Real Love

Hosea 5 and 6 don't seem like much of a love letter from God to Israel and Judah. God is informing them through the prophet Hosea that their disobedience and sin has caught up with them and judgement is coming. Hosea 5:4 says," their deeds do not permit them to return to their God." For us on this side of the New Covenant, who are allowed access to the throne room of God because of the debt Christ paid for us, not being able to return to God seems harsh.  We want to shout, "What about the love?"

Isn't it interesting that we tend to comprehend love only in the context of what feels good or happy or fun. That's how Valentine's Day is presented. Shower those you love with gifts of candy and flowers! Spoil the ones you love! Be mushy-gushy! Don't get me wrong, expressing our appreciation with excitement and joy to the ones who make our lives more worthwhile is a good thing to do. The difficulty I see is love is a greater emotion than happiness and demands a deeper commitment that being nice.

Hosea 5:15 reads
"I will return again to my place, until they acknowledge their guilt and seek my face, and in their distress earnestly seek me."

God isn't shutting His people out forever. God isn't acting differently from His character. God IS loving them; God is demanding they live in the way that is best for them.

l have recently been working to lose some excess poundage so that my clothes fit appropriately and I maintain good health. I have been recording what I eat in an app on my tablet, and counting those nasty calories. There have been times that my husband has questioned my food choices (and not in a mean way I must clarify). I don't always take his inquiries well. I have to remind myself that he isn't being critical of me, he knows my goal and wants me to be successful and happy with who I am. He is truly loving me. Though my example is very simplistic, God loves in a similar fashion.

God desires the best for us. As the one who designed and created us, God knows what that best is -always. God continually works in our lives to bring us to the place where we live a life that is truly full of fulfillment, purpose and blessing. Sadly, we often get in our heads that a different life than what God suggests is going to be better. And that's what's happening in the book of Hosea. God's people are thinking they know best and God-out of true love - is speaking harsh realities into their lives.

To celebrate Real Love on this Valentine's Day, I challenge you to let God honestly love you. Even if it seems hard or uncomfortable. Even if you perceive He is asking difficult or harsh things of you. His love is always about giving what is best for you. Trust He is good, believe that the One who created you knows how to give you the love you long for.

Live out Hosea 6:1-3 as stated from The Message
“Come on, let’s go back to God . He hurt us, but he’ll heal us. He hit us hard, but he’ll put us right again. In a couple of days we’ll feel better. By the third day he’ll have made us brand-new, Alive and on our feet, fit to face him. We’re ready to study God , eager for God-knowledge. As sure as dawn breaks, so sure is his daily arrival. He comes as rain comes, as spring rain refreshing the ground.”

Jonah and me

I recently read Jonah 2. I've read it before and I've heard the story since I was a child in Sunday School. There were no surprises and I found it interesting in an intellectual sort of way. I read the notes from the NET version in my Bibe app, to see if there was more to discover. Jonah prayed to God and it seemed more about Jonah than God. Jonah gives God credit but Jonah never says he is sorry for disobeying. Disobedience never even comes up. Yet God commands, and the Large Fish spits Jonah onto dry land. I read, the story seemed the same, I was done.
Then I read part of the book "A Life of Obedience" by Andrew Murray. There God fleshed out the concept of disobedience more concretely for me. Murray began the section I read with the idea of obedience unto death. Not an easy concept to grasp -especially in my comfy, sheltered American life. Murray encourages uncovering specific areas of disobedience with the help of the Holy Spirit and then asking for forgiveness → no general 'I am sorry for my sin,' but more along the lines of listing areas where I know I grieve God because I am choosing my own selfish way.
Murray states, " Christ revealed the new law of love. To be as merciful as the Father in heaven, to forgive just as He does, to love our enemies and do good to them that hate us, and live lives of self-sacrifice and benevolence—this was the walk Jesus taught on earth .... Christ spoke much of self-denial. Self is the root of all our lack of love and obedience. Our Lord called His disciple to deny himself and to take up his cross; to forsake all; to hate and lose his own life; to humble himself and become the servant of all. He did so because self-will, self-pleasing, and self-seeking are the source of all sin."
The phrase that first grabbed me was "live lives of self-sacrifice and benevolence." Don't get me wrong, I want to be nice and help others, be benevolent. I think Murray is stating something much greater, that becomes clearer, I think, when he states "self-will, self-pleasing, and self-seeking are the source of all sin."
In Jonah 2, Jonah's prayer has a lot of "I" Statements and declarations. His prayer truly has the allusion of seeking God's help and yet it seems an awful lot about Jonah.  I wonder if my prayers appear that way to God. My heart is to follow Christ, to be completely obedient, to bring Glory to God Almighty through the life I live. How that fleshes out needs to be examined. It's not easy asking the Holy spirit to identify areas of my life where I follow self-will, and have been more concerned with self-pleasing and self-seeking then living a life of self-sacrifice and benevolence. God is calling and I need to be obedient. If I do not obey, if I claim it's too hard, or takes too much time, or that's just for those 'radical Christians,' I am disobedient. Murray states "when self-will is allowed to assert itself and we make provision for the fulfillment of its desire, we are guilty of disobedience to His commands."
My will complains its discomfort, my soul declares its commitment to a Holy and Loving God. Thanks Jonah for the lesson,

The Princess and Propitiation

Propitiation
I don't think the word Propitiation is one I will be throwing around in general conversation. 1.) It's a big word!  2.) It has lots of I-don't-get-that-religious-stuff conotation.  3.) It's not a word that just "flows" in a sentence.  4.) Deep down I'm scared I will use the word incorrectly!

Why the discussion of propitiation? I know it doesn't seem to fit my normal random, have-fun attitude. I read the word today while I was reading my Bible (THE Word). As I read propitiation I thought to myself "Self, you should know what that word means. You've heard it before. You've even perhaps nodded your head as if you understood. So → what does it mean? Spit it out!"  Sometimes I'm a little hard on mySelf, and this time around I felt mySelf stumped.

I read propitiation in Romans 3:25.

(v. 23) for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, (v. 24) and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, (v. 25) whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith.

Confusing isn't it? My Bible gave me a cross-reference of 1 John 2:2 so I looked it up! I cross-referenced in a different Bible and it had a very helpful note on the very word I Was struggling to grasp. Fortuitous wouldn't you say? The explanation given stated that the original Greek word was hard to translate into English. The Greek word could be translated propitiation or atoning sacrifice. Okay...
I literally looked up the word propitiation from the dictionary linked into my Bible app: "the action of propitiating or appeasing a god, spirit, or person" Hmm... appeasing a god. Right below that definition I found "pro·pi·tious adj. giving or indicating a good chance of success; favorable" Which I thought was helpful. This action of appeasing is favorable, and gives one a better chance of success.

I looked back at the verses in Romans 3 and I worked to simplify in my head what I was reading.
• I have sinned. Everyone has.
• This sin separates me from God.
• Because God is full of Grace, He gives me a gift (even though I have this sin problem)
• This gift justifies; the gift pays the debt I owe because of my sin problem. (like getting out of jail in Monopoly, you have to roll doubles, or pay the price demanded...no relationship with God without paying the bill)
• This gift of grace comes through Jesus and the blood He shed when He died on the Cross. (The payment, or the punishment, for sin is death. Someone had to die for my sin to be erased)
• Jesus' blood that He willingly offered (sacrificed for me) appeases God.

In my little mind, this is how I See it.
Entry into the Royal Throne room is free, you just have to have a ticket. The tickets have all been paid for by Jesus. When I choose to believe that this ticket deal is for real I can just ask for one. I admit I am in need of a ticket, that all by myself, I am not fit to enter the Royal Throne room and hangout with God. I get a ticket, it's a gift card really, and it is all gorgeous and sparkly - fit for a Princess! I take my new sparkly Princess gift card to see God. The card is swiped and it shows I don't have to pay anything -the gift card paid the complete balance owed! I enter God's presence with a happy skip and God is delighted to see me! My new "Princess Card" allows me complete access to the Royal Throne room, and God Himself, anytime, anywhere.

I think I like this word propitiation. Propitiation gives me access to the presence of God. Propitiation allows me to have a relationship with God Almighty, the King of Kings! I wonder if I can get the dictionary people to accept my definition for propitiation: a prepaid Sparkly Princess gift Card that gets one entry into the presence of the King of Kings.

It's Morning

What a morning and l've only been up a couple of hours! let me explain....

l. Today is Superbowl Sunday. I don't care.  Football is not my thing and I woke up bemoaning all the hoopla that surrounds this day.  My hubby and I have plans to go over to friends' house for the big game, but as I was getting ready for church I was whining to God about going.  God's a great person to whine to because He always helps my perspective whether I want help or not.  In a nutshell, God asked me if I loved and cared for my friends. That's one of those "well, duh!" questions. Then God asked me if my friends ever do things I really like to do -that maybe is not their favorite choice.  You see where this is heading don't you? Thankfully, the Holy Spirit didn't bean me with a frying pan. He did suggest to me that I view today, not as Suberbowl Sunday, but as Friendship Celebration Sunday. Umm....yup- good idea God.

2. Still experiencing a little "leftover funk" from my previous whine session, I prepared breakfast in  a "ho-hum mood." That in and of itself is not bad, but I definitely wasn't preparing my heart and mind for church. I was listening to Pandora and an orchestral version of "This is my Father's World" began to play. I know a good portion of the words since I've attended church my whole life (and some might classify me as 'older'). I'm sure the Holy spirit reminded me of the words He wanted me to focus on.  Soon I was preparing breakfast and weeping. This world I live in is not by chance. The things that happen on the political scene, in the entertainment world, and even on the global scale are still under the Sovereignty of God Almighty. Jehovah has a plan and is continually working His purposes: This is HIS World! Hallelujah and Amen!

3. God gives bonuses. After God set my total attitude aright , lined up with His, he blessed me with my favorite hymn, "Come Thou Fount", on Pandora. My soul sang and prayed along with the music -especially since the Lord just helped my "wandering soul." And then another song played that reminded me that Scripture says He dances over me! The Holy Spirit reminded me that I am so cared for and adored by an Amazing God. (Double Bonus!)

God gave me a fantastic gift today. He graced my life with personal proof that He is Alive, and involved in the daily details of my life. It's going to be a Glorious day!

Happy Friendship Celebration Sunday!

Good Things

I recently read Psalm 126 and I was struck by the idea that I don't always live my life on the presupposition that God WILL provide good 'fortune.' I believe that God gives good gifts, but I think that I have begun to believe God gives little good treasures to help me survive what I perceive at times is a 'yucky life.'

Psalm 126 tells me that God gives good fortune, a good life. God gives so good that it is overwhelming and causes tears of joy. Admittedly, the Psalmist does talk about their fortune being RE-stored, about sowing in tears, about going out to sow weeping. Everything wasn't always peachy keen. And yet I sense from the Psalmist hope and the confident belief that God is in control even during the weeping. Even through their tears they have continued to sow, to believe that life is worth living, and trying, and working, and pushing forward. Good things are around the corner.

It made me wonder:
When was the last time I cried because I saw life was so overwhelmingly good?
Do I push forward, working, sowing and believing that God has Overwhelming Good just around the corner?
When life is hard do I still exercise hope and allow hope to grant me joy?
Have I bought into the world's definition of good and as a result, have missed seeing the good fortune God has already blessed me?
Am I willing to proclaim and declare that the Good I have been given comes from the hand of God Almighty?

I often say God is good. And I DO believe it to be true. I also believe God does give good gifts.  And now, I am praying that I will have eyes to see and a heart that KNOWS how overwhelming is the good in the life God has given me.

Cleaning my Closet

My email in-box has been inundated with clearance sales from all my favorite stores.  Every day I am sand blasted with 40% off, 50% off -- all the way to 70% off!  It's a shoppers dream!  I admit I have been scouring online for the perfect deal.  

This morning as I spent time alone with Jesus, I read in I Kings 14 and 15.  In those chapters, the Israelites are making poor choices.  They are choosing to follow other gods and God Almighty pulls back His blessing from them.  At times when I read stories in the Old Testament I am overwhelmed. I don't understand God's ways; why at times He is gracious, and at times He judges harshly.  I do believe I have begun to understand some of God's character: He is always working to draw us to him and His deep desire is to have a relationship with His creation. 

As I pondered what I read, I began to wonder about me.  Am I truly living with a heart and attitude that longs to obey?  Do I trust God to provide what I need?  Do I believe that however God chooses to bless me, I will be satisfied?  And if I do trust completely and believe wholeheartedly, why do I spend so much time looking for that special something that I can buy? I know myself well enough to grasp that I love putting pieces together.  I am fascinated by color, shape and style.  So I know that some of my excessive scouring and shopping is partly because of how I am wired.  I also realized this morning that God is challenging me to a deeper level of trust.  God very clearly told me this morning to clean my closet.  

I am pretty sure God doesn't challenge everyone to clean their closets.  I heard his voice very clearly, and I was obedient.  It sounds a bit strange, but it was fun!  There were some pieces that I immediately threw into the get-rid-of pile.  There were a few I tried on and was pleasantly surprised that they fit better than I remembered.  There were a few pieces I pondered over and struggled to make a valid decision.  As I went through the process I realized how truly blessed I was!  I made a short list of pieces that needed to be replaced, and an even shorter list of a piece or two that I would like to add.  I didn't need to be scouring sales for more, God reminded me that He really was providing all I needed.  

God gave me a precious gift of freedom this morning.  He released me from the fear of whether or not I am being obedient and/or trusting Him.  He blessed  me with the knowledge that He has satisfied me in so many ways, and then reminded me I just don't always see it. I still don't always understand why God does what He chooses to do.  I don't need to. God is teaching me how exceedingly trustworthy He is, and how amazing and satisfying life is when I am drawn into deeper relationship with Him. 

I am grateful, and I have been deleting all sorts of emails!

Let's Run!

The other night I ran into the local mall to pick something up.  I had gotten what I needed and was hurrying back to my car when I saw her.  She was holding fast to her mother's hand, tugging with all the enthusiasm her tiny little body could exhibit. "Let's run, Mommy!  Let's run!"  
She was pure delight!  And then she and her mom ran-- not fast mind you, most wouldn't have even classified it as a run.  The young mom smiled at her young daughter.  The precious little girl was bursting with pure joy and the anticipation of more joy to come, just because she could run.

I want to live life like that.  I want to urge those I am with "to run!" I want to be open to the best of all that is before me and encourage others to join in. I want to be excited about  possibilities and not be hesitant to rush forward. I want to not be so focused on what is to be accomplished that I miss out on how the journey can be crammed full of delight. I want to enjoy what I am capable of doing.

I want to live, really live.  

Jesus says in the Bible, John 10:10, "A thief comes to steal and kill and destroy, but I came to give life -- life in all its fullness." (NCV)

Satan is always trying to distract me.  He wants me to feel overwhelmed, too busy, under-appreciated, incapable, trapped, tired, bored.  No matter the picture the devil seems to paint, he's not really into living.  He leads me astray from the best that life can be.

When I see Jesus, when I choose to be obedient to what Christ says is important and significant, I choose life.  Sure there are boundaries to the life God challenges me to live, I'm sure the mom I saw in the parking lot of the mall had boundaries for her child. She held tight to that sweet little girl's hand -- there was a boundary to the expression of joy in running. The girl's joy was not diminished, it was enhanced, for her mom was participating with her, she could feel her mom's presence.  Abundant life with Jesus is like that. He participates with me in this journey of joy, I can know His presence!  His boundaries grant me freedom from fear of what could happen.  He is the one watching out; He is the one who will guard and protect.

The little girl's face and her exclamation "Let's run!" is staying with me.  She challenges me to delight in the day set before me.  She creates a desire in me to express more joy, become more uninhibited in my expression of wonder. She is an example to my soul to live -- really live.