Am I Part of The They?

 

Am I part of The They?

I felt badly for the little fellow. Been there and felt the same way. An outsider.

It was the beginning of the mating season for the jackass penguins.  The penguins were pairing up for the season.  The single bird watched as the pair of penguins hopped up the rocks and entered the opening of their own little cave to multiply the species.  Seconds after the pair disappeared into their dwelling my single friend hopped up the same rocks and entered the same cave.  Immediately, he was booted from the nesting place  and literally bounced down the rocks to the ground.  Rejected. 

We've all been in a similar situation.  So desiring to be included yet excluded.  Yearning to be one of The They.

We and They conjure feelings of inclusive and exclusive.  The need to belong fuels our quest for inclusion and  makes the bite of exclusion very painful and personal.

"I came so they might have Life and have it abundantly" is my theme verse to discover the meaning of Abundant Life. 

Examining the next word in John 10:10b, generate the questions, "Who was Jesus addressing when He spoke these words?"  and "Can I be a part of that They?"

As John 8 begins Jesus was teaching in the temple courtyard.  He engaged in a theological discourse with the Pharisees, the religious leaders of the day.  He leaves.  As He walks He notices a blind man  and heals him.  The newly sighted man is called before the Pharisees for an explanation.  The healed man gave an upsetting testimony so they expelled him from the synagogue.

 

“Jesus heard that they had put him out [of the synagogue], and finding him, He asked, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?”

John 9:35 AMP 

https://www.bible.com/1588/jhn.9.35,41.amp 

 

Without getting theological, psychological and sociological, lets' stop and relish the words, "Jesus heard....and found him..."  Consider the impact of Jesus' actions.  He responded to the single person excluded by the religious leaders. 

What must the Pharisees thought? Who is this guy to challenge our way of life?

The disciples? This will get interesting, be ready to exit stage left!

The average person in the on looking crowd? Would this Jesus come find me, please?

 

Here's the good news. This Jesus will, and has already come for you.  in a very personal fashion Jesus sees something within me, you and all the rest of The They.  That something is our need to belong and have relationship with God and others like us.  He cares so much He came, died and rose to make the way.

 

“He wants not only us but everyone saved, you know, everyone to get to know the truth we’ve learned: that there’s one God and only one, and one Priest-Mediator between God and us—Jesus, who offered himself in exchange for everyone held captive by sin, to set them all free. Eventually the news is going to get out. This and this only has been my appointed work: getting this news to those who have never heard of God, and explaining how it works by simple faith and plain truth.”

1 Timothy 2:4-7 MSG  Emphasis added.

https://www.bible.com/97/1ti.2.4-7.msg

 

The earthly world divides us into We and They. Jesus includes and joins.

Am I part of the They in John10?

Yes.  All includes me, and you.  Everyone includes me and you.  No longer to feel like the rejected penguin. Jesus, The All in All, notices you and me, hears us and finds us.  

To So or Not to Sew

 At last!  I'm able to continue  my blog journey of The Abundant  Life. I'd signed myself up for three online Bible studies.  (What was I thinking?)

My theme verse is a fraction of  verse 10 of John 10, "I came so they might have Life and have it abundantly."  The plan is consider each word to discover the meaning of Abundant Life. 

The world's interpretation of abundance is accumulation, control and visible. This view is quite enticing and seems so available.

Here's a recap of what I've discovered so by mediating on each word.  Abundant Life is more of Jesus, not worldly stuff.  Abundant Life is eternal, not temporary.  Abundant Life is about following, not trailblazing.  Abundant Life is for our benefit and fills our deepest needs.

"I came so..." I've been pondering the word "So."  (Hearing the word "So" brings visions of my glorious new sewing room. 

 

I'm being brutally honest with this photo of my untidy room.  Be kind.... creativity is messy!  In my room,  large pieces of fabric are cut into small bits to be sewn into particular patterns to create intricate designs. 

Some ask, why cut large pieces of fabric into small pieces only to sew them back together to make a large piece? My answer to this why: It is my expression of creativity. The process gives me enjoyment, satisfaction and anticipation.

As humans we long for purpose, for ourselves and the circumstances affecting us.  The why question is often the first a small human asks.  If you are a parent or have interacted with young humans, remember back to a  child whose response to any request is why.  It can be exasperating to the adult and occasionally the adult's response is "because I said so."  This   response is totally unfulfilling in the quest to make sense of the chaos in the world.

Too often in life, we ask the wrong question.  On one of my overseas adventures, an official asked me from where I was coming.  My recitation of my recent itinerary confused him.  Rather he was frustrated.  His English was limited. English is my only language.  We had a failure to communicate.  Three times he asked the same question until he had a revelation and altered his question to "Why are you coming?"  My  answer satisfied him and he welcomed me to his country.

Perhaps we don't dwell on the Why Jesus came question enough.  Today's thinking has inspired me to consider the Why. Sometimes I avoid the question thinking it a sign of doubt.  Yet today it generates anticipation.  Jesus invites me  to a unique opportunity. Jesus brings us a way of life the world cannot.  What seems to be bits and pieces  of life, He actually has a special design just for me  and you.  Jesus invites you, and me, into His creative design for life.  He can use the bits and pieces of our life, sometimes made messy by our own misdirected efforts, into a unique plan, a purpose.

 

The word "So" in this portion of verse 10 in John 10 brings anticipation  "So" is a conjunction, a joining word, an alert that something important is to be revealed. The why question will be answered.

Some ask why Jesus came.  "So" is the signal of the answer given.  Jesus came to earth to offer me, and you, not just Life, but Abundant Life.  My mind visualizes Jesus opening a door and inviting me, and you, into His abode. It's not the famous church school rendition of Jesus knocking on a door with no handle, asking to enter.  Rather it's a rendition of the Ghost of Christmas  Present in The Muppet Christmas Carol.  The giant character, whose presence swelled to fill the room,  joyously holds open the door and invites Scrooge to enter and "Know me better, man!"

We may feel like waiting for His invitation but the invite was proffered years ago.

 

“But those who wait for the LORD [who expect, look for, and hope in Him] Will gain new strength and renew their power; They will lift up their wings [and rise up close to God] like eagles [rising toward the sun]; They will run and not become weary, They will walk and not grow tired.”

Isaiah 40:31 AMP

https://www.bible.com/1588/isa.40.31.amp  (emphasis added)

 

 

Isaiah 40:31 has always fascinated ,me.  The irony of waiting and binding together.  The definition of the Hebrew word for wait includes "to collect, bind together."  Jesus came to collect, what seems to us, chaotic bits and pieces of everyday life to join (or stitch) together to give us a purpose, a part of the master design of life.  Our role is to spend time in anticipation, hope and trust.

Sounds too simple yet, anticipation builds as I explore His description of this Life.  Remember He calls it abundant!  Abundant Life must be big, fill the room big, super-power big.  Oh right, Jesus does have super powers, like flying as an eagle, like fatigueless energy, like victory over death.

Perhaps as the Ghost of Christmas Present  invited Scrooge, Jesus invites you, and me to step through His open door of Abundant Life and know Him better, people!

Guts

 

I(Jesus) Came So...

I know how you feel.   Words I only speak rarely.  I've heard them given as token comfort. There was no comfort when I don't perceive a common experience. These words only comfort when the same or very similar experience is apparent.  I reserve these words for occasions when my gut tells me I can relate, share, bond, minister.

 

Here's a fragmented photo of my most recent celebration as a breast cancer survivor. (18 years and counting, thanks to God.)  No diagnosis  is the same but some of our reactions can be.  I do share these with those who have an inkling.  (My adorable assistant in this  photo holding the 8 fingers to add to my 10, didn't have a clue as to her purpose in the photo. Thanks be to God!)  My husband and son definitely are survivors in their own way..  They journeyed through that season with me.  They  understand and share the importance of the photo commemoration.

I'm moving on in my blog journey of The Abundant  Life and  my meditation of the fraction of  verse 10 of John 10, "I came so they might have Life and have it abundantly".(At the rate I'm writing, I'll understand Abundant Life when Jesus comes back.!)

When I was a child a local religious organization had outreach TV commercials that opened with the phrase "The word for the day is...."  (made quite the impression if I'm reminded after nearly 60 years!) The word for today is Incarnation.  A dictionary would define this big theological word as "a person who embodies in the flesh...."  Remember Joseph's dream when he was told Mary would  give birth to a son who would be called Emmanuel which means God with us. Matthew 1: 23.

My brain attempts to comprehend this impressive word, Incarnation, as God slipped into human flesh so our limited human brains could just begin to understand the mystery of relationship with God.  He came in such a way so I'd know He knows.

I had a colleague who experienced a horrible family loss.  Her family thought a trip would help.  Her grief encompassed her. Our feeble attempts to minister missed the mark.   She needed the ones who shared and understood her tremendous loss.   The decision was made that she should fly home.  I volunteered to drive her to the airport.

 

As we drove she shared some details of the tragedy.   I could not imagine the pain and depth of her misery.  My gut told me I shared no such experience.  My role was to listen, let her talk and get her safely on her way to people who could comfort her. I'd delivered her to the gate for her return home.  I got in my car and drove to the nearest fast food stop.  My thought was a cold drink.  My gut was signaling---I needed to throw up.  Her bits of grief and misery shared in the past hour hit me in the guts.

 

Jesus' Incarnation reveals the depth of God's compassion. God, Himself, revealed His compassion by being in the flesh.  He felt deep compassion for the widow whose only son had died (see Luke 7:13).  The Greek word for the day is "splagchnizomai".  I  won't try to use it in a sentence. It denotes a depth of emotion which comes from the bowels, the guts, really,  really, deep. Gut feelings are as deep as you can get- gut feelings. (In Biblical times the stomach was considered the seat of emotion.)  On a gut level, Jesus knows, even when we think no one else does.  His compassion for our plights is deep, splaghnizomai deep, gut-wrenching compassion.

 

God absolutely understands.  Jesus wore the flesh of man as God Himself.  Hence my "AHA' verses in Hebrews:

 

“For we do not have a High Priest who is unable to sympathize and understand our weaknesses and temptations, but One who has been tempted [knowing exactly how it feels to be human] in every respect as we are, yet without [committing any] sin.”

Hebrews 4:15 AMP

https://www.bible.com/1588/heb.4.15. 

 

“Therefore let us [with privilege] approach the throne of grace [that is, the throne of God’s gracious favor] with confidence and without fear, so that we may receive mercy [for our failures] and find [His amazing] grace to help in time of need [an appropriate blessing, coming just at the right moment].”

Hebrews 4:16 AMP

https://www.bible.com/1588/heb.4.16.amp

 

 Only God can know how we feel.  Take comfort, friends,  when no one knows how it feels, you are never alone.  God, absolutely and completely, knows. and He is the source of compassion, straight from the gut.

 

 

G od

U nderstands

T otally

VBS

 

Virtual.  A well used word in this season of life.  Everything I experience seems to be virtual, not actual face to face interaction, but electronically based.  Church, shopping, fun.

Even VBS (Vacation Bible School) was virtual.

 My husband and I are regularly "hanging out" with the five year granddaughter during the pandemic. Her church provided a backpack full of fun and learning about Jesus.  Three days we re-experienced Vacation Bible School through an elementary kid's perspective.

One day's activity included making pretzels.  Yummy and fun.  I took the liberty to share with her my views on the care and feeding of yeast. I don't doubt she'll use said pearls of wisdom as an adult.  She remembers literally (her favorite word) everything from the time my mind wandered at a stop light when she was 3 to how any puzzle pieces Papi actually  placed in the correct spot.  She was more enthused about me using her hand to measure the salt.  Hopefully, Gammy's legacy as a cook will be useful to her future culinary adventures.

I've revisited my earliest memory of Vacation Bible School. I was just a year older than my granddaughter.  l distinctly remember it was not our "home" church and it was just down the street from our home.. I suspect we had recently moved into the neighborhood and Mother thought I'd make some friends. (Or Mother needed some "Me" time apart from my little brother and I.)  

My lifetime friends were not found that week but this VBS had a lifetime  impact. No names or faces exist in my memory bank. The clearest memory of this week in my childhood was memorizing the 23rd Psalm.  The familiar words still resonate in my crowded memory.

As I continue to ponder "I" in my theme verse, John 10:10b :  "I came so they might have Life and have it abundantly",  Psalm 23 reminds me what Jesus is to me. Just past my theme verse in John's gospel, Jesus describes Himself as "The Good Shepherd."

“The LORD is my Shepherd [to feed, to guide and to shield me], I shall not want.”

Psalms 23:1 AMP https://www.bible.com/1588/psa.23.1.amp

As a lifelong city-girl, I checked the internet for the job description of shepherd.  The Amplified version of verse 1 of Psalm 23 matched the primary roles of a shepherd of my online study, to lead the sheep of the flock to nourishment and to guard from Life's dangerous circumstances.

I was surprised at a role I expected to see listed but found missing, the economic benefit of wool production.  Finally I arrived at a section on "Shearing." The point of shearing, was not the economics  and it was inspiring!

Shearing gives the  sheep cleanliness, comfort and protection.  Shearing is for the welfare of the sheep not the benefit of the shepherd. 

·         Shearing removes buildup of manure and other distasteful matter.  Who wants to live in  smelly unclean clothes?

·         Shearing controls the body temperature of sheep.  As a mature women who has years of experience with hot flashes, I can relate to comfort of body temp.

·         Shearing frees the sheep to flee from predators.  I'm guessing flight is a sheep's first and best defense against hungry hunters.   Sheep focus on eating so intensely I think they wonder off from the flock and forget to consider their environment for potential danger.

Jesus, my Good Shepherd, has sheared me and continues to shear me, not for His benefit but for my welfare.   Jesus came to be the ultimate sacrifice and to cleanse me from my sins.   Regret is not my first choice for guiding my life.  Too often I wallow in regret, ignoring the absolute fact that Jesus has died for my many failures, faults and outright sins.  He "sheared" these deficiencies for my welfare, not His benefit.  He sees something of value in a relationship with this unclean "sheep" and Himself cleans me up.

Jesus, my Good Shepherd has sheared me for my comfort.  My ill advised life choices  put me into "hot water".  If I merely follow His guidance and involvement, I'll spend time in those cool, refreshing pastures more often.  Pasture time is for my welfare, not His benefit.  Jesus offers me a daily life of less "hot" and more even.

Jesus, my Good Shepherd offers me a streamlined life.  He offers an abundant life with simple priorities and achievable goals.  My worldly thirst for more and temporary creature comforts (the predators)  complicate my life.  How much of the Abundance of Life have I missed by refusing to be sheared of unnecessary" wool"?  Why attach so much importance to the "wool" I hang onto? The wool of the world is  full of dirt. sweat and unmentionables?

My discoveries on my inquiry on the Abundant Life:  There is the world's temporary offering of a life of abundance and then, there is Jesus'  Abundant  Life,, true, fulfilling and eternal,

There is the false abundant life this world compels us to chase OR

There is Jesus' Abundant Life, bought and paid for by the Shepherd Himself.

·         Jesus' Abundant Life is for my welfare, not His benefit.

·         Jesus' Abundant Life is gained by more and less--more relationship with The Very Good Shepherd, and less of the weight of the worldly "wool."

·         Jesus' Abundant Life is not about accumulating more worldly "wool".  Rather my life's journey allows The Good Shepherd to shear  the world's weighty wool to benefit me with a life more "amazing" than I can imagine,  Jesus' Abundant Life.

 

VBS =

 V ery

B est

S hepherd

who leads me, and you, to the Very Best Abundant Life.  Schedule more time with The eternal VBS for a bit of "worldly wool shearing" today. It's for our benefit!

 

My Favorite Things

I'm definitely a collector.  Not quite a hoarder, although......... my husband invites me to clear out my empty box collection semi-annually.

No one quite understands what I treasure or why. Maybe I'm not consciously clear on why either.  The Scottish dancers, a photo of a dog that I can't remember its name and I never met, the hula dancer painting, the ratty desk lamp, Snow White cake decoration....  The list goes on.

Reminds me of the song, from the movie Sound of Music,  entitled "My Favorite Things."  The chorus gives me a clue to why I collect  and find it so hard to part with these curios.  "When the dog barks, when the bee stings.... I simply remember my favorite things... and then I don't feel so bad."

My strange keepsakes bring me comfort, remind me of good memories and focus my attention onward.  I've disciplined myself to not assign too much emotion or power to these items because they are temporal, very temporary.  Eventually they will all end up in a trash bin but for now, they have a function of steering my course of life.

As I progress through my blog journey of The Abundant  Life and  my meditation of the fraction of  verse 10 of John 10, "I came so they might have Life and have it abundantly", I have deliberately stalled on the first word- "I".

Jesus is The "I" in  the sentence and my thoughts.  I have a collection of my favorite things about Jesus.  I don't  offer a theological treatise or a proclamation  of His divinity and authority.  Just a random collection of my personal observations of who and what Jesus means to me personally.

Luke 7: 11-15 is the top of my list of "AHAs" about Jesus.  Jesus and disciples enter a town called Nain.  As He arrives a funeral procession is exiting the village as He is entering.  The funeral is of a young man whose death leaves his mother alone, totally alone, a widow and now childless in a society that didn't  provide for the survival of women in such a state of aloneness.

Jesus knew her situation and her future because, well, He was God and knew.  He was on Earth so He understand the breadth of her tragedy.  He knew what she had gone through, was going through at that moment and what her future would be because He was God.

Here's my favorite part: His heart went out to her.  He had compassion, great compassion.  He knew.  He was the only one who truly knew.

So He spoke to her... Spoke to her son and GAVE HER SON BACK.  How cool is that?

Jesus understood her need, made a personal contact and changed her destiny. In one moment, this woman was ending life as she knew it.  In the blink of an eye, touch of  God, she had a completely new future.

AHA:    This episode taught me that

·         Jesus  has great compassion for my circumstance,

·         Jesus has  deep love for humanity, even me, and

·         He is able to be in control of my future.

Life is full of entering and exiting experiences.  My AHA of Jesus in Nain reminds me that He is The source of my abundant life.  I can't control those entrances and exits.  I am never alone in those comings and goings of life.  He is with me, and you, absolutely always.  He loves me, and you and will give us each an abundant future starting today!

If I acknowledge His gift of abundant life I gain comfort from One who  is full of compassion because He knows about real life and He is a "game changer", a life changer. 

This AHA gives me perspective  to remember life has not always been bad.  It's been and will be a great life, I have the treasures to prove it. 

I can't control life changing but He can.  He has the ability to change death to life.  He is the One who holds my future, and it's really, really spectacular.

AHA from Nain:  Jesus gives me comfort, security and perspective....the abundant life!  (and it's eternal not temporary like my curious treasures!)

What verse gives you a glimpse of how much Jesus loves you?  Got a "treasure" to show it?   There's more to Jesus.... I'm not quite ready to move on from my pondering of I, Jesus... more later.

 

I, Jesus

"...I came so they may have Life and have it abundantly."  John 10:10b

I, Jesus...

"If I'm wrong and you're right what have I lost?  But if I'm right and you're wrong... You've lost everything."  His statement pierced my heart and mind. My confidence  in my self-formed "what happens at the end of life" was shaken.

I never want to miss anything. Too my friends' humor, I often sleep in the living area during the girl retreats.  I'm early to bed, early to rise.  So to prevent missing any late night shenanigans, I'll sleep on a couch with the late night types leaving the instructions to wake me for the really fun stuff.

When my new husband shared his experience with Jesus and the gift of eternal life, I confidently responded with my view that we end up in the ground, period. His Spirit-led response to my retort shattered the philosophy to which I depended. I really do not  want to miss something so eternal.

Eternal life?  What was that about?  Where is it?  How about me?  I may want that.  The pondering began.  Questions had answers. As dominoes fall, my almost agnostic world crumbled.

My abundant life was on the horizon. I saw real hope.  I yearned for a real future better than I could imagine.

One evening, shortly thereafter, we were watching TV at our friends' home.  Suddenly my husband jumped from the floor, switched off the TV and announced we were going home.(He claims we were playing the game of Life, but I don't recall.)

The house with aqua carpet

Upon arrival at home, he took my hand and led me to the floor with the horrible aqua carpet.  He laid it out for me.  Who, What, How. I knew the Why.....I didn't want to miss anything! Next thing I remember clearly was asking Jesus for forgiveness of my sins and pledging to follow His way.

My abundant life began.  Today it continues.  Sometimes I miss the fullness due to my stubborn selfishness.  The goal of this blog series is to deepen my gratitude and understanding of the enormous gift Jesus gave and gives.

How did your journey with Jesus begin?  Remembering the foundation or finding of yesterday will inspire joy and enthusiasm today. 

If you haven't made the choice to receive this incredible gift, do it today!  You don't want to miss anything either!

Jesus and I. 

It  begins with Jesus. 

It continues with Jesus. 

Think  I'll linger a bit longer considering Jesus.  More next time.

Ready for a New Quest

I've started rationing.  Not butter.  Not toilet paper. Nor the elusive rubbing alcohol.  I ration a product I'll call the magic cereal!

I have a regularly scheduled "hang-out" with a five year old who thrives on magic cereal.  Actually my observation is she just eats the marshmallow like shapes.  Yet yesterday the standard operating procedure of proving any adult opinion wrong kicked in.  She ate the cereal twice! 

After a couple days at Gammy's house,  Gammy made an evaluation of the cereal's nutritional value, and her budget, and put a limit on the amount of cereal consumed in a day. Granted  the designated ration is still within the over indulgent grandmother standard.  I do have an image to maintain.

Observing a full bowl of magic cereal prior to her consumption gave me a flashback memory.  A period of teenage angst when I blurted out "If this is all life is, it's not worth it!"  Fortunately, I unloaded this dark matter on my mother who gave me a cooling off period and then soothingly gave an alternate view of life.

For the past several years, I've pondered my past life.  There's more in the rear view mirror than I'd like to admit.  The fragment of a verse which has nudged me through my adult years is John 10:10b.  "I came so that they may have life and have it abundantly." (NASB)  or the version I re-read today in Living Bible "My purpose is to give life in all its fullness."

This fraction of a verse has rattled through my thinking often as I have traveled the more mature season of life.  I have concluded  Jesus has given me and is giving me a full life.  I'm amazed at what my life is at this point and I'm satisfied.  It's been good, really good.  A far cry from the darkness of a teenage girl in the 1960s and 1970s.

My next blog quest will be exploration of the abundant life, life in all its fullness.  What does it look life? Do I have it?  If so how did I get it?  Can I share any advice with others? I am fairly well traveled with minor scarring.

A couple weeks ago we drove through a new favorite frozen dessert restaurant.   Unfortunately when we arrived home and opened the bag, our order was not complete.  One carton was absent.  One was the wrong flavor.  Rather than drive the 20 minutes back, I called, hoping for a simple refund.  The friendly manager on duty offered to rectify the error if we returned.  I explained the length of the drive and she offered to mail me a coupon.  I was satisfied with the offer of a coupon for the missing carton.

Two days later abundance arrived in an envelope!  We received the apology letter enclosing the promised coupon.  I expected the coupon to grant us one carton of frozen enjoyment.  I hoped it would cover two cartons, as the original purchase included an error in the flavor.  To our delight the coupon was for 8, yes that is correct four times my wish!  We've told everyone this story.  The friendly manager surely secured lifelong customers in us.

So, does God ration?  Jesus promised His disciples and me, and you, life to the fullest. 

I'm going to explore this topic for a while.  Join my quest, I'm expecting life to include lots of those memorable marshmallow moments along with character building nutrition.  This journey may include the darkness the "world" so desperately wants me to embrace.  I've lived long enough to smell that trick and realize the temporal nature.  What the world offers is short lived and ultimately empty.  God has given me, is giving me and will give me a full life.  I just know it.

Malachi 3:10 warns and promises.  God's blessing will be so great I won't have room! Our mini-sized freezer had difficulty holding the bounty of frozen delight!  Good thing I'm a collector of baskets. I'll surely be able to store up the flood of blessings.  Or will I?  Perhaps there will be sharing...............

The Sixes Advice for "W.I.L.D. Life"

The Sixes Advice for "Wild Life"

Another confession.  I am distracted by my gray current state of life.  Circumstances, within and beyond my control, influence  my delay  to conclude my blog series, "The Sixes Gone Wild!"

Months ago I challenged myself to blog using the 6th verse of each book of the Bible as inspiration.  66 verses should have taken me a matter of weeks. Like the Israelites in Exodus, I've turned a journey of a few weeks into years.   When I  finish I'll reward myself with the "atta girl" that fuels my day--checking the box on my daily list!

“and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.”

Revelation 1:6 NIV

https://www.bible.com/111/rev.1.6.niv

 

How can I dwell in this magnificent kingdom?  Reviewing the previous 65 posts over a period of years, convinces me of the lesson to be learned.  I am pursuing a normal human quest for belonging.  Revelation 1: 6 declares that I am a member of His kingdom.  The mission of said Kingdom proclaims God's glory and power.

 

I think I need a plan  for  the journey of belonging to such a Kingdom.  My plan is confused by my basic human insecurity and my insufficient confidence.  It's complicated.

 

God gave me a place in His kingdom through the redemptive work of Jesus Christ.  Seems too simple to be true!  I am included by God's grace.  Perhaps my goal for life should be to claim membership and recognize this amazing gift! I am loved by God and belong in His kingdom.

 

The undercurrent themes of my 65 observations are:

à        pay attention to the lead of the Holy Spirit,

à        make the focus of my life Jesus and

à        confidently rest in the unfailing love of God.

Pay attention to the Holy Spirit in this world? Can I get five minutes of peace and quiet in this noisy world?

Focus on Jesus. Really?  Seen my "to do" list?  Seen my "want to do" list? 

Confidently rest of the love of God?  Seen the world news lately?

Blame is assigned to circumstances in life both crazy and wild, the dark and gray times.  Yet as my calendar pages flip from day to day, those wild sixth verses compel me to the journey of life with exciting, red times of loving and following Jesus.

As  the preceding 65 verses have reminded, I must love and follow Jesus in the midst of this wild life.  Too often  I stagnate in the gray. Excusing my less than admirable lifestyle, I  resolve, "when life calms, I'll obey."  My life has been long enough to learn:  there's always something.... (Stand by)

I'm on "Grandma duty" today.  Since beginning this page,  I've done  my first watercolor of the day, discussed the quality of bubble blowing material and future fashion choices.  I've written a check and sent the hubby and sidekick to the mailbox.  Calmed the dog pack with treats and now I return to ponder spiritual matters with just two televisions playing in the background....(Pause)

OK I'm back now.... momentary distraction... the budding artist is exploring color theory with purple and magenta.  I just heard "done."  Better to check on where she heads next....(Hold please.)

No worries, a moment to express her affection to  one of the black pack.  Said dog is now barking at me demanding something.  My pondering is on hold.....(I'll be back.)

I felt the need to eavesdrop on Papi's lesson on the remote control.  Not sure why, he has lots more experience with the remote than I.  Served a bit of breakfast and back to pondering...

What might this recap of the past hour reveal?  After a session of bubble blowing, my attention is drawn to my latest water color.  I can't resist her invitation:  "Gammy, paint with me."  So I experiment with a few colors.

Perhaps this artistic expression reveals advice for my spiritual journey.  Don't  dwell in the dark times.  Push through the  gray.  Rejoice in the joyful red time--bubbles, color, love and Jesus--to the full.

You may think your life is wild with your plan but I have had glimpses of a W.I.L.D. life from the sixth verses of the 66 books of the Bible.

W hile

I

L ive Life

D iscover God has the Best for me,  and you.

God asks me to enjoy Him in a joyful red life.  He is with me through the dark and gray.  He never leaves me alone.  I  allow the noise of life to create murkiness.  A W.I.L.D. life is available.   Explore the many colored gift of life with God.

P.S.  I intentionally wrote my first draft in the noisy part of my day.  I've edited, several times, in the quiet of the early morning.  Glad I did!

 

Delay Not! God's Best Awaits Us

Delay Not!  God's Best Awaits Us

 

It's time to confess:  I'm a staller.  I never want a good book to end.  The final 50 pages can take days to read.  Even though I never read the ending until I get to it.  I dally through the closing of a book.

 

I started my current blog project over a year ago.  It should have taken me a few months at the   most,   Two entries remain.  Yet I find too many distractions to accomplish this goal.

 

The challenge of the blog series was a meditation on the sixth verse of each book in the Bible entitled with exactly 6 words.   I believe inspiration for my daily living is found in the Bible.  Would I find wisdom in each and every verse?

The advice in Jude 6 looms before me.   It may seem obscure to some.  It speaks directly. It makes me vulnerable.  It leads me to confess my feet dragging lifestyle.

 

 

 

“And I remind you of the angels who did not stay within the limits of authority God gave them but left the place where they belonged. God has kept them securely chained in prisons of darkness, waiting for the great day of judgment.”

Jude 1:6 NLT

https://www.bible.com/116/jud.1.6. 

 

The mind first focuses on limits and chains.  Hence the delay tactics begin.  Have I encountered the disproof of my  theory?  There is wisdom in each and every verse.  God imparts it. Guidance is available right where it belongs.  I choose to avoid, delay and procrastinate.

 

Just yesterday, I heard myself confess to two  different sets of friends.  I don't like to submit to authority nor confess failures or inadequacies.  I try to  create my own realm.

 

Yet,  God has the place where I belong.   It is the best as God gives the Best and only the Best.  My heart searched for The place to belong when everything in the world proved a cheap imitation, not even close to The Best.

 

My new BFF arrived on Saturday.  I'm in love with the lavender.  The best surprise was the ease of acquaintance.  I thought a new phone meant discord, confusion, frustration.  I avoided the change for years, hence the minimum trade-in value. 

 

Why did I wait so long to be in the place I belong?  I want the visible and tangible, but is it The Best?  I want the immediate and grandiose, but is it The Best?

 

Jude 6 has reminded me of my position, my place of belonging--in the hands of the all knowing, ever loving God who wants me to have The Best, His Best.

 

 

 

Good Job Gaius, Continue Good Work

“They have told the church here of your loving friendship. Please continue providing for such teachers in a manner that pleases God.”
3 John 1:6 NLT
https://www.bible.com/116/3jn.1.6.nlt

 

 

"I wish I'd known him." I realized as I sat in the church pew with my coworkers listening to the dearly departed's grandchildren memorialize.   He was a great guy who lived life well and left a legacy.

 

Years later, my "AHA" moment, at a funeral I went to out of respect, challenges my approach to life. Will my life make a difference?  How will  I be remembered?

 

The third book of John makes it plain:  Love and care for others in a way to bring honor to God.   John complimented the recipients of his letter . He acknowledged their support of other itinerant servants.  John also warns them to avoid the drama too often created by human selfish pride.

 

This book  reminds me to serve others so they will not say "  I wish I'd known her" but " God is good and faithful."   

 

Walk away from selfish pride. Walk in a manner  to glorify God.  

 

Stay Diligent, Stay Obedient, Stay Loving

"You have a pretty smart boy." I spoke into a small opening in the concrete wall.  Mama turned at the sound of my voice.  She rapidly approached the opening and focused one eye directly at me.  The guide quietly mentioned I might want to take a step back.  Mama Rhino was friendly but you can't predict when a rhino horn might protrude from the opening.  From one step back, two proud mothers of sons acknowledged our common bond.

Rhinos prove to me that God has a sense of humor.  Only a mother could love such an oddly designed animal.  Our "bucket list" trip included an up close and personal afternoon with the rhinos at the wild animal park.  Baby Edward had charmed many visitors as the Rhino nation's newest, cutest and most precocious ambassador.  Edward upstaged the adult rhinos when he noticed the people with cameras by prancing in front of the adults.

Mama rhino and I share a mother's pride in her off spring.  Mama Rhino seemed appreciative of my compliment. The sixth verse in 2 John reminds of a common bond believers have--love.  Love from God, Love for 

god  and Love for each other.

“I can’t tell you how happy I am to learn that many members of your congregation are diligent in living out the Truth, exactly as commanded by the Father. But permit me a reminder, friends, and this is not a new commandment but simply a repetition of our original and basic charter: that we love each other. Love means following his commandments, and his unifying commandment is that you conduct your lives in love. This is the first thing you heard, and nothing has changed.”

2 John 1:4-6 MSG                                   

https://www.bible.com/97/2jn.1.4-6.msg

John enjoyed the report of the congregation's unifying love for each other.  He also remind them to use the love of God and others as the  standard of living life in this world.

We are living through a season when love and kindness is encouraged and is demonstrated.  Love and kindness will bind us together.  The road sign reminds:  "Stay home, Stay kind  and Stay hopeful."  John reminds: Stay diligent to the truth, Stay obedient to the commandments and Stay loving. each other.

R eal love

H appens

I n walking with

N o other but The

O ne True God

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