I hope to see you there!
10.08.2013
I moved!
Well, after 3(!) years with Thoughtful Musings of a Teenage Dreamer, I decided that it was time to do something different. I wanted to try out a different blog host website, and a different name, so I did it! From now on, I won't be posting at this page anymore...so come join me at http://thebelovedblogg.wordpress.com/!! All my old posts are all over there, and my new ones will be too!
10.02.2013
Walking the Talk Pt. 2
Why do Christians have such a bad name in our society?
Actually, that's an interesting question...because Christians label themselves by the most beautiful name in the universe. And yet, our society generally views us in a very negative light. Why? Well, even when Jesus was on earth, He said that the world would hate His followers because it hates Him. But honestly, I feel like sometimes our behavior is responsible for that even so. In a previous post, Walking the Talk, I talked a lot about this, but today I have a little more to say.
I was reading Titus 2 today and came across this: "Slaves must always obey their masters and do their best to please them. They must not talk back or steal, but must show themselves to be entirely trustworthy and good. Then they will make the teaching about God our Savior attractive in every way." (Titus 2:9-10)
God wants to attract people to Him. And He wants to do that through us. But are we doing a very good job? If we're bickering and bashing all the time...how is that attractive?
I think too many Christians in our American society today have gotten so wrapped up in the "rules" and in "right and wrong" that they've forgotten what the name they wear actually stands for. Yes, in the Word, Jesus talks a lot about sin, but He also talks a lot about love. I think John 3:17 says it well, "God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him." If Jesus didn't even come to judge the world, why are we so intent on doing that? Our mission is to go out into the world and tell people about God's love, not to tell people that they're wrong.
I absolutely believe in right and wrong, and I believe that the Bible clearly outlines it. I am no advocate of watering down Scripture to make it more attractive. I believe that we should speak the truth, but that we should speak it at the appropriate time, and above all, in love. That's the point. After all, what did Jesus say the second greatest commandment was? To judge your neighbor as yourself? Nope. To love.
Please don't get me wrong, I know a lot of Christians who are really good at loving people. Not all Christians are judgmental and hateful; I know lots of wonderful Christ-followers. However, I believe that we can all do a better job of loving, and maybe if we did a better job, that would counter the judgment that comes from certain other Christians. I'll be honest: I know for me, personally, that I'm good at ignoring people I don't want to love. I'm not mean to them, but I don't love them like I should. She swears a lot and talks about all the bad stuff she does on the weekends? Nope, I'm staying away from that, not talking to her!...Really, Katie? Did Jesus ever ignore anyone because He disagreed with them? I don't think so. Whether we straight-out bash non-believers, or we just stay away from them while judging silently, the point is, we aren't loving them. And that's our mission.
I think the world has had enough judgment from us, but not enough love. Can we challenge ourselves to love the people that we disagree with? I don't mean your fellow believer who you get into theological debates with. I mean the people you really disagree with. Like the homosexual person you work with. Or the atheist you go to class with. Can we try to really love them like Jesus does? Can we, instead of getting into moral debates, or disregarding them, just be a friend to them and show ourselves to be "trustworthy and good?" Because that's how we love like Jesus loves. That's how we show the Gospel to be attractive. That's how we walk the talk.
Actually, that's an interesting question...because Christians label themselves by the most beautiful name in the universe. And yet, our society generally views us in a very negative light. Why? Well, even when Jesus was on earth, He said that the world would hate His followers because it hates Him. But honestly, I feel like sometimes our behavior is responsible for that even so. In a previous post, Walking the Talk, I talked a lot about this, but today I have a little more to say.
I was reading Titus 2 today and came across this: "Slaves must always obey their masters and do their best to please them. They must not talk back or steal, but must show themselves to be entirely trustworthy and good. Then they will make the teaching about God our Savior attractive in every way." (Titus 2:9-10)
God wants to attract people to Him. And He wants to do that through us. But are we doing a very good job? If we're bickering and bashing all the time...how is that attractive?
I think too many Christians in our American society today have gotten so wrapped up in the "rules" and in "right and wrong" that they've forgotten what the name they wear actually stands for. Yes, in the Word, Jesus talks a lot about sin, but He also talks a lot about love. I think John 3:17 says it well, "God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him." If Jesus didn't even come to judge the world, why are we so intent on doing that? Our mission is to go out into the world and tell people about God's love, not to tell people that they're wrong.
I absolutely believe in right and wrong, and I believe that the Bible clearly outlines it. I am no advocate of watering down Scripture to make it more attractive. I believe that we should speak the truth, but that we should speak it at the appropriate time, and above all, in love. That's the point. After all, what did Jesus say the second greatest commandment was? To judge your neighbor as yourself? Nope. To love.
Please don't get me wrong, I know a lot of Christians who are really good at loving people. Not all Christians are judgmental and hateful; I know lots of wonderful Christ-followers. However, I believe that we can all do a better job of loving, and maybe if we did a better job, that would counter the judgment that comes from certain other Christians. I'll be honest: I know for me, personally, that I'm good at ignoring people I don't want to love. I'm not mean to them, but I don't love them like I should. She swears a lot and talks about all the bad stuff she does on the weekends? Nope, I'm staying away from that, not talking to her!...Really, Katie? Did Jesus ever ignore anyone because He disagreed with them? I don't think so. Whether we straight-out bash non-believers, or we just stay away from them while judging silently, the point is, we aren't loving them. And that's our mission.
I think the world has had enough judgment from us, but not enough love. Can we challenge ourselves to love the people that we disagree with? I don't mean your fellow believer who you get into theological debates with. I mean the people you really disagree with. Like the homosexual person you work with. Or the atheist you go to class with. Can we try to really love them like Jesus does? Can we, instead of getting into moral debates, or disregarding them, just be a friend to them and show ourselves to be "trustworthy and good?" Because that's how we love like Jesus loves. That's how we show the Gospel to be attractive. That's how we walk the talk.
9.27.2013
Faith
God is really on top of things. Go figure! The past few weeks, I've been struggling with the season I'm in (physically and spiritually), and have been faced with a lot of "unknowns". Being somewhat of a control freak and a "planner" personality, I've been struggling with the fact that I can't see a whole lot into my future right now.
And, cue God. What does He keep reminding me of through His word, through songs I hear on the radio, and through sermons? Faith. Because, after all, faith is "the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see." (Hebrews 11:1) Things we cannot see. You're pretty clever, Lord.
Before this morning, I'm not sure if I had ever read Hebrews 11 all the way through. Chapters 10 and 12? Totally. But for some reason, I just had never gotten to 11. So it's interesting that today was the day I read it, maybe for the first time, considering that it's all about faith. Most of the chapter is spent recalling a lot of Old Testament events and showing that they happened because of faith. Verses 33-38 are a good sum-up: "By faith these people overthrew kingdoms, ruled with justice, and received what God had promised them. They shut the mouths of lions, quenched the flames of fire, and escaped death by the edge of a sword. Their weakness was turned to strength. They became strong in battle and put whole armies to flight. Women received their loved ones back again from death."
So these verses show all the awesome things that happened when people had faith. I guess faith is pretty great! It is. But I find the next few verses really interesting, too: "But others were tortured, refusing to turn from God in order to be set free. They placed their hope in a better life after the resurrection. Some were jeered at, and their backs were cut open with whips. Others were chained in prisons. Some died by stoning, some were sawed in half, and others were killed by the sword."
Wait, so...what happened to faith? Why didn't these people get saved because of their faith like the others?
I believe they still did. Though the ones who were tortured and killed for Christ didn't see earthly reward for their faith, their faith in heaven was solid and was rewarded, because "they placed their hope in a better life after the resurrection." Even when things looked bad, and it didn't look like they were going to make it, these people still had faith. Perhaps not faith in getting physically rescued from their predicaments, but even stronger faith in eternal life.
There is always a reason to have faith, and His name is the Lord. Whether He chooses to reward your faith by physically rescuing you or letting you enter Paradise is up to Him.
I think the point of the entire passage from Hebrews 11 is that faith in God is never in vain. No matter the circumstances, if you have faith in your present trouble, you will be rewarded.
And, cue God. What does He keep reminding me of through His word, through songs I hear on the radio, and through sermons? Faith. Because, after all, faith is "the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see." (Hebrews 11:1) Things we cannot see. You're pretty clever, Lord.
Before this morning, I'm not sure if I had ever read Hebrews 11 all the way through. Chapters 10 and 12? Totally. But for some reason, I just had never gotten to 11. So it's interesting that today was the day I read it, maybe for the first time, considering that it's all about faith. Most of the chapter is spent recalling a lot of Old Testament events and showing that they happened because of faith. Verses 33-38 are a good sum-up: "By faith these people overthrew kingdoms, ruled with justice, and received what God had promised them. They shut the mouths of lions, quenched the flames of fire, and escaped death by the edge of a sword. Their weakness was turned to strength. They became strong in battle and put whole armies to flight. Women received their loved ones back again from death."
So these verses show all the awesome things that happened when people had faith. I guess faith is pretty great! It is. But I find the next few verses really interesting, too: "But others were tortured, refusing to turn from God in order to be set free. They placed their hope in a better life after the resurrection. Some were jeered at, and their backs were cut open with whips. Others were chained in prisons. Some died by stoning, some were sawed in half, and others were killed by the sword."
Wait, so...what happened to faith? Why didn't these people get saved because of their faith like the others?
I believe they still did. Though the ones who were tortured and killed for Christ didn't see earthly reward for their faith, their faith in heaven was solid and was rewarded, because "they placed their hope in a better life after the resurrection." Even when things looked bad, and it didn't look like they were going to make it, these people still had faith. Perhaps not faith in getting physically rescued from their predicaments, but even stronger faith in eternal life.
There is always a reason to have faith, and His name is the Lord. Whether He chooses to reward your faith by physically rescuing you or letting you enter Paradise is up to Him.
I think the point of the entire passage from Hebrews 11 is that faith in God is never in vain. No matter the circumstances, if you have faith in your present trouble, you will be rewarded.
9.11.2013
9/11
Every time September 11th comes, social media is flooded with prayers, photos, and statuses related to the terrorist attack in 2001. Things like freedom and sacrifice are mentioned a lot. Usually I contribute to it all with the same theme. But as the 11th rolls around again this year, I'm not thinking about taking a stand against terrorists, or fighting for freedom.
I'm thinking about love.
Why did we get attacked on September 11th, 2001? There, of course, are a lot of reasons...but to me, it comes down to the fact that the people who carried out the attacks on that day didn't know about the value of human life, or about equality; to sum it all up, they didn't know about love. Would they have attacked our country if they truly believed that every person is valuable? That every person has a life just like them? Would they have killed all those innocent people if they believed that those people were loved? Would they have done this if they knew that they were loved? I don't think so.
I'm not trying to be flowery here. This is a real-world issue, I get it, and just saying, "love is all you need" isn't going to cut it. Honestly, most of the politics that swirl around these issues confuse me; they're over my head. I'm sure the people who carried out the attacks that day had several reasons for their actions, and the reasons were probably very complex. I'm sure they were intelligent people. But in spite of all their intelligence and complexity, they totally missed something extremely important: the people they were attacking were people just like them. Regardless of who they were and what they believed. What a person believes and what nationality they are has absolutely no bearing on their value...or their relation to you. The bottom line is, everyone has value. The Americans that got attacked on the 11th hurt for a very long time, and are still hurting. And the people who attacked them would have hurt in the same way if it had happened to them. Because despite differing beliefs, we are all human. We know what it feels like to hurt. None of us want to. So why do we insist on inflicting that hurt on others?
Do we want peace? Truly? Then we need to start to love. It isn't a question of who's right. It's a question of who is loved, and who has value, and the answer to that is: everyone. To me, 9/11 represents what happens when love is not put first. It represents what happens when selfish ambition, pride, and hate are prioritized. The result is chaos, and pain, and more hate. It makes me very sad to think about the families who lost loved ones on that day, but it makes me even sadder to think of the blindness that started this in the first place. The people who launched the attack on September 11th may have wanted chaos and pain for our country, and they got it. But no one wants pain for themselves. If they had only realized before that these people were just like them, that these people deserve to be loved (because they are loved by a much higher power), then I don't believe those attacks would have taken place.
There's nothing we can do about what happened in 2001. But today, we can do something to overcome the mindset that started it. We can refuse to view people as just citizens, or just beliefs. We can begin to view them as living, breathing, talking, walking, thinking, hurting people who have amazing value, no matter what they believe or who they are. We can't change everyone's perspective, but we can change ours. It starts with us, it starts with you, it starts with me.
And I choose to love.
I'm thinking about love.
Why did we get attacked on September 11th, 2001? There, of course, are a lot of reasons...but to me, it comes down to the fact that the people who carried out the attacks on that day didn't know about the value of human life, or about equality; to sum it all up, they didn't know about love. Would they have attacked our country if they truly believed that every person is valuable? That every person has a life just like them? Would they have killed all those innocent people if they believed that those people were loved? Would they have done this if they knew that they were loved? I don't think so.
I'm not trying to be flowery here. This is a real-world issue, I get it, and just saying, "love is all you need" isn't going to cut it. Honestly, most of the politics that swirl around these issues confuse me; they're over my head. I'm sure the people who carried out the attacks that day had several reasons for their actions, and the reasons were probably very complex. I'm sure they were intelligent people. But in spite of all their intelligence and complexity, they totally missed something extremely important: the people they were attacking were people just like them. Regardless of who they were and what they believed. What a person believes and what nationality they are has absolutely no bearing on their value...or their relation to you. The bottom line is, everyone has value. The Americans that got attacked on the 11th hurt for a very long time, and are still hurting. And the people who attacked them would have hurt in the same way if it had happened to them. Because despite differing beliefs, we are all human. We know what it feels like to hurt. None of us want to. So why do we insist on inflicting that hurt on others?
Do we want peace? Truly? Then we need to start to love. It isn't a question of who's right. It's a question of who is loved, and who has value, and the answer to that is: everyone. To me, 9/11 represents what happens when love is not put first. It represents what happens when selfish ambition, pride, and hate are prioritized. The result is chaos, and pain, and more hate. It makes me very sad to think about the families who lost loved ones on that day, but it makes me even sadder to think of the blindness that started this in the first place. The people who launched the attack on September 11th may have wanted chaos and pain for our country, and they got it. But no one wants pain for themselves. If they had only realized before that these people were just like them, that these people deserve to be loved (because they are loved by a much higher power), then I don't believe those attacks would have taken place.
There's nothing we can do about what happened in 2001. But today, we can do something to overcome the mindset that started it. We can refuse to view people as just citizens, or just beliefs. We can begin to view them as living, breathing, talking, walking, thinking, hurting people who have amazing value, no matter what they believe or who they are. We can't change everyone's perspective, but we can change ours. It starts with us, it starts with you, it starts with me.
And I choose to love.
9.02.2013
Summer 2013
Happy September!
Looking back on my last few posts, I realized that I really only posted one or two posts the whole summer..I usually don't like to use busyness as an excuse because it's usually not true for me, but I guess I was sort of busy the past few months? All I know is, they went by really quickly!
I really want to post more now that summer is done! I truly love this blog and I love writing out things that God is teaching me and hopefully encouraging you. As I've said before, I don't know who reads this, or if anyone does, but that's not the point. I do this because I love it. (Although if you do happen to read a post and are encouraged by it, do tell me. ;)
Anyway, I found my post last summer where I made a list of all the things that made me smile in those few months. I don't like to post "personal" things too much, because honestly I'm afraid you might be bored, but I decided to do it again this year, if nothing else just to express my thankfulness for the things that happened this summer and to celebrate them. I encourage you to do this too, even if you don't post it anywhere.
Things That Made Me Smile in Summer 2013:
-beautiful blue skies
-our ridiculously adorable new dog
-my parents
-the Lord's presence (so many times!)
-time to rest
-the precision of God's word to my life
-awesome photography opportunities
-engaged people
-time with best friends
-deep conversations
-Lucky Charms
-being part of a team
-kids and their unrestrained personalities
-the Lord giving me super-sensitivity to His presence
-getting my license (fi.na.lly.)
-happy music
-making new friends of all ages
-going to Brazil and all that went with it
-God's grace
-birthday fun
-friends (all of them.)
And so much more!!
Wow. Well, I feel better already. Really..if you're ever doubting your blessings, make a list like this. It helps. This summer went by really quickly, but it was absolutely wonderful. Thank you Lord, for summer 2013!
Looking back on my last few posts, I realized that I really only posted one or two posts the whole summer..I usually don't like to use busyness as an excuse because it's usually not true for me, but I guess I was sort of busy the past few months? All I know is, they went by really quickly!
I really want to post more now that summer is done! I truly love this blog and I love writing out things that God is teaching me and hopefully encouraging you. As I've said before, I don't know who reads this, or if anyone does, but that's not the point. I do this because I love it. (Although if you do happen to read a post and are encouraged by it, do tell me. ;)
Anyway, I found my post last summer where I made a list of all the things that made me smile in those few months. I don't like to post "personal" things too much, because honestly I'm afraid you might be bored, but I decided to do it again this year, if nothing else just to express my thankfulness for the things that happened this summer and to celebrate them. I encourage you to do this too, even if you don't post it anywhere.
Things That Made Me Smile in Summer 2013:
-beautiful blue skies
-our ridiculously adorable new dog
-my parents
-the Lord's presence (so many times!)
-time to rest
-the precision of God's word to my life
-awesome photography opportunities
-engaged people
-time with best friends
-deep conversations
-Lucky Charms
-being part of a team
-kids and their unrestrained personalities
-the Lord giving me super-sensitivity to His presence
-getting my license (fi.na.lly.)
-happy music
-making new friends of all ages
-going to Brazil and all that went with it
-God's grace
-birthday fun
-friends (all of them.)
And so much more!!
Wow. Well, I feel better already. Really..if you're ever doubting your blessings, make a list like this. It helps. This summer went by really quickly, but it was absolutely wonderful. Thank you Lord, for summer 2013!
6.22.2013
Temporarily Out of Order
So, I've been struggling. A lot. Usually I write a new post because God has given me some sort of new insight or answer to a problem I've been having, but I deal with a lot of things that I don't have fresh, new insights for. Many times, it's the same thing over and over again, and it's painful.
Life is sometimes really painful. I haven't experienced pain near what other people have - but I can still testify to the fact that everyone knows: life is painful. It's not always painful; there are really good times. Those times can last for years and years. But there are also really bad times. And those seem to go on for (it feels like) ever.
But you know what I realized as I was struggling this time? This time that has gone on for months, but has seemed to last forever?
It's temporary.
Yeah. The pain? That's temporary. Not to be replaced with more pain, but to be replaced with glory.
Mhm. Glory. And good. And Jesus.
Although life is painful, life is temporary. And the pain is temporary. If you are a born-again Christian, your pain (however extreme) is temporary. Meaning, there will be an end to it.
It seems elementary, but it's easy to forget when you're right in the middle of some struggle. Can I say it again, since it feels so good to say? This pain is temporary.
But the Bible says it better than I do. 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 says, "That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are small and won't last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don't look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever."
"Small" troubles? That won't last "very long"? Uh, my troubles are big, and they've already lasted for long enough. That's my knee-jerk reaction to these verses. But, praise God, Paul wrote these verses because God had shown him a glimpse of the bigger picture.
Though the troubles we face in our life may last for years, that time is so short compared to the eternal glory that comes afterward. Though they may be painful beyond belief, they're small, and even 'light' compared to the enormous, beautiful, real glory that you're going to see a little later. I see it as a minute of pain for 100 years of happiness. That minute may be really intense, and it might really hurt during that time-period, but in the end, it's only a minute. And then it's over, never to return again. Because it was temporary.
In the end, life is painful. The struggle is real. But the struggle is also (one last time) temporary. You know what's not temporary? Jesus. And His glory. If you hold out in this minute of pain, you'll get to stay around for the lifetime of His glory. I'd say it's a good trade-off.
Life is sometimes really painful. I haven't experienced pain near what other people have - but I can still testify to the fact that everyone knows: life is painful. It's not always painful; there are really good times. Those times can last for years and years. But there are also really bad times. And those seem to go on for (it feels like) ever.
But you know what I realized as I was struggling this time? This time that has gone on for months, but has seemed to last forever?
It's temporary.
Yeah. The pain? That's temporary. Not to be replaced with more pain, but to be replaced with glory.
Mhm. Glory. And good. And Jesus.
Although life is painful, life is temporary. And the pain is temporary. If you are a born-again Christian, your pain (however extreme) is temporary. Meaning, there will be an end to it.
It seems elementary, but it's easy to forget when you're right in the middle of some struggle. Can I say it again, since it feels so good to say? This pain is temporary.
But the Bible says it better than I do. 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 says, "That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are small and won't last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don't look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever."
"Small" troubles? That won't last "very long"? Uh, my troubles are big, and they've already lasted for long enough. That's my knee-jerk reaction to these verses. But, praise God, Paul wrote these verses because God had shown him a glimpse of the bigger picture.
Though the troubles we face in our life may last for years, that time is so short compared to the eternal glory that comes afterward. Though they may be painful beyond belief, they're small, and even 'light' compared to the enormous, beautiful, real glory that you're going to see a little later. I see it as a minute of pain for 100 years of happiness. That minute may be really intense, and it might really hurt during that time-period, but in the end, it's only a minute. And then it's over, never to return again. Because it was temporary.
In the end, life is painful. The struggle is real. But the struggle is also (one last time) temporary. You know what's not temporary? Jesus. And His glory. If you hold out in this minute of pain, you'll get to stay around for the lifetime of His glory. I'd say it's a good trade-off.
4.19.2013
Light
I imagine if aliens do exist and are somehow watching our planet right now, they'd think we were pretty crazy.
We shoot each other. We stab each other. We blow each other up. What a world.
There seems to be a lot of darkness in the world lately. If it isn't a stabbing at my local community college, it's a huge earthquake overseas or a bombing on the other side of the country. There's a lot of darkness.
But there is also light. John 1:5 says, "The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it."
In tragic situations like these, there is always the light that shines out brightly, whether in the form of a schoolteacher giving her life for her students or group of teenagers traveling to another country to help give out provisions.
"Light" is not an ambiguous phrase referring to good deeds or goodness of heart. "The light" always refers to the goodness of God.
In the midst of terrible darkness, God is working. To Him, darkness is as bright as day - literally and figuratively. God has a plan in the midst of the darkness of the world. He says in Romans that "all things work together for the good of those who love Him". There is so much light.
He also promises to restore. There are so, so many verses in His word that talk about restoration (read Isaiah or the Psalms). But I love Isaiah 42:16 in particular: "I will brighten the darkness before them and smooth out the road ahead of them. Yes, I will indeed do these things; I will not forsake them." The Light will not forsake us.
Terrible things happen around us, but the light will remain. The Light is Jesus. He is not a historical figure who died 2,000 years ago; neither is He a vague, impersonal being. He is the ever-present, all-sufficient Son of God who is the constant Light in our dark world. All the "good deeds" and figurative "light" that we see amid the darkness stems from, I believe, God's goodness. He works through people and situations in these times to shine His Light.
There's a lot of darkness, and it's easy to get discouraged by it. But there's also a lot of light. And the darkness can never extinguish that Light.
We shoot each other. We stab each other. We blow each other up. What a world.
There seems to be a lot of darkness in the world lately. If it isn't a stabbing at my local community college, it's a huge earthquake overseas or a bombing on the other side of the country. There's a lot of darkness.
But there is also light. John 1:5 says, "The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it."
In tragic situations like these, there is always the light that shines out brightly, whether in the form of a schoolteacher giving her life for her students or group of teenagers traveling to another country to help give out provisions.
"Light" is not an ambiguous phrase referring to good deeds or goodness of heart. "The light" always refers to the goodness of God.
In the midst of terrible darkness, God is working. To Him, darkness is as bright as day - literally and figuratively. God has a plan in the midst of the darkness of the world. He says in Romans that "all things work together for the good of those who love Him". There is so much light.
He also promises to restore. There are so, so many verses in His word that talk about restoration (read Isaiah or the Psalms). But I love Isaiah 42:16 in particular: "I will brighten the darkness before them and smooth out the road ahead of them. Yes, I will indeed do these things; I will not forsake them." The Light will not forsake us.
Terrible things happen around us, but the light will remain. The Light is Jesus. He is not a historical figure who died 2,000 years ago; neither is He a vague, impersonal being. He is the ever-present, all-sufficient Son of God who is the constant Light in our dark world. All the "good deeds" and figurative "light" that we see amid the darkness stems from, I believe, God's goodness. He works through people and situations in these times to shine His Light.
There's a lot of darkness, and it's easy to get discouraged by it. But there's also a lot of light. And the darkness can never extinguish that Light.
3.14.2013
Untouchable
God's word is so good. People say that God's word is "alive" - I know this is true from my personal experience. Don't you love how you can read a particular passage ten times and pick up different things in it each time? God opens my eyes so much to certain things He's saying in certain verses - verses I've read for years, yet this time, with totally new insights.
I had one of these "lightbulb" moments with Psalm 91 recently, and I want to share it with you.
If you don't recall, Psalm 91 is the, "He will order his angels to protect you....they will hold you up with their hands so you won't even hurt your foot on a stone..." chapter. The same one Satan so famously tempted Jesus with in the desert. Satan continues to use it today. It's a fantastic chapter, but, the way I see it, Satan can use it to make us doubt God, or not trust Him. A good portion of the chapter is about how we, as God's people, should not fear disease, wars, or anything else, because he will protect us, "though ten thousand are dying around you." That sounds awesome. But wait...what about all those wonderful Christians who have cancer? What about those who are struck by "the disaster that strikes in midday"? (Natural disasters, plane crashes, etc.) Where was God then? Wait a second...does God really protect His people?
Please keep reading, because I don't want to leave you with that. Honestly, this is what I always thought when I read this passage. I trust God and always have tried my best to do so, but every time I read this, I was confused, and sort of just ignored it. But my "lightbulb moment" was God's way of shifting my perspective on the verse. (Side note: it's funny and great how God sees things in our hearts that are unresolved, and without us even asking, He takes care of it.) We could take the verse the way I used to, and try to explain it away, but could it be that we've been interpreting it wrongly this whole time?
You should read the whole chapter, because it's great, but here's the chunk of it that I saw in a new way:
Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night,
nor the arrow that flies in the day.
Do not dread the disease that stalks in darkness,
nor the disaster that strikes at midday.
Though a thousand fall at your side,
though ten thousand are dying around you,
these evils will not touch you.
Just open your eyes,
and see how the wicked are punished.
If you make the Lord your refuge,
if you make the Most High your shelter,
no evil will conquer you;
no plague will come near your home.
Disclaimer: You may have your own thoughts on this passage, and I respect that. My perspective is not the only perspective, or even the "correct" one. This is just the revelation I felt that I got. :)
Honestly, I am afraid of the "terrors of night" and the "disease that stalks in the darkness". So if I took this verse to heart and decided not to worry about them...would God really protect me from all of those? Here's the thing: I don't think this passage is saying that death and disease and calamity will never come to me. It says that "these evils will not touch you." These evils may touch my body, but because I am God's child and by virtue of the fact that I "live in the shelter of the Most High", they will never touch my soul.
This passage made a lot more sense to me when I realized that my soul is protected by God, and though a lot of terrible things may happen to my body, "no evil will conquer" me. My soul can never be taken by these things, because it's written in the Book of Life and can never be erased. I may be racked and shaken, but I will not be moved. These things may kill me on the outside, but they can't kill me on the inside. They cannot get to my heart and my spirit, because God protects me.
Rest in the shadow of the Most High. It's very hard sometimes to trust God in the midst of storms, but He will reward you if you do. Remember that this world is temporary. Your troubles are temporary, but God has given you an eternal soul. If you are a child of God, nothing you go through can take your identity away, or crush your soul. Your soul is untouchable.
"The Lord says, 'I will rescue those who love me, I will protect those who trust in my name. When they call on me, I will answer; I will be with them in trouble. I will rescue and honor them. I will reward them with a long life and give them my salvation.'" (Psalm 91: 14-16)
I had one of these "lightbulb" moments with Psalm 91 recently, and I want to share it with you.
If you don't recall, Psalm 91 is the, "He will order his angels to protect you....they will hold you up with their hands so you won't even hurt your foot on a stone..." chapter. The same one Satan so famously tempted Jesus with in the desert. Satan continues to use it today. It's a fantastic chapter, but, the way I see it, Satan can use it to make us doubt God, or not trust Him. A good portion of the chapter is about how we, as God's people, should not fear disease, wars, or anything else, because he will protect us, "though ten thousand are dying around you." That sounds awesome. But wait...what about all those wonderful Christians who have cancer? What about those who are struck by "the disaster that strikes in midday"? (Natural disasters, plane crashes, etc.) Where was God then? Wait a second...does God really protect His people?
Please keep reading, because I don't want to leave you with that. Honestly, this is what I always thought when I read this passage. I trust God and always have tried my best to do so, but every time I read this, I was confused, and sort of just ignored it. But my "lightbulb moment" was God's way of shifting my perspective on the verse. (Side note: it's funny and great how God sees things in our hearts that are unresolved, and without us even asking, He takes care of it.) We could take the verse the way I used to, and try to explain it away, but could it be that we've been interpreting it wrongly this whole time?
You should read the whole chapter, because it's great, but here's the chunk of it that I saw in a new way:
Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night,
nor the arrow that flies in the day.
Do not dread the disease that stalks in darkness,
nor the disaster that strikes at midday.
Though a thousand fall at your side,
though ten thousand are dying around you,
these evils will not touch you.
Just open your eyes,
and see how the wicked are punished.
If you make the Lord your refuge,
if you make the Most High your shelter,
no evil will conquer you;
no plague will come near your home.
Disclaimer: You may have your own thoughts on this passage, and I respect that. My perspective is not the only perspective, or even the "correct" one. This is just the revelation I felt that I got. :)
Honestly, I am afraid of the "terrors of night" and the "disease that stalks in the darkness". So if I took this verse to heart and decided not to worry about them...would God really protect me from all of those? Here's the thing: I don't think this passage is saying that death and disease and calamity will never come to me. It says that "these evils will not touch you." These evils may touch my body, but because I am God's child and by virtue of the fact that I "live in the shelter of the Most High", they will never touch my soul.
This passage made a lot more sense to me when I realized that my soul is protected by God, and though a lot of terrible things may happen to my body, "no evil will conquer" me. My soul can never be taken by these things, because it's written in the Book of Life and can never be erased. I may be racked and shaken, but I will not be moved. These things may kill me on the outside, but they can't kill me on the inside. They cannot get to my heart and my spirit, because God protects me.
Rest in the shadow of the Most High. It's very hard sometimes to trust God in the midst of storms, but He will reward you if you do. Remember that this world is temporary. Your troubles are temporary, but God has given you an eternal soul. If you are a child of God, nothing you go through can take your identity away, or crush your soul. Your soul is untouchable.
"The Lord says, 'I will rescue those who love me, I will protect those who trust in my name. When they call on me, I will answer; I will be with them in trouble. I will rescue and honor them. I will reward them with a long life and give them my salvation.'" (Psalm 91: 14-16)
2.16.2013
Encouragement Shpeel Pt. 2
I started out writing this post with a long introduction and all my thoughts leading up to what I wanted to say, but I really wanted to get to the point. So, without an interesting, quirky introduction or preface, here it is:
If you're a human being like me, you are probably struggling with something in your life right now. It could be big, it could be small. It could be small to others but big to you. I just wanted to remind you that God is a restorative God. If Satan's throwing something at you that's really hurting you (e.g. recurring sin, fear that keeps coming back, etc.), and you feel just broken down and torn up from it, you need to know that God has the power to restore you. Read this passage from Jeremiah 33:
"Nevertheless, I will bring health and healing to it; I will heal my people and will let them enjoy abundant peace and security. I will bring Judah and Israel back from captivity and will rebuild them as they were before. I will cleanse them from all the sin they have committed against me and will forgive all their sins of rebellion against me. Then this city will bring me renown, joy, praise and honor before all nations on earth that hear of all the good things I do for it; and they will be in awe and will tremble at the abundant prosperity and peace I provide for it.’
“This is what the Lord says: ‘You say about this place, “It is a desolate waste, without people or animals.” Yet in the towns of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem that are deserted, inhabited by neither people nor animals, there will be heard once more the sounds of joy and gladness, the voices of bride and bridegroom, and the voices of those who bring thank offerings to the house of the Lord, saying,
“Give thanks to the Lord Almighty,
for the Lord is good;
his love endures forever.”
For I will restore the fortunes of the land as they were before,’ says the Lord.
“This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘In this place, desolate and without people or animals—in all its towns there will again be pastures for shepherds to rest their flocks. In the towns of the hill country, of the western foothills and of the Negev, in the territory of Benjamin, in the villages around Jerusalem and in the towns of Judah, flocks will again pass under the hand of the one who counts them,’ says the Lord."
If you're struggling with something, but feel like you're "getting better" with it, it's not enough. God's will is not that you get partially healed from something and just deal with the rest. He has big promises. "I will bring health and healing to [insert your name here]; I will heal her/him and will let her/him enjoy abundant peace and security." That's you. That's God's promise to you. He restores. He promised.
For me personally, I'm praying that God completely restores me, because He promised to. I love that later in the chapter, he says, "I would no more reject my people than I would change my laws that govern night and day, earth and sky." He won't reject you if you ask him. Restoration, from whatever it is, is coming.
If you're a human being like me, you are probably struggling with something in your life right now. It could be big, it could be small. It could be small to others but big to you. I just wanted to remind you that God is a restorative God. If Satan's throwing something at you that's really hurting you (e.g. recurring sin, fear that keeps coming back, etc.), and you feel just broken down and torn up from it, you need to know that God has the power to restore you. Read this passage from Jeremiah 33:
"Nevertheless, I will bring health and healing to it; I will heal my people and will let them enjoy abundant peace and security. I will bring Judah and Israel back from captivity and will rebuild them as they were before. I will cleanse them from all the sin they have committed against me and will forgive all their sins of rebellion against me. Then this city will bring me renown, joy, praise and honor before all nations on earth that hear of all the good things I do for it; and they will be in awe and will tremble at the abundant prosperity and peace I provide for it.’
“This is what the Lord says: ‘You say about this place, “It is a desolate waste, without people or animals.” Yet in the towns of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem that are deserted, inhabited by neither people nor animals, there will be heard once more the sounds of joy and gladness, the voices of bride and bridegroom, and the voices of those who bring thank offerings to the house of the Lord, saying,
“Give thanks to the Lord Almighty,
for the Lord is good;
his love endures forever.”
For I will restore the fortunes of the land as they were before,’ says the Lord.
“This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘In this place, desolate and without people or animals—in all its towns there will again be pastures for shepherds to rest their flocks. In the towns of the hill country, of the western foothills and of the Negev, in the territory of Benjamin, in the villages around Jerusalem and in the towns of Judah, flocks will again pass under the hand of the one who counts them,’ says the Lord."
If you're struggling with something, but feel like you're "getting better" with it, it's not enough. God's will is not that you get partially healed from something and just deal with the rest. He has big promises. "I will bring health and healing to [insert your name here]; I will heal her/him and will let her/him enjoy abundant peace and security." That's you. That's God's promise to you. He restores. He promised.
For me personally, I'm praying that God completely restores me, because He promised to. I love that later in the chapter, he says, "I would no more reject my people than I would change my laws that govern night and day, earth and sky." He won't reject you if you ask him. Restoration, from whatever it is, is coming.
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