Radical Faith: Adoniram & Ann December 9, 2009

”. . . I have now to ask whether you can consent to part with your daughter early next spring, to see her no more in this world? Whether you can consent to see her departure to a heathen land, and her subjection to the hardships and sufferings of a missionary life? Whether you can consent to her exposure to the dangers of the ocean; to the fatal influence of the southern climate of India; to every kind of want and distress; to degradation, insult, persecution, and perhaps a violent death? Can you consent to all this, for the sake of perishing immortal souls; for the sake of Zion and the glory of God? Can you consent to all this, in hope of soon meeting your daughter in the world of glory, with a crown of righteousness brightened by the acclamations of praise which shall redound to her Saviour from heathens saved, through her means, from eternal woe and despair?”

[excerpt from a Letter Adoniram Judson wrote to Ann Hasseltine's father in a formal way of asking for his daughters hand in marriage]

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You may or may not heard of Adoniram Judson.  There is a plethora of amazing things to say about him, but for starters, he was radical.  He became America’s first overseas missionary and shortly before his trip to Burma, India he met and proposed to Ann Hasseltine.  The above letter is what he wrote to her father to ask for her hand in marriage.  I am always moved by his words.  I can’t say that most parents today would consent if that was the offer on the table.  It’s honest.  It’s hard to swallow.  My dad wants to know that the man who marries me will take care of me, provide for me, comfort me, and love me till death do us part?  Asking for that is not wrong, but Adoniram was radical and often veered from normality.  Lucky for him…so did Ann.

His letter makes me wonder… would I have the gumption to do what Adoniram and Ann did?   If I were a parent, would I have the gumption to do what her parents did and let go of the reigns of control by allowing my daughter to set sail for a foreign country, knowing I may never see her again (which they didn’t)?  Could I ever give up the basic comforts and conveniences of this life to pursue something boldly for the Lord?  Would I give my life for what I believe in?

What I am NOT saying is that all of us should sell our belongings and become missionaries in Burma.  Some of us may be called to the mission field and some of us may be called to do other things for God.  Luther Rice, who traveled to India with Adoniram and Ann also wanted to be a missionary, but after bouts with his health, decided to go back to the States to actively raise support for the missionaries.  He helped raise moneys and awareness of the cause and several times throughout Adoniram’s ministry he journaled about how important Luther’s role was to their work abroad.  Just as the body has many parts, each one of us has a part in God’s plan for the spreading of his message.

The ringing question I walked away from reading his letter was… am I living radically for the Lord?  In our “mission” here in the suburbs of Washington, D.C. we may not face the hardships of cholera, religious persecution, dysentery, perils of the ocean, or even a violent death, but we aren’t promise a bed of roses in this life either.  But we are called to live passionately and radically for our Lord.  I think Adoniram’s letter could be reworded and apply to each one of us still today.

“…I have now to ask whether you can consent to part with the accepted lifestyle, and to live no more in the societal standards of this world? Whether you can consent to the subjection to the hardships and sufferings of a Christian life? Whether you can consent to entering full submission to God and trusting His will over yours…even if that means a different occupation, a smaller paycheck, a quainter house, or giving up that dream you’ve always had; to acting boldly and even be thought radical or weird to your coworkers, family, and friends? To even despite all of the hardships and discomforts maintain a joy and a focus on the goodness of our Savior?  Can you consent to all this, for the sake of perishing immortal souls; for the sake of Zion and the glory of God? Can you consent to all this, in hope of soon meeting the people you lead to Christ in the world of glory, with a crown of righteousness brightened by the acclamations of praise which shall redound to our Savior from lost people who were saved, through your means, from eternal woe and despair? “

Sometimes I get so jaded in this life, whether its from a broken relationship, dissatisfaction at work, inner self struggles, disappointment, loss, or even just the unexpected turn that changed everything.   It’s helpful and necessary, to remind ourselves of the mission before us and to not lose sight of what the big picture is: helping others find the Lord and experience peace and forgiveness. I love what Ann Judson said in a journal three years before she married Adoniram:

“Direct me in Thy service, and I ask no more. I would not choose my position of work, or place of labor. Only let me know Thy will, and I will readily comply.”

That’s a pretty radical idea if you think about it.  My challenge to you, is to ask yourself…Is your faith radical?  What radical thing can you do for God?

Recent pictures!! November 24, 2009

Check out whats going on at Kid’s Quest Loudoun!  We are studying cooperation this month.  Look at all the ways we are cooperating!

coats of many colors =)

3rd grade boys with Michael Drake

Jeanette Bland with 2nd grade girls

2nd grade girls at 9:00 with Jeanette Bland

1st grade with Tom Hood

5th grade boys at 9:00

4th grade boys 9:00 with Chris Cole

3rd grade girls at 9:00

wes cleaning the tables when we studied Dorcas and what a servant she was =)

JR Arca teaching kindergarten class

A Dancer’s Secret November 5, 2009

    

  I was never a dancer.  I played every sport a girl could play (I even played on a boys baseball team one year) but  I never seemed to have the grace needed for dance.  Dancers have always impressed me though.  One thing that always befuddled me was how well trained dancers could spin around so quickly without getting vertigo.  I would spin around once and feel ready to puke.  One time I boldly took a Latin dance class and I learned the secret to mastering spins was a technique called spotting.  Any dancer would recognize the term, but for those who don’t, spotting entails picking a stationary focal point on the wall (a clock, a hook, a painting, etc) and turning your body while your eyes stay focused on your spot, therefore immobilizing the head.  When your body has turned as far as it can, the head quickly spins around and immediately back to its focal point, while the body then follows.  Because your eyes are on the focal point the entire time, your body is able to do something that normally causes vertigo.  A simple, yet effective technique. 

     This technique, when applied to our walks, works much the same way.  As I read through Nehemiah, I was surprised how many times the text mentions God as their focal point.  As if rebuilding a burned down, destroyed wall wasn’t daunting enough, they were met with constant doubt and ridicule from their enemies.  Despite it all, they continued to cooperate together and with God to accomplish the task.  The believed “the God of heaven [would] give [them] success” (Neh 2:20).   At the beginning of chapter four when Saballat taunts the Jews for rebuilding the wall, Nehemiah responds by praying to God for redress, and then he and the builders “work with all their heart” (v6).   Just two verses down the same thing happens: Saballat threatens to attack Jerusalem, and the Jewish people respond by praying to God then posting a guard (v9).  In both situations, as well as throughout the book of Nehemiah,  we see how during a situation that could feel like uncontrollable spinning, they simplified the task by keeping their eyes on the only reliable focal point and meeting faith with action.   Throughout this life, we will undoubtedly have trouble and maybe even feel like we’re spinning.  However, if we keep our eyes on the Lord to be the provider of ALL our needs, he will protect us from vertigo or even falling over.

   So you may be wondering how this relates with cooperation?  The definition of cooperation means “working together for a common goal.”  Because the Lord is the captain of our ship, the CEO of our lives, the King of our hearts, and our heavenly “boss,” we have to cooperate with Him and trust that with Him as a focal point we can learn to gracefully make beautiful spins across the dance floor of this life.

Reflection:

• What distractions become your focal point in life?  Your career? Relationships? Busyness? Pursuit of Happiness?
• What practical way can you remind yourself to stop and refocus on the Lord?  Setting an alarm for prayer time?
• What better ways can you “cooperate” with the Lord as the ruler of you heart?  How have you been non-cooperative or resistant to His will for you?
• What “spin” makes you dizzy?  What makes you feel out of control and helpless?  Recognize it, and ask the Lord to help you in that particular situation. 

Prayer:

Father, thank you for being a stationary focal point.  You are the same in the past, present, and future, when nothing else is.  Help me to remind myself to keep my eyes on you, and be willing to cooperate with Your will, even if its harder than my own.  Help me to eliminate false focal points.  I ask this in your Son’s name.  Amen.

Power Verses:

Isa 28:29;  Psa 123:2;  Psa 25:15;  2 Cor 1:12 MSG;  Isa 46:3-4;  Psa 119:15

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For a printable PDF version–> a dancer secret

 

 

Next to Him October 31, 2009

There are some places in Scripture where people have a hard time finding relevance. Nehemiah chapter three could be argued as one of those places, but as you study the context of the surrounding chapters, you see the relevance is not only there, but extremely powerful.  Historically we know that the Jewish people had been exiled from Jerusalem and scattered among the nations.  They were weak emotionally, physically, and definitely spiritually.  After being plucked from their homes, forced to live in a foreign land where they were victimized and persecuted, I can only imagine the fear that had manifested within them.

    Nehemiah, who also was a Jewish exile, was living in Persia working for the king ArtaXerxes. When his brother was traveling through, he “questioned [him] about the Jewish remnant that had survived the exile” (Neh 1:2).  He learned that they were back in Jerusalem, but the walls of the city had been completely destroyed.  The Jewish people most likely lacked morale and esteem to defend themselves, but also lacked an important physical barrier to protect themselves.  When Nehemiah heard this, he wept (v4).  He longed to help his people. So he prayed.  He fasted.  Finally, he went to his boss (the king) to ask for assistance, and set out on his journey.

    I find it fascinating that the entire third chapter of Nehemiah is devoted to the building of the wall.  It’s not cleverly written or prose-like in structure.  It merely lists the people and the work they did on the wall.  In fact, over 50 names are mentioned in chapter 3.  Between each of the names, there are small connecting phrases like, “beyond him,” or “next to him.”   Think about the imagery of these broken people repairing a broken wall.  No one was mentioned doing anything individually exceptional, but each one, working with their hands, repaired their section on the wall. Knowing that somewhere down the wall, there was someone else, “next to him” working just as hard.

     This cooperation is the reason there is an entire chapter on the rebuilding of the wall.  We are called as believers to cooperate and work alongside others to accomplish the work of our Lord.  If only a few people worked on the wall, it would have never been completed in 52 days.  If only a few people committed, they would have grown weary much faster.   The project could have drug on or even failed, and left the city open to attack.  However, the Lord remembers, and will honor, each man (whether mentioned in chapter three or not), trudging along… focusing on the work in front of him…serving with man next to him… and building a wall around them.

Memory Verse:

“For two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work”   Ecc 4:9

Study Verse:

“The repairs next to him were made by the priests from the surrounding region.  Beyond them, Benjamin and Hasshub made repairs in front of their house; and next to them, Azariah son of Maaseiah, the son of Ananiash, made repairs next to his house. Next to him…”  Neh 3:22-23

Reflection:

• What are the names of people around you that would be written in “third” chapter of your life?
• Are these people believers or non-believers?
• Are you cooperating with these people?
• What way is the Lord calling you to cooperate more? At work? With in-laws? With friends?
• What is “your section of the wall”?  Are you diligently repairing your part of the wall?

Prayer:

Lord, through the story of Nehemiah, help me learn to cooperate with those working alongside me.  Help me to see the big picture, as I can get  self focused and frustrated.  Remind me the importance of the wall, and make me responsive to the Nehemiahs in my life. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen

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For a printable PDF version–> Next2Him

Calling All Saints October 16, 2009

Last year, I decided to do a self-study on the book of Romans.  I didn’t really know a technical way to study the bible at the time, and really didn’t take advantage of using a concordance like I should have.  I did know, however, that my pastor used passages from Romans (a lot) and I wanted to know what was going on.  So I decided to read a chapter at a time, outlining and jotting down notes or phrases that really spoke to me.  Because I didn’t  really feel trained to “teach” myself, I decided to pray before, during, and after my reading (Now I know this importance of this regardless of training!).

I remember getting really caught up on the first verse of the first chapter, “Paul—a servant of Christ, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God.”  Paul begins his letter by telling about himself, yet he uses three qualifiers that all reflect what God did in “Saul,” after he met him on the road to Damascus.  Paul knew how unique God had made him and knew his individuality was to be used to glorify God.

As I continued reading, I kept stumbling where Paul addresses those in Rome “who are loved by God and called to be saints” (Rom 1:7).   At this point in my life, the only three places I heard the term “saint” was in reference to the Catholic Church, Mother Teresa, or in a joke.  So it sounded odd to me that Paul would write a letter and address the laymen in the church, as saints.  The Greek word for saint here is “hagios” which literally means holy.  Most studies use this word to describe how believers of Christ are “set apart” and are “experientially being made increasingly holy by the Holy Spirit” (NIV Study Bible).  You see as believers, we are set apart by God.  This is such an important idea, that even Paul  uses it to identify himself.  By being set apart and called to be saints, the Lord is calling us to “be holy, because [he is] holy” (1 Pet 1:16).

Part of our own individuality, like Paul, is being set apart, and to be in this world, but not of this world.  (John 17:16) We are unique in the mere fact that we have experienced and accepted God’s grace that he provided through the death and resurrection of his son Jesus Christ.  Being set apart and called saints doesn’t mean that we are above others, or in the least bit perfect.  It merely means that our role is specific: to share the gospel with others so they too can experience sainthood as we know it.

Reflection:

• What does it mean to be “set apart”?
• Does your life look different from nonbelievers?  If it doesn’t, how should it?
• How can we, like Paul, be set apart, yet in the world sharing out faith?
• What areas of my life reflect God’s holiness?  What areas don’t?
• How can I better seek holiness?
• Who can hold me accountable to be holy?

Prayer:

Father, thank you for caling me beloved and a child of God.  I know I am called to be set apart and called to be holy, like you.  It’s hard to not conform to the patterns of the world.  Please be my fount of strength and help me see holiness as a top prioirty.  Help me see the uniqueness of my faith as something worth sharing like Paul did.

Power Verses:

Gal 1:15,  Lev 20:24-26,  Jer 1:5,  Eph 4:12,  Acts 9:32

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For printable pdf version–>individuality3.0

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Christmas present I painted for my niece last year.

Wonderfully Made October 8, 2009

“For you created my inmost being, you knit me together in my mother’s womb.  I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made”

Psalm 139:14-15a

Its funny how much of our lives we try to be like everyone else. Sometimes we try to mute our differences so that we don’t stand out. In college I spent five months in Madrid and between teaching elementary English classes and taking some college classes myself, I was engrossed in Spanish culture in every way. Even though I loved learning about something new and exciting, I remember feeling so American and so different. Learning that Europeans weren’t always so keen of Americans made it even harder to just be myself. I tried to blend with Spaniards and could for the most part (until I spoke heavily accented Spanish). Learning another culture was extremely enriching, but months later when I moved back home I realized how I had muted several parts of my personality while overseas due to my own insecurities. However, God doesn’t want us to mute our personalities. He wants us to redirect them to serve the Kingdom. The change we experience in walking with the Lord are changes in our character, but should never be in our personalities. He wants us to embrace our individuality and use it for Him.

     In Psalm 139: 13 David notes that the Lord formed our “inmost” parts. The Hebrew word used here was kilyah which refers to “the seat of emotion and affection.” David was specifically referring to his heart, his mind, his soul—the inner most parts that formed who he was. Sometimes because of dissatisfaction with ourselves (whether physical, mental, or emotional), we can forget that the same God that created amazingly complex things, created each one of us. There may be complex, difficult things about ourselves that we don’t like.  There may be some seemingly simple, plain things about ourselves that we don’t like. If you’re lucky, you may even have a few things you really like about yourself.  However, the Lord knows all aspects of our personalities, whether good or bad, loves us in spite of them.  He knows a way to use even strange traits and idiosyncrasies for His glory. It is when we embrace that the Lord knit each one of us together in our mothers’ womb, wonderfully, that we can find the ability to be comfortable even in both our deepest insecurities.

Reflection:

• Do you feel comfortable in your “own skin”?
• What is an area of your personality that you may mute due to insecurity?
• How can God use that area for good and to serve the Kingdom?
• What scriptures and promises in the bible pierce your heart and remind you that God loves you despite flaws?
• Who do we know about in the bible that God used, that might even have been “weird”?
• What is one thing you can do to remind yourself that God uses uniqueness?

 

Prayer:

Father, thank you for making me unique.  Help me to rely on you to see how fearfully and wonderfully I am made.  Help me find balance between loving myself despite flaws, but continue to rely on You to walk through life.  Unconditional love is so hard to find—thank you for defining it.  In Jesus’ name, Amen. 

 Power Verses:

Eph 2:10,  Rom 12:4-8,  Isa 43:4 a CEV,  1 Cor 12:15-25,  Est 4:14 b,  Col 3:23-24

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For printable PDF version–>individuality2.0

White Lines September 29, 2009

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not in your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight”

Prov 3:5-6

A friend of mine and I were talking weeks ago about his old house in Texas.  His family lived on a busy road and their driveway was relatively close to the cars that zoomed down the road.  With two small children, he and his wife decided to paint a white line in the garage to be a boundary for the kids.  They told their four year old, Lily, she could never cross the white line.  As a curious child, my friend told me every time Lily went into the garage (never failed) she would walk as closely to the white line as possible, without crossing over it.  After all, she wasn’t breaking the rules.  She had the knowledge to know that the rules said not to cross the white line. 

     In our walks with Christ, he clearly labels the “white lines” and boundaries he sets up for us.  We can have knowledge of the lines, OR we can have the wisdom to avoid the line at all.  Just like Lily, our natural tendency is to play the game “how close can I get to the boundary” the Lord put into place.  In Lily’s case, her parents knew the danger that existed right outside of the garage.  Likewise, most of the white lines in our lives aren’t to punish us, but they are there because the Lord understands completely the destructive power of sin and wants to keep us as far from it as possible.

      No matter how much you know about Gods word, if you don’t begin to put biblical principles into practice, just knowing them is merely knowledge.  Wisdom, on the other hand is not only knowing what to do, but following through and doing it. James warns each of us to not “become a forgetful hearer, but [to be] an effectual doer [of the law]” (James 1:25b NASB). The Greek word for effectual is ergon, which means employment or job.  For most of us, our job is a daily non-compromise commitment that we stick to, whether we are passionate about our vocation or not.  How much more then, should we be uncompromisingly committed to not only hearing God’s word but also putting it into practice?  Do we make it our job to follow God’s word? 

     Thankfully we don’t have to find the white lines and the wisdom to avoid them on our own.  James says, “If any of you lacks wisdom he should ask God who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him” (Jam 1:5).  Its incredibly encouraging that it says “without finding fault.”  There is no moral checklist, social status, or track record that is a requirement to receive wisdom.  If we fear the Lord and ask Him to give us His Wisdom with a genuine heart, rest assured He will show us the white lines, as well as give us the wisdom to stay as far as possible from them to not get ensnared by sin.

Reflection:

• What are some “white lines” in your life currently?  Do you cross them?  Do you not cross them but camp out next to them? Or do you  avoid the line altogether?
• What is one way you can avoid being merely “hearers” of the Word?  Taking notes in church and reviewing them? Accountability partner?

Power Verses:

Luke 6:46-49, 1 Cor 15:58, Rom 2:13, James 4:17, Psalms 51:6, James 1:5, Prov 9:10

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For printable PDF version–> wisdom 4.0

Beyond Seeking September 25, 2009

“He who walks with the wise, grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm.”

Prov 13:20

About a year ago my 20 something female small group studied “Marriage by God’s Design.”  It was a powerful study broken into three video sessions.  The second session was called, What He Must Be.  The speaker went through several biblical principles that a man must live by before he was ready to be a husband.  I remember all of us (single) women, taking notes vigorously, engulfed in the message.  Some were even anxious to pass the notes on to their boyfriends so that they might feel compelled to meet certain biblical standards as a man.  As women, of course, we had everything together, but if the men would step it up, we could somehow resolve any relationship defunct.  Or so we thought until we heard the next message.

The third video session was What She Must Be.  When we began to measure ourselves up to the biblical principles a woman is called to live by, we realized how extremely short we fell. The point was not to make us keenly aware of our shortcomings, but to see how in order to find a Godly man, you had to first be a Godly woman (and vice-versa).

When I was praying and reading Proverbs 13:20, I felt myself very tempted to write on the importance of maintaining good company in order to avoid being around potentially bad influences.  Don’t get me wrong, surrounding yourself around like-minded believers is absolutely vital to growing with the Lord.  In fact, at McLean Bible Church, one of our ten core values is for every believer to be connected to a caring community (small group).  You may have heard the phrase, “Gravity is stronger than levity,”  which uses physics to describe how unhealthy friendships can have adverse affects on your walk.   And of course we can all finish the phrase, “Birds of a feather…”

However, I think for most of us, the call goes beyond just seeking wise companions, but also striving to be a wise companion.  The bible refers to this as “iron sharpening iron” (Prov 27:17).  In order to fashion metal you have to have proficiency with the hammer and the anvil.  Likewise, in order to sharpen our spiritual lives we have to engage the tools He gives us (the bible, prayer and fasting).  As our familiarity with the tools increases, we draw closer to the Lord and can influence others around us to do the same.

Reflection:

• How are wise friends a blessing in your life?  Write down your “wise friends.”
• How do you actively “spur one another on to good deeds”? (Heb 10:24-25)
• Where can you go to find wise friends?
• How can you pour wisdom from the Lord into others?  Mentorship? Small group? Your children?

Prayer:

Lord, I know that not only do my friends influence my walk , but I know that I as a friend influence other’s walks too.  Help me to not only seek wise companions, but to be a wise companion.  Remind me that Godly wisdom comes only from you, and make me passionate about pursuing it through spending time with you.  I pray this is Jesus’ name, Amen

Power Verses:
1 Cor 15:33,  Heb 10:24-25,  Prov 27:17,  Prov 2:20,  2 Cor 6:14-18,  Song 1:7-8

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For printable PDF version–>Wisdom3.0

Other References:  Core Values of Mclean Bible Church

A Lesson Before Dyeing September 25, 2009

“Choose my instruction instead of silver, knowledge rather than choice gold, for wisdom is more precious than rubies.”

Prov 8: 10-11 a

I remember going to a friend’s house one day after school and seeing her mom standing over a pot on the stove.  Someone had told my elementary bud, Erica, that her faded jeans weren’t cool.  Her mom knew how to dye her jeans darker so they didn’t look like last year’s pair, and Erica wouldn’t feel so unaccepted.  I don’t remember even knowing that worn jeans weren’t cool at the time, (meaning I myself probably rocked uncool jeans) but for some reason I was fascinated that she knew how to make old jeans new seem new again.

Recently when I was studying Titus, I was reminded of that seemingly insignificant afternoon.  In the passage, Paul is writing to Titus about how to instruct the church at Crete.  In Titus 1:15, Paul writes, “To the pure, all things are pure; but to those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure, but both their mind and their conscience are defiled.” The Greek word for defiled is miaino which also means to dye or stain.  When you paint something , you only affect the object’s surface.  If the paint chips, you can see the original material contrasted with the paint.  However, when you dye an object, the chemical makeup of the entire object changes. It takes a strong agent and a long process to remove the dye from the object’s makeup.  In fact, instead of removing the dye it is easier to dye over it with a darker color.

It’s interesting that Paul would use this particular word (miaino) when referring to sin, because sin can work the same way as dye.  Jesus’ blood is the only strong cleansing agent.  However, every time we foolishly choose to sin, we risk spiritual, emotional, and even physical consequences that can penetrate us far beyond our surface and permeate into other areas of our lives.  Even though He forgives us of the sin, sometimes we still face earthly consequences.  If we acknowledge the lasting impact sin can have and ask the Lord for wisdom to avoid it, we are less likely to associate ourselves with a “dye” we don’t want to have a resemblance to and have less “stains” affecting our daily lives.

When he says seeking wisdom is “more precious than rubies and choice gold,” He knows the impact that sin and foolishness have, and He wants to protect us from it by giving us wisdom.

Reflection:

• How have you engaged in sin, and seen the consequences outlast the sin?
• How has the Lord been gracious to you regarding that sin?
• In what area of your life do you need to ask the Lord for more wisdom?

Prayer:

Lord, sin is so deeply affecting.  Even the strongest, wisest people in the bible fell prey to sin, and I too, am prone to wander.  I know that by pursuing wisdom, I can avoid sin.  Your word says that with the Holy Spirit we are no longer slaves to sin (Rom 6:6).  Help me to esteem wisdom more than riches and seek wisdom in you and through You.  In Jesus’ name, Amen

Power Verses: Prov 4:5-7,  2 Cor 6:10,  Phil 3:8-9,  Psa 119:72,  Matt 16:26

These rocks were buried in a baby pool filled with sand. The kids got to dig through it with sand pails to find the scripture. Lesson: Searching for God's word is like searching for treasure!

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For pdf printable version–>Wisdom2.0

A Walk in the Park September 25, 2009

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not in your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.”

Prov 3:5-6

Some of my best moments with the Lord are early in the morning when I take my dog for a walk.  Everything seems to still be asleep from the night before, and nature is quietly awaiting the hustle and bustle to begin for the day.  There is something so precious about that time with the Lord.

One day last week I was walking my dog and he was overly excited about sniffing every mailbox along the way.  All 7 pounds of him was pulling on his leash, which in turn, began to choke him until he made theses snort like pants for air.  Frustrated, I kept thinking of how I could get him to stop pulling on his leash.  How could I help him see that when he did pull on the lease it only caused him to choke himself?  How could I help him realize that I would be right by his side, and that I know exactly the best path (with the most mailboxes to sniff)?  Why does he make it so difficult?

In my moment of frustration, I had an “a-ha” realization.  How often the Lord must feel me pulling away from Him or His will, and as a result, tightening the pressure around my own neck.  Christ died to give us freedom and we are by no means confined to a “leash” in our walk, but in 1 Cor 5:17 Paul tells the church in Corinth, “Everything is permissible, but not everything is beneficial.” So even though we have freedom in Christ, we submit to the truth that, “His ways are higher than our ways” (Isa 55:9) and we trust Him to walk beside us.  The word acknowledge in Hebrew is yadah, which “includes the mental awareness of who God is and the consequential submission to His Lordship” (netbible.org).  It’s more than just knowing Him, it’s about knowing Him, and knowing that He will be your divine guide through life.

The Lord used this morning walk to help me see how my own stubbornness can sometimes cause my own discomfort.  Although we are given freedom, he promises us that when we rely completely on Him, He will straighten our paths.  It doesn’t mean that we wont face difficulty along the way, but we can rest assured that it is God’s way.

Application:

• What is one area of my life that I am resistant to give up to God?
• What is one thing I can do daily for the next week to get in the habit of “leaning not in my own understanding” regarding this specific area?
• What are some biblical benefits of giving everything up to the Lord?

Prayer:

Lord, it is natural for me to rely on my own self and my own understanding.  Help me give that self-reliance over to you and learn to trust you in a way I never have before.  May my first instinct be to come to you in every situation.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Power Verses:

Isa 12:2,  Prov 28:26,  1 Cor 8:1-3,  Jer 10:23,  Isa 26:3-4, 1 Ch 28:9, Ezra 8:22-23,  Phil 4:6

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me and oso

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