Wednesday, February 16, 2011 - You're pretty weak when you're dead

     Don't you envy the confidence and energy of kindergartners? If you ask a group of them, "Who can sing? Who can draw? Who's a fast runner?" every hand goes up with enthusiasm. They want to help with everything, too. Their energy wears us out so we devise plans to wear them out first: put them in preschool, invite a friend over to play, take them to the park to let other children wear them out while we rest our tired selves on a nearby bench. As these little guys and gals grow, they seem to lose both their confidence and energy. If you ask them "Who can sweep? Who can blow off the driveway? Who can take out the trash?" they either don't know how to do it, have forgotten how to do it, or they drag their feet getting it done. By the time they become adults, they're the ones sitting on the park bench trying to wear out a younger generation. 

    Do you remember when it hit you that you might have to limit your elementary school dream list? ("I'm going to be an astronaut, artist, ballet dancer, and teacher.") The harsh glare of our limitations (claustrophobia; color-blindness, weak ankles or fear of children) leaves many childhood dreams unexplored. In addition, as our energy level drops, so can our enthusiasm. On the days I substitute teach, I'm not good for much else, so clear the couch and read me one of those verses like: 

"But He said to me, 

'My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.'

Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, 

so that Christ's power may rest on me." 

2 Corinthians 12:9

    Some of us resent this wear and tear on our psyches and bodies while others embrace growing weakness as excuses to get out of doing what we don't want to do. The Lord revealed a new attitude about limitations to Sarah Young: 

"Instead of resenting the limitations of a weakened body, search for My way in the midst of these very circumstances. Limitations can be liberating when your strongest desire is to live close to Me" (Jesus Calling). 

"This is what the Sovereign LORD, the Holy One of Israel, says: 

'In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, 

but you would have none of it.'" 

Isaiah 30:15

     The emptier I become, the more He can fill me. The quieter I am, the more clearly I hear Him. The more I rest in Him, the more He recharges my spirit. The weaker I am, the more His Power is perfected in me. If weaker is better, dying to myself is best because you're pretty weak when you're dead. 

". . . for it is light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said:

'Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.'" 

Ephesians 5:14

Lord, help me accept my weaknesses and limitations as sharpened tools, ready for You to use to build Your kingdom. You've called me to rise from the dead; help me take the initiative to be weak and let You shine on me and through me. Forgive me when I would have none of it and help me quietly and trustingly embrace all of You You'll pour into me. Mold my spirit so my strongest desire is to live close to You. Teach me to boast gladly about my weaknesses and to glorify You so the "least of these" will understand "less is more" in Your kingdom.  

Inspired by Jesus Calling and My Utmost for His Highest

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Tuesday, February 15, 2011 - Why the church?

     A friend of mine has a question for God after she gets settled in heaven. "Lord, why did You choose to use the church to represent You?" It's a good question when many of us spend more time expressing opinions and judgments instead of looking out for each other and the lost people around us. Jesus Christ set His disciples apart with His Words, His Commission and the Holy Spirit to "go tell" but many of us stay and yell. Jesus' death bought my eternal life and His Spirit empowers me to teach the Good News of salvation to people who don't know He wants them by His side in both this life and the next. Jesus' life teaches me to love, pray and sacrifice for people I don't agree with (friends, Romans, countrymen) and who don't agree with me, not to sacrifice their convictions or run over them with my ideas of what is proper.  

"For  none of us lives to himself alone and none of us dies to himself alone." 

Romans 14:7

     The family who lives together can find a thousand things a day about which to disagree and so can a church family. Romans 14 sums up how members of the Body of Christ should handle differing opinions on disputable matters (Romans 14:1). Surprisingly, Paul didn't tell people to change their opinions but allowed for individual consciences and convictions, a concept which is hard for many of us who want one "right" way to accept. Specifically, Paul addressed how the Roman church should handle its members' differing opinions about eating meat since much of the meat sold at market had been sacrificed to pagan idols (as if there's any other kind). Paul gave two general guidelines as the bottom line on handling disputable issues among church members:

"Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification." Romans 14:19

If this is my goal, (and it should be), I won't bring up divisive issues at the family table but will focus on what we share in common and find ways to encourage my family members for whom I am responsible, whether I like it or not. Paul's next instruction is painfully clear: 

"So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God."

Romans 14:22

     When I saw Romans 14:7 was a key verse in today's My Utmost for His Highest entry, I read the whole chapter. Then I read it again, this time replacing "eating" and "eating meat" with a particular hot topic on my heart and mind. I found great peace in realizing the issue is only as big as we, God's people, allow it to become. In making every effort to do what leads to peace and mutual edification we're not to judge those whose opinions differ from ours and we're to keep our opinions on disputable matters between us and God. All Christian Romans who loved a good burger were encouraged to eat them at home with gratitude to God. All Christian Romans whose tender consciences couldn't let a burger pass their lips were to take their concerns to God whenever they passed a fellow Christian's home and smelled burgers dripping on the grill.  
   With so many issues threatening to tear at the ties that bind the church family together,  this idea of living in peace in spite of different opinions might sound impossible, but our omniscient Jesus Who called the church promised 

". . . nothing is impossible with God." Luke 1:37

and He later led Paul to learn by experience:

"Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us,  to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen." 

Ephesians 3:20-21

     Maybe God chose the church as His witness because nothing displays His Power and Peace more dramatically and relevantly than when His children, who differ in every other way, stand shoulder to shoulder to worship Him and to work together embracing others into the family. 

Inspired by My Utmost for His Highest and Jesus Calling

Photo from VBS powerpoint presentation

Monday, February 14, 2011 - Kept in the Dark

      "Ignorance is bliss" may be true about bed bugs, but most people don't like to be kept in the dark about matters that matter to them. Facing multiple scenarios leaves me in the dark: Will the test be positive or negative? Are my children/parents safe and healthy? Will we have enough to live on when we retire or not? Not knowing how to respond to a situation or a person leaves me in the dark: Is it time to invest more time and energy or let go?  Am I being manipulated or informed? Am I helping or enabling? If I don't know what God wants me to do, I'm in the dark: Go? Stay? Act? Pray? Chambers suggestion for those of us kept in the dark is "Then remain quiet. If you open your mouth in the dark, you will talk in the wrong mood: darkness is the time to listen." (Great advice, but where, again, are the brakes for my mouth, Mr. Chambers?) I'd like to add, "Don't even whistle." Peter the Disciple coped with uncertain moments by making noise and was told to shut up and listen. Filling our ears with our own bravado or the advice of human experts muffles God's Voice in the background. My personal experience testifies our Abba will keep us in the dark until we hear what He has to say. He doesn't keep us there to frustrate or depress us and He doesn't deliver us to make us feel better. He keeps us in the dark to listen and He delivers us to proclaim.  

"What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; 

what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs."

Matthew 10:27 

     Lord, You know our hearts: We like quick answers and bottom lines. Being kept in the dark feels like torture when all we want to know is what to DO. Fear rises to hide Your all-encompassing plans and our hope flickers in indecisive winds when we listen to other voices. You've promised to take hold of us and help us.       

"For I am the LORD, your God, 

Who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, 

'Do not fear; I will help you.'"

Isaiah 41:13

    Open our eyes to see the Face of the One Who faced the darkest day because He knew You would deliver Him for Your kingdom's sake. 

"Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, 

the Author and Perfecter of our faith,

Who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, 

and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." 

Hebrew 12:2

    Tune our hearts and minds to Your Voice while You muffle all other voices - especially our own. And God, give us the courage to proclaim from the roofs whatever You teach us. May we let You use us to help others hear Your Voice and not our own.

In the Name of Jesus Whose death on a dark day opened the gates to the Eternal Light of God's throne room!
Inspired by My Utmost for His Highest and Jesus Calling
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Sunday, February 13, 2011 - Spiritual Cotton Swabs

     If or when you lose your hearing, I'll be the first person you avoid. All my life, my soft voice has either driven people nuts or lulled them to sleep. Not much intimidates me or makes me feel self-conscious but yelling is the exception and when I raise my voice it feels like I'm yelling. I'm still working on "getting over myself" to yell for other people's sakes, but it's one of those "outside my comfort zone" calls that doesn't come naturally.
    Praise God, He hears me, and as softly as He speaks sometimes, I hear Him when I tune in to His Presence. Our communication with God doesn't always center on words but when it does, we must believe and act on two things: We can hear God and He can hear us. 
    God started a life-long conversation with young Samuel who heard God's Voice but didn't recognize the Source. It's tragic that Eli, who did recognize God's Voice, was no longer invited to converse because he had stopped obeying God's Voice.  
"The LORD came and stood there, 
calling as at the other times, 
'Samuel! Samuel!' Then Samuel said, 
'Speak, for Your servant is listening.'"
1 Samuel 3:10
    During His three-year ministry, Jesus taught us by example and words that God not only speaks to us but He hears and responds to our end of the conversation as well. 

"So they took away the stone. 

Then Jesus looked up and said, 

'Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. 

I knew that You always hear Me,

but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here,

that they may believe that You sent Me.'"

John 11:41

   Jesus carried on the Family trait of communicating with His listeners when He resumed His conversation with the Disciples after His resurrection, teaching them that death couldn't stop Him from getting to them with what they needed. 

"On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, 

with the doors LOCKED for FEAR of the Jews,

Jesus came and stood among them and said, 

'Peace be with you!'" 

John 20:19

"Again Jesus said,

 'Peace be with you! 

As the Father has sent Me, I am sending you.'" 

John 20:21

    "This is pretty elementary, Robin. I can't believe I blogged on for this!" 
     Isn't it elementary? - and disturbingly profound. God speaks to us in ways we can hear Him, if we choose to hear Him, and He hears us when we speak to Him. 
     If these are elementary lessons we learned long ago, why are we anxious instead of enjoying His Peace that passes understanding? If our basic training pounded these truths into our hearts, then why are our hearts troubled? Why do we allow FEAR to LOCK us in from certain people and situations? God speaks "Peace" and again speaks "Peace." If I'm not yet intimately acquainted with His Peace on a regular basis, then can I say I'm really listening to and obeying God - or do I need to invest in cotton swabs for my spiritual receptors?  
"Peace I leave with you;
My peace I give you. 
I do not give to you as the world gives. 
Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." 
John 14:27


Father-God, Speak, Lord, for Your servants are listening. Speak Your Peace into our hearts and minds once more. Speak whatever You want to speak, but speak. Time and again You speak to bring us Peace but we push Your Peace aside to obsess, dwell and grow restless. We stay troubled and we're fearful - as if our God doesn't see or hear us. Take us back to square one and teach us these basic lessons once again: listening, praying, obeying and receiving Your untouchable Peace. Thank You for Your willingness to keep speaking and may we never be like the prophet Eli who heard Your Voice, knew Your Voice, but acted as though You hadn't spoken. Show us where we've failed to obey You if disobedience is what's blocking out Your Voice.
In the Name of Jesus who speaks Peace to those who will receive it!


Inspired by Jesus Calling and My Utmost for His Highest
Photo from photobucket.com

Saturday, February 12, 2011 - Hiding Behind the Middle Man

     Substitute teaching is the perfect job for me since it allows me to use my skills and experience as a teacher yet leaves enough time and energy for writing and maintaining some semblance (loose interpretation implied) of domestic order (see previous parenthetical note). Getting a sub job no longer means calls from frantic secretaries trying to fill an absence before 7:30 a.m. because Benton schools, like many other systems, use an employment service to fill teacher absences. The service contacts employees via computerized calls, a method which has freed this people-pleaser to be selective. I can listen objectively to the job description without the voice of a desperate person swaying me. The computerized voice states the job available and I punch a number in response: #1 to "accept this assignment;" #2 to "hear additional assignments;" or, #3 to "reject this assignment." It's a piece of cake to tell this de-personalized middle man "not today" when I would feel guilty telling a real person "no."  
     Middle men have their places in our lives but not as substitutes for God's Voice or as punching bags for what we don't like in God's Word. Who are some of the spiritual "middle men and women" we allow between us and God's Voice? They're available in all shapes, sizes, and formats:
     *friends who've found God's path for themselves (and therefore make us feel less spiritual);
     *the preacher in the pulpit who studied and prepared what God wants us to know (but who puts his pants on one leg at a time like the rest of us);
     *parents, grandparents and other spiritual role models (who've all made mistakes);
     *Bible teachers and leaders who know what the Hebrew and the Greek words mean (but haven't walked in the "real world" for a while); 
     *charismatic or annoying radio and television personalities (who rub us the wrong way by being overly materialistic or simplistic);
     *friends we go to for answers instead of for prayer (who would stand by us if we said the sky was chartreuse).
     Jesus came to earth to tear the veil between us and God. He was God with us in a form people could see, hear, and touch, yet He was perfect in every way.

"The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a Son, 

and they will call Him Immanuel' -- which means 'God with us.'" 

Matthew 1:23

He ascended to heaven to send the Holy Spirit to live and work in us as our built-in Teacher and Counselor of Truth.  

"And I will ask the Father, 

and He will give you another Counselor to be with you forever

 -- the Spirit of truth." 

John 14:16 

 "But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My Name, 

will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you." 

John 14:2 

     With the beautiful mystery of God's personal Voice in our spirits, why do we prefer hearing from people to hearing directly from Him? 

"When the people saw the thunder and lightning and heard the trumpet and saw the mountain in smoke, they trembled with fear. They stayed at a distance and said to Moses, 'Speak to us yourself and we will listen. But do not have God speak to us or we will die.'" Exodus 20:19 

  The rebellious Israelites kept their options open by keeping the righteous, Holy God at a distance so they could discount and disobey His stuttering servant Moses. They wanted to feel free to press #1, #2, or #3 without feeling guilt or shame.

     "Why are we so terrified lest God should speak to us? Because we know that if God does speak, either the thing must be done or we must tell God we will not obey Him." (Chambers). We don't think twice about punching option #3, "reject this assignment," when we hear from one of God's servants but we'd have a hard time saying "not today" to God's Face. The Holy Spirit reminds us that when we tell God we will not obey Him, we're also telling Him we don't love Him. 

 "If you love Me, you will obey what I command"

John 14:15

"Jesus replied, 'If anyone loves Me, he will obey My teaching.'"

John 14:23

"He who does not love Me will not obey My teaching."

John 14:24

     It doesn't matter what my lips say to God if my disobedience is shouting something else to the heavens. We need to stop expecting the middle men in our lives to fill the empty places or to be our punching bags when we've chosen to keep our obedience options open. We need to let these people serve as confirmers, encouragers, and clarifiers while we take responsibility for our personal spiritual growth, love for God, and obedience to Him. It's up to us to draw near to Immanuel and become intimately acquainted with His Voice, with nothing and no one between us. 

"Delight yourself in the LORD and He will give you the desires of your heart." Psalm 37:4

Inspired by My Utmost for His Highest and Jesus Calling

Photo from VBS powerpoint presentation

Friday, February 11, 2011 - Not What I Signed Up For

Being married to Dad Noland may be all the adventure one woman could handle.

    The three Noland sons have put Mom Noland's heart through the wringer on many occasions with stories of their youthful escapades, and, as in all families, she's hearing some of their stories for the first time when she can't catch them. While Mom N. loves to travel and could be talked into a family sailing trip (if she hadn't just had her hair done), she isn't someone who enjoys "extreme" activities like swinging too high on the swing. That, of course, leaves her a prime target for the horror stories the guys can tell, or in the following case, horror stories in which she stars.
    True to her own comfort zone, one year at a fair Mom watched Dad Noland and the four kids (the three boys and Robyn - their youngest child and only daughter) ride the rides. She couldn't be talked into a ferris wheel or roller coaster and no thank you to the swinging hammers and high swings, but her family wouldn't be happy until they found something for Mom to ride. Finally they spotted a kiddie ride that looked made to fit her special fair ride needs: it moved incredibly slowly and on one level around the fat center section. Mom, to appease them, got on with one of the kids. 
     As you can guess, the ride started out just as the family had seen it - going in slow-motion circles. Suddenly everyone noticed the ride picked up speed, then more speed. An alarm sounded just before Mom N. became a blur. Dad and the three kids watching were on that awful fence between laughter at her and horror for her (and for themselves when the thing stopped). After an undetermined amount of time, the ride slowed to its original speed and stopped. Everyone named Noland was grateful to have this nightmare behind them, but just as they exhaled another alarm sounded and, incredibly, the cars on the ride started moving backwards, slowly at first but building to the same bullet-speed they had achieved in forward motion. This was not what Mom N. signed up for and her own family appeared to have been in cahoots to destroy her "do" and her dignity.  
     We believers often feel and act as though we've been betrayed when the ride gets rough. In spite of all Jesus' warnings and His example, we still don't understand what it looks and feels like to be used by God. We mistakenly see our service as:
*one part of our lives
     *planned or convenient to our schedules; 
          *always centered around our gifts, our talents, our comfort and control zones:
               *making a major difference in many lives, so as not to waste our time;
                    *feeling warm and fuzzy inside;
                         *coming to us easily and painlessly;
                              *supported by others and never rejected or undermined;
                                   *preserving our "do" and our dignity.
     How have we managed to come to these false conclusions from what Jesus taught and lived? He wasn't surprised at the negative responses and ultimate riots His service caused, yet He served. He received little thanks for miracles, no credit for His mercy, no payment for His time, no honor for His Holiness, no rest when He was exhausted, and no dignity in His death. 

"Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinful men,

 so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." Hebrews 12:3

He received persecution in place of warm fuzzy feelings as well as rejection from authorities who claimed to be on God's side. The Light He shone and the Peace He carried drove them to the brink of madness as they tried to kill what they couldn't understand.

"In Him was life, and that life was the light of men. 

The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it." 

John 1:4-5

     So, your ride's been rough lately and may even seem to be sending you backwards into time or recurring difficulties. Maybe alarms are going off in your head and you don't know which way you're going. Before we scream "Let me off this thing!" let's shut it out and use our imagination for good and our will to step up the mountain into God's Presence. If we buckle our minds and hearts into the One who bought our tickets and trust Him, He'll give us the Peace, the support, the Love, Strength, and Light to hold on until our knuckles turn white.

"You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, 

because he trusts in You." Isaiah 26:3

Dear Lord, when things start moving too quickly or in directions we don't understand, fear washes over us in spite of Your Goodness and Grace. Help us cling to You and trust You. Show us Your Way and keep us moving with You, always in Your Will no matter what our feelings tell us. We're spoiled to having things our way but we're the clay and You're the Potter. Change our hearts, O God, to match what You want from us. You are God alone and we live for You alone.

In the Name of Jesus Whose service to You, Father, cost Him everything!

Inspired by Jesus Calling and My Utmost for His Highest

Photo from our family album

Thursday, February 10, 2011 - Out of Self Experience

"Lift your eyes and look to the heavens: 

Who created all these?

He who brings out the starry host one by one, 

and calls them each by name." 

Isaiah 40:26

     Before today's to-do's tumble down on me, before my mind reels from all the images  and thoughts to be sorted and absorbed, before someone somewhere suggests how I could please them, I will lift my eyes and look up to You, My God.  You created and You sustain, King of the universe. You are top priority and You get top billing in my life today. Reveal Yourself through the beauty You've allowed to fall around us. Help me "go right out of myself" (Oswald Chambers) into Your Presence to commune with You and to let You instruct, teach and counsel me. Help me "go right out of myself" to pray for others - to intercede in their behalf more than for my own gain.

In the Name of Jesus Who went right out of any selfish goals to be One with the Father and to intercede for us.

"I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; 

I will counsel you and watch over you." Psalm 32:8

Inspired by Jesus Calling, My Utmost for His Highest

Photo from VBS Creation story slide show