1If I speak in the tongues[a] of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames,[b] but have not love, I gain nothing.
4Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
8Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. 11When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. 12Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
13And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
Footnotes:
1 Corinthians 13:1 Or languages
1 Corinthians 13:3 Some early manuscripts body that I may boast
Words, phrases that stuck out:
Well, before going into the words and phrases, some quick commentary on this chapter as a whole... When we think of love, too often we equate it with that fluffy, fluttering feeling of romantic love. Now sure, romantic love must have the qualities expressed here, too, but that kind of love is so dependent on feeling, emotion, etc. The love Paul expresses here is timeless, reckless, risky, and above all, a glimpse of how God loves. But we use this passage so often at times where romantic love is celebrated...while, I even think it was a part of Missy and my wedding over seven years ago! That isn't all a bad thing per se, and I think Missy and I weren't using this passage solely for lovey-dovey reasons, but the temptation is/was there. So, I am seeking to look deeper at what this says to me today...and to truly see the depth that this high calling of Love is...
*** ...the most excellent way.; verse 1: This beginning to chapter 13 is in response to 12 (duh), that talks about how believers fit together (via gifts, talents, callings, and passions). It challenges us all to serve Christ alongside one another, and let's be honest: that get rough sometimes. Different gifts, while complimentary and necessary, sometimes create a mishmash of opinions, personalities, and agendas that may not always be God-infused (due to our human sides "shining through" at times). But how do we make it all work? By "the most excellent way..."
*** ...but have not love, I am nothing.; verse 2: Paul goes through a list of various God-given gifts and abilities, but reminds us that we can, say, be the best preacher on the planet, but if we don't have Love behind it all...it really doesn't matter. DANG. I mean, sure, Christ can shine through if I use my gifts, but if I am a complete jerk, or arrogant, or prejudiced, won't my influence (for God's sake) be negatively seen by others, and by default, their view of God could be messed up, too? Not sure if that's something I want on my conscience... I'm not perfect, but the last thing I want is for my lack-of-love to cloud how one sees God. If I don't have love, I don't have squat...no matter what I think of myself...
*** ...it is not self seeking...; verse 5: True love does not think of "me first". When I approach others, whether they are family, friends, or strangers, I need to allow the Holy Spirit to show me how God's love can be shown to them first...NOT me first.
*** ...it keeps no record of wrongs.; verse 5: I think this along with "not self seeking" stood out to me because, well, they may be the hardest parts of real Love for me to attain. As much as I (or others) "think" I don't keep score...well, we are all wrong. I do keep score. Sure, it may appear that others keep score more than I, but it doesn't mean that I never do. And this bothers me. I may even be able to convince myself that, say, I don't keep score with my wife...and for a time, I may not...but usually at some point, I start feeling like I "deserve" things, and yes, start holding it against her. Or, I'll conveniently bring back past (even years past) events that were dividing points between us (that I should have, and even may have appeared to, "let go"...when maybe I hadn't) and use them against her. That, according to this, ain't love...and if I am God's, redeemed by Christ and surrendered to him...he keeps no wrongs, either...I should prayerfully seek the same heart.
*** ...always...always...always...always...; verse 7: Real, godly love is an always thing, not a sometimes thing. Big shocker, this is hard for me! But how encouraging to know that God is "always"...?
*** Love never fails.; verse 8: I love some of the "short and sweet" sentences in the scriptures. They are always so powerful, and I need to pay special attention. Love never fails. Never. The power behind something that can never fail MUST be infinite. We humans can do many things; some of us are truly excellent at those things. But even the smartest, nicest, and yes, most "loving" person...will fail at some point. Only God can have the might and power to never fail. And Love, capital "L", from God alone, doesn't fail. Won't fail. Has NEVER failed...
*** When I became a man, I put my childish ways behind me.; verse 11: This is a verse for me right now. Will I always be playful, fun-loving, and "young at heart"? I sure hope so. But I've had a motivation for some time now (and, in my opinion, and probably others, "it was about time!" haha) to move from being childish and selfish in many ways...to being a man. A grown-up. I know, novel idea (I'm 34...). There are just things that I continually need to let God grow in me, like new passions and desires, and ultimately a renewed call to "man up" in various responsibilities that I've avoided/put on others over the years...
Questions for me:
What parts of "me" am I not allowing love to permeate? What grudges do I hold on to? Where do I need to stop taking score?
Showing posts with label ponderings. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ponderings. Show all posts
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Pondering Genesis 22:1-19
Abraham Tested 1 Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, "Abraham!"
"Here I am," he replied.
2 Then God said, "Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about."
3 Early the next morning Abraham got up and saddled his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. When he had cut enough wood for the burnt offering, he set out for the place God had told him about. 4 On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. 5 He said to his servants, "Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you."
6 Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. As the two of them went on together, 7 Isaac spoke up and said to his father Abraham, "Father?"
"Yes, my son?" Abraham replied.
"The fire and wood are here," Isaac said, "but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?"
8 Abraham answered, "God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son." And the two of them went on together.
9 When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. 10 Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. 11 But the angel of the LORD called out to him from heaven, "Abraham! Abraham!"
"Here I am," he replied.
12 "Do not lay a hand on the boy," he said. "Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son."
13 Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram [a] caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. 14 So Abraham called that place The LORD Will Provide. And to this day it is said, "On the mountain of the LORD it will be provided."
15 The angel of the LORD called to Abraham from heaven a second time 16 and said, "I swear by myself, declares the LORD, that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, 17 I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, 18 and through your offspring [b] all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me."
19 Then Abraham returned to his servants, and they set off together for Beersheba. And Abraham stayed in Beersheba.
Footnotes:
Genesis 22:13 Many manuscripts of the Masoretic Text, Samaritan Pentateuch, Septuagint and Syriac; most manuscripts of the Masoretic Text a ram behind him
Genesis 22:18 Or seed
Words, phrases that stuck out:
*** "only son" (verse 2) and "third day" (verse 4): It is so cool how God foreshadowed the sacrifice of Jesus, his only son, and on the third day, no less, hundreds of years before it actually happened. To me, this is just one of MANY examples from the Old Testament where the Cross is described, where God used similar circumstances surrounding Christ to make covenants, to bring salvation, etc. Amazing.
*** Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son.; verse 10: Dang. First, this sentence is so powerful, it is it's own entire verse. It also makes me think of a discussion from my high school youth group (yes, I can remember those days on occasion), where the adult leading our discussion group talked about this passage, and how if God asked him to kill one of his kids, he'd basically say, "Hell no, God! I won't do it!" While I appreciated his honesty (and forcefulness...sorry if the "hell no" offends...), I always thought it was, while honest, an amazing lack of faith. Then I had a kid...and understood his initial thoughts all the more...
Honestly, I don't know what I would do. Oh, sure, I "hope" I would do whatever God would ask...but dang. I do think this passage has more to say to us than just "killing our kid" though. I believe at the core it is a test to see how far I would be willing to sacrifice for the sake of God's glory...I selfishly hope it would never be the sacrifice of my son, but now I can at least appreciate a smidgen of what God the Father went through when Jesus was killed... But, let's continue to ponder the concept of being "willing". Am I willing to sacrifice things, whether material or abstract, should God ask? I know a story, for example, of a couple (that will remain anonymous...and they aren't who told me...they have no idea) who felt so called by God to be able to give more generously to their church and mission...that they decided to sell their "dream home" (that had only been lived in for like 6 months) and downsize so they could give more to their church. What an example of obedience! Can you imagine the war going on in their hearts? "But, we just moved in! It's our dream house! We already give a lot!" You also need to know, their church isn't one of those kinda freaky, televangelist-led, "give us/me more money so God can move (and pastor can get a sweet home(s))"-type places. No, it is a missional, not-self-seeking, impactful, progressive community of faith. Could I do the same? Would you?
*** "Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son."; verse 12: See above for commentary on this one...I underlined it this morning, then after writing about verse 10, realize that I already explained my thoughts...
*** ...The LORD Will Provide.; verse 14: First, what a great statement of faith, not that God might provide, but will provide. But, this was actually a place, almost a signpost for Abraham and others to remember how God provided, and would again. It is very similar to the concept of the Ebenezer, something built to remember the Lord, his ways, promises, etc., that one can look back on and be encouraged and have hope (aka, certainty).
Questions for me:
How far is the limit of what I'm willing to sacrifice for God? What holds me back? Fear? Possible ridicule? Risks (even if only "possible")?
Are there "monuments", images, etc., in my life that I can return to and be reminded of God's promises, provision, etc.?
"Here I am," he replied.
2 Then God said, "Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about."
3 Early the next morning Abraham got up and saddled his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. When he had cut enough wood for the burnt offering, he set out for the place God had told him about. 4 On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. 5 He said to his servants, "Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you."
6 Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. As the two of them went on together, 7 Isaac spoke up and said to his father Abraham, "Father?"
"Yes, my son?" Abraham replied.
"The fire and wood are here," Isaac said, "but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?"
8 Abraham answered, "God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son." And the two of them went on together.
9 When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. 10 Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. 11 But the angel of the LORD called out to him from heaven, "Abraham! Abraham!"
"Here I am," he replied.
12 "Do not lay a hand on the boy," he said. "Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son."
13 Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram [a] caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. 14 So Abraham called that place The LORD Will Provide. And to this day it is said, "On the mountain of the LORD it will be provided."
15 The angel of the LORD called to Abraham from heaven a second time 16 and said, "I swear by myself, declares the LORD, that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, 17 I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, 18 and through your offspring [b] all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me."
19 Then Abraham returned to his servants, and they set off together for Beersheba. And Abraham stayed in Beersheba.
Footnotes:
Genesis 22:13 Many manuscripts of the Masoretic Text, Samaritan Pentateuch, Septuagint and Syriac; most manuscripts of the Masoretic Text a ram behind him
Genesis 22:18 Or seed
Words, phrases that stuck out:
*** "only son" (verse 2) and "third day" (verse 4): It is so cool how God foreshadowed the sacrifice of Jesus, his only son, and on the third day, no less, hundreds of years before it actually happened. To me, this is just one of MANY examples from the Old Testament where the Cross is described, where God used similar circumstances surrounding Christ to make covenants, to bring salvation, etc. Amazing.
*** Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son.; verse 10: Dang. First, this sentence is so powerful, it is it's own entire verse. It also makes me think of a discussion from my high school youth group (yes, I can remember those days on occasion), where the adult leading our discussion group talked about this passage, and how if God asked him to kill one of his kids, he'd basically say, "Hell no, God! I won't do it!" While I appreciated his honesty (and forcefulness...sorry if the "hell no" offends...), I always thought it was, while honest, an amazing lack of faith. Then I had a kid...and understood his initial thoughts all the more...
Honestly, I don't know what I would do. Oh, sure, I "hope" I would do whatever God would ask...but dang. I do think this passage has more to say to us than just "killing our kid" though. I believe at the core it is a test to see how far I would be willing to sacrifice for the sake of God's glory...I selfishly hope it would never be the sacrifice of my son, but now I can at least appreciate a smidgen of what God the Father went through when Jesus was killed... But, let's continue to ponder the concept of being "willing". Am I willing to sacrifice things, whether material or abstract, should God ask? I know a story, for example, of a couple (that will remain anonymous...and they aren't who told me...they have no idea) who felt so called by God to be able to give more generously to their church and mission...that they decided to sell their "dream home" (that had only been lived in for like 6 months) and downsize so they could give more to their church. What an example of obedience! Can you imagine the war going on in their hearts? "But, we just moved in! It's our dream house! We already give a lot!" You also need to know, their church isn't one of those kinda freaky, televangelist-led, "give us/me more money so God can move (and pastor can get a sweet home(s))"-type places. No, it is a missional, not-self-seeking, impactful, progressive community of faith. Could I do the same? Would you?
*** "Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son."; verse 12: See above for commentary on this one...I underlined it this morning, then after writing about verse 10, realize that I already explained my thoughts...
*** ...The LORD Will Provide.; verse 14: First, what a great statement of faith, not that God might provide, but will provide. But, this was actually a place, almost a signpost for Abraham and others to remember how God provided, and would again. It is very similar to the concept of the Ebenezer, something built to remember the Lord, his ways, promises, etc., that one can look back on and be encouraged and have hope (aka, certainty).
Questions for me:
How far is the limit of what I'm willing to sacrifice for God? What holds me back? Fear? Possible ridicule? Risks (even if only "possible")?
Are there "monuments", images, etc., in my life that I can return to and be reminded of God's promises, provision, etc.?
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Pondering Hebrews 12:1-13
God Disciplines His Sons
1Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. 2Let 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. 3Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
4In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. 5And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons:
"My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline,
and do not lose heart when he rebukes you,
6because the Lord disciplines those he loves,
and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son."[a]
7Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? 8If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. 9Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live! 10Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. 11No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.
12Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. 13"Make level paths for your feet,"[b] so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.
Footnotes:
Hebrews 12:6 Prov. 3:11,12
Hebrews 12:13 Prov. 4:26
Words, phrases that stuck out to me:
*** ...sin that so easily entangles,; verse 1: I especially am drawn to the word entangle. When I get tangled up in something, I am stuck. I will probably fall, may even get injured. Do I view sin as something that has that effect on me? I hope so, but surely not enough. Sin so easily and readily creeps in to our lives when we aren't in constant focus on our savior...usually without us realizing it. Oh sure, we can go out and boldly do stupid things, but often in those cases there were "little entanglements" that led to an attitude where we could so easily rationalize the destructive, splitting-from-God behavior. The tough thing to do is truly be aware of the little vines that seem inconsequential, but as they creep up our legs, get stronger, slow us down, and ultimately, make us fall on our face...
*** Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith,; verse 2: This, while seeming to be a typical "church answer" (you know, "read the bible! pray more! JESUS!"), is how we don't get entangled. But how? First, by KNOWING that Jesus is the author of our faith. Think about that... He wrote it. Not just a "part of the story, one of many stories"...he is who birthed it. Christ has been involved intimately from the beginning of all things. HOLY COW! Also, the word perfecter. Jesus is who does the perfecting, NOT us. We struggle soooooo mightily with that one, relying on our own experience, intellect, personality, etc. We think, "If I just grit my teeth and fight through this, I will get better..." No. That will always fail. But by seeking and allowing Jesus to perfect us, praying for help, change, etc., and releasing it to him, it happens. I know from experience. I know it is hard for others to realize someone else's experience of knowing God, but there have been times I truly asked God to change me...and then allowed him to by remembering my prayer, by reminding myself, and ultimately, by "releasing" it, trusting that God would do it...and I could look back later and see how my heart was different.
*** "...the Lord disciplines those he loves..."; verse 6: That word, discipline, shows up a lot in this passage. And I suspect none of us like it one bit, haha. No really, how many "like" the notion that we can be disciplined by God? That things are allowed to occur in our life, so we can grow stronger from them (despite the pain involved)?
*** Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons.; verse 7: First, when things aren't going our ways, we need to not wonder, "Where are you, God? Why are you doing this to me?", and instead ponder how God may "tweak" us during that time, all for HIS glory (and oh, to have his glory be our primary purpose in ALL things...so hard to do...). Also, I am encouraged by knowing that he is doing it because he views me as his son. This has such new meaning as I am now a parent. I HATE having to discipline Jackson, and I'm not talking about just the inconvenience; I hate the fact that I have to "get on him", or give a swat (yes, on occasion), or send to time-out. But, I also know that I am trying to train him in God's ways...and while it is no fun, for either of us, it is because I am bonkers about my boy and want him to be the best man he can. To know that God thinks the same of me, in the midst of hardship and discipline...wow.
*** ...god disciplines us for good, that we may share in his holiness.; verse 10: Much like the above "pondering", our discipline is Good (notice the capital "G") and is so we may share in his holiness. That is huge. God actually wants us to experience HIS holiness...
*** ...strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. Make level paths for your feet..."; verse 12, spilling into 13: Because of all just read and pondered...I need to allow for strengthening and healing. LET God do those things. Be willing to take the necessary steps. For when I am weak, that is when God really shines through... http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=54&chapter=12&verse=10&version=31&context=verse
Where am I getting all tangled up? Are there some little, annoying things creeping in that I may miss, and need to deal with? Are there some big things that need to get CHOPPED? Am I allowing Jesus to perfect me? Do I look to him in all things?
Do I blame God for hardship? If I am...how is that affecting how I approach my life, others, and God himself?
Where am I being disciplined? Where have I been disciplined by God in the past? Do I seek God, seek change, etc., in the midst of discipline and hardship, or am I bitter?
1Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. 2Let 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. 3Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
4In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. 5And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons:
"My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline,
and do not lose heart when he rebukes you,
6because the Lord disciplines those he loves,
and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son."[a]
7Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? 8If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. 9Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live! 10Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. 11No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.
12Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. 13"Make level paths for your feet,"[b] so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.
Footnotes:
Hebrews 12:6 Prov. 3:11,12
Hebrews 12:13 Prov. 4:26
Words, phrases that stuck out to me:
*** ...sin that so easily entangles,; verse 1: I especially am drawn to the word entangle. When I get tangled up in something, I am stuck. I will probably fall, may even get injured. Do I view sin as something that has that effect on me? I hope so, but surely not enough. Sin so easily and readily creeps in to our lives when we aren't in constant focus on our savior...usually without us realizing it. Oh sure, we can go out and boldly do stupid things, but often in those cases there were "little entanglements" that led to an attitude where we could so easily rationalize the destructive, splitting-from-God behavior. The tough thing to do is truly be aware of the little vines that seem inconsequential, but as they creep up our legs, get stronger, slow us down, and ultimately, make us fall on our face...
*** Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith,; verse 2: This, while seeming to be a typical "church answer" (you know, "read the bible! pray more! JESUS!"), is how we don't get entangled. But how? First, by KNOWING that Jesus is the author of our faith. Think about that... He wrote it. Not just a "part of the story, one of many stories"...he is who birthed it. Christ has been involved intimately from the beginning of all things. HOLY COW! Also, the word perfecter. Jesus is who does the perfecting, NOT us. We struggle soooooo mightily with that one, relying on our own experience, intellect, personality, etc. We think, "If I just grit my teeth and fight through this, I will get better..." No. That will always fail. But by seeking and allowing Jesus to perfect us, praying for help, change, etc., and releasing it to him, it happens. I know from experience. I know it is hard for others to realize someone else's experience of knowing God, but there have been times I truly asked God to change me...and then allowed him to by remembering my prayer, by reminding myself, and ultimately, by "releasing" it, trusting that God would do it...and I could look back later and see how my heart was different.
*** "...the Lord disciplines those he loves..."; verse 6: That word, discipline, shows up a lot in this passage. And I suspect none of us like it one bit, haha. No really, how many "like" the notion that we can be disciplined by God? That things are allowed to occur in our life, so we can grow stronger from them (despite the pain involved)?
*** Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons.; verse 7: First, when things aren't going our ways, we need to not wonder, "Where are you, God? Why are you doing this to me?", and instead ponder how God may "tweak" us during that time, all for HIS glory (and oh, to have his glory be our primary purpose in ALL things...so hard to do...). Also, I am encouraged by knowing that he is doing it because he views me as his son. This has such new meaning as I am now a parent. I HATE having to discipline Jackson, and I'm not talking about just the inconvenience; I hate the fact that I have to "get on him", or give a swat (yes, on occasion), or send to time-out. But, I also know that I am trying to train him in God's ways...and while it is no fun, for either of us, it is because I am bonkers about my boy and want him to be the best man he can. To know that God thinks the same of me, in the midst of hardship and discipline...wow.
*** ...god disciplines us for good, that we may share in his holiness.; verse 10: Much like the above "pondering", our discipline is Good (notice the capital "G") and is so we may share in his holiness. That is huge. God actually wants us to experience HIS holiness...
*** ...strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. Make level paths for your feet..."; verse 12, spilling into 13: Because of all just read and pondered...I need to allow for strengthening and healing. LET God do those things. Be willing to take the necessary steps. For when I am weak, that is when God really shines through... http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=54&chapter=12&verse=10&version=31&context=verse
Where am I getting all tangled up? Are there some little, annoying things creeping in that I may miss, and need to deal with? Are there some big things that need to get CHOPPED? Am I allowing Jesus to perfect me? Do I look to him in all things?
Do I blame God for hardship? If I am...how is that affecting how I approach my life, others, and God himself?
Where am I being disciplined? Where have I been disciplined by God in the past? Do I seek God, seek change, etc., in the midst of discipline and hardship, or am I bitter?
Friday, November 28, 2008
Pondering 1 Samuel 3:1-21
The LORD Calls Samuel
1 The boy Samuel ministered before the LORD under Eli. In those days the word of the LORD was rare; there were not many visions.
2 One night Eli, whose eyes were becoming so weak that he could barely see, was lying down in his usual place. 3 The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple [a] of the LORD, where the ark of God was. 4 Then the LORD called Samuel.
Samuel answered, "Here I am." 5 And he ran to Eli and said, "Here I am; you called me."
But Eli said, "I did not call; go back and lie down." So he went and lay down.
6 Again the LORD called, "Samuel!" And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, "Here I am; you called me."
"My son," Eli said, "I did not call; go back and lie down."
7 Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD : The word of the LORD had not yet been revealed to him.
8 The LORD called Samuel a third time, and Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, "Here I am; you called me."
Then Eli realized that the LORD was calling the boy. 9 So Eli told Samuel, "Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, 'Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening.' " So Samuel went and lay down in his place.
10 The LORD came and stood there, calling as at the other times, "Samuel! Samuel!"
Then Samuel said, "Speak, for your servant is listening."
11 And the LORD said to Samuel: "See, I am about to do something in Israel that will make the ears of everyone who hears of it tingle. 12 At that time I will carry out against Eli everything I spoke against his family—from beginning to end. 13 For I told him that I would judge his family forever because of the sin he knew about; his sons made themselves contemptible, [b] and he failed to restrain them. 14 Therefore, I swore to the house of Eli, 'The guilt of Eli's house will never be atoned for by sacrifice or offering.' "
15 Samuel lay down until morning and then opened the doors of the house of the LORD. He was afraid to tell Eli the vision, 16 but Eli called him and said, "Samuel, my son."
Samuel answered, "Here I am."
17 "What was it he said to you?" Eli asked. "Do not hide it from me. May God deal with you, be it ever so severely, if you hide from me anything he told you." 18 So Samuel told him everything, hiding nothing from him. Then Eli said, "He is the LORD; let him do what is good in his eyes."
19 The LORD was with Samuel as he grew up, and he let none of his words fall to the ground. 20 And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba recognized that Samuel was attested as a prophet of the LORD. 21 The LORD continued to appear at Shiloh, and there he revealed himself to Samuel through his word.
Footnotes:
1 Samuel 3:3 That is, tabernacle
1 Samuel 3:13 Masoretic Text; an ancient Hebrew scribal tradition and Septuagint sons blasphemed God
Words/Phrases That Stuck Out:
*** Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord...; verse 7: This just confirms to me that we are not "born knowing God." That may seem like a non-issue to some, but I know that many of us are tempted to think that all we need is to be born to be tight with God. I do not believe that is so, and a passage like this is just evidence...Samuel may have been a decent enough kid, and certainly would become a man in communion with his creator (as we know if we keep reading the story), but there was a time when it was not so...
*** ...revealed...; verse 7: The language used here, while I admit it is "the best stab at biblical linguist scholars translating ancient Hebrew into English," certainly indicates that Samuel coming to truly know the Lord was an act of THE LORD, not Samuel becoming so enlightened or convinced due solely to his own intellect. God does the revealing, the saving, etc., not us... We need to realize that, as there is temptation to think that our own minds are what redeem us, ultimately.
*** "Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening."; verse 9: Oh, to have that sort of attitude! I can speak for myself, that attitudes such as this are too few-and-far between. I need to pray for this more, seeking to have a listening ear and sensitive heart to what God is saying to me, encouraging me to do. Notice the emphasis on "is": Too often we ask for God to speak to us, to show us the way...when in reality, he already IS speaking to us...we just need to be willing to open up to him, which, of course, is the big struggle.
*** "He is the Lord; let him do what is good in his eyes."; verse 18: Similar to the above passage, the struggle I have here is actually letting God just do his thing... I know that, God will get done what God wants done (regardless if I am used or not), but I know sometimes, well, I just want to be left alone, or I want what BEN wants done...but it may not be part of God's plan. It could be, of course, but I have to listen first, and then be humble enough to follow god's plan (regardless to if I want it or not), and finally have the courage and attitude to keep following and trusting.
Questions for Me:
Am I listening? Better yet, am I even wanting to listen?
Am I one who would do God's request and plan, regardless of if I like it, or if it makes sense to me? What if those closest to me think I'm bonkers? Is it obvious to others (and not so I can "look all spiritual and pat myself on the back...") that I am a man seeking to hear God and do his bidding, thus others close to me trust the word I'm sensing from the Lord? Or, am I so inconsistent in this that trust isn't given/isn't deserved?
1 The boy Samuel ministered before the LORD under Eli. In those days the word of the LORD was rare; there were not many visions.
2 One night Eli, whose eyes were becoming so weak that he could barely see, was lying down in his usual place. 3 The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple [a] of the LORD, where the ark of God was. 4 Then the LORD called Samuel.
Samuel answered, "Here I am." 5 And he ran to Eli and said, "Here I am; you called me."
But Eli said, "I did not call; go back and lie down." So he went and lay down.
6 Again the LORD called, "Samuel!" And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, "Here I am; you called me."
"My son," Eli said, "I did not call; go back and lie down."
7 Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD : The word of the LORD had not yet been revealed to him.
8 The LORD called Samuel a third time, and Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, "Here I am; you called me."
Then Eli realized that the LORD was calling the boy. 9 So Eli told Samuel, "Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, 'Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening.' " So Samuel went and lay down in his place.
10 The LORD came and stood there, calling as at the other times, "Samuel! Samuel!"
Then Samuel said, "Speak, for your servant is listening."
11 And the LORD said to Samuel: "See, I am about to do something in Israel that will make the ears of everyone who hears of it tingle. 12 At that time I will carry out against Eli everything I spoke against his family—from beginning to end. 13 For I told him that I would judge his family forever because of the sin he knew about; his sons made themselves contemptible, [b] and he failed to restrain them. 14 Therefore, I swore to the house of Eli, 'The guilt of Eli's house will never be atoned for by sacrifice or offering.' "
15 Samuel lay down until morning and then opened the doors of the house of the LORD. He was afraid to tell Eli the vision, 16 but Eli called him and said, "Samuel, my son."
Samuel answered, "Here I am."
17 "What was it he said to you?" Eli asked. "Do not hide it from me. May God deal with you, be it ever so severely, if you hide from me anything he told you." 18 So Samuel told him everything, hiding nothing from him. Then Eli said, "He is the LORD; let him do what is good in his eyes."
19 The LORD was with Samuel as he grew up, and he let none of his words fall to the ground. 20 And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba recognized that Samuel was attested as a prophet of the LORD. 21 The LORD continued to appear at Shiloh, and there he revealed himself to Samuel through his word.
Footnotes:
1 Samuel 3:3 That is, tabernacle
1 Samuel 3:13 Masoretic Text; an ancient Hebrew scribal tradition and Septuagint sons blasphemed God
Words/Phrases That Stuck Out:
*** Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord...; verse 7: This just confirms to me that we are not "born knowing God." That may seem like a non-issue to some, but I know that many of us are tempted to think that all we need is to be born to be tight with God. I do not believe that is so, and a passage like this is just evidence...Samuel may have been a decent enough kid, and certainly would become a man in communion with his creator (as we know if we keep reading the story), but there was a time when it was not so...
*** ...revealed...; verse 7: The language used here, while I admit it is "the best stab at biblical linguist scholars translating ancient Hebrew into English," certainly indicates that Samuel coming to truly know the Lord was an act of THE LORD, not Samuel becoming so enlightened or convinced due solely to his own intellect. God does the revealing, the saving, etc., not us... We need to realize that, as there is temptation to think that our own minds are what redeem us, ultimately.
*** "Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening."; verse 9: Oh, to have that sort of attitude! I can speak for myself, that attitudes such as this are too few-and-far between. I need to pray for this more, seeking to have a listening ear and sensitive heart to what God is saying to me, encouraging me to do. Notice the emphasis on "is": Too often we ask for God to speak to us, to show us the way...when in reality, he already IS speaking to us...we just need to be willing to open up to him, which, of course, is the big struggle.
*** "He is the Lord; let him do what is good in his eyes."; verse 18: Similar to the above passage, the struggle I have here is actually letting God just do his thing... I know that, God will get done what God wants done (regardless if I am used or not), but I know sometimes, well, I just want to be left alone, or I want what BEN wants done...but it may not be part of God's plan. It could be, of course, but I have to listen first, and then be humble enough to follow god's plan (regardless to if I want it or not), and finally have the courage and attitude to keep following and trusting.
Questions for Me:
Am I listening? Better yet, am I even wanting to listen?
Am I one who would do God's request and plan, regardless of if I like it, or if it makes sense to me? What if those closest to me think I'm bonkers? Is it obvious to others (and not so I can "look all spiritual and pat myself on the back...") that I am a man seeking to hear God and do his bidding, thus others close to me trust the word I'm sensing from the Lord? Or, am I so inconsistent in this that trust isn't given/isn't deserved?
Monday, November 24, 2008
Pondering Matthew 20:20-28
A Mother's Request
20Then the mother of Zebedee's sons came to Jesus with her sons and, kneeling down, asked a favor of him.
21"What is it you want?" he asked.
She said, "Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom."
22"You don't know what you are asking," Jesus said to them. "Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?"
"We can," they answered.
23Jesus said to them, "You will indeed drink from my cup, but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared by my Father."
24When the ten heard about this, they were indignant with the two brothers. 25Jesus called them together and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 26Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 27and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— 28just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."
Words, phrases that stuck out to me:
*** "You don't know what you are asking..."; verse 22: I think sometimes we just simply don't get what it really means to have complete surrender and allegiance to Christ. We are good at saying things to others that sound spiritual, making promises to God, etc., that we so easily back out on once we realize the cost...
*** "These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared by my Father."; verse 23: This is just a reminder of God's sovereignty to me. God knows what's up...we need to not worry as much about figuring it all out...we just need to be obedient and follow Him. It just seems that we humans are too concerned about future specifics too much, whether it's asking for clear, detailed specifics about our own future (and as long as it's within our own criteria...hahaha) or if it's "out there" stuff like end times scenarios...but i think God just wants us to let him be God sometimes...and trust...
*** "...whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave-- just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."; verses 26-28: First, so much about Jesus' purpose is contained here. To serve. To be ransomed. It is hard for folks to even fathom that, because a) we are modeled leaders that often seem to feel entitled to be "worshipped", served by underlings, etc. Jesus said, "NONE OF THAT!" b) It's tough enough at times for Christians themselves to grasp that God would choose for his own son's death to be what paid for the sins of mankind...let alone non-believers. To those who do not claim to be followers of Christ, the notion of a "loving God sacrificing his son" probably seems barbaric and absurd...but if you look at the Old Testament, you can see how this all came to pass...
I also know a prayer of mine is to seek to be a servant first...and if I am a "leader", it is a leader that is seeking to serve those I'm leading, not be served myself. I was praying specifically to have this attitude this morning...and no kidding, 30 minutes didn't go by before I was "compelled" (aka, I didn't ponder it first, weigh the options...I just DID IT) to get up, sweep the floors, do dishes, laundry, etc. I was compelled to serve my family...and if you know my attitude toward cleaning, chores, etc., you KNOW that was an answer to prayer!!! :-)
Questions for me today:
When I say I seek to "follow Christ", am I just giving him/others lip service? What if I am asked to do a REALLY tough thing? What If I thought I was hearing things right...only to find out God really wants me to head a different direction altogether?
Am I really letting God be God, and trusting in his ultimate sovereignty?
What does a servant leader look like? What needs to be done to make sure "false humility" (for personal gain) doesn't happen?
20Then the mother of Zebedee's sons came to Jesus with her sons and, kneeling down, asked a favor of him.
21"What is it you want?" he asked.
She said, "Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom."
22"You don't know what you are asking," Jesus said to them. "Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?"
"We can," they answered.
23Jesus said to them, "You will indeed drink from my cup, but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared by my Father."
24When the ten heard about this, they were indignant with the two brothers. 25Jesus called them together and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 26Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 27and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— 28just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."
Words, phrases that stuck out to me:
*** "You don't know what you are asking..."; verse 22: I think sometimes we just simply don't get what it really means to have complete surrender and allegiance to Christ. We are good at saying things to others that sound spiritual, making promises to God, etc., that we so easily back out on once we realize the cost...
*** "These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared by my Father."; verse 23: This is just a reminder of God's sovereignty to me. God knows what's up...we need to not worry as much about figuring it all out...we just need to be obedient and follow Him. It just seems that we humans are too concerned about future specifics too much, whether it's asking for clear, detailed specifics about our own future (and as long as it's within our own criteria...hahaha) or if it's "out there" stuff like end times scenarios...but i think God just wants us to let him be God sometimes...and trust...
*** "...whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave-- just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."; verses 26-28: First, so much about Jesus' purpose is contained here. To serve. To be ransomed. It is hard for folks to even fathom that, because a) we are modeled leaders that often seem to feel entitled to be "worshipped", served by underlings, etc. Jesus said, "NONE OF THAT!" b) It's tough enough at times for Christians themselves to grasp that God would choose for his own son's death to be what paid for the sins of mankind...let alone non-believers. To those who do not claim to be followers of Christ, the notion of a "loving God sacrificing his son" probably seems barbaric and absurd...but if you look at the Old Testament, you can see how this all came to pass...
I also know a prayer of mine is to seek to be a servant first...and if I am a "leader", it is a leader that is seeking to serve those I'm leading, not be served myself. I was praying specifically to have this attitude this morning...and no kidding, 30 minutes didn't go by before I was "compelled" (aka, I didn't ponder it first, weigh the options...I just DID IT) to get up, sweep the floors, do dishes, laundry, etc. I was compelled to serve my family...and if you know my attitude toward cleaning, chores, etc., you KNOW that was an answer to prayer!!! :-)
Questions for me today:
When I say I seek to "follow Christ", am I just giving him/others lip service? What if I am asked to do a REALLY tough thing? What If I thought I was hearing things right...only to find out God really wants me to head a different direction altogether?
Am I really letting God be God, and trusting in his ultimate sovereignty?
What does a servant leader look like? What needs to be done to make sure "false humility" (for personal gain) doesn't happen?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
