I , your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet." ~Jesus
This always reminds me of being allowed to work alongside a hospice nurse to wash the feet of an elderly friend of mine just before she passed through the veil into glory. She was fragile and her skin was translucent and dry as parchment. I knew that touching her brought pain and I so desperately didn't want to hurt her. I lifted her leg and drew the washcloth gently across her foot. She kept jerking her foot back over and over again. I looked with pleading eyes at the hospice nurse, certain I was doing more harm than good. "Oh, I'm soooo sorry I'm hurting you!" I cried. She chuckled softly, "You're not hurting me, child! You're tickling me!" We burst into giggles. Leave it to me to tickle someone on thier deathbed... sheesh.
"Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them." ~Jesus
This always reminds me of being allowed to work alongside a hospice nurse to wash the feet of an elderly friend of mine just before she passed through the veil into glory. She was fragile and her skin was translucent and dry as parchment. I knew that touching her brought pain and I so desperately didn't want to hurt her. I lifted her leg and drew the washcloth gently across her foot. She kept jerking her foot back over and over again. I looked with pleading eyes at the hospice nurse, certain I was doing more harm than good. "Oh, I'm soooo sorry I'm hurting you!" I cried. She chuckled softly, "You're not hurting me, child! You're tickling me!" We burst into giggles. Leave it to me to tickle someone on thier deathbed... sheesh.
"Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them." ~Jesus
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
Urban Renewal
"When they arrived at the house of the Lord in Jerusalem, some of the heads of the families gave freewill offerings toward the rebuilding of the house of God on its site." ~Ezra
Imagine a group of 42,360 people with 7,337 servants and 200 singers come riding into town on 736 horses, 245 mules, 435 camels and 6,720 donkeys! These were people that had been captives in Babylon for 70 years. They had counted the years until they could return to the land of thier fathers and now they were there! They set to work right away. I love to think about the revitalizing effect that these people had on a desolate, poverty-stricken city.
The sounds of carpenters, singers and joy returned to the streets. They traded with thier neighbors to get building materials and set up and worked out plans for the reconstruction. The city was having new life breathed into it and it vibrated with activity. It thrills me to think of the effect this would have on the children of Jersalem!
"No one could distinguish the sound of the shouts of joy from the sound of weeping, because the people made so much noise. And the sound was heard far away." ~Ezra
Praying for all those working hard today to make the world a brighter place!
Imagine a group of 42,360 people with 7,337 servants and 200 singers come riding into town on 736 horses, 245 mules, 435 camels and 6,720 donkeys! These were people that had been captives in Babylon for 70 years. They had counted the years until they could return to the land of thier fathers and now they were there! They set to work right away. I love to think about the revitalizing effect that these people had on a desolate, poverty-stricken city.
The sounds of carpenters, singers and joy returned to the streets. They traded with thier neighbors to get building materials and set up and worked out plans for the reconstruction. The city was having new life breathed into it and it vibrated with activity. It thrills me to think of the effect this would have on the children of Jersalem!
"No one could distinguish the sound of the shouts of joy from the sound of weeping, because the people made so much noise. And the sound was heard far away." ~Ezra
Praying for all those working hard today to make the world a brighter place!
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)