A Reality Check

Galatians 1:1-4

exaireō
to tear out.  to rescue.

Dramatic.  Powerful.  Definite.  Secure.  A before and an after.

And this is what God has done through Jesus.

Jesus was not just sent to be an example, or a motivator, or the president of a social club.  He came to rescue us.  To save us.  And I wonder what the Church would look like if we really thought about that.  I wonder what my life would look like if I really believed that.

Heart Shepherding

James 5:19-20

Though we don't have kids, we really want to see God's desire for our home.  My husband and I went to a parenting conference led by Paul Tripp.  He taught that parenting is an act of shepherding a child's heart to the living, gracious God.  The one thing that hit me hard is that Mr. Tripp said that when children get "caught" it's an act of God's love.  When a parent has the opportunity to discipline her child, she is extending God's grace to that child.  God's love desires that child to repent, to grow, to mature.

Wow.

Wow.

I needed to hear this.

Because the same is true for us.  When we get corrected, re-directed, spoken to with the Gospel - most of the time it hurts because pride is wounded, shame is exposed.  But, this is God's love.  This is God bringing us back to himself.

And when we see someone who is slipping through the cracks or seems to be stumbling or even lollygagging... it is a glorious thing to offer the good, sweet balm of the Gospel.  It might be about a verse taken out of context.  It might be about a choice of sin.  It might be about a selfish outlook.  Whatever the context, God's grace is waiting to be extended.

Praying for Rain

James 5:17-18

I was going to make a chart.  One that compared Elijah's life to mine.  There would be three columns.  The first one would have a situation, like "confronting prophets of Baal".  And then the next would be how Elijah responded and the next one would be how I have responded.  Ummm... the only problem is that I have not confronted prophets of Baal.  Nor have I been so starving that I've needed to ask a widow to give up her last bit of food for me.  And the death thing? Well - I haven't died, yet.  But I'm guessing the only chariot of fire I'll get to experience is the belt that my body rides on as it goes into the crematory.  I know, I know... not exactly pleasant.  But, I'm doing my best - trying to bond with Elijah.  James says he was just like us.  He had the same passions and ideas as us.  And God answered him.  Which means God will answer us.    And we really need rain here in Texas.  For our grass and crops.  But for our souls, too.

One time I was praying about something BIG.  My heart's begging burdened prayer.  And almost as an afterthought I asked the Lord for rain.  And it rained.  Right that second.  With a bright, hot sky.  Drops of mercy fell on my head.  Drops of Living Water that confirmed God was listening, that He knew my hearts deep cry.

And it happened again.  With rain.  And then again with the wind.

It would be years and years before God gave me the BIG thing I had been asking for.  But, He was always listening.  And I'm sure-really sure-that the weather was just to show me that He was in charge.

Elijah had doubts.  And frustration.  And weariness.  And he had the same God.  His rain prayers?  They were a reminder not that Elijah could control the universe but that the Maker was in control of all things.