Raise up guilty, True weakness revealed

“I am raising up the Babylonians, that ruthless and impetuous people, who sweep across the whole earth to seize dwellings not their own.”
‭‭Habakkuk‬ ‭1:6‬ ‭NIV‬‬
https://www.bible.com/111/hab.1.6.niv

The caterpillar war continues.  My trusty shears and soapy water gave my tomato bush a two week reprieve.  A few days ago this very large, single minded caterpillar appeared.  He has been hard at work filling his belly and growing larger.

I've been slow to eradicate him.  I'm watching selfishness and greed at work.  This hungry caterpillar doesn't realize I have control of his fate.

I pondered the rise in power of those ruthless and impetuous Babylonians Habakkuk tells of.  Why would these dreadful people prosper?  Verse 11 reminds me that actions will reveal who and what we fight important. the god we follow.

“Then they sweep past like the wind and go on— guilty people, whose own strength is their god.””
‭‭Habakkuk‬ ‭1:11‬ ‭NIV‬‬
https://www.bible.com/111/hab.1.11.niv

The caterpillar follows its stomach.  The Babylonians follow their own strength. 

Does my life and action reveal that I follow God?

Trust in soil, hope for survival

“GOD is serious business. He won’t be trifled with. He avenges his foes. He stands up against his enemies, fierce and raging. But GOD doesn’t lose his temper. He’s powerful, but it’s a patient power. Still, no one gets by with anything. Sooner or later, everyone pays. Tornadoes and hurricanes are the wake of his passage, Storm clouds are the dust he shakes off his feet. He yells at the sea: It dries up. All the rivers run dry. The Bashan and Carmel mountains shrivel, the Lebanon orchards shrivel. Mountains quake in their roots, hills dissolve into mud flats. Earth shakes in fear of GOD. The whole world’s in a panic. Who can face such towering anger? Who can stand up to this fierce rage? His anger spills out like a river of lava, his fury shatters boulders.”
‭‭Nahum‬ ‭1:2-6‬ ‭MSG‬‬
https://www.bible.com/97/nam.1.2-6.msg

This is a Maui silver sword plant.  Whenever I see one, I pray for it's survival.

This is the only place the Maui silver sword plant lives. Amazing!  It's only home is among the volcanic rocks and soil, a couple miles above the sea.  Need I mention?  It's on the threatened list.

It's threatened yet reminds me of hope.  I lived through an earthquake and a tornado.  Sometimes my life feels like the volcano could erupt into chaos.  I look to the  sturdy Maui silver sword for encouragement. The Maui silver sword continues to root itself in the familiar and unique soil to persevere and survive.

Nahum 1:6 is part of the Lord's condemnation of the fallen Ninevites.  Nahum reminds them that The Lord is jealous and avenging.  He may be slow to anger but will not leave the unjust unpunished.

I have been meditating in the prophets for quite a while and needed one more verse.  In verse 7 I find my inspiration for the day.

“The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him,”
‭‭Nahum‬ ‭1:7‬ ‭NIV‬‬
https://www.bible.com/111/nam.1.7.niv

That's when I thought of my inspiration, the Maui silver sword plant, continuing to root itself in the volcanic soil.  It's not an environment I would pick yet I marvel and enjoy it's beauty in contrast to the desolation.  The Maui silver sword lives atop a dominant volcano.  Apparently, the Maui silver sword isn't worried.  Its real threat is from tourists and goats, not the volcano.

So when my world looks like this...

I will remember the promise in Nahum,  God is good.  God is my refuge.  God cares for me.

It is about the proper foundation

““Therefore I will make Samaria a heap of rubble, a place for planting vineyards. I will pour her stones into the valley and lay bare her foundations.”
‭‭Micah‬ ‭1:6‬ ‭NIV‬‬
https://www.bible.com/111/mic.1.6.niv

"What brought you to Iowa?"  The question often was asked of me during appointments where I worked. My response was simple.  "God."  I'd go onto explain my husband was the pastor of one of the churches in town.  I took the opportunity to expose the foundation of my life.

I pondered the importance of proper foundation when I read Micah 1:6.  God warned the Samaritans that He planned to expose their foundation, In The Message the foundation was described as abandoned.

As a young woman I recall, the discussion on proper underwear being the basis of proper dress.  As a homeowner, I learned proper care and maintenance of the foundation to prolong the life of my home.  As a quilter I know being precise in the cutting and positioning at the beginning of a project means it all fits at the end!

I recently finished another quilt of my favorite patterns.  It starts with one of my least favorite steps;  drawing a tedious grid. While I enjoy this pattern because it is "quite forgiving" (Meaning accuracy can be less precise), if I am not precise with the beginning step of the dreaded grid, the end result suffers.

The development and care of spiritual life is, likewise, crucial to our survival in this crazy, chaotic world.   This verse in Micah challenges me to examine my care and feeding of my spiritual life such that I won't fear it being exposed.

Take time today, and each day, to care for your spiritual foundation.  It might be tedious and seem time consuming but in the end, the pieces of life will "fit together", perhaps like my quilt!

Trouble? Pray First, Prevent Some Turmoil!

One of my all-time favorite commercials featured a person smacking their forehead and exclaiming "I should have had a V-8!"  This proclamation came after they'd had a less satisfying beverage.  "I should have..."  and a forehead smack has been the reminder of a valuable life lesson.

“The captain went to him and said, “How can you sleep? Get up and call on your god! Maybe he will take notice of us so that we will not perish.””
‭‭Jonah‬ ‭1:6‬ ‭NIV‬‬
https://www.bible.com/111/jon.1.6.niv

The prophet Jonah is avoiding a directive from God.  He was told to go to Nineveh and preach. Jonah, instead, took a boat in the opposite direction.  While Jonah slept, a great storm threatened the boat and all on board.  All the sailors called upon their gods for relief.  They threw cargo overboard to lighten the vessel.  They wakened Jonah to be sure he had called upon his god.  Then they cast lots.

It's a confusing practice-casting lots.  The dice did reveal the answer to their distress- Jonah was disobeying a direct order from God.  Jonah knew exactly what the issue was and the answer to the sailors' distress.  They threw him overboard. The sea calmed.  A great fish swallowed Jonah for his protection. 

I like to think I am the captain of my life.  Jonah's story reminded me of my favorite commercial and the fact that I'm not a good captain.  There is a much more able captain of my "life boat."  I should follow God's directions first and save myself some time and turmoil.

Too often we pray for God's enlightenment after our attempts to deal have failed.  How many times have I smacked my forehead and thought, "I should have prayed first!"

Good news:  God will be with us whether we pray first or last but praying first will save us some time and turmoil (it would have saved the cargo!)

God: Hey you, I've got this!

“But how Esau will be ransacked, his hidden treasures pillaged!”
‭‭Obadiah‬ ‭1:6‬ ‭NIV‬‬
https://www.bible.com/111/oba.1.6.niv

Warning small children may find this blog disturbing!

I have triumphed over this hungry caterpillar!

As soon as the jalapeño pepper plant arrived  I knew something was eating holes in the leaves.  Each morning I checked the status of my plant.  I did internet research but still couldn't discover the culprit.  A few days ago he revealed himself.  One big (the size of my little finger), strong(had such a firm grip on the branch to dissuade my plucking), and hungry caterpillar.

I knew he had to go!  Since his grip on the branch was resistant to my tug, I summoned my trusty all purpose shears, clipped the entire branch, walked to the fence and threw him over!  That will cure my problem.

Yet caterpillars are more resilient than I realized.  The very next morning he reappeared gripping a branch that he had totally stripped of leaf.  Again the trusty shears removed him and stripped branch.  He exited this world with a final flush!

Obadiah verse six (it's such a short book it doesn't need chapters) made me think of hidden treasures, both good and bad.  In verse 6 God, through Obadiah, is calling out the people descended from Esau.  The people of Edom were Esau's descendants.  The Israelites descended from Jacob, Esau's twinbrother.  Through the years the Edomites had taken advantage of the Israelites' hard times rather than aiding in times of need as one might expect of family.

Obadiah's prophesy of Edom's approaching pillage reminds me that God knows the slights and betrayals and He will administer justice.  I am reassured that God knows about the unjust treatment, the family betrayal, the sneering and mocking, the haughty pride and the "privileged" looks.  No need to devise retribution or vindication, God has it handled.  And He will handle it so much better.

It may seem the greedy world triumphs but God is greater (better than my trusty all purpose shears).  Verse 6 reminds me not to hold onto the slights, betrayal and injustices.

God says to us: Hey, I've got this!

Remember three fingers point at me

“This is what the Lord says: “For three sins of Gaza, even for four, I will not relent. Because she took captive whole communities and sold them to Edom,”
‭‭Amos‬ ‭1:6‬ ‭NIV‬‬
https://www.bible.com/111/amo.1.6.niv

I bragged about how big our peppers were.  My husband said "Send me a picture." Easy to do with my handy iphone but how would he know just how big it was?  So I grabbed nearest familiar object to give him a comparison.

Comparison is a tool our brain uses to comprehend the world.  

We use comparison to divide time. We lived through a major earthquake.  We have before earthquake (B.E.)possessions and fewer after earthquake items (A.E.).

We use comparison to value.  Like how big the pepper is.

We compare our abilities to others. It makes us feel better or worse.

Maybe we even compare our sins. 

Perhaps when Amos was listing sins (as in verse 1:6) and condemning all of Israel's evil neighbors, the Israelites were nodding in agreement.  Perhaps they were feeling a bit better about themselves, in comparison. Perhaps they relished the sentences of God's judgment.

But............ all too soon Amos delivers God's evaluation of their behavior and lifestyles.  I was reminded of the admonition of an elementary school teacher. "Remember when you point your finger at someone that will be three fingers pointing back at you."

Amos 1:6 reminds me to stop wasting time comparing my life to others to feel better about myself.  Ask, how does God feel about me? 

A Sunday School teacher taught me "Jesus loves me this I know for the Bible tells me so."