James 5:12
To swear means to take an oath... Oath in Greek looks a little like the horizon... which is the line where the world stops. Oath means that - to draw a line and set up a fence. This is where it stops. Maybe one of the reasons God doesn't want us to swear by any of his magnificent creation is that neither heaven nor earth - and definitely not God Himself - shall be fenced in by our little words.
Friday, June 10, 2011
Monday, June 6, 2011
The Velveteen Rabbit and God's Faithfulness
James 5:10-11
You remember the story of the Velveteen Rabbit. He's so loved that he is no longer a perfectly cute stuffed animal: a button eye is missing, whiskers have fallen off, his stuffing is poking out of the seams.
My husband told me the other day that he is praying that God will not give us the easy path. He wants God to move and shake us so that our identity, our comfort and security will not be of this earth. Me... I'm afraid of my button eye falling off. I want to keep my stuffing, thank you.
Recently I talked to a dear woman. She had suffered so much: loss of children, loss of dreams. But she told me that through it all, no matter how bad it gets, God is faithful. I know He will be faithful.
You remember the story of the Velveteen Rabbit. He's so loved that he is no longer a perfectly cute stuffed animal: a button eye is missing, whiskers have fallen off, his stuffing is poking out of the seams.
My husband told me the other day that he is praying that God will not give us the easy path. He wants God to move and shake us so that our identity, our comfort and security will not be of this earth. Me... I'm afraid of my button eye falling off. I want to keep my stuffing, thank you.
Recently I talked to a dear woman. She had suffered so much: loss of children, loss of dreams. But she told me that through it all, no matter how bad it gets, God is faithful. I know He will be faithful.
She, like those prophets, know the Truth. And that's what makes- what gives -Real Life. She is blessed. So... I'm taking a deep breath. I'm trying not to be so attached to my button eyes. I'd rather have Jesus, anyway.
Sunday, June 5, 2011
My Way or the High Way
James 5:9
Many people informed me that marriage is a magnifying glass on your sin. Ouch. It's true. I can't believe how much grumbling I do. I love my husband. I enjoy him and am thankful for him. Goodness gracious, he's so handsome I can't even stand it. He's kind and gracious, and that I don't deserve.
His one fault is that he doesn't do everything my way. I know this is shocking. I mean, why wouldn't he do everything my way? It IS the right way, right?
Eyeyeyeyeye.... when I impose my way on him, I put him in this narrow place. I say Do this. Don't do this. Stay on this narrow path and don't bump up against the boundaries. This is exactly what grumbling is. In Greek, stenazō, (to sigh, murmur, groan, grudge, grumble) comes from the word "narrow"... and literally means to make in straits: to put someone in a narrow place.
And now I think back to all the times I have grumbled because people stepped out of what I wanted them to be, to do.
So if I don't get my way, I hope that I will take the High Way and not be so selfish, so egocentric, so... well, so me-ish.
They Guy at the Coffee Shop
James 5:7-8
I'm overhearing a conversation at a coffee shop. I'm around the corner, so the people aren't even aware I'm here. One guy talking to his coworker. She is saying that god is "searching for the mysterious". He is saying God is someone concrete, definable, the Creator of the Universe. And she keeps waving him off with her ideas. He doesn't back down on the idea that God is Truth. But, finally he does steer the conversation back to how it got started.
I hope he doesn't give up on her.
And I hope that his girlfriend's family doesn't give up on him. That's how the conversation got started. His girlfriend's family are Christians: neither super closed off and self-righteous nor just social "Christians" who don't live out what they believe. The guy himself isn't a Christian. But, I think he's really close. Really close.
So, I hope they don't give up on him. I hope that he will find someone who will match is mind and his debating skills. I hope that God softens or breaks or tears down what ever is stopping him from really believing. Because knowing there is a God who is findable is a world away from knowing God.
I'm overhearing a conversation at a coffee shop. I'm around the corner, so the people aren't even aware I'm here. One guy talking to his coworker. She is saying that god is "searching for the mysterious". He is saying God is someone concrete, definable, the Creator of the Universe. And she keeps waving him off with her ideas. He doesn't back down on the idea that God is Truth. But, finally he does steer the conversation back to how it got started.
I hope he doesn't give up on her.
And I hope that his girlfriend's family doesn't give up on him. That's how the conversation got started. His girlfriend's family are Christians: neither super closed off and self-righteous nor just social "Christians" who don't live out what they believe. The guy himself isn't a Christian. But, I think he's really close. Really close.
So, I hope they don't give up on him. I hope that he will find someone who will match is mind and his debating skills. I hope that God softens or breaks or tears down what ever is stopping him from really believing. Because knowing there is a God who is findable is a world away from knowing God.
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Three Facts
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.
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.
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.
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