“The tongue of the wise brings healing”

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

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

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…

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,

T

Dearly beloved

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

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

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