29 November 2006
Thinking About God
Why is it that sometimes I can think about God forever, exploring many thoughts about what makes Him who He is? Why is it that other times I seem to feel a resolve inside that God just is without thinking about Him at all? These questions aren't really questions. I'm not troubled by them. I'm just reflecting on how fleeting my thoughts are. God has spoken to me through my thoughts. He has revealed Himself to me through them on many occasions. The more I know Him, though, the less I have to mull Him over. There comes a point in our journeys in which we realize we can just trust Him - just accept Him for who He is. The mental struggles are still there, but they seem considerably less important than His overwhelming glory. When was the last time you had that moment?
26 November 2006
the 26th
Today is my half birthday. I don't feel any older. In fact I didn't realize it until right now, minutes before I go to bed. Still, it's my half birthday. Six months and I'll have my year birthday. I used to claim I was my age and a half as a child, constantly seeking to be older. Four and a half. Eight and a half. Ten and a half. Twenty-five and a half. So good.
21 November 2006
Hysterical
When was the last time you saw a good lawn ornament? When was the last time you thought about one? I laughed almost the entire ride home last night after a conversation about them. While describing a colorful man I know, I began to talk about his property. I explained how the man's home and garage look much like a Foxworthy routine. I said, "In the front yard," when Elizabeth inserted the question, "Lawn ornaments...?" The look on her face and questioning voice were stuck in my head. I was going to reference tools, car parts, and, yes, lawn ornaments. But the timing of her joke was perfect! So, Elizabeth, this one's for you. I found these lawn ornaments and thought of you. (That's probably the first and last time anyone has ever said that of you.)
19 November 2006
Rebel
If you haven't read through Isaiah in awhile, I strongly encourage you to do that. It's part of my devotions right now, and I'm also taking an exegesis class on the book. For my devotional reading I've chosen to read in the New Living Translation. Check out 53:12b with me:
"He was counted among the rebels. He bore the sins of many and interceded for rebels."
The prophet was referring to the Suffering Servant here. It's commonly accepted that this Servant is the Messiah. We know Him as Jesus in 2006 CE.
Following a beautiful prophetic poem of how Jesus suffered on our behalf, the prophet includes this verse. Jesus Himself was counted among the rebels. I've heard this translated "transgressors" before. I like "rebels" better this morning because I was one. I was a transgressor, too. In other words, I did things wrong. But I was a rebel. I didn't just do things wrong; I did them deliberately. I deliberately chose to follow paths of which I knew God did not approve. I sinned, and I did it boldly. I was literally against Jesus, even though He was counted along with me among the rebels when He took the sins of the world.
Here's what strikes me. Jesus bore my sins and interceded for me, a rebel! He interceded for me! He still does! I am no longer a rebel. Sure, I still have to submit my mind, will, emotions, and spirit to Him daily, but I am not against Him. That's only because He interceded for me. He took my sins, I rebelled, and He interceded for me. I deliberately chose sin, and He interceded for me. I took His name in vain, and He interceded for me. I spat in His face, and He interceded for me. I struck Him, and He interceded for me. I turned my back on Him, sinning right in front of His face, and He interceded for me. I spread bad reports about Him, and He interceded for me. I incited other people against Him, and He interceded for me. I chose to run from Him, I didn't want to be found by Him, and He interceded for me. I worked in cooperation with the darkness inside and around me, and He interceded for me.
He stood between the Father and me, praying, "Father, forgive him. He doesn't know what he's doing." I did know what I was doing when I spoke against Him, hurt Him, and chose to sin. I did not know what I was doing when I purposefully joined the constant, fruitless search of what would satisfy, what would remove the darkness that kept me awake at night, what would take away the fears that plagued me. Just like the Roman soldiers at Jesus's crucifixion, I stood over Christ in full knowledge of my outward actions, but Jesus saw my desperate need for His salvation and interceded for me. He stood in Heaven interceding for me for a long time. He stands now in Heaven interceding for millions of other souls who don't know what they're doing.
I meditate on Christ this morning as one who was saved from rebellion. I no longer work against Jesus. Darkness does not rule inside me because Jesus's light has flooded my soul! I no longer partner with the darkness around me; instead I intercede with Jesus to conquer the darkness. Jesus was as bruised and scorned as Isaiah and the Gospel accounts record. Now, however, He is the bright and conquering Savior who leads us in intercession for the rebels. He doesn't hate rebels choosing rebellion. He loves them so much that He humbly prays for them. He loves them so much that He valiantly fights the darkness for them. He loves them so much that their sin, their curse, their humiliation is all His, should they trust that He is who He says He is. The rebels fight against Him, but Jesus leads with a powerful peace, a forceful love, a striking mercy. He is good - infinitely good. Good.
He is good. He received our 39 lashes. He was led through the streets in mockery. He stood before councils, governors, and kings in condemnation. He wore our crown of jagged thorns. He accepted our bruises, cuts, jabs, gashes, insults, punches, pushes, and curses. He carried our cross. He accepted our nails through His hands and His feet. He accepted abject humiliation by hanging on our cross and carrying the weight of our sin. He was placed in our tomb. He laid in our tomb and descended to the place of the dead. All the while He interceded for us.
It wasn't over. He defeated our death in a powerful blow! He rose from our grave! He initiated our new life! He appeared to many people like us who assumed He was dead. He blessed them, He taught them, He commissioned them. He went to Heaven for us, but He sent His Spirit to continue blessing us, teaching us, commissioning us. All the while He intercedes for us. By the power of His Spirit our trust that He is who He says He is results in the defeat of death in our lives. We raise from the graves! We receive new life! We bless, teach, and commission. Then we go to Heaven to be with Him - forever!
So, Jesus interceded for me. I am not a rebel. He still intercedes for me. He still intercedes for us. He loves us. He pursues us. Surely goodness and mercy will follow us - will hunt us down as in war, like the Hebrew word for "follow" says there - all the days of our lives. All the days. He hunts us rebels down with His love, His goodness, His mercy. We don't have to rebel. I am not a rebel. All because of His intercession. I am redeemed. All because of His intercession. I can sing the song of the redeemed that even the angels in heaven cannot sing. All because of His intercession. I see Jesus, high and exalted, and bow down to worship Him forever! PRAISE HIM FOREVER AND EVER AND EVER!!
"He was counted among the rebels. He bore the sins of many and interceded for rebels."
The prophet was referring to the Suffering Servant here. It's commonly accepted that this Servant is the Messiah. We know Him as Jesus in 2006 CE.
Following a beautiful prophetic poem of how Jesus suffered on our behalf, the prophet includes this verse. Jesus Himself was counted among the rebels. I've heard this translated "transgressors" before. I like "rebels" better this morning because I was one. I was a transgressor, too. In other words, I did things wrong. But I was a rebel. I didn't just do things wrong; I did them deliberately. I deliberately chose to follow paths of which I knew God did not approve. I sinned, and I did it boldly. I was literally against Jesus, even though He was counted along with me among the rebels when He took the sins of the world.
Here's what strikes me. Jesus bore my sins and interceded for me, a rebel! He interceded for me! He still does! I am no longer a rebel. Sure, I still have to submit my mind, will, emotions, and spirit to Him daily, but I am not against Him. That's only because He interceded for me. He took my sins, I rebelled, and He interceded for me. I deliberately chose sin, and He interceded for me. I took His name in vain, and He interceded for me. I spat in His face, and He interceded for me. I struck Him, and He interceded for me. I turned my back on Him, sinning right in front of His face, and He interceded for me. I spread bad reports about Him, and He interceded for me. I incited other people against Him, and He interceded for me. I chose to run from Him, I didn't want to be found by Him, and He interceded for me. I worked in cooperation with the darkness inside and around me, and He interceded for me.
He stood between the Father and me, praying, "Father, forgive him. He doesn't know what he's doing." I did know what I was doing when I spoke against Him, hurt Him, and chose to sin. I did not know what I was doing when I purposefully joined the constant, fruitless search of what would satisfy, what would remove the darkness that kept me awake at night, what would take away the fears that plagued me. Just like the Roman soldiers at Jesus's crucifixion, I stood over Christ in full knowledge of my outward actions, but Jesus saw my desperate need for His salvation and interceded for me. He stood in Heaven interceding for me for a long time. He stands now in Heaven interceding for millions of other souls who don't know what they're doing.
I meditate on Christ this morning as one who was saved from rebellion. I no longer work against Jesus. Darkness does not rule inside me because Jesus's light has flooded my soul! I no longer partner with the darkness around me; instead I intercede with Jesus to conquer the darkness. Jesus was as bruised and scorned as Isaiah and the Gospel accounts record. Now, however, He is the bright and conquering Savior who leads us in intercession for the rebels. He doesn't hate rebels choosing rebellion. He loves them so much that He humbly prays for them. He loves them so much that He valiantly fights the darkness for them. He loves them so much that their sin, their curse, their humiliation is all His, should they trust that He is who He says He is. The rebels fight against Him, but Jesus leads with a powerful peace, a forceful love, a striking mercy. He is good - infinitely good. Good.
He is good. He received our 39 lashes. He was led through the streets in mockery. He stood before councils, governors, and kings in condemnation. He wore our crown of jagged thorns. He accepted our bruises, cuts, jabs, gashes, insults, punches, pushes, and curses. He carried our cross. He accepted our nails through His hands and His feet. He accepted abject humiliation by hanging on our cross and carrying the weight of our sin. He was placed in our tomb. He laid in our tomb and descended to the place of the dead. All the while He interceded for us.
It wasn't over. He defeated our death in a powerful blow! He rose from our grave! He initiated our new life! He appeared to many people like us who assumed He was dead. He blessed them, He taught them, He commissioned them. He went to Heaven for us, but He sent His Spirit to continue blessing us, teaching us, commissioning us. All the while He intercedes for us. By the power of His Spirit our trust that He is who He says He is results in the defeat of death in our lives. We raise from the graves! We receive new life! We bless, teach, and commission. Then we go to Heaven to be with Him - forever!
So, Jesus interceded for me. I am not a rebel. He still intercedes for me. He still intercedes for us. He loves us. He pursues us. Surely goodness and mercy will follow us - will hunt us down as in war, like the Hebrew word for "follow" says there - all the days of our lives. All the days. He hunts us rebels down with His love, His goodness, His mercy. We don't have to rebel. I am not a rebel. All because of His intercession. I am redeemed. All because of His intercession. I can sing the song of the redeemed that even the angels in heaven cannot sing. All because of His intercession. I see Jesus, high and exalted, and bow down to worship Him forever! PRAISE HIM FOREVER AND EVER AND EVER!!
10 November 2006
House
Okay, so I'm not having any luck posting the picture. I've done this before, but I'm not cluing into the problem yet.... Anyway, it has three bedrooms (good for hosting...), two bathrooms, a big kitchen and living room, dining area, den, office/fourth bedroom, deck, woodstove, etc. There's a walk-in closet in the master bedroom that has a window in it! It's only four years old, one owner, so it's in great shape. Anyway, if you don't see the picture, just click on the area where the picture should be. It will show up.Where We Are
Most of you don't know that we're missing, but some of you who live close to us realize we're AWOL. We're at our in-laws' house right now. We were supposed to be home from house shopping on Wednesday, but we ran into a snag. Yes, our car broke down. As in, broke down, unable to run, smoke coming from various points of the car. The Lord, being the Lord, provided a ride to our in-laws within ten minutes, with a man who needed to hear about Jesus. :) (He thought we needed the same; what fun JWs are!) So, we rode for two hours with a new friend who has a lot to think about. Before the breakdown our in-laws already planned on giving us their car for our house hunt, while they arranged to have ours fixed. They got more than they bargained for, since they were the ones who went up to get the car, bring it back here, and oversee the repairs. Basically, the car needs a new engine. Entirely new engine. It was supposed to be done yesterday, but there were complications. Now we're on day 2, not knowing when the car will be done, not knowing when we're going home. (We're counting on today.) I'm glad the Lord doesn't need me at work to provide for us. I'm also glad we have understanding supervisors back home.
In other news, we think we found a house. I'll try to post a picture of it in a minute.
In other news, we think we found a house. I'll try to post a picture of it in a minute.
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