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.
Thursday, March 17, 2011
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.
Monday, February 7, 2011
Submission: Not A Scary Word
James 4:7
I have been thinking about it a lot lately. This word submission. I'm about to do it. Until death do us part. That's a really. long. time.
This word gets a bad rap. We think of it as a dog who is lead around by a master, who cowers at every jerk of the chain. But that's not the real picture here. What we really need to picture is a sweet (even a little spoiled) puppy that is adored by it's master. That's submission.
It means to be modestly covered by someone. It has the feel of a chilly spring day and a cozy quilt. It's a relationship word, meaning that the person who is submitted to wants the best for those who submit to him. He's there to love and protect, to have and to hold from this day forward.
When we see this idea of submitting to God, we need to walk into the day without a bitter resentment - but an open heart of anticipation. Cover me God. I'm all Yours.
I have been thinking about it a lot lately. This word submission. I'm about to do it. Until death do us part. That's a really. long. time.
This word gets a bad rap. We think of it as a dog who is lead around by a master, who cowers at every jerk of the chain. But that's not the real picture here. What we really need to picture is a sweet (even a little spoiled) puppy that is adored by it's master. That's submission.
It means to be modestly covered by someone. It has the feel of a chilly spring day and a cozy quilt. It's a relationship word, meaning that the person who is submitted to wants the best for those who submit to him. He's there to love and protect, to have and to hold from this day forward.
When we see this idea of submitting to God, we need to walk into the day without a bitter resentment - but an open heart of anticipation. Cover me God. I'm all Yours.
Monday, January 10, 2011
More
James 4:6
Think of the biggest bubble you've ever blown - the one that popped and got stuck in your hair. No - think of one of those balloons with a rubber band on it that you bounced against your hand for days. Ummm... that won't do either. Think of one of those balloons from Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade. Nope. Still not big enough. A hot air balloon. The Hindenburg Blimp. What about all of the air in our atmosphere.
Bigger. Louder. Fuller. Stronger. Mightier. More - more - more! Not just a spoon-full more - but a mountain more. And not stopping there. But more. And more. And more again.
God gives us more grace.
More grace than we deserve - which is why it's called grace. And he gives it again and again, snowballing- growing our love for Him, growing our understanding of who He is. And in the process we are maturing.
Think of the biggest bubble you've ever blown - the one that popped and got stuck in your hair. No - think of one of those balloons with a rubber band on it that you bounced against your hand for days. Ummm... that won't do either. Think of one of those balloons from Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade. Nope. Still not big enough. A hot air balloon. The Hindenburg Blimp. What about all of the air in our atmosphere.
Bigger. Louder. Fuller. Stronger. Mightier. More - more - more! Not just a spoon-full more - but a mountain more. And not stopping there. But more. And more. And more again.
God gives us more grace.
More grace than we deserve - which is why it's called grace. And he gives it again and again, snowballing- growing our love for Him, growing our understanding of who He is. And in the process we are maturing.
Saturday, January 8, 2011
A Jealous Longing that Changes Me
James 4:5
Even really really smart people get a little boggle minded on how this verse is to be translated - so I won't dare touch that. Grammar and vocabulary and gender based words make it all confusing. But no matter how you translate it into English there is something so relational about this verse. There's a deep longing, a passionate yearning. Have you ever held on to something so tight - a suitcase handle, a railing, a rope, a person - that when you finally let go there's physical evidence? The handle is worn, there is a red line across your hand, blisters, or the marks of finger nails in your skin? That's the longing that's talked about in this verse - a deep, deep desire that influences and changes the structure of something. That's the longing God has for us. When I am resiting His discipline, His cultivation, His refining fire, I am resisting His love.
Even really really smart people get a little boggle minded on how this verse is to be translated - so I won't dare touch that. Grammar and vocabulary and gender based words make it all confusing. But no matter how you translate it into English there is something so relational about this verse. There's a deep longing, a passionate yearning. Have you ever held on to something so tight - a suitcase handle, a railing, a rope, a person - that when you finally let go there's physical evidence? The handle is worn, there is a red line across your hand, blisters, or the marks of finger nails in your skin? That's the longing that's talked about in this verse - a deep, deep desire that influences and changes the structure of something. That's the longing God has for us. When I am resiting His discipline, His cultivation, His refining fire, I am resisting His love.
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