I heard the hymn, The Old Rugged Cross, the other day and it got me thinking. The lyric, "I will cling to the old rugged cross..." was stirring around in my head.
Take that line and mix it with Luke 9:23, "Then he [Jesus] said to the crowd, 'If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross daily, and follow me.'"
I wonder if the cross we cling to should be the cross we choose to take up every day. Christ's cross was a once-and-for-all proposition. He said himself, "It is finished." But my daily dying to self, being that living sacrifice is all that I have to give. Is that what I will lay down and exchange someday for a crown?
It's a quiet day at the house. As the last week of Lent approaches, I'm determined to rest...sounds odd, doesn't it? In all that I have left to do before we start school again, I'm faced with the choice of being frantic or resting in the Lord's presence. Not that I wont get things done, I'll just do them while in the Lord's company, being mindful of Him. That's the choice I want to make, no matter what the day holds.
Haleiwa sunset.
May the God of hope
fill you with all joy and peace
as you trust in him,
so that you may overflow with hope
by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Romans 15:13 NIV
Here's a song that's been speaking to me this week. (Don't forget to pause the player first.) Enjoy!
It's spring break at our house. That means my usual schedule is out the window! That's a good thing...except my blogging time has gone with it.
Last week was a great time with my oldest who was the only kid not at camp. This week, I'm looking forward to more time with the other kids. We've already been to the beach two days in a row. I'm still praying about how to re-vamp our school schedule so that everyone gets their stuff done, and we still have time for fun! I know, I know, school is supposed to be fun. But there is only so much you can do with algebra...
I've been reading a great book. It's called The God You Can Know, by Dan Dehaan. So many great truths in it. Here's a thought I'll share with you. It is so appropriate during the Lenten season.
Jesus did not come to make bad men good, but to make dead men live. The church should demand that men be alive in Christ, opposed to being simply good. What is a Christian? He is an ordinary person with an extraordinary love. A love that consistently "lays ourselves down" for the sake of seeing God exaluted. It is love that motivates us, that clings to nothing that God gives save Himself. So many today have a "handle" on the ministry when the ministry should have a handle on them.
Are you in Christ? Is there a definite divine motivation and confidence in your soul? Are you really in love with the Lord Himself? Can you honestly say that the experience you have had with Christ has made you alive and not just good? If you cannot, I would ask that God would break your heart even now - that, first, you would see your sin; that, second, you would see the righteousness and the blood of the Lamb that can cleanse it all; and that, third, you would cast your sin and self on the cross of Christ. Then your old nature will be curicified, and you will join those who have their confidence in Christ, not those who have only a knowledge of how to work for Him. (p. 141)
So many years, I have lived with knowledge only. Now I find myself longing for Christ, Himself. Our God is a faithful God. He is so willing and eager to reveal Himself. If only I could take it all in.
Ephesians 3:14-21 (New Living Translation)
Paul’s Prayer for Spiritual Growth
When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.
Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.
May your journey to the heart of Christ be sweet this week. Aloha!
I've been reading in the book of Colossians for the past couple of weeks. I just can't seem to get past it. That's when I know the Lord wants me to stop and savor what's there. It's not hard to do. The book of Colossians is so rich. This verse is speaking to me today:
Let the peace of Christ keep you in tune with each other, in step with each other. None of this going off and doing your own thing. And cultivate thankfulness. Let the Word of Christ—the Message—have the run of the house. Give it plenty of room in your lives. Instruct and direct one another using good common sense. And sing, sing your hearts out to God! Let every detail in your lives—words, actions, whatever—be done in the name of the Master, Jesus, thanking God the Father every step of the way.
Colossians 5:15-17 (The Message)
We've started spring break at our house this week. The three youngest are off to camp, and the oldest will be spending more hours than usual at work. This will leave me with a quiet house. Wow. I hardly know what to do with myself. I plan on doing a lot of praying. Things haven't been harmonious at our house, and I feel the need to pull back, regroup, and seek the Lord. Letting the Word of Christ have run of the house... that's my goal. I tend to put a strangle hold on schedule, time, and in turn, hearts.... I need to give the Word "plenty of room."
Cultivating thankfulness. I know I'm on the road to recovery. Here's this week's list:
My friend Kathy brought this to my attention. I knew I had to share it here.
(Pause the player on the right before you watch this clip.)
Another friend of mine, Donnetta, wrote a beautiful piece on Beer-lahai-roi which means "Well of the Living One who sees me." You'll find it here at My Quiet Corner.
God sees. To some, that may not be good news. But to those who are living their lives for Him, that is the best news yet.
Here are some words from His Word:
Psalm 10:14
But you, O God, do see trouble and grief;
you consider it to take it in hand.
The victim commits himself to you;
you are the helper of the fatherless.
Psalm 33:13
From heaven the LORD looks down and sees all mankind.
Psalm 121:2-4
My help comes from the LORD,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
He will not let your foot slip—
he who watches over you will not slumber;
indeed, he who watches over Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.
Psalm 1:6
For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous,
Since Thursday evening, I have been attending a conference here in Honolulu. It's an annual event that draws 4000 Christians, (1000 are young people), from all over to come together to worship and learn of our Lord. It was great. One of the highlights was an awesome concert by the David Crowder Band. My soul is so full, I can hardly move. It will take a little bit to digest all the goodies that I have consumed. So, here's just a taste. Something to ponder on Our Lord's Day...
Be still and know that I am God.
Be still and know that I am.
Be still and know.
Be still.
Be.
So many entries for the gratitude list on Monday! See you then.
Hunger. Hunger is usually something we try to avoid. When we're hungry, we want to make it go away by eating our fill. Hunger in the world is so extreme. It is a mark of poverty. How we work to avoid hunger.
“God blesses those who are poor
and realize their need for him,
for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs."
Matthew 5:3
Last year, my father-in-law had a few months were he just wasn't hungry. He slowly lost weight and we were all quite worried. How do you force someone to eat who just doesn't want to. If only we could get him to be hungry, he would reach for the food that would make him whole. Thankfully, with the grace of God, he began to eat again and is at a better weight.
That's when I realized that hunger is a gift. Without it, we wont reach for the nurishment we need. Spiritual hunger is also a gift. When we realize our need for Jesus, we will reach out to know him more.
One of the "desert fathers" (I think it was Julian of Norwich) was praying, asking God to help her pray for 5 hours every day. She felt the Lord tell her to look at the little birds. God doesn't tell them to eat. They eat when they are hungry. When you are hungry for God, then you will pray.
I will praise you as long as I live,
lifting up my hands to you in prayer.
You satisfy me more than the richest feast.
I will praise you with songs of joy.
Psalm 63:4-5
Lord, thank you for the gift of hunger. May I feast at the table of Your presence. Amen.
To read other's thoughts on Hunger, click on the lick below:
Woke the girls up early today and attended an Ash Wednesday Mass. It was the first time I'd been in that particular church, St. Anthony's, even though I've lived in the area for over 30 years. The priest talked about how Ash Wednesday and Lent are similar to Toyota. It is a time to be recalled. A time to come back for adjustments to the journey to God's heart. I really resonate with that thought.
Over and over this week, the Lord is bringing me messages that contain a single theme: humility. Jesus is the very picture of humble. I want more of that in my life. He has made it abundantly clear that He wants more if it in my life, too.
Physically and emotionally, it's been a trying week. Who's idea was it to put a perimenopausal woman and three adolescent females in the same house...difficult. (Condolences may be sent to Mark and Andrew...) But that is where the stuff of my character is shown. What's inside the glass will come out when jostled. God is teaching me to be a minister in my home first and foremost. That is the true test of His love living in me. Don't worry. It's really not as bad as I make it sound. There is joy and love in the midst of these trials. His grace is giving me eyes to see it. I am grateful.
I love this song. It was written and originally performed by Rich Mullins. He was such an intense soul. Now he's with Jesus. This remake of the song is a great tribute and I believe it really captures the raw emotion that the words portray. (Pause the player at the top of this page before you play the video.)
As I head into Lent, I'm thinking of the words that the priest shared this morning. "Lent is a season we love to hate." I can totally understand that. I love to be drawn to the heart of Jesus. That's my safe place. But to get there, I must cast everything else aside. I go empty handed.
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a
huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith,
let us strip off every weight that slows us down,
especially the sin that so easily trips us up.
And let us run with endurance the race
God has set before us.
We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus,
the champion who initiates and perfects our faith.
Because of the joy awaiting him,
he endured the cross, disregarding its shame.
Now he is seated in the place of honor
beside God’s throne.
Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people;
then you won’t become weary and give up.
Hebrews 12:1-3 NLT
As the ashes were crossed onto my forehead, the words "Repent of your sins and believe in the gospel," were ringing in my ears. Yes, LORD, I do repent. Yes, LORD, I do believe. Amen.
