From the Table

Psalms in motion

2011-03-06T20:29:00.001-07:00

For my Old Testament History class, I have to write seven psalms, one in each of the major styles exhibited in the Book of Psalms.

I am finding this kind of writing, a way with words that is far off my usual course, rather cathartic. No wonder David found rest here.

One major challenge is to write words that are meaningful, knowing that I will be graded on how and whether they conform to particular styles.

The psalm types are: hymns, which are songs of praise and thanksgiving to God; penitential, which confess sorrow for sin and appeal to God for grace and forgiveness; wisdom, which are general observations on life, especially God and our relationship to Him; royal, which focus on the king as son of David and as God’s chosen man to rule his people; messianic, which describe some aspect of the Messiah’s person or ministry; imprecatory, which call for God’s judgment against the enemies of God and/or his people; and lament, which lament one’s condition and may include a statement of trust in God and affirmation of praise to Him (Arnold, Bill, “Encountering the Old Testament,” p. 307).

I’m considering posting these psalms here. In a way, I foresee this as yet another Ebenezer. If I raise it here, if I raise it at all, the words are out there for all to see. The psalms of lament, the psalms of penitence, the psalms that call for judgment — they will, in a way, no longer be mine. I wonder whether David and Moses knew how far-reaching the pouring out of their souls would be. Writing for me has always been personal. I wonder whether this was true for the psalmists as well.
They say, “Here is my sin, for the world to see. Learn from my mistakes. Praise always. Repent when you can’t take the weight of your own arrogance anymore. Amen and amen.”

And so I creep down this path, so unfamiliar, with a fistful of words I must set free. Praying they rise, a sweet fragrance to the God of mercy, the One whose class I am most eager to excel in.

*Cross-posted to tamarashope.wordpress.com

Guide me there

2009-05-27T08:34:00.003-06:00

Good morning, friends.
It's been so long since our last post, and for that I am truly sorry.

I wanted to talk a bit today about something that has been weighing heavy on my heart.
The idea, simply, is mentorship.
My questions to you are, what is your definition of biblical mentorship? What do you think it means? What do you think it looks like, or ought to look like? And, most importantly, do you have have or need it in your life?

For some time now, I've been strongly advocating something like accountability. Something that helps us stay on the straight and narrow, if you will. But for months, I have had this ache that suggests to me that we need something more than that. We need those Paul-Barnabas-Timothy relationships (someone to learn from, someone to walk with, someone to teach). My fear is that we spend all of our energy on finding those Barnabas relationships (which, in truth, are often so hard to come by).
But what about the Pauls? The Timothys? Who is mentoring you? Who are you teaching?

I'd love to see a more formal -- or at least, more intentional -- effort at creating mentorship opportunities, but it's a hard hill to climb. It can be difficult finding people who "fit" you, folks you can trust enough to learn from. We're all looking for the genuine article, here, and we've been so often disappointed. And so it requires a lot of faith and willingness to be raw. (Scared yet?)

Is this something you're up for? We know it would require time and an intentional effort -- things that sometimes seem too much to give.

My heart for this has come from the realization that we soon will inherit the church. That shift may have already begun. And for those of us who are mothers: We are raising up the church of the future.
Our husbands might be future elders, if not pastors.
How better can we walk the road before us if we have a guide, if we learn from those farther along on the path?
Ladies, you know it takes tremendous strength just to meet the day. It takes courage to deal with just today, right? How much more, then, should we shoring up for the days ahead?
The truth is, I would be much better off today if I had adequately prepared for it a season ago in my life.

As far as I can tell, this is our best shot at 20/20 foresight.

So, how is this done? How do I find a mentor? How do I find a young woman to share my journey with?
Or, you might disagree entirely. Maybe mentorship isn't necessary, in your eyes. Maybe formal relationships aren't what you are looking for. Tell me why. I'd love to engage in a real discussion about this.

Think about it, and let's talk.

Grace and peace,
T

“The tongue of the wise brings healing”

2009-04-23T10:28:00.002-06:00

Good morning, friends. I love today’s post title. It is the second half of my favorite proverb, and it is immensely appropriate for today’s discussion.

Technorati Tags: truth,wisdom,tough conversations

So, I don’t know about you, but I was extremely challenged by our study together this week. In fact, this study was probably the one during which I prayed most – while I was teaching it.

You see, there have been a lot of instances lately where I find myself “speaking the truth” to people I very much care for. And I always, always have to go through that checklist – right motives? encouraging words? – before I can say anything at all. I was terribly encouraged by the fact that Paul didn’t like doing it much either!

So, your challenge this week was to think of someone you may need to “speak the truth in love” to. And I was thinking about it: It doesn’t have to be a “Get behind me, Satan” kind of discussion. The Lord may be laying someone on your heart who needs to hear that you are aware of an awkwardness between you, or someone who needs to be told that they matter to both you and the Lord. Sometimes, it’s difficult to speak truth in even these situations, because our own fears of rejection or MYOBness are hindrances.

Beloved, let it never be said that someone doesn’t know truth simply because we were afraid of how the consequences would affect us.

I know how hard this is. I have always hated the idea of being confrontational. I get knots in my stomach and lumps in my throat just at the thought of having an uncomfortable conversation. But we must stop placing ourselves – our fears, our doubts, our discomfort, our preferences – at the center of all things. They can no longer be our motivators. They are things to overcome, not things to bow down to. Let’s refuse to watch someone struggle in their relationships or with their faith simply because of whatever our own fear issues are.

Conversely, let’s be sure that whatever we say, our words are authored by the Lord; let our tongues – just tools, really – reflect the intent, methods and workmanship of their Designer.

Your thoughts?

The sacrifice

2009-04-13T16:57:00.001-06:00

Good afternoon, dear friends.

For many reasons, I have been thinking constantly about love’s sacrifice. It is perfect that tonight our study takes us through the high calling love truly is on our lives. Love is patient. Love is kind.

Can you do it? Will you?

Last Wednesday, we celebrated Passover. We were reminded of God’s gracious hand through the ages. There’s this beautiful part of the Seder that follows the telling of the exodus:

Leader: God has shown us so many acts of kindness and grace. For each one, we say dayeinu (which means, “it would have been enough”). If only the Lord God had taken us out of Egypt . . .

People: Dayeinu! (It would have been enough!)

Leader: If only the Lord God had taken us out of Egypt and not passed judgment on the Egyptians . . .

People: Dayeinu!

Leader: If only the Lord God had passed judgment on the Egyptians and not parted the sea for us . . .

People: Dayeinu!

Leader: If only the Lord God had parted the sea for us and not taken care of us and fed us manna in the desert for 40 years. . .

People: Dayeinu!

Leader: If only the Lord God had taken care of us and fed us manna in the desert for 40 years and not given us the Sabbath rest . . .

People: Dayeinu!

Leader: If only the Lord God had given us the Sabbath rest and not brought us to Mount Sinai and given us the Torah . . .

People: Dayeinu!

Leader: If only the Lord God had brought us to Mount Sinai and given us the Torah and not brought us into the land of Israel. . .

People: Dayeinu!

Leader: For all these, alone and together, we say . . .

People: Dayeinu!]

God’s grace has long been upon His people. And His love – perfect and unending and pure – is the ultimate example of sacrificial love. God saved the Hebrews from Pharoah, knowing that later they’d whine, complain, abandon Him, and choose other lovers. Unsatisfied with burning bushes and pillars of smoke, with prophets and priests, they’d ask for someone else.

Tonight, we discuss love being both patient and kind. And this week’s Easter celebration of reconciliation with the Lord proves to us that God is perfectly, unwaveringly both of these things. The picture below is one that always reminds me of these things. I took it Santuario de Chimayo. Every year, hundreds of people walk to this tiny church on Good Friday. They walk to identify with Christ. They nail their tiny crosses to an old tree behind the church. They sit on stone pews and offer prayers. They give thanks. They know His sacrifice, His patience, His kindness.

His patience enabled Him to take every lash of the whip, every insult, every nail for us. He “suffered long” on our behalf, for the glory of God and the sanctification of God’s enemies, His estranged sons and daughters.

I spent much of my weekend thinking about the kindness of the Lord. I told Joy today that I think patience is taking a punch without retribution but kindness is washing the feet of the person who hit you.

On that Passover night nearly 2,000 years ago, Christ our Lord washed the feet of a dozen men in a tiny upper room. It’s easy for me to picture these men, embarrassed and uncomfortable, grateful and moved at the sight of their kneeling Lord. But what is more difficult for me to wrap my brain around is knowing that Christ also washed the feet of Peter, knowing full well that the man would betray him again and again later that night. He washed the feet of Judas, the man He knew would sell him for a sack of silver.

Again and again, God is gracious. Again and again, He is patient. Again and again, the Lord is kind. He can’t not be these things. He’s not only washed our feet, but he’s cleansed our whole being, knowing that we’d betray His love time after time.

And he’s asking us to be the same, yet not by our own might. He’s given us the Holy Spirit, who is the fullness of kindness and patience, to dwell within us.

So I wonder: Why is this calling so hard? Why do we not wash the feet of our enemies and seek out good for them, if that is what He Himself has done for us? He has saved us from that which enslaves us; as He saved His people from Pharoah, so also has He saved us from death and sin and agony. Not because we are so darn lovable and deserve it, and not because anybody had a right to be saved, but because this is who He is: He is Love, full of patience, full of kindness. He is love in all its forms, be it noun, verb or adjective.

And He’s asked us to be the same, knowing that we are His body, the tangible representation of Himself to the whole world. He knows what He’s asking; He knows that we are asked, as Christ was, to endure much from people who betray us, who smite us, who hurt us, who don’t “get” us, who stop loving us back. But He’s given us Himself, He’s given us the power, He’s given us the way to do it.

The will is all that’s up to us. The desire to, like Him, be love to the world, to our neighbors, to our families and friends.

So, I ask again: Can you do it? Will you?

Technorati Tags: 90 days of love,patience,love,kindness,grace

For my sisters around the coffee table

2009-03-28T08:47:00.003-06:00

I accidentally posted this blog here last week. I meant to post it to my personal one and clicked on the wrong button. (It's a dangerous thing for me to have edit capabilities on two blogs) With some encouragment from T, I submitt it here for your consideration and most of all your prayers. For those of you who know me well, you know that so much of this struggle comes from watching someone I love more than I can say, destroy thier life from the inside out.

One of the most profound experiences of my Christian journey came in the form of chastisement and the tender age of about 14. I remember every detail with great clarity; as if it happened to me yesterday. I was reading a book that was absolutely fascinating. I was riveted. However, the main character kept cursing God. I'm not talking about just cussing with the Lord's name it it (as if that wasn't bad enough). He was out and out cursing God as a liar, sadist and all sorts of other horrible things. I felt very strongly I was being told to put this book down. It was not for me. But I couldn't. The plot had me transfixed. Over and over I was told to put it down and I refused. Finally, I experienced what I can only assume was the Lord "giving me over" as the bible talks about in Romans, and letting me fully experience the consequences of my chosen sin. Suddenly I was consumed with an overwhelming sense of hopelessness. In the passage of the book I was reading the charaecter was insisting that we all die and wither in the ground as worms eat us. (I know... I know...how was I ever riveted by this I don't know but I was) Anyway, I really believe, for a moment, the Lord removed His protection from my mind and I was allowed to fully experience that despair and what it would feel like to truly believe there is nothing. Everything is meaningless. Take what you can out of life because in the end you're just worm food. It was terrible. I cannot fully describe it to this day. I immediately grabbed my Bible and began reading every passage I could find where Christ promised that He is the Resurrection and the Light and he that believe in Me shall never die. I read it over and over and over until my fears were silenced, my spirit quieted, and my hope restored.
These days I find myself in a similar conundrum. This time it is not because of any act of disobedience but just because I cannot get my head to be still. My time in Texas for some reason has me bombarded with DOUBT. Every question I dared never utter has come rearing its ugly head and chipping away at my faith, which until now has been ROCK SOLID. I told my mom the other day if something doesn't go a particular way that I think it should, I'm going to be so angry with God. (And even as I type that confession my mind reels with exactly the same question; Just who do I think I am?) But I immediately followed that statement with this one. "All I know these days is that God is good all the time and all the time God is good. And I can never question His love for me because Christ's death on the cross has forever demonstrated that to me." And now more than ever, I find myself clinging to those two simple truths. And as I did at 14, I find when I permeate myself with them, my fears are silenced, my spirit is quieted and my hope is restored. For me, gone are the days of cookie cutter answerers to life's tough questions. They bring no comfort. I am in a place of clinging only to TRUTH that cannot be reduced any further. God is good and He is love and because of that I can trust Him. Mark 9:24 has become so sweet to me: "Lord I believe, please help my unbelief."
I must confess that as I write this blog I'm arguing with myself on whether or not to actually post it. It is so immensely personal. But I cannot help but think that in these times of great uncertainty I am probably not the only one struggling. So I post this for my friends and family who I know are struggling through great difficulties of their own. I admonish you my brothers and sisters to hang in there and voice your doubts to our Father. He is more than able to handle them!

With all your heart, with all your soul…

2009-03-27T16:19:00.001-06:00

Hi, girls. I have thought endlessly about our discussion Monday night. Have you?

I’m still stewing over the different ways I can show my love to my God, my Savior, my King.

With my soul, where His Spirit dwells, love is as simple and as complicated utilizing the Fruit, by meditating on His Word, by keeping His tent clean. I am loving Him by trying to not quench Him.

With my heart, I show Him love by making sure it is His. I am loving Him when my heart is undivided. I am loving Him when I put Him first. I am loving Him when I am stoking the flames of passion for Him.

This week, my challenge has been to love Him with my mind. I have had trouble remaining focused on the things that I know please Him. I am so easily distracted – by news, by entertainment, by boredom, by restlessness, by sleep. My world lately is a series of mouse clicks and hyperlinks. But I am honoring Him when I use that time wisely, to do the work I know He has set before me.

This is my race to run, I am reminded. And I am doing no one any favors or honor (including Christ, the community of faith, and myself) when I doddle and meander.

Thank you, dear ones, for sharing in this journey with me. I loved our lesson from Monday night. (I cherish but apologize for all the tears!) We, lovelies, are on the ride of our lives – examining this holy Love Letter together. I have learned so much, and I am grateful for the sometimes violent, always beautiful purification process.

With love and prayers,

Dearly beloved

2009-03-20T12:29:00.002-06:00

Greetings, girls.
I was just thinking about you all today. I feel so blessed to be a part of your lives, to be a part of your walk with the Lord. I love being witness to your growth and knowing that we are sharing the beauty every week.

My question is, what has the Lord been talking to you about lately? I want to hear Him through your words, your voices.

Hit me back. I'll post my own thoughts in the comments, too.

Love to all (and happy Friday),
T

Hosea 6 - The Lord, your Valentine

2009-02-12T22:57:00.003-07:00

Tonight, we focus on Hosea 6:1-3

"Come, let us return to the Lord."
Isn’t that what you want, sisters? To Return?
Turn from the sins, from the guilt and shame, from the rot, and turn to God, our father and husband, our Creator and King.
Let’s encourage one another with these words.

First observation: These verses are not spoken by one individual – they were spoken for each other, as a people, as a nation, as siblings, as wives. It's an "us" thing. What a challenge that is to us, girls.
How much time do we spend encouraging one another toward repentance? How are we doing at holding one another accountable in this way?
Here, the repentance is corporate. It's not one man on behalf of a nation or a people. It's a corporate cry, a corporate call toward renewed fellowship with the Lord.

What does it mean to return to the Lord? What does it take? What does He want from you?
This is where those memory verses come in. You know what the Lord is asking, specifically, of you, because you've been praying about it for weeks. You've spent time dwelling on a verse or thought, seeking the Lord about what He is asking of you.

The Lord is not interested in you going through the motions, is He? Would you be? If someone you loved was pulling away, it would not be made better by efforts toward cleaning your house or buying you dinner. You can't "say it with flowers" here, or buy Him a box of chocolates that somehow gets you out of every wrong turn or misstep.
It’s about relationship. God wants you, not your deeds alone.

6:3, the Israelites are encouraging one another to “press on” to acknowledge the Lord. It’s not just a tip of the hat, but a desire to push forward (and keep pushing forward) in our relationship with Him. And it’s important to note that we are here inspired to encourage one another. We are not in this place alone.

Next observation:
The very fact that we can return to God is a beautiful picture of His grace. That He wants us means everything. He isn’t casting us out. He isn’t asking us to “pay” him for his favor. We cannot purchase it.
We can’t pay for our own sins. We can’t offer him anything for our atonement. He wants a broken spirit and a contrite heart. These are not deeds. They are attitudes. They are internal, not external. They aren’t broken promises and actions, like going to church more, getting involved in something, reading more. They are relational.

Hosea is a clear picture to us of God’s grace. And God offers that gift to us because of His love for us. Without His unending, unfathomable, unfailing love for us, He cannot abide our sinful presence. His holiness demands that He is also surrounded by holiness. And that, dear ones, is why He poured out His grace on us. So that we could be near Him. He saw that our sins kept us from Him, and He had to do something about it. He longed for us.
That is where grace comes in.

To understand it, to understand how He feels about us, we have to understand Him. We have to try to grasp His holiness and understand why He wants holiness for us.

“It is essential to the infinite righteousness of His nature to love righteousness wherever He beholds it.”
“A love of holiness cannot be without a hatred of everything that is contrary to it.”
~ Stephen Charnock, “The Existence and Attributes of God”

Holiness is defined as being set apart for the worship and service of God. We know that we can’t be holy apart from the Spirit of God. And once we are His, we are made holy. We are set apart.
He loved us so much, He didn’t want to be without us. So he made us holy. He set us apart for Himself. And He asks us to continually choose a life of holiness. It’s not that we can lose it, that sanctification; instead, we can still choose to love other things more than Him. We can still choose to not live as though we are set apart for Him, and this grieves Him. It has no affect on our eternal relationship with Him, nor on our salvation. That is one doodle that can’t be undid, homeskillet.
He’s just asking us to choose not to hurt Him.

6:6 – For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings.
What God wanted from his people was for them to be merciful and to acknowledge Him. What they DID instead was make sacrifices and offerings. He was looking at their hearts, their attitudes, not their deeds. And they just didn't get it.
God wants you to want relationship with Him, not merely to walk a certain line. Your deeds will never earn you that kind of fellowship with Him.
Instead, He wants your heart. He wants to be your Valentine.

The state of being

2009-02-12T16:23:00.002-07:00

Greetings, dear sisters.
I am so excited for tonight's study.
We've been plowing through Hosea, full of history and information.
Tonight, we take a breath. We are looking at just three verses. (The text of tonight's study will be up a bit later.)

But I wanted to encourage you to think about something that I've been challenged with.
What is the relationship between holiness and grace?

I was skimming through Stephen Charnock's "The Existence and Attributes of God" last night, and I came across this quote that stopped me in my tracks. I haven't been able to get it out of my head, and I knew I needed to share it with you.
Tonight's study will answer my previous question, but this quote is like a little lamp on the path of my journey toward understanding that relationship between holiness and divine grace:

“A love of holiness cannot be without a hatred of everything that is contrary to it.”

Think about it. Talk about it. Post about it.

Love you all,
T

Shame and glory

2009-01-25T19:31:00.001-07:00

Hosea 4 - 5:14
A judgment against Israel.
For every judgment against Israel, there is salvation, there is grace. For the judgments of Hosea 4 – 5:14, God saves in 5:15-6:3.
We’ve talked a lot in the last few months about harlotry and idolatry. Gomer was a harlot, Angel was a harlot. Both turned to their idols seeking salvation (Gomer to her men, Angel to Michael), but in the end were shown that God alone is salvation. They had to have things removed, they had to be hedged in to be set free.
Here, in Hosea 4 & 5, we see more of the same. God lays his case against Israel, including against its priests. They did not only turn from Him and His commandments, they turned to others for salvation, for knowledge, for fulfillment, for worship (4:11-14), for protection. (5:13) (cf, 2 kings 15:19-20)
God likens Himself again to Israel’s husband (Hosea 5:7, amplified), magnifying the fact that Israel is not only doing stupid things, she is cheating on the One who loves her.

1-3 No one is faithful, and there are consequences.
What are the consequences of your sin? What are things that may not even be punishments, just ripple effects?
Do you see how sin affects more than just you?

4-10 Blame the priests.
First off, God is furious with the priests and prophets of Israel. They are the ones who have played Pied Piper here. God says they “stumble in the daytime.” They have the lamp for their feet and the light for their path, but they also fumble around in broad daylight!
“My people are ruined because they don’t know what’s right or true.”
“You’ve turned your back on knowledge”
“You’ve traded your glory for shame.”
How shameful it is when the people of God falter. How many headlines have been marked by “Rev. so-and-so” stealing or lying or cheating? And it burns those of us who call ourselves Christians.
There is much consequence for those who are instructed to instruct in the ways of God yet do not do it.
We know that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ, and yet we are also encouraged to do the best with what knowledge we have. We are quite often the “spiritual leaders” in relationships, are we not? I would venture to say that all of you have a friend who looks up to you, a child, a coworker.
They are constantly seeking your guidance, right? What are you doing with that information? Are you leading them astray? Are you a stumbling block? This is a mighty challenge.
The priests here had a special responsibility because they knew the Word of God. The people did not have Bibles on every coffee table. They looked to the priests and prophets to hear Him.
Let us not trade glory for shame (4:7).

4:9 Like people, like priest
It’s not just priests who will be held accountable. Just because the priests misled them, the people are not getting off scot-free. They still chose to do things they knew went against God.
This is a huge admonition: It is not up to Pastor Edwin or Pastor Skip to make sure you know God’s Word or to hold your hand to keep you from straying into the wilderness. You know when something is flat-out adultery or idolatry, and there is consequence for that.
4:11-14
Israel had turned to idol worship. They worshiped their own bodies, they made sacrifices to false gods. And they gave in to the idolatry that permeated other nations. They had sex temples and gave their wives and daughters over to them, then went and slept around with others.

4:15-19 Don’t drag down Judah
Israel is warned not to drag others into its sin. And it is also told that other places won’t save it: Gilgal is where (in Josh 5:9), God says He has “rolled away His reproach of Egypt on you.” In Gilgal, the Israelites celebrated with feast, circumcision, prayer and Passover the end of their 450 years of Egyptian slavery. Instead, God warns that reproach is coming.
Beth-Aven is a play on words, a reference to Bethel. “Bethel” means “House of God.” But because Jeroboam 1 set up a golden calf (1 Kings 12:28-29), Hosea calls it “Beth Aven,” or “House of Sin” or “House of Deceit.”
This goes back to those ripple effects that we talked about. Israel turned to idols and left itself defenseless, naked. But what about Judah, who was not caving so easily? Their border is rotting away or watched by drunken whores.
Who is watching as we parade our idols around? And where will we turn when hurt sets in?

5:1-5 The sins of harlotry and pride
God here shows them that their harlotry has brought them nothing. Instead, they are stuck deep in corruption and are being slaughtered. They are defiling the whole nation, not just themselves.
What does their pride get them? They are stumbling and guilty.

5:6 Sacrifice without faith
These people sacrifice and say all the right words but God is not listening. He’s looking for something else entirely. (Psalm 51:16-17)

5:9-11 A warning
Assyrians eventually come in and trample through, destroying the lands and people. The Israelites have left themselves totally defenseless, relying on every other thing under the sun except God, who has saved them time and time again. (cf, 2 Kings 15 and 16, and 2 Chronicles 26-27) Israel had time and time again turned to the Assyrians for protection, yet it is those “protectors” that come through and destroy it.
Those things that we replace God with are the things that will eat us alive. They cannot give us fulfillment, they cannot give us security.
What are the things you have replaced God with?

5:1-14 Consequences
These people were being eaten by moths and decay. Dry rot eats from the inside out, making wood weak but appearing strong.
When you abandon the Lord for other lovers, you feel it don’t you?
What does that inner decay feel like? And why do we choose it?

Homework
If you believe that God wants you in church, then how much is enough?
If you believe God wants your prayers, then how much is enough?
If you believe God wants you to do something, then how do you know when you’ve met that requirement?
What we need to understand is that God wants just you. All of you. He wants you from the inside out, not the other way around. Relationship, not sacrifice. He wants love, not merely adherence to law.
Find verses about sacrifice, and choose one to memorize. WE WILL HAVE SHOW AND TELL NEXT WEEK. Give us the verse, and tell us why you chose it. What does God really want from you, and are you giving it to Him? It’s got to be more than words, more than deeds. It’s got to be all of you.
Let us not trade our glory for shame.

Seeing God

2009-01-03T08:21:00.002-07:00

So, about once a year I do some work on my blog, updating and such. I was noticing that in 2007 and 2008 I only posted 2 blogs each year. When reading my last entry in 2008, my heart fell and I broke down in tears. I decided to post what I wrote here and challenge all of us to strive this year to portray God according to His Word rather than our circumstances.

+++++++++++++

Posted by Robyn at http://breathe-rhemas-luv.blogspot.com/ Sept 2, 2008

Have you had an experience in your life that changed your perspective... forever? For me, that moment was when I had my children. Some may think it would be marriage, but with children, your every decision, word, and action directly effects their outcome. In a marriage, if one messes up, they go to their adult spouse, apologize, work it out, do whatever adults do and usually there isn't any permanent damage to either adult...b/c they're grown ups! They've learned how to deal with another person hurting him/her...hopefully :o). But with children...well, that's a whole other story!!

How many of you have seen a kid having a total breakdown in the middle of the grocery store? What comes to mind? "That woman needs to get a hold of her kid--teach them who's boss!" Hmmm, even thinking about moments like that makes my heart ache for that mom. Those moments are the hardest to be a parent. You try to do right by your kid yet try to discipline all the while the entire store has their eyes on you. What's a mom to do?

How we respond to our children (or for the childless, how we respond to others) in stressful moments, or to our spouse in stressful moments; how we speak to our children (and/or spouse) in tender moments are all presentations of who God is. How we present who God is either in word or deed has an eternal impact on our little ones.

Let me explain.

The Sisterhood of the Yada Yada Traveling Coffee Stains (graceandcoffeestains.blogspot.com) has been going through the book of Hosea and Redeeming Love. As we discussed last night, Sarah's view of God was shaped by her mom and the few men in her childhood. Her mom portrayed God as one who didn't listen to her cries, didn't "fix" her broken heart, and who was a punisher for "things" done wrong. The men, well, we'll save that for another day.

The only God Sarah was privy to was the God portrayed in Nahum 1:2 "The LORD is a jealous and avenging God; the LORD takes vengeance and is filled with wrath. The LORD takes vengeance on his foes and maintains his wrath against his enemies."

She never had the opportunity to see the God of Isaiah (Isa 43:1-5 "But now, this is what the LORD says..."Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine...Since you are precious and honored in my sight, and because I love you...Do not be afraid, for I am with you.")

or of David (Psalm 146:9 "The LORD watches over the alien and sustains the fatherless and the widow, but he frustrates the ways of the wicked.").

She never saw the love that is always forgiving, always redeeming, never crushing.

So my question to you is, what side of God are you portraying? We as Christians know that God is the Judge sitting on the throne casting judgment and, yes, condemnation to those who have denied Him. However, we also know that this isn't the only side of God. We must be careful not to live our lives portraying only this side of Him. We must live our lives portraying the grace, mercy, and unfailing love of God.

Our constant complaining and negative attitude doesn't portray the loving character of God, does it? See, for me, what I say and do, how I react in a split moment in front of or directed to my kids, is shaping their view of God. I desperately want them to be keenly aware of sin and the damage it does to our lives. B-U-T!!! I don't want God to be the Big Bad God coming down to punish them for their little kid sin. I want them to develop a healthy fear of God. I want Him to be a Guest at the dinner table when we eat mac & cheese, a Comforter in the midst of nightmares, a Cheerleader when they "get it," a Parent in times of discipline and a Daddy spilling out unfailing love and forgiveness for their little kid sins.

Thank you, Lord, for blessing me with mom vision. I worry so much about the impact I'm having on their lives, when really, I'm the one who's being impacted by their lives. Continue to remind me to step out of the way and You be You...reminding me that I am me, not You. Thank you for loving me enough.

+++++++++++

(Can you tell I'm getting stoked about being with you all again?!?!)

Proverbs 13:12

2009-01-02T23:08:00.000-07:00

This is a shout out to all my discerning friends. I’ve had a verse on my mind for several months; only problem is I can’t make heads or tales of it. I know me and how the Lord speaks to me, I wouldn’t have a verse that comes to mind daily without any effort to think about it if God wasn’t trying to tell me something. So, I’m casting the net out to see what you all think this verse is communicating…well, to me anyway. I know what it’s communicating, but how is this verse applicable?

Proverbs 13:12
“Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.” (NIV)

The Ties That Bind

2009-01-02T10:55:00.002-07:00

Hello my Siestas!!!! I have to first say....I'VE MISSED YOU SOOOOO MUCH! I can't wait until we start meeting again, tackling another study that I'm sure will challenge each of us.

I wanted to share something that the Lord has revealed to me that involves each of you; I hope it's a blessing to you to know how special you are.

Since September you all know I took a "break" from study to take a class that was being offered on the same night of study. I will NEVER do that again. Don't get me wrong, the class was great; I just will never replace you all for anything else. The last several months have been so hard. I've cried more, yelled more, and hurt more since September than I have in many years. When wondering what's with all the emotion in my head....I realized that I had not had my weekly dose of wisdom, love, insight, encouragement, and support from the most important women in my life.

I had NO idea how big of an effect you all had on my marriage, my parenting, my job, my everything until I didn't have access to you every week. I look forward to being with you in 2009, sitting at your feet and drawing from your wisdom in the Word.

I've missed you, sisters.

From Kelly...

2008-11-07T10:19:00.001-07:00

Adventures of a Makeup Artist
I know it has been a while since I've posted. I've started to post at least 10 or 12 times but have failed each time because I'm hard pressed to put into words what I've been up to. On the surface, it's really very simple. I'm a cosmetics analyst at a counter in a local department store. I really like the line I sell for, and people stop by my counter and I help them find the right foundation or blush or lipstick or any number of items available. I was handed a fist full of brushes my first day and told "You are now a makeup artist." I clutched the brushes with a death grip and thought "Funny I don't feel like an artist." I'm doing good to get my own eyeliner on straight much less anyone else's. But that day began what I am convinced will be one of the most interesting journeys of my life. And here is why:

Much like a hair dresser, when you sit in front of a stranger and trust them to make you look beautiful and NOT like a crazy person that went bizerck at the cosmetics counter, you are in the moment, extremely vulnerable. And vulnerable people talk. "Can you do anything to hide this acne? I hate even going out in public." "I have a big date tonight..." "My husband likes this (insert actress name.) Can you make me look like her?" "I hate my (insert feature)" "I wish my lips were bigger" "I wish my lips were smaller" And on and on. But what is interesting is the stories that come after these statements. The insecurities they've struggled with their whole life. I assure you it is rarely the beautiful and polished that sit down for a make over. It's the women who hopes she can be pretty if only she knew how to better apply some magical potion or formula. But here is the thing.....they are all so beautiful. They just have never believed anyone who tried to tell them that. They don't see that their smaller lips fit perfectly with their huge and too beautiful eyes. They don't see that their nose is actually very cute and gives them a child like look of innocence even though they are well into their 30's. They don't see that their fair skin is so beautiful, they look like a living porcelain doll. They don't understand that they could go out on their date, without a stitch of makeup, and knock any guy straight on his back that wasn't considered legally blind. I see so many beautiful creations and yet so many of them are unable to say "I am beautiful"

So this phenomenon has me thinking. Would it have broken Picasso's heart if suddenly his paintings had said to him "Um, I really don't like how large my nose is. Do you think you could make it a little smaller?" "Are you sure my forehead is supposed to be that big?" Does it breaks God's heart when I stand in front of a mirror and pick myself into so many small pieces that there is nothing left but a shredded masterpiece?

I have so wanted to tell these women...."ARE YOU INSANE? CAN'T YOU SEE YOURSELF CLEARLY. FROM WHERE I'M STANDING YOU LOOK AMAZING." And yes I can show you a really cool eyeshadow palette that will draw attention to your amazing eyes. The eyeshadow didn't suddenly make your eyes WOW. They were WOW to begin with. Yes, a little liner will make your small lips look a little less small, but they were pretty to begin with. So many women walk away feeling great...which is a lot of fun to be a part of. But the cosmetics didn't make them suddenly pretty. And that's what we fail to see. There is nothing magical at my counter. Just some cool toys that are fun to play with, yet do nothing but enhance what a master creator already so perfectly designed.

And now my favorite story; "Yes, I can show you how to hide your acne." And just 15 short minutes latter I handed her a mirror and her eyes watered up. So did mine. She walked over to her husband, waiting so patiently at a bench, and his eyes lit up. "You look HOT," he told her. Her face lit up even more. He loved her so obviously and I felt a little awkward observing this moment between them. I hope she knows that she was beautiful to begin with. I hope she can see in his eyes what I saw in his eyes, before all the makeup.

So this is not a rant against cosmetics. If you could see my bathroom right now you would know what a huge fan of cosmetics I really am. They are FUN. It's FUN to put on different looks, different colors. You should have seen me on Halloween. Black eyeshadow, whitest foundation I could find and blood red lips. TONS of FUN. (And yes, people did still stop at my counter that night) But these things are not what make us beautiful, and I hope that we can get to the point where we don't need them to feel beautiful. God, let us see ourselves through your eyes!

I hope I can get to the point where I don't need makeup to feel beautiful. God let me see myself through your eyes.

With deepest apologies ... Draw!

2008-11-07T09:08:00.003-07:00

Hi, girls. I cannot believe it has been so long since I've posted. I have had so much to write, too...
Soon, I'll have to post a recap to catch everyone up on where we are with "Redeeming Love" and our study of Hosea.

Until that post, though, I want to leave you with some encouragement, and a little preview of Monday night's lesson. Think about this: We are the good guys, and the good guys will win.
When did we stop believing that? I was listening to Glen Beck last night, and he sort of mentioned this in passing (in reference to America), and it really got me thinking.
Our country has a long tradition of faith that good prevails. It's that beautiful idealism that has kept many a soldier from shaking, many a Civil Rights hero marching, and many a mom from worrying herself to sleep at night. But somewhere down the road, we became less and less convinced of it.
And the Gospel promises us that evil will not stand. We are promised that God is victorious, and that by extension, we are too. There is nothing in your life that God is not aware of. There is no attack that He cannot withstand. There is no slap to your face that He Himself does not feel.
Take courage, girls. You're wearing the White Hat in this Western movie. You've got the Six-Shooter of the Spirit (the word Sword didn't seem appropriate in this analogy!).
And the good guys always win.

Morning by morning, new mercies I see

2008-09-18T08:06:00.005-06:00

I've been thinking about how hard everyone is working to really "get" Scripture. You all are such a blessing in my home, and I want to make sure you know how honored I am to navigate these waters with you.
We have read probably close to 200 verses together. And considering that only about half of them have been directly from our time in the book of Hosea (incl. cross-references, etc.), that really is remarkable.
Monday night was an incredible time in the Word.

We had just finished reading about Angel's first weeks with Michael. Last we saw them, he had taken her to a hillside to watch the sunrise.
Knowing all the good Michael has to offer Angel, we are so startled that Angel wants none of it. She's a skeptic, sure. But she's also stubborn and rebellious. She walks without hope, and she assumes all hope is illusive -- if not an illusion.
So even though Michael has been nothing but tender and patient and kind and loving toward her, she begins hatching a plan to head back to her old life.

We are so like that, aren't we? We know full well the goodness of God. We've seen it in action. We've received his grace and kindness enough to know how wonderful it and real it feels. But we always go back to sin. Always. Maybe it's not the same old sin every time, but we still yearn for our own ways.

The homework was: Find verses that discuss obedience and/or resistance to the Lord.
Together, we found 23 verses, not including the eight or so verses we found about God's pursuit of us.
We looked at verses where God asks us over and over again to obey him (Jer. 11:7). We saw that our obedience is seen as an act of love toward Him (1 John 2:3, 3:24 and 5:3). We discovered the benefits and consequences of obedience (Rom. 5:19, 11:30-32, 2 Cor. 10:6, Deut. 6:20-25).
And the one that really hit me: The Lord ultimately knows that our disobedience is linked to a lack of trust in Him (Deut. 9:23). And that's really what it comes down to, isn't it?

It's not like we wake up every day and say, "I think I'll commit these sins today." Instead, as we go through our day, we come to situations where God just hasn't seemed to move. We encounter areas where His timing just isn't quick enough, or His rule just couldn't possibly apply here. ("It's just a little white lie; I couldn't hurt his feelings, Lord." Or, "It's just that, Lord, she really irked me. She deserved for someone to tell her off.") =

It comes down to whether we really trust God to do as He says. He says He loves us, but will He show it the way I need Him to? He says He'll work all things for the good, but I'm not so sure.
And so we go our own way. Like Angel.

We talked about Michael's prayer on Page 96. When does doing God's will hurt, and why does it? Joy, perhaps, said it best: "We're so brainless; we just take in whatever we're fed, so when things get hard it hurts." We live in a have-it-your-way culture, and we just lap that up. And then, suddenly, when it's not our way, we gripe. We rail against the only One who has ever really known us and loved us fully.

Oh, Lord, help us to stop praying "My will be done." Help us to mean it when we say we want to hand things over to you. You are the only One completely outside space and time; You are the only One who can see beyond my current situation. Help us, Lord to trust You when you introduce us to all the light and warmth and color of morning. Help us to see and trust your goodness, Lord; remove our blindness and forgive us for choosing it.

The homework for next week is to read chapters 12-14 in "Redeeming Love." Also, I'd love it if you looked for verses this week on God's newness and bring them to share on Monday. Have you ever noticed how the Lord uses the idea of morning to convey Himself to us? I found at least 11 verses that talk of God's promises that come with morning, including Lam. 3:22-23:

Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.
They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.

Think about how you see the Lord's mercies anew in your life. Think about how Michael used the morning to reveal to Angel his intentions. Now think about what you sense the Lord trying -- in all His love and kindness -- to really show you. We'll talk about it Monday.

The harvest

2008-09-07T19:58:00.004-06:00

I had the good fortune of harvesting the first grapes from our vine this weekend. The fruit is small but beautiful and sweet.
The whole process reminded me of God's grace.
See, I didn't water much this summer, and we had pretty much left the grapevine for dead. Some bugs had set up camp in its leaves, and we were certain it was a lost cause.
And yet, there it was this weekend, full and firm. That plant overcame a lot -- including neglect -- to offer us its fruits.
Such is the way of grace.
How many times have I felt there was no hope? How many times had I thought of giving up on myself, or on someone else? How many times have passersby wondered whether I'll make it through the season?
Yet even when it looks like there is nothing that will grow us, nurture us, there is the unseen: grace. And that grace brings out my good fruit.
Sure, these grapes are tiny, but they are lovely explosions of sugary pulp and juice just the same. The fruit is spare but still good. And in the journey, a story of hope... not unlike "Redeeming Love."

The prologue of disappointment

2008-09-03T08:13:00.003-06:00

Good morning, ladies.

This week, we dove into "Redeeming Love." OK, maybe dove isn't the right word. We sort of waded into the prologue. But what a juicy prologue it was!
Last time, I assigned five things for you to think about for our next discussion. Boy, how the Lord moved in our time together! I was so blessed by your insight and the verses you all brought to the table.
Here's a recap:
We talked about what the main character in the prologue, Sarah, must feel: that she has to "do" to be loved, rather than being loved for love's sake; rejection; she wonders who can be depended on?; isolation -- she has to solve her own problems, and she can't talk to her mom about them; she learns how quickly someone can steal your hope and joy.

Then, we got into the meat of it. And it all started with Question #1 from the homework.
Question 1: What are we learning about God, or who is God according to the characters? Find Scripture that either confirms or refutes these traits. (This, in my opinion, was the highlight of our discussion, by the way.)
We agreed that the characters we've met so far have a very skewed view of who God is. He is, in their minds, that bully on the ant hill with a magnifying glass. He's represented poorly by the priest, who judges Sarah's mom and then makes her work for her forgiveness.
Others in the book believe He either doesn't exist or, if He did, He's just a judge, handing out condemnation, not grace, not forgiveness.

Confirming these thoughts: Nahum 1:2, Deuteronomy 4:24, Job 3:11, 6:4, 7:16

I love that some of you went this route. It's a reminder that it is not unheard-of to wonder where God is in the midst of our sinking ship; it's not unheard-of to wonder whether He is good at all.

But this is where it really gets good. Together, we found (*and read out loud*) 22 other verses that tell us who God really is:

Psalm 103 (He forgives, heals, redeems, crowns you with love and compassion, satisfies, works righteousness, does not harbor anger, loves greatly, removes our sins)
Psalm 18:35 (sustains and gives us a shield of victory; His gentleness makes us great)
Heb. 4:15-16 (sympathizes with us; invites us to come boldly to the throne of grace, not condemnation)
Is. 43:1-5 ("Fear not ... I have redeemed you ... you are Mine" "I will be with you")
John 15:9 (Jesus loves us as the Father loves Him)
1 John 4:8 (God is love)
1 John 1:9 (He forgives and purifies)
Eph. 2:8-9 (by grace, through faith; we don't have to EARN His love)
Psalm 139:7 (He is everywhere)
1 Cor. 13 (God is love: patient, kind...)
Psalm 146:9 (watches over us and sustains the fatherless and widow)
Ps. 45 (His throne will last forever)
Ps. 81:11-16 (He wants to subdue our enemies, if only we'd follow Him)
Ps. 73:26-28 (my strength, my portion; He is near, He is my refuge -- the nearness of God is my good)
Ps. 12 (our protector)
Ps. 46 (our refuge and strength; he who is in Him will not fall)
Ex. 34:6 (compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness)
Numbers 23:19 (God does not lie)
Psalm 145:17-21 (righteous and near)
Romans 8:5-8 (minds controlled by the Spirit, vs. minds that are controlled by the flesh)
Ps. 143:11-12 (righteous; the Lord has unfailing love for us)
Ecclesiastes (for everything there is a season -- there will be sorrow, yes; but there will also be joy)

Whew!

Girls, I am so blessed and humbled by the way the Spirit moves when we are together. Thank you for coming. We are constantly ushered into His presence together, and I am in awe of Him.
I sure hope you are enjoying our study as much as I am.
Stay tuned for this week's homework assignment. Also, feel free to blog your thoughts about our discussion here as well. I have so many that I'll be sharing soon.

Grace and peace,
Tamara

To blog or not to blog

2008-09-02T22:21:00.003-06:00

Greetings my yada yada sisters!! I wanted to invite you to my blog for my thoughts on last nights study. I was going to post it here, but felt it was more appropriate to post on my personal blog.

breathe-rhemas-luv.blogspot.com

Thank you for challenging me and spurring me on. I pondered our conversation all day today and couldn't WAIT to get on my computer to put my thoughts in order.

I hope your day and week to come are "freakin' awesome!!" (as Kyleigh would put it)

Tonight, tonight ...

2008-08-25T14:57:00.003-06:00

I apologize for having to do this, but there is no way we can meet tonight. The upside is this: you have another week to finish reading the prologue of "Redeeming Love" and to find more Scripture to back up what you think the Lord is telling you.

Another upside is that two more women want to join this conversation, and they will not be as far behind as they thought.

___

On another note, please continue to pray for one another this week. Last week was a rough one for so many of us, and I know that we are all encouraged by the prayers being offered on our behalf. Please also remember in your prayers our church, its leadership, and the women's ministry. We all know so many parts of our church are growing and changing, and I know the leaders would covet our intercession.

Questions about walking away...

2008-08-20T21:21:00.004-06:00

Hi ladies, I don't really know any of you besides Tamara, but I would like to! :) Anyway... along the theme in Hosea of the unfaithful wife, I have a question for you. Not really meant to start a theological debate, but asked because my heart is hurting.

What do you do when someone really close to you walks away from Christ? Someone who has walked with God for a few years, who has shown the fruits of the Spirit in his or her life, who has oozed God's love, and who has even led others to Christ?

I've known a lot of people who are or have been devoted followers of Christ who are under the impression they are living fully in the Spirit, but their rebellious actions and choices definitely reveal otherwise. I've lived in resistance to obeying God myself and I'm not proud of it. But I'm talking about something different. I'm talking about a follower of Christ who willingly and consciously decides to completely reject Christ's lordship in his or her life, to purposefully aim to disobey God's will, and even to give up eternity in heaven.

There is a lot that led to this person's decision, mainly that God didn't behave the way he/she wanted. This person is obviously choosing outright rebellion in choosing to "leave" Jesus. But I also don't believe that anything can separate us from the love of Christ. Obviously Jesus still loves this person and is waiting with open arms... just like Hosea always went back for Gomer and just like Michael always goes back for Angel in the book, I know He is waiting for this individual to come back. But what happens if this person outright refuses His attempts at wooing him/her back? Can He force him/her to return?

I believe with all my heart that God is irresistible and that when He romances us, we can't help but succumb. I love that about Him. But I also know He doesn't want to force us to love Him... He wants us to choose to love Him back and follow Him. I know my husband wants me to love him because I want to and because it brings me joy-- he wouldn't want me to love him out of obligation or a sense of duty.

I just don't know. The whole thing just hurts. I don't think people realize that when they decide to tear themselves away from Christ, they are ripping out a part of the Bride of Christ too. They are dismembering the Body.

I'm doing my best to love this person and encourage him/her, but it seems to only make things worse because the only things I find to be truly encouraging have to do with God.

Thoughts?

"Redeeming" homework

2008-08-20T07:25:00.002-06:00

Good morning, ladies.
I forgot to tell everyone what chapters to read before Monday.
Let's start just with the prologue this week, since it's a little over 30 pages long, and there's a ton in there.

A few key questions:

1. Based on this reading, what are we learning about God, or who are the characters perceiving God to be? (And, for bonus points, can you find Scripture -- both in Hosea and elsewhere -- that either confirms or refutes these traits?)

2. What are the overall themes in this section, and how can you expect the situations to shape the characters?

3. The prologue deals a lot with the idea of rejection. Have you felt fully, hopelessly rejected, and how do we as Christians overcome these feelings?

4. Do we have a responsibility to try to overcome our pasts? What does Scripture say?

5. Food for thought: It's easy for us to say we'd want to step in for little Sarah, help her escape this horrible life she is forced into. We know that unfortunately Sarah's situation doesn't change, but our thoughts toward her do as she grows up. Why is this?

The God of grace -- in spite of us

2008-08-19T15:50:00.004-06:00

An overview of Hosea 1 - 3 (A sort of "Cliff's Notes" version of Week 2 in our Hosea study)...
Note: (GM) denotes lines taken from Dr. George E. Meisinger's study of Hosea.

In Hosea 1, we find two introductions: 1.) Hosea, a prophet we know little else about; 2.) God, a jilted lover.
By Hosea 1:2, we are seeing the prophecy begin. "Take yourself a wife of harlotry and children of harlotry," the Lord commands Hosea. It is an unbearable assignment. The relationship is a reflection of the one between God and Israel, He says. Meanwhile, Hosea is commanded to marry a woman who will cheat on him and spurn him.

In Hosea's day, "great harlotry" permeated the Northern Kingdom (Israel, or Ephraim). Baal worship was everywhere. And it was a slap in God's face; an outright rejection of His first commandment: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength."

Hosea's family (his wife, Gomer, and their three children) illustrates three things: 1. Israel's disloyalty/backsliding into idolotry;
2. God's judgment;
3. the Lord's faithfulness to His promises. (GM)

Hosea & Gomer have three children, all with very peculiar names.
Baby #1 is a boy, called Jezreel after a horrific massacre (2 Kings 9 & 10) in the Valley of Jezreel, a place of much idolotry.
Baby #2 does not fare much better. She is called Lo-Ruhamah, which means "without mercy" or "without pity." She is so named because "the Lord says that he will not show Israel merciful acts of deliverance from her enemies." Yet, He still has mercy on the house of Judah (2 Kings 19:35-37).(GM)
Baby #3 is named Lo-Ammi, or "not my people." God, a spurned husband, is separated from His beloved Israel. The relationship is broken.

Yet, by Hosea 1:10, we see the Lord as still faithful to His promise. He keeps his Abrahamic covenant (Gen 12:1-3 and chp. 15). In verse 11, we see Himself bringing David into leadership, a king whose heart is for the Lord.

For more reading, see Romans 9:22-26.

Hosea 2:
We see the harlot lose everything. She loses her vines, her clothing, her happiness. (Cf. chapter 9.)
Yet through this all, God's grace shines.
"The Lord promises five different times, in no uncertain terms, that He will not abandon His people in spite of how circumstances appear." (GM)
In the second half for chapter 2, the restoration begins. The first half is restoration by discipline -- putting up hedges and walling her in.
Israel had turned to Assyria and Egypt for protection, and not to God. They were her "other lovers."
God allows destroyed or removed everything that is a remnant of harlotry -- her "wages," her clothes, wines ... all of it. Gone.
By v. 14, however, he is restoring her, offering her new wines, new hope. She had forgotten Him, but He will allure her and speak comfort.

What we learn here is something astonishing about how God's grace works.
The harlot here does absolutely nothing to earn her redemption. Unlike other books of prophecy in the OT, Hosea is not a "repent and be saved" kind of book. It is by God's grace alone that she is saved.

Chapter 3 is short. It's a lovely story of restoration. Take her back, the Lord says. Tell her that she will be without a man for some time. Be with her, but not with her. Hosea buys back his wife from the place where she is enslaved, just as God promises; just as He has done for us.
But it's bigger than that. It's prophecy (3:4-5). The nation is told they "will abide many days without king or prince." This was prophecied in 722 B.C. Israel still waits.
They are told in v. 5 that total restoration (an Eden-like scenario) will come to pass eventually.
In the meantime, they wait.
We all do.

Tweaks.

2008-08-19T08:31:00.002-06:00

Good morning, beloved.
I sent you each an email about how to post to this blog yourself. This way, if you want to write, it doesn't have to be only in the comments.

A word of caution on that, however. This blog is open to anybody who wants to read it (and please feel free to invite friends and others to participate in our discussion). What that means for you as a blogger is, you must keep in mind that tender secrets are best not shared with the entire Internet world. Please use discretion.

Also, if you want to be notified every time a blog post or a comment goes up, let me know. I can add your email to that setting as well.

Stay tuned... Later today I will post about the happenings from last night's first study in Hosea.

Love to all...

Your place at our table

2008-08-18T12:58:00.000-06:00

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Yada Yada Coffee Stains welcomes you!

Here, we reflect on what we're learning together from the Lord.
We are His children, lovers of coffee and good conversation, yearning for holiness and mercy. Together, we will endeavor to know Him better, through Bible study, fellowship and prayer.

This blog is called From the Table. Why, you ask? Because the conversations here all stem from shared coffee and truth and questions at my dinner table. Because the Lord asks us to join Him at His table. Because Psalms tells us He prepares a table for us before our enemies and offers us peace. Because Job tells us He draws us to His table to feast on His blessings. Because Luke tells us we will eat with Him at His table in His kingdom. Because Matthew reminds us that offerings from alabaster jars are poured out before the Lord at His table.

Thank you, thank you, for joining us on this journey. For walking in Grace with us. For taking a place at the table.