It's early and I am back at work, so this is going to be quick! This morning I read a devotional from Joseph Prince, and it reminded me of something so vital: God has promised us in His Word that when things are taken from us, He doesn't only restore what was lost but He can give us "double" for our trouble. When Job lost everything he had, God restored him completely, and in fact, he got more than double!
This morning as I prepare for the last day before children arrive in my classroom, I am deeply humbled and grateful for God's gracious hand. Years ago, I lost my first pregnancy due to a car accident. The accident was my fault and I was devastated, but when I look at my personal and professional life today . . . 30 years later . . . God has given me way more than double to repay that loss. I have three wonderful daughters who are now amazing mothers to my grandchildren, two precious sons who have grown to be fine young men, and three sons-in-law who feel like my own (couldn't have picked them better myself!). And it continues . . . five grandchildren who own my heart and then 32 years of students . . . I've lost count but I think that's somewhere between 2000 and 3000 students. Wow! I've received way more than double for that early loss, and there is no way to completely put into words how thankful I am for God's blessings.
Years ago, right after the accident, my mother looked at me one day when I was sobbing in her arms and said, "You just really want to have a baby, don't you?" I am sure that she prayed for me, and I am smiling this morning as I ponder how her prayers have been richly answered.
Take time today to reflect on how God has blessed you against all odds and doubled your joy. He is the God of the amazing and the impossible, and I don't know about you, but I am overwhelmed with joy because He calls me His child. It doesn't get better than this.
Friday, August 19, 2011
Friday, August 12, 2011
Let God Create the Home Run
I recently attended a music conference in Spartanburg with Christian Supply (a wonderful company, by the way!). On Friday morning Dave Clark, an arranger and composer, told a wonderful little story about his grandson, and of course, it had a point. I want to share it because it is resonating with me right now.
He told us about playing baseball with his very young grandson . . . this is baseball with the giant, fat bat. You know the one: small handle for little hands but huge end so a tiny fellow who is still working on eye-hand contact can actually hit the ball. Well, Dave pitched to his grandson once, and the boy missed. He pitched again, and the boy swung even harder but missed a second time. He pitched a third time, and you guessed it: missed again. Finally, Dave walked over the child, helped him find a good stance, showed him where to hold the bat, and then said: "Just hold the bat still. Don't swing." Being a good grandparent, Dave pitched the plastic ball directly at that fat bat, throwing with more force than before, and behold! It was a hit! The child immediately ran the bases and celebrated. He didn't care that his grandfather did the "hitting"; he only knew that he was finally successful and he got to run around in victory. So what does this say about our lives today?
In Zechariah 4, the prophet Zechariah told Zerubbabel: " . . . not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit . . ." And this was Dave Clark's point: sometimes we need to hold our bat still and quit trying to knock one out of the park. We need to get the right stance, stand still, and let God do our hitting. Not our power but His. Thanks, Dave, for giving me an image that I need today, but I think there's even more.
I am a do-er. I always think I need to be getting the to-do list finished . . . checked off, but sometimes God just needs me to stand still and let Him do what only He can do in His power. He needs me to wait on Him. In Isaiah 40:31, we are told this: "But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint." That's a powerful Word from Isaiah. Sometimes we just need to stand in the batter's box of life and wait on God -- rest in Him and renew our strength so we can run the bases when His victory comes. We don't have to be weary; in fact, we can soar around those bases when we have rested in God. But I want to suggest something even further: just like that little boy had to let his grandfather put him into the right stance so he could wait properly, we need to learn the proper stance for waiting, and the instructions are in His Word. Our stance? praying, praising, trusting, and waiting patiently. We don't just wait passively. We wait with expectation, knowing that our prayers will be answered by the Great Pitcher. We wait with praise, thanking our Coach for all the things He has already taught us and done for us. We wait with trust, knowing that He will never steer us in the wrong direction. And we wait patiently . . . that's the hard one sometimes, and yet, in His Word, it says that His timing is always perfect. And so? We wait, and in the waiting, we renew our strength to run the bases in victory, knowing that when God gives us a "hit," it's His victory, and we get to celebrate His allowing us to be a part of the win.
Today and in the coming days, I hope, like me, you will choose to be on God's team. Allow Him, through His power . . . not your power or might . . . to do what only He can accomplish. The World Series will pale in comparison to the victories you will have when you step into the batter's box, hold your stance, and let God do your hitting. And in those victories? God will let us run the bases and throw a party, and He will be glorified. Doesn't get much better than that. It think it's what they call a win-win situation!
Thanks, Dave Clark, for an object lesson I will never forget. And thanks, God, for being faithful to give me a Word . . . manna for today.
He told us about playing baseball with his very young grandson . . . this is baseball with the giant, fat bat. You know the one: small handle for little hands but huge end so a tiny fellow who is still working on eye-hand contact can actually hit the ball. Well, Dave pitched to his grandson once, and the boy missed. He pitched again, and the boy swung even harder but missed a second time. He pitched a third time, and you guessed it: missed again. Finally, Dave walked over the child, helped him find a good stance, showed him where to hold the bat, and then said: "Just hold the bat still. Don't swing." Being a good grandparent, Dave pitched the plastic ball directly at that fat bat, throwing with more force than before, and behold! It was a hit! The child immediately ran the bases and celebrated. He didn't care that his grandfather did the "hitting"; he only knew that he was finally successful and he got to run around in victory. So what does this say about our lives today?
In Zechariah 4, the prophet Zechariah told Zerubbabel: " . . . not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit . . ." And this was Dave Clark's point: sometimes we need to hold our bat still and quit trying to knock one out of the park. We need to get the right stance, stand still, and let God do our hitting. Not our power but His. Thanks, Dave, for giving me an image that I need today, but I think there's even more.
I am a do-er. I always think I need to be getting the to-do list finished . . . checked off, but sometimes God just needs me to stand still and let Him do what only He can do in His power. He needs me to wait on Him. In Isaiah 40:31, we are told this: "But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint." That's a powerful Word from Isaiah. Sometimes we just need to stand in the batter's box of life and wait on God -- rest in Him and renew our strength so we can run the bases when His victory comes. We don't have to be weary; in fact, we can soar around those bases when we have rested in God. But I want to suggest something even further: just like that little boy had to let his grandfather put him into the right stance so he could wait properly, we need to learn the proper stance for waiting, and the instructions are in His Word. Our stance? praying, praising, trusting, and waiting patiently. We don't just wait passively. We wait with expectation, knowing that our prayers will be answered by the Great Pitcher. We wait with praise, thanking our Coach for all the things He has already taught us and done for us. We wait with trust, knowing that He will never steer us in the wrong direction. And we wait patiently . . . that's the hard one sometimes, and yet, in His Word, it says that His timing is always perfect. And so? We wait, and in the waiting, we renew our strength to run the bases in victory, knowing that when God gives us a "hit," it's His victory, and we get to celebrate His allowing us to be a part of the win.
Today and in the coming days, I hope, like me, you will choose to be on God's team. Allow Him, through His power . . . not your power or might . . . to do what only He can accomplish. The World Series will pale in comparison to the victories you will have when you step into the batter's box, hold your stance, and let God do your hitting. And in those victories? God will let us run the bases and throw a party, and He will be glorified. Doesn't get much better than that. It think it's what they call a win-win situation!
Thanks, Dave Clark, for an object lesson I will never forget. And thanks, God, for being faithful to give me a Word . . . manna for today.
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Repair, Not Replace
Thanks to Facebook, I often get prayer requests from friends who need some warriors in their corners, and this week was no exception. A few days ago, an old fried from home sent me a medical prayer request. She is having heart surgery (only 53 years old), and here's her request: let the doctors be able to repair the valve . . . not replace it. Now, I'm not a doctor, but she is a smart woman, and so I am sure she has educated herself to know that this is the best possible route for her healing. As I thought about her and prayed for God to be her Healer, He nudged me with an "a-ha" moment: God is often about the business of repairing, not replacing.
In scripture we are told that God can create in us a clean heart. In other words, He can take the one I have, clean it, and use it for His glory. He didn't say He would get rid of my heart. Just cleanse it and make it more like His. In another scripture, we are told that God refines us, similar to the way silver is refined before it can be used. Silver must be rid of its impurities before it can be considered valuable on the jewelry market. Sounds a lot like repairing to me.
Lately I've become a Gorilla Glue fan. If you haven't tried it, do yourself a favor and run to Wal-Mart. Gorilla Glue can repair almost anything! My latest and most precious fix-up was when I used it to repair a gift given to me by my precious Timothy. He and his mother gave me a beautiful figurine of a Bible with angels' wings. Not costly or artistically impressive, but deeply important to me because of the hearts of the givers. So when it broke, I ran to the Gorilla Glue cabinet, repaired this sentimental token, and breathed a sigh of relief. So . . . to extend this analogy, God is kind of like Gorilla Glue and Magic Erasers all in one. He can repair anything in my life that is in pieces. He can repair broken friendships and marriages, and He can "glue" pieces together in our lives that seem disconnected but can work together for good. And this isn't all! Like a Magic Eraser which wipes away almost every kind of grime, God is able to cleanse us of all impurities and fill us with His Spirit, strength, and righteousness. But what part do we play in making this happen?
We have to ask in faith. That's it. Not complicated. Doesn't require a committee or a strategic plan. We just have to go to Him with our brokenness and impurities and ask God the Healer to work on our hearts and our messes. We have to give ourselves over to Him, trusting that He knows how to repair us. He doesn't have to replace us. In fact, He doesn't want to do that. He has loved each one of us before we were even formed in the womb. He knew the messes we would be, but He has continued to love us anyway. But here's an important truth: God will sit back and watch us in our brokenness if we never turn to Him. We were designed to be in relationship with Him and to worship Him. If we never seek Him, He often will let us stew in our disasters. He's omnipotent God, but He's not pushy. Our Father wants us to invite Him into our lives, and as soon as we issue the invitation, I imagine that He says, "Well, I've been waiting on you to let me help you. I'm so glad you got in touch.Now, watch what I can do."
Today, invite God into your heart and every corner of your life. After all, He is the God who was, and is, and is to come. Don't miss this: He was with you yesterday, will be with you tomorrow, and He is with you right now . . . today. The God who is. I somehow believe that He and Jesus, who sits at His right hand on the mercy seat, throw a little party when we humble ourselves enough to say, "God, repair me today. Give me Your strength, Your cleansing wave, and Your righteousness. Let me reflect Your glory to everyone in my life, and let me live before the world in a way that makes them want what I have: a Father who never wants to replace me but revels in repairing my cracks and defects. Thank You for loving me so."
In scripture we are told that God can create in us a clean heart. In other words, He can take the one I have, clean it, and use it for His glory. He didn't say He would get rid of my heart. Just cleanse it and make it more like His. In another scripture, we are told that God refines us, similar to the way silver is refined before it can be used. Silver must be rid of its impurities before it can be considered valuable on the jewelry market. Sounds a lot like repairing to me.
Lately I've become a Gorilla Glue fan. If you haven't tried it, do yourself a favor and run to Wal-Mart. Gorilla Glue can repair almost anything! My latest and most precious fix-up was when I used it to repair a gift given to me by my precious Timothy. He and his mother gave me a beautiful figurine of a Bible with angels' wings. Not costly or artistically impressive, but deeply important to me because of the hearts of the givers. So when it broke, I ran to the Gorilla Glue cabinet, repaired this sentimental token, and breathed a sigh of relief. So . . . to extend this analogy, God is kind of like Gorilla Glue and Magic Erasers all in one. He can repair anything in my life that is in pieces. He can repair broken friendships and marriages, and He can "glue" pieces together in our lives that seem disconnected but can work together for good. And this isn't all! Like a Magic Eraser which wipes away almost every kind of grime, God is able to cleanse us of all impurities and fill us with His Spirit, strength, and righteousness. But what part do we play in making this happen?
We have to ask in faith. That's it. Not complicated. Doesn't require a committee or a strategic plan. We just have to go to Him with our brokenness and impurities and ask God the Healer to work on our hearts and our messes. We have to give ourselves over to Him, trusting that He knows how to repair us. He doesn't have to replace us. In fact, He doesn't want to do that. He has loved each one of us before we were even formed in the womb. He knew the messes we would be, but He has continued to love us anyway. But here's an important truth: God will sit back and watch us in our brokenness if we never turn to Him. We were designed to be in relationship with Him and to worship Him. If we never seek Him, He often will let us stew in our disasters. He's omnipotent God, but He's not pushy. Our Father wants us to invite Him into our lives, and as soon as we issue the invitation, I imagine that He says, "Well, I've been waiting on you to let me help you. I'm so glad you got in touch.Now, watch what I can do."
Today, invite God into your heart and every corner of your life. After all, He is the God who was, and is, and is to come. Don't miss this: He was with you yesterday, will be with you tomorrow, and He is with you right now . . . today. The God who is. I somehow believe that He and Jesus, who sits at His right hand on the mercy seat, throw a little party when we humble ourselves enough to say, "God, repair me today. Give me Your strength, Your cleansing wave, and Your righteousness. Let me reflect Your glory to everyone in my life, and let me live before the world in a way that makes them want what I have: a Father who never wants to replace me but revels in repairing my cracks and defects. Thank You for loving me so."
Monday, August 8, 2011
Septic Tank Thoughts
As school is looming over me this week, I am on a mad mission . . . cleaning closets, reorganizing clothes, the usual stuff that makes me feel less stressed. In the midst of this, I am dealing with some junk. Anybody out there dealing with junk, too? I suspect you are; if you want a companion and some timely advice, read on, my friend.
As I have been cleaning my house and my closets today, I have also been having a dialogue with God. You see, I am struggling with decisions and desiring to hear His voice, but I also have allowed garbage to get in the way of my hearing His voice clearly. And in the middle of this summer cleaning day, the phone rang . . . Septic Tank Service, just checking on us. Seriously? Who calls to check on the state of my filth? Well, duh . . . God does. The call made me chuckle, and it made me think about what God is trying to say to me today. I think He's saying that it's time to clean out the septic tank of my life . . . the garbage that needs to be carried away to places, never to be seen again . . . the "crap" (excuse the pun) that is stinking up my life and my mind. I've been so clouded by the stench that hearing His voice has been a serious problem. Can't concentrate on Him for the odor that's chocking my nostrils. Anybody living where I'm living? I think so. So what do we do?
I know what I am going to do. As sure as I am giving away some clothes that I no longer need, I am going to give God the smelly stuff in my life. I want Him to take the self-condemnation and doubt. I want Him to heal the hurt I've felt lately because of people whose approval shouldn't mean a hill of beans, and so I'm going to ask Him to make me more confident in His love. I am going to give Him my service and my gifts; He gave them to me, and He is waiting patiently for me to give them back to Him. And finally, I am going to give Him my obedience and my time because the truth is this: He is waiting on me to be obedient with what He last told me before He is going to bless me with anything else. And He is not going to give me more things to do with my 24-hour day until I learn how to use the minutes He has already allowed in a more sacrificial way. So Facebook friends? I might not be there so much for a while. You just might have to pick up the phone and call, and I will answer you as surely as I am going to answer God's call on my life.
Phillips, Craig, and Dean sing a beautiful ballad that says: "Your grace still amazes me." And doesn't it? Let me clear out the stench of my self-absorption and doubt and be reminded that I can still stand in wonder at God's amazing grace.
If you are stinking up your place, please join me in cleaning out for God. I know you won't regret it, and your life will take on an aroma that is pleasing to your heavenly Father!
As I have been cleaning my house and my closets today, I have also been having a dialogue with God. You see, I am struggling with decisions and desiring to hear His voice, but I also have allowed garbage to get in the way of my hearing His voice clearly. And in the middle of this summer cleaning day, the phone rang . . . Septic Tank Service, just checking on us. Seriously? Who calls to check on the state of my filth? Well, duh . . . God does. The call made me chuckle, and it made me think about what God is trying to say to me today. I think He's saying that it's time to clean out the septic tank of my life . . . the garbage that needs to be carried away to places, never to be seen again . . . the "crap" (excuse the pun) that is stinking up my life and my mind. I've been so clouded by the stench that hearing His voice has been a serious problem. Can't concentrate on Him for the odor that's chocking my nostrils. Anybody living where I'm living? I think so. So what do we do?
I know what I am going to do. As sure as I am giving away some clothes that I no longer need, I am going to give God the smelly stuff in my life. I want Him to take the self-condemnation and doubt. I want Him to heal the hurt I've felt lately because of people whose approval shouldn't mean a hill of beans, and so I'm going to ask Him to make me more confident in His love. I am going to give Him my service and my gifts; He gave them to me, and He is waiting patiently for me to give them back to Him. And finally, I am going to give Him my obedience and my time because the truth is this: He is waiting on me to be obedient with what He last told me before He is going to bless me with anything else. And He is not going to give me more things to do with my 24-hour day until I learn how to use the minutes He has already allowed in a more sacrificial way. So Facebook friends? I might not be there so much for a while. You just might have to pick up the phone and call, and I will answer you as surely as I am going to answer God's call on my life.
Phillips, Craig, and Dean sing a beautiful ballad that says: "Your grace still amazes me." And doesn't it? Let me clear out the stench of my self-absorption and doubt and be reminded that I can still stand in wonder at God's amazing grace.
If you are stinking up your place, please join me in cleaning out for God. I know you won't regret it, and your life will take on an aroma that is pleasing to your heavenly Father!
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