Paul writes...1Thessalonians 4:11-12 "11Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, 12so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody."
Paul worked really hard. He was betrayed by his countrymen, he spent time in prison, he was persecuted, he was stoned, he was whipped, and he was mocked. He ran for countless hours to avoid death, he stood firm in front of leaders of the synagogues in harsh territory, he built tents to make his own way, and he was never idle.
Philippians 2:14-16 "14Do everything without complaining or arguing, 15so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe 16as you hold out the word of life—in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing."
And Paul put all of these sufferings over the heads of Christs followers, not as a guilt trip or as a complaint, but as a motivating factor. He was not loud about his status as a disciple, but he was quiet in a way. Yes, he spoke up...but he was also quiet. I want to be like Paul. I want to be a shining light, a star in the sky, to guide others off of the crooked path.
I came up with an analogy at my girls' bible study this last week...
All my life I have been pushing myself to be like the Sun. It's the biggest, the brightest, and everyone knows it is there and has known it was in the sky since the beginning of time. It marks the days and tells people how to live, how to grow crops, when to go to sleep. It enters everyone's lives, whether being asked to or not. The Sun is powerful and shows its power.
But God has called us to live "quiet lives" and "shine like stars in the universe." How can I be quiet but still guide others? I can choose to be like the North Star. Significantly smaller in our sky, the North Star has not always been noticed, but has instead been discovered. It quietly guides those who seek its assistance and helps others find the right path. While it is not the biggest or the brightest, it still has an important purpose. It lives quietly and unassumingly as an important guidance in the lives of others.
I'm not asked to shout the name of Christ. That comes out of my joy for him! But I am asked to shine the name of Christ. So here my journey to become like the North Star, like Paul, like a guide begins.
Monday, April 16, 2007
Monday, April 2, 2007
Three: Faithfulness
God has pressed the idea of faith on my heart this last school year. While giving up old friends, trying to make new ones, signing on for a mision trip, and surrendering my passions to Christ, I have been asked to have faith. What is faith? What determines if I have it? Do faith and fear come hand in hand?
(Mark 11:22-24) 22"Have faith in God," Jesus answered. 23"I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. 24Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.
When I went to Colorado Springs for my summer missions orientation, I had a little chat with God. Well, it was more like a little freak out. I said to Him, "That's it, I'm not going on this trip unless You can show me, God, that I will get the money for it. I'm giving up unless You show me how faithful you are." And he showed me that verse in response. "Sure God," I thought.
The next day I had to take a 20 minute flight from Colorado Springs into Denver. Before my friends left on their flights, I told them about my talk with God the night before and about how I wasn't sure this mission thing was for me. They reassured me that God would answer my prayer and they went on their ways. I tried to get on an earlier plane and ended up getting on the 2nd standby flight. God had something in store for me. There was one seat left for me on the plane (as my drum had to take the seat in the front row), and I moved back to the 8th row, next to a nice gentleman named Blair Sawyer. Blair and I started talking about what we were doing in Colorado Springs, and after a few minutes we ended up sharing life stories and our testimonies with one another. Turns out that all 3 of his children went to Wheaton College (where my boyfriend goes to school, and I happened to be flying there the next week!). By the time the flight was ending, he told me about how he realized in college that he wasn't very good at going on missions...so he funds missionaries (currently, five of them!). He pulled out his business card, wrote his address on the back, and told me that he wanted to help fund my trip.
Within 24 hours, God had answered my prayer. His faithfulness is something He has been revealing to me all year. I'm still a little nervous and am in great need of funding for my trip. So...the prayers and phone calls will continue! And I hope to keep seeing God's love and grace through all of this.
(Mark 11:22-24) 22"Have faith in God," Jesus answered. 23"I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. 24Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.
When I went to Colorado Springs for my summer missions orientation, I had a little chat with God. Well, it was more like a little freak out. I said to Him, "That's it, I'm not going on this trip unless You can show me, God, that I will get the money for it. I'm giving up unless You show me how faithful you are." And he showed me that verse in response. "Sure God," I thought.
The next day I had to take a 20 minute flight from Colorado Springs into Denver. Before my friends left on their flights, I told them about my talk with God the night before and about how I wasn't sure this mission thing was for me. They reassured me that God would answer my prayer and they went on their ways. I tried to get on an earlier plane and ended up getting on the 2nd standby flight. God had something in store for me. There was one seat left for me on the plane (as my drum had to take the seat in the front row), and I moved back to the 8th row, next to a nice gentleman named Blair Sawyer. Blair and I started talking about what we were doing in Colorado Springs, and after a few minutes we ended up sharing life stories and our testimonies with one another. Turns out that all 3 of his children went to Wheaton College (where my boyfriend goes to school, and I happened to be flying there the next week!). By the time the flight was ending, he told me about how he realized in college that he wasn't very good at going on missions...so he funds missionaries (currently, five of them!). He pulled out his business card, wrote his address on the back, and told me that he wanted to help fund my trip.
Within 24 hours, God had answered my prayer. His faithfulness is something He has been revealing to me all year. I'm still a little nervous and am in great need of funding for my trip. So...the prayers and phone calls will continue! And I hope to keep seeing God's love and grace through all of this.
Sunday, February 18, 2007
Two: Glory
1 Thessalonians 2:11-12
"11For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, 12encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory."
Here's a little background info for you. The apostle Paul here is writing to the newest church and its members in Thessalonica, a thriving seaport in Macedonia. He went there just about 20 years after the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ to spread the gospel and help establish the first church in the city. After just a short while, possibly a few weeks, Paul had to flee to Borea, then Athens, and eventually Corinth because of upheaval and abuse from the Gentiles. He had been hearing good news about the church and its members since he left the city and wanted to write to them from Corinth to encourage them through trials, give instruction on godly living, and correct any misconceptions they had about spiritual doctrine.
In this verse, Paul reflects on how he and his partners (Silas and Timothy) treated their new friends in Christ like their own children. Encouragement, comfort, and challenge. These are some of the aspects of good parenting. I think we all know what bad parenting can involve, right? Badgering, guit-tripping, ultimatums, and the like. Paul acts like a father to other Christians. He guides. He guides them so that they will "live lives worthy of God." What does this mean? In Colossians 1:10 it is written: "10And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God,"
Paul recognizes that we are to urge each other to bear fruit and grow in the knowledge of God. We urge each other so that we can glorify God and be His glory! "Spiritual parenting" is a term I first heard just a couple weeks ago, and I really like how descriptive it is of what Christians can do for each other. By being a spiritual parents, we can uplift each other in our good works, we can be accountable for each other, and we can, not shame each other, but act as Christ did! We can love, challenge, and comfort each other.
Glory. It is often something we see as a "God quality," like holiness or omnipotence. But God has made each of us with inherent glory! In Psalms 8:6 it is proclaimed to God "5You made [man] a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor. 6You made him ruler over the works of your hands; you put everything under his feet."
We are all God's glory to begin with...it is just our resonsibilty to parent each other and glorify God with it! Produce works and gain knowledge of Him. That is what we are to do and urge others to do. Just remember that we are all God's glory and that we can be each others' glory too! Like mothers and fathers dote on and challenge their children, so can we with our spiritual brothers and sisters.
"11For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, 12encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory."
Here's a little background info for you. The apostle Paul here is writing to the newest church and its members in Thessalonica, a thriving seaport in Macedonia. He went there just about 20 years after the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ to spread the gospel and help establish the first church in the city. After just a short while, possibly a few weeks, Paul had to flee to Borea, then Athens, and eventually Corinth because of upheaval and abuse from the Gentiles. He had been hearing good news about the church and its members since he left the city and wanted to write to them from Corinth to encourage them through trials, give instruction on godly living, and correct any misconceptions they had about spiritual doctrine.
In this verse, Paul reflects on how he and his partners (Silas and Timothy) treated their new friends in Christ like their own children. Encouragement, comfort, and challenge. These are some of the aspects of good parenting. I think we all know what bad parenting can involve, right? Badgering, guit-tripping, ultimatums, and the like. Paul acts like a father to other Christians. He guides. He guides them so that they will "live lives worthy of God." What does this mean? In Colossians 1:10 it is written: "10And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God,"
Paul recognizes that we are to urge each other to bear fruit and grow in the knowledge of God. We urge each other so that we can glorify God and be His glory! "Spiritual parenting" is a term I first heard just a couple weeks ago, and I really like how descriptive it is of what Christians can do for each other. By being a spiritual parents, we can uplift each other in our good works, we can be accountable for each other, and we can, not shame each other, but act as Christ did! We can love, challenge, and comfort each other.
Glory. It is often something we see as a "God quality," like holiness or omnipotence. But God has made each of us with inherent glory! In Psalms 8:6 it is proclaimed to God "5You made [man] a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor. 6You made him ruler over the works of your hands; you put everything under his feet."
We are all God's glory to begin with...it is just our resonsibilty to parent each other and glorify God with it! Produce works and gain knowledge of Him. That is what we are to do and urge others to do. Just remember that we are all God's glory and that we can be each others' glory too! Like mothers and fathers dote on and challenge their children, so can we with our spiritual brothers and sisters.
One: Purpose
There is so much good in the world. God blankets me with protection, beauty, and love all the time, but I never pay any attention to it. I spend my life checking Facebook, working in the studio at school, or griping about the things I wish were different. God has given me the opportunity to see the good in the world, to see Him in the world...but more often than not, I choose to see something else.
One of the greatest hurdles in my life is spending time with God. I often see this world a place for me to live my life day by day, puttering along, without actually doing anything good, without seeing the good God does in my own and others' lives. God originally gave us this world as place to hang out with Him, and we sinned and lost that chance. There was a great divide.
But my father sent His son to bridge the gap, to take the nations pains and sins upon Himself. He gave us a chance to be with Him again, and a chance to see Him in the world.
My purpose here is to chronicle, if you will, my experiences with God's greatness. There is so much I don't see, don't reflect on, don't respond to. I want to take the opportunity God gave me to grow with Him.
One of the greatest hurdles in my life is spending time with God. I often see this world a place for me to live my life day by day, puttering along, without actually doing anything good, without seeing the good God does in my own and others' lives. God originally gave us this world as place to hang out with Him, and we sinned and lost that chance. There was a great divide.
But my father sent His son to bridge the gap, to take the nations pains and sins upon Himself. He gave us a chance to be with Him again, and a chance to see Him in the world.
My purpose here is to chronicle, if you will, my experiences with God's greatness. There is so much I don't see, don't reflect on, don't respond to. I want to take the opportunity God gave me to grow with Him.
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