I once had a pastor rebuke me for my zeal. He told me I was like a "great dane puppy- cute and enthusiastic but you don't want it on your lap." Quite honestly I deserved the rebuke because I lacked maturity and wisdom but that was also my first taste of how lifeless Christianity can be. We want everything to be calm and in control- respectable and upright. We are much more concerned about the opinion of man than we are about our walk with God.
I believe God is worthy of all our praise. There is a great song out by Mercy Me right now called "All of Creation" and I just can't get it loud enough! I imagine the day when all of creation- all of the fish and birds look heavenward- the trees lift their branches- the corn plants all raise their leaves in praise! Every knee bends - no more energy spent with creatures running in every direction- fighting and pulling. All of creation- sing with me now! Look heavenward and give Him the praise due Him!
Friday I was playing that song in the car while I drove to work and I had to open the sunroof and raise my hands out the opening just because I was so filled with praise I thought I would burst with the joy and enthusiam of it all! I was on a stretch of county highway and I doubt if anyone saw me- but I really didn't care if they did! God is worthy of all our praise. One line in the song says "the reason we breathe is to sing of His glory!" I say "Amen!"
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Truth Hunting
Maybe I should have called my blog site "truth hunting" because it is truth that brings peace. If you want your stomach to be filled you search for food. The satisfaction of a filled stomach is the end result not the object of the search.
I was struck this morning by something I read in "My Utmost for His Highest". Chambers says, and I'm paraphrasing -the test of our spirituality comes when we come up against injustice, meanness, ingratitude and turmoil all of which tend to make us spiritual sluggards. We use God to get peace and joy. We aren't searching for a deep knowledge of Him but for the gifts He gives to us. I had to pause and examine my motives to see if that is true of my hunt for peace. I can honestly say that I don't think it is my motive at all.
The suffering that I endured as a child caused so much emotional pain and confusion inside my head that my search for peace is truly a search for truth. I want to be filled with the truth of God. I want to be filled with God! He is the God of all truth. It is the enemy of our soul that is the great deceiver.
People who question God with thoughts such as "how could a good God allow this..." are actually claiming to be wiser than God Almighty! They are supposing that they know all- understand all- and they are judging God! They have been seriously deceived! And this is a common line of thought. The deceiver is not all that creative- he uses the same lies over and over because we are so easily deceived. I remember when I was a young adult, I thought "all Christians are hypocrites" and I have been amazed at how many times I've heard other people say that exact same line. Of course we are all hypocritical at times- we are broken and wounded people. But the point and purpose of the line that "all are hypocrites" is to keep people from exploring the truth of Christianity! And sadly, the line works all too well.
God has blessed my pursuit of truth. He has opened my eyes to see and experience life from a different perspective. I am learning more and more to be content in whatever circumstances I find myself because I truly believe that I am just passing thru this life- on my way to paradise. It doesn't make me complacent about sin and evil- I still hate it with a passion and fight against it- but even in the midst of a passionate fight -I can trust that God is good and righteousness will win in the end! And I am on the winning team!
I was struck this morning by something I read in "My Utmost for His Highest". Chambers says, and I'm paraphrasing -the test of our spirituality comes when we come up against injustice, meanness, ingratitude and turmoil all of which tend to make us spiritual sluggards. We use God to get peace and joy. We aren't searching for a deep knowledge of Him but for the gifts He gives to us. I had to pause and examine my motives to see if that is true of my hunt for peace. I can honestly say that I don't think it is my motive at all.
The suffering that I endured as a child caused so much emotional pain and confusion inside my head that my search for peace is truly a search for truth. I want to be filled with the truth of God. I want to be filled with God! He is the God of all truth. It is the enemy of our soul that is the great deceiver.
People who question God with thoughts such as "how could a good God allow this..." are actually claiming to be wiser than God Almighty! They are supposing that they know all- understand all- and they are judging God! They have been seriously deceived! And this is a common line of thought. The deceiver is not all that creative- he uses the same lies over and over because we are so easily deceived. I remember when I was a young adult, I thought "all Christians are hypocrites" and I have been amazed at how many times I've heard other people say that exact same line. Of course we are all hypocritical at times- we are broken and wounded people. But the point and purpose of the line that "all are hypocrites" is to keep people from exploring the truth of Christianity! And sadly, the line works all too well.
God has blessed my pursuit of truth. He has opened my eyes to see and experience life from a different perspective. I am learning more and more to be content in whatever circumstances I find myself because I truly believe that I am just passing thru this life- on my way to paradise. It doesn't make me complacent about sin and evil- I still hate it with a passion and fight against it- but even in the midst of a passionate fight -I can trust that God is good and righteousness will win in the end! And I am on the winning team!
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Thank God for the Pain
I love the changing seasons! I love the slower pace of life in the winter but I am so ready and anxious for the birds to return in the spring and for the plants to grow. I love the crispy crunchy leaves of fall. Sometimes I go for walks and just praise God for the beauty of nature. He didn't HAVE to make leaves turn vibrant colors and be crunchy. He could have made them turn black and slimy and fall off the trees in globs.
Recently I was cleaning out an old aquarium and I got to looking at the polished rocks I had placed in there. They were beautiful! Why would God bother to make rocks pretty? I think it is because He absolutely adores us and wants to delight and charm us at every turn.
I worked for nearly 20 years as a seed analyst examining tiny little grass and flower seeds under a microscope. We would identify types- every seed has unique characteristics that make it identifiable. We would open the seed up and check for viability. It was amazing to see that several root nodes and the primary leaves are all there inside the seed. What an amazing Creator we have. He is worthy of praise.
Sometimes what prevents us from enjoying God deeply is our misunderstanding of pain. "How could a good God allow (fill in the blank)?" Thankfully, God hates sin more that I do and He is coming again to set things right! I rejoice in that truth! I long for the day!
I thank God for the pain I have endured because if not for the pain- I am not sure I would ever have been driven to search for truth and a reason to live. Ease and comfort are dangerous things.
Recently I was cleaning out an old aquarium and I got to looking at the polished rocks I had placed in there. They were beautiful! Why would God bother to make rocks pretty? I think it is because He absolutely adores us and wants to delight and charm us at every turn.
I worked for nearly 20 years as a seed analyst examining tiny little grass and flower seeds under a microscope. We would identify types- every seed has unique characteristics that make it identifiable. We would open the seed up and check for viability. It was amazing to see that several root nodes and the primary leaves are all there inside the seed. What an amazing Creator we have. He is worthy of praise.
Sometimes what prevents us from enjoying God deeply is our misunderstanding of pain. "How could a good God allow (fill in the blank)?" Thankfully, God hates sin more that I do and He is coming again to set things right! I rejoice in that truth! I long for the day!
I thank God for the pain I have endured because if not for the pain- I am not sure I would ever have been driven to search for truth and a reason to live. Ease and comfort are dangerous things.
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