James 5:1-6
Fact 1.
I've been thinking a lot about money. A wedding. Clothes for all the pre-wedding events. Moving. Buying gifts. Buying earrings. Buying furniture. I make and remake the budget. I really need all of my deposit back on the apartment. And in the midst my friends are having a garage sale to help pay for a surgery.
Fact 2.
If you made less than $9,350 in 2010 you don't have to bother filing taxes this year. And that is probably one of the few good things about only making $9,350. It's not a lot. Not a lot at all. Yet, in 100 countries it's more than the average income. I looked it up.
Fact 3.
And I don't know that anyone in America would call me a hoarder of wealth. But man... packing all these boxes means I'm a hoarder of something.
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Thursday, March 17, 2011
The Truth of the Matter
James 4:17
This verse more than any other verse in Scripture haunts me.
For the most part, I follow the ten commandments ok-ish. I'm a pretty decent person. I'm a missionary, for goodness sakes. Sometimes I forget that I really-really need the cross. But this verse, This Verse reminds me that I am a sinner in need of a savior.
This verse more than any other verse in Scripture haunts me.
For the most part, I follow the ten commandments ok-ish. I'm a pretty decent person. I'm a missionary, for goodness sakes. Sometimes I forget that I really-really need the cross. But this verse, This Verse reminds me that I am a sinner in need of a savior.
God of My Calendar
James 4:13-16
I'm a planner. A massive planner. I once was told that I couldn't ever be a waitress because I would want the diners to order 3 weeks in advance and would not allow them to change their minds. Eyeyeye... I like to believe that the reason I want to have a detailed hourly schedule of the next 4-5 weeks (ok- sometimes longer), is that it will lessen stress at the time. And that's true, on an earthly level. But the real truth is that I seek control. I seek to be God. So, can I make plans? Yes. Can I outline the day of the wedding in 5 minute increments. Sure. But can I control it? And if something gets bumped or moved will it Ruin Everything? And if it does, I need to really look at who and what I want to be God of my life.
I'm a planner. A massive planner. I once was told that I couldn't ever be a waitress because I would want the diners to order 3 weeks in advance and would not allow them to change their minds. Eyeyeye... I like to believe that the reason I want to have a detailed hourly schedule of the next 4-5 weeks (ok- sometimes longer), is that it will lessen stress at the time. And that's true, on an earthly level. But the real truth is that I seek control. I seek to be God. So, can I make plans? Yes. Can I outline the day of the wedding in 5 minute increments. Sure. But can I control it? And if something gets bumped or moved will it Ruin Everything? And if it does, I need to really look at who and what I want to be God of my life.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Let It Go
James 4:11-12
Uh-oh. Can we skip this passage? It's really hard for me. I love to dig into the motives of why people do what they do. I like to read things into them and see what's going on behind what I see. I look at their experiences in life and form a hypothesis for why they are the way they are. Ummm.... basically, I make things up. I especially need to curtail this in my marriage. Reading too much into a left-up-toilet-seat or coffee without sugar might get dangerous. Well, there's no "might" in that - it will be dangerous. Which is why we are told not to judge. I can't do it perfectly. I come with my own set of April's Guide to Living Correctly Library, Volumes I-XXXVI. And it's all skewed and messed up. I am sinful. Period. My judging is going to be skewed and messed up. It's why only our perfect God can judge our brothers and sisters in Christ. And since He is the only one who can fix anything - then it's not only his Right, but it's part of who He is - what He does. It's part of His battle - not ours. Let's leave it to Him.
Uh-oh. Can we skip this passage? It's really hard for me. I love to dig into the motives of why people do what they do. I like to read things into them and see what's going on behind what I see. I look at their experiences in life and form a hypothesis for why they are the way they are. Ummm.... basically, I make things up. I especially need to curtail this in my marriage. Reading too much into a left-up-toilet-seat or coffee without sugar might get dangerous. Well, there's no "might" in that - it will be dangerous. Which is why we are told not to judge. I can't do it perfectly. I come with my own set of April's Guide to Living Correctly Library, Volumes I-XXXVI. And it's all skewed and messed up. I am sinful. Period. My judging is going to be skewed and messed up. It's why only our perfect God can judge our brothers and sisters in Christ. And since He is the only one who can fix anything - then it's not only his Right, but it's part of who He is - what He does. It's part of His battle - not ours. Let's leave it to Him.
Monday, March 14, 2011
God. Period.
James 4:8-10
Come close. Saddle up. Nestle in. I love this idea. Me scooting over to rub shoulders with God. Him putting an arm around me and offering me a box of chocolate. Secrets told. Eskimo kisses. Affirmation given.
You're such a beautiful daughter.
Oh, God... I really like you, too.
Aww, shucks!
Ummm... then why does James get all gloomy? He's such a party pooper. Grieve, mourn and wail? Seriously! What happen to the box of chocolates? Surely if God doesn't have any chocolate He could manage a lolly pop. Or at least He could tousle my hair.
This is a passage of seriousness. If we come to God wanting to get something: security, love, joy, peace, purpose, meaning, hope, answers, healing... then we are going to come up short. We have to come to God for God Himself. Anything less is asking God - the Creator of the Universe - to be just a tool.
This is a passage of holiness. This is a verse of a surgeon. Come to God. Lay yourself out on the table so that He can heal you. You can try and try, but you are neither going to be clean enough nor pure enough. Never Ever. This passage is not about what I do but about who God is. And only when we know God and see Him can we honestly be in a position of humility.
Which is why this is a song of grace. He is allowing me to join Him. He's allowing me to find him (2 Chronicles 15:2). And in finding Him those other things ... the security, love, etc... Matthew 6:33 says that we will get the things of God, but we need God first. We can't earn these things. We can't manipulate ourselves to be in a position to grab them when the opportunity comes. We can't climb high enough to reach them. We will be given them. And God will do the giving.
And that's what James is saying. God will lift us up. God will. But that's not the point... how he lifts you up... the point is God. The point is always God.
Come close. Saddle up. Nestle in. I love this idea. Me scooting over to rub shoulders with God. Him putting an arm around me and offering me a box of chocolate. Secrets told. Eskimo kisses. Affirmation given.
You're such a beautiful daughter.
Oh, God... I really like you, too.
Aww, shucks!
Ummm... then why does James get all gloomy? He's such a party pooper. Grieve, mourn and wail? Seriously! What happen to the box of chocolates? Surely if God doesn't have any chocolate He could manage a lolly pop. Or at least He could tousle my hair.
This is a passage of seriousness. If we come to God wanting to get something: security, love, joy, peace, purpose, meaning, hope, answers, healing... then we are going to come up short. We have to come to God for God Himself. Anything less is asking God - the Creator of the Universe - to be just a tool.
This is a passage of holiness. This is a verse of a surgeon. Come to God. Lay yourself out on the table so that He can heal you. You can try and try, but you are neither going to be clean enough nor pure enough. Never Ever. This passage is not about what I do but about who God is. And only when we know God and see Him can we honestly be in a position of humility.
Which is why this is a song of grace. He is allowing me to join Him. He's allowing me to find him (2 Chronicles 15:2). And in finding Him those other things ... the security, love, etc... Matthew 6:33 says that we will get the things of God, but we need God first. We can't earn these things. We can't manipulate ourselves to be in a position to grab them when the opportunity comes. We can't climb high enough to reach them. We will be given them. And God will do the giving.
And that's what James is saying. God will lift us up. God will. But that's not the point... how he lifts you up... the point is God. The point is always God.
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