The Spirit catches you and you fall down…in the shower
Oh, how He loves me!
I never experience the spirit of God in church during worship.
More often than not, I experience a revelation of His love at the most inconvenient times, like in the shower and while I’m driving on the 10 Fwy.
But in these times, I am grateful that He wants to tell me just how much He loves me.
Tyranny of the urgent
2″Thus says the LORD of hosts: These people say the time has not yet come to rebuild the house of the LORD.” 3Then the word of the LORD came by the hand of Haggai the prophet, 4 “Is it a time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, while this house lies in ruins?”
- Haggai 1:2-4 (ESV)
I have a lot of things to do. In fact, I debated about writing this post because it would take away from the time I could be studying and doing my homework.
But my homework is not important to me; I find little joy or value in reading pages and pages of Spanish text or a genetics book that I will most likely not remember by the time this semester is over. The urgency of completing my homework consumes my life, yet what is most urgent is not always what is most important.
What is important to me is my God, family, friends, and my boyfriend. Yet, most of the time I put these aside for the unimportant, yet more immediate things.
Thus, the tyranny of the urgent is that it distorts my priorities.
——
When King Solomon built the LORD’s temple, it was a sign of the glory of Israel in the promised land of Jerusalem. But after breaking their stipulations with God, the Jews were exiled out of their promise and enslaved to the Babylons. Subsequently, the temple – the glory of Israel – was utterly destroyed.
However God, as a merciful God, gave the Jews another chance to reclaim Jerusalem and restore His temple and His promise to them! Though they were fully aware of God’s command, they were consumed with a sense of urgency to restore their own lives first. Understandably, they had a very valid reason for wanting to settle down as soon as possible. But while they tended to things that needed to be done immediately, the house of the LORD remained in ruins.
—–
I like to think that God is reasonable, and that He understands that when I have a to-do list, I can put Him off for a bit. I convince myself that God is my priority and that everything I do is for His glory…but right now is just not a good time. And the more I believe it, the more I am merely building my own house and laying God’s in ruins.
I cannot let urgency have the upper hand over what really matters to me in life.
Jacob has a dream
The story of Jacob is too familiar.
Jacob wrestled throughout his entire life; first in his mother’s womb, then for Esau’s birthright, then with his uncle, and finally with Jehovah Himself.
But he was already a blessed man. He was supposed to be the heir of the promise of God given to Abraham. Why did he still feel the need to struggle with God?
Because Jacob is an impatient man. He does everything in his own timing and even becomes desperate enough to put God in a head-lock in order to receive his promise. But in the midst of his fighting, Jacob stops wrestling with God and with his own insecurities, and begins to cling to God in faith. In FAITH! Jacob, a man ready to build his own nation and generations, was finally able to let go of his own selfish desires and to hold on to his faith in the the Lord’s plans.
His story is too familiar…
And the Lord says,
“While Jacob sleeps I will dream of a generation not known for their crowns or success, but a King who was not so much as interested in crowds or pleasing men, but in knowing Me.”
To my ah-gong
Though the world carries on without you, I will always be thinking of you and missing you greatly, ahgong. You said you were so tired, and now you can rest. I find comfort knowing now that your knees are eternally better and that you can finally walk and dance with grace, with God.
I love you always,
Jan
______________________________________________________________
After a long journey…
May you rest in peace.
April 5, 2009
A lamp without oil is quickly extinguished
This is something I drew after P. Jon’s message last Sunday. It is a depiction of how eagerness for His presence (by the cupped hands under oil) can only be substantiated by discipline in waiting upon the Lord and meditating on His word (the flask of oil).
I want a huge flask : )
The Anatomical Heart
I understand the heart, but I do not understand Your heart.
John 14:1-3
Lit from dusk until dawn.
Your Word will be my lamp until the day of Your prophecy arrives.
2 Peter 1:19-21
