Life continues on around us and our own lives are pretty unpredictable...
Our family has been through a lot of sickness this winter. We have had a bunch of family come to visit. We've been trying to have a baby and/or adopt a child. There is school, and work, and church events. There are friendships to maintain, and new ones to foster. I feel like most of the things I plan, and want, end up fruitless much of the time.
Proverbs 16:9
In their hearts humans plan their course,
but the Lord establishes their steps.
Being a disciple of Jesus, we really have just a couple things to stick to. The rest come after that.
Luke 10:26-28
“What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?”
He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”
“You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.”
As disciples, we don't follow the law (that would not work). Yet, the principle still applies here.
When we all arrived here in the Tri-Cities area, we had all sorts of thoughts and plans. We would proclaim Jesus, make disciples, and love each other. Simple desires (and good ones!). We've come to the six month mark of this journey. We recently had another promising young man turn away from Jesus after much study and investment in his life. It is always discouraging to see others say no to the road we ask them to travel with us.
Matthew 19:25-26
When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, “Who then can be saved?”
Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
It has never been easy, or pleasant for me to here "no" over and over again in response to the gospel. It is our hope that keeps us going... We press on because of our own assurance in Christ and the resurrection. And because of this there is always going to be hope for the next person we share this life with.
The men of the church here are having an event this Saturday to bring a little of God's kingdom into the men we are befriending. Please pray that the seeds planted and watered at this time will grow by God's power.
Amen.
Monday, February 25, 2013
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
Repent!
So much to say...
The Edmunds family has been sick several times in the past month. Norovirus, flu, colds, and Francine's cold/wet weather issues. Guess who was not sick? Me. I had the pleasure of taking care of everyone. From a spiritual perspective, this was a great opportunity. I had a hard time seeing it that way most of the time.
Within a couple weeks of the sickness hitting us, I grew bitter and retracted into a funky cave of depression. I then went through (and still not done) an amazing time of conviction and eye opening from the Lord.
Matt 5:3
“Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
I got to the point where my spirit finally broke. The weight that God needed to apply was pretty heavy. I take this to mean that I needed a lot to break through my sinful heart. The pride that I had been wrapping myself up in as my strength was shown to be what it really was - sin! I crashed down from my fantasy land where I was doing good. I felt terrible.
Matt 5:4
Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
At this point I really didn't know what to do. I do think, and feel, that God told me to just wait. "You just sit there in your mud for a while." Normally I wrap my pride all around me, stand back up, and march on with life. This time was different though. I think I finally saw that what I had been doing was faithless and self-willed. Not God at all!
Psalm 51:17
My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart
you, God, will not despise.
It has been several weeks since this began. I don't even know if I have really "learned" yet, but I am grateful that God loved me by showing me this part of my heart. I think I am understanding forgiveness so much more, and because of that I can live in grace more as well!
The Edmunds family has been sick several times in the past month. Norovirus, flu, colds, and Francine's cold/wet weather issues. Guess who was not sick? Me. I had the pleasure of taking care of everyone. From a spiritual perspective, this was a great opportunity. I had a hard time seeing it that way most of the time.
Within a couple weeks of the sickness hitting us, I grew bitter and retracted into a funky cave of depression. I then went through (and still not done) an amazing time of conviction and eye opening from the Lord.
Matt 5:3
“Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
I got to the point where my spirit finally broke. The weight that God needed to apply was pretty heavy. I take this to mean that I needed a lot to break through my sinful heart. The pride that I had been wrapping myself up in as my strength was shown to be what it really was - sin! I crashed down from my fantasy land where I was doing good. I felt terrible.
Matt 5:4
Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
At this point I really didn't know what to do. I do think, and feel, that God told me to just wait. "You just sit there in your mud for a while." Normally I wrap my pride all around me, stand back up, and march on with life. This time was different though. I think I finally saw that what I had been doing was faithless and self-willed. Not God at all!
Psalm 51:17
My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart
you, God, will not despise.
It has been several weeks since this began. I don't even know if I have really "learned" yet, but I am grateful that God loved me by showing me this part of my heart. I think I am understanding forgiveness so much more, and because of that I can live in grace more as well!
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