Monday, June 29, 2009
Friday, June 19, 2009
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Be still...
I challenged my creative writing class last week to write on silence and stillness. I asked them to write on Psalm 46:10 "Be still and know that I am God."
I decided to write along with them and this is what came about.
'Be still and know that I am God.'
Being still before the Lord demands complete surrender. I must abandon all thoughts, worries, and hopes. I must leave behind the scars of my busy day. And I must lay down the dreams of a new morning when I awake tomorrow.
I feel peace and comfort even in just thinking about stillness before the Lord. It's like putting on my favorite pair of sweatpants, sitting in my reading chair and letting the hot cup of tea warm my hands. As I breathe in and out, it's different than it's been before. These are sighs of relief--of rest. I am resting in His sovereignty and knowing that no matter what, He is in control. I praise Him from my inner-most being even in this silence and stillness. My living body rejoices in the life it has because of His mercy. As he is the great I AM, so I am just me in his presence now. Here I sit, before him with nothing to offer but my life. My life--a small offering in comparison to what He's given.
I decided to write along with them and this is what came about.
'Be still and know that I am God.'
Being still before the Lord demands complete surrender. I must abandon all thoughts, worries, and hopes. I must leave behind the scars of my busy day. And I must lay down the dreams of a new morning when I awake tomorrow.
I feel peace and comfort even in just thinking about stillness before the Lord. It's like putting on my favorite pair of sweatpants, sitting in my reading chair and letting the hot cup of tea warm my hands. As I breathe in and out, it's different than it's been before. These are sighs of relief--of rest. I am resting in His sovereignty and knowing that no matter what, He is in control. I praise Him from my inner-most being even in this silence and stillness. My living body rejoices in the life it has because of His mercy. As he is the great I AM, so I am just me in his presence now. Here I sit, before him with nothing to offer but my life. My life--a small offering in comparison to what He's given.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
camping...and repentance (ha)
i'm going camping this weekend! i am so excited to just get away. i haven't been camping in years. actually, i think the last time i was in a tent was my senior year of high school! i am looking forward to seeing the stars, hiking the trails, getting some sun, and just being away from the city. i think this will be a good time with the lord, as well. being in nature always draws me closer to him. the less distractions, the more clearly i can see the lord. i desperately need him right now.
there is so much to pray about. god is doing many mighty things around this world and satan is after the people he is using. i've come to see how important that it is we are all covered in prayer always. god has been instilling in me a sense of urgency lately. we need to be bold in him and press on, not living this life in a lukewarm state. this is an excerpt from my book about being lukewarm in this day and age:
I heard a sermon a couple months ago that has been resounding in my own life lately. It was based on the problem of our culture right now. The problem is our generation, of Christians especially, have one foot in and one foot out. We want so badly to follow Jesus into the slums and to speak the good news, yet we want to fit in with this world. We want the adventure of following Jesus, but the security of being part of this world. We are straddling the fence and where is it getting us? Nowhere. In fact, it is more detrimental to us than if we would just choose the dark side. You see, the one thing God hates most is lukewarm hearts.
14"To the angel of the church in Laodicea write:
These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God's creation. 15I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. 17You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. 18I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see. 19Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. 20Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me. 21To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne. 22He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." Revelation 3:14-22
So how do we heat up that lukewarm, disgusting bathwater in which we happily sit? Seek. Pray. Ask. Speak. Listen. Cry. Repent.'
this is why i have a sense of urgency. some of us think the christian life is so easy because of the grace we are freely given. i know that is how i have thought for so long. but when we are truly seeking the lord and repenting of our evil nature and striving to not live in a lukewarm state, THE CHRISTIAN LIFE IS THE MOST DIFFICULT LIFE TO LIVE. jesus is our only measurement of perfection, and we are called to be like him. that, my friends, is a difficult calling! but what a privilege to even be called.
i challenge you all to search your hearts and boldly stand on the left or the right of the fence. don't straddle it any longer. it's time to rise up as the body of christ. when he returns, what will he say to you? i hope that it is 'well done, good and faithful servant.'
"Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour." (Matthew 25:13)
there is so much to pray about. god is doing many mighty things around this world and satan is after the people he is using. i've come to see how important that it is we are all covered in prayer always. god has been instilling in me a sense of urgency lately. we need to be bold in him and press on, not living this life in a lukewarm state. this is an excerpt from my book about being lukewarm in this day and age:
I heard a sermon a couple months ago that has been resounding in my own life lately. It was based on the problem of our culture right now. The problem is our generation, of Christians especially, have one foot in and one foot out. We want so badly to follow Jesus into the slums and to speak the good news, yet we want to fit in with this world. We want the adventure of following Jesus, but the security of being part of this world. We are straddling the fence and where is it getting us? Nowhere. In fact, it is more detrimental to us than if we would just choose the dark side. You see, the one thing God hates most is lukewarm hearts.
14"To the angel of the church in Laodicea write:
These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God's creation. 15I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. 17You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. 18I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see. 19Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. 20Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me. 21To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne. 22He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." Revelation 3:14-22
So how do we heat up that lukewarm, disgusting bathwater in which we happily sit? Seek. Pray. Ask. Speak. Listen. Cry. Repent.'
this is why i have a sense of urgency. some of us think the christian life is so easy because of the grace we are freely given. i know that is how i have thought for so long. but when we are truly seeking the lord and repenting of our evil nature and striving to not live in a lukewarm state, THE CHRISTIAN LIFE IS THE MOST DIFFICULT LIFE TO LIVE. jesus is our only measurement of perfection, and we are called to be like him. that, my friends, is a difficult calling! but what a privilege to even be called.
i challenge you all to search your hearts and boldly stand on the left or the right of the fence. don't straddle it any longer. it's time to rise up as the body of christ. when he returns, what will he say to you? i hope that it is 'well done, good and faithful servant.'
"Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour." (Matthew 25:13)
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