A few years ago, we celebrated my parents' thirtieth wedding anniversary by throwing them a surprise reception. Part of the preparation included gathering photos of my parents to make a slideshow. I did the legwork because I was local, and my sister (who lived several states away) did the slideshow because she's more adept with computers. As a result, I ended up with lots of my parents' photos on my computer. One afternoon, as I was working on details, my youngest came in to talk to me. The screen saver was scrolling through the pictures on the computer and it came to one of my parents' first Christmas together. She looked at me and said, "Mama, who that?" I replied that it was her Grandmama and Abuelo. She said, "That not Grandmama and Abuelo."
"Yes it is."
"No it not."
"Yes it is. It's Grandmama and Abuelo when they were young."
"That Grandmama and Abuelo?"
"Yes, that's Grandmama and Abuelo when they were young."
"That Grandmama and Abuelo? They be young?!?"
"Yes. That's Grandmama and Abuelo when they were young."
At which point she ran through the house telling her siblings that they had to come see this picture of Grandmama and Abuelo when "they be young".
At the time I thought it was hilarious that my daughter couldn't imagine my parents being young. But a couple years ago, my grandmother came to live with my parents, and I got to read my Pawpaw's love letters to her. While I know that my grandparents were young (at some point in the distant past!), it was bizarre to read Pawpaw's words as a twenty-something because I didn't know him until several decades later. It is quite hard for me to imagine him ever being young.
And I began to ponder. I've noticed as I continue to read through Scripture that people simply cannot believe that God is so unlike us. Again and again people project humanity and sin onto God. And again and again God tells us that He is not like us. He is mighty. He is good. He is faithful. He is holy. He is love. Friend, this is where faith comes in. Even though it goes against all our experiences with weak, sinful people, we must believe that what God tells us about Himself is true. Dear Friend, hear. Believe. And live.
God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?
Numbers 23:19
Of old you laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. They will perish, but you will remain; they will all wear out like a garment. You will change them like a robe, and they will pass away, but you are the same, and your years have no end.
Psalms 102:25-27
Who is like the LORD our God, who is seated on high, who looks far down on the heavens and the earth?
Psalms 113:5-6
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
John 1:14
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities--all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.
Colossians 1:15-20
Saturday, March 28, 2015
Friday, March 27, 2015
Support
When I was pregnant with my youngest, I had a really easy pregnancy until the last three weeks. But I hurt so much and so constantly the last three weeks as my body prepared for labor, that it nearly overshadowed all the good weeks. I asked the ladies at our Wednesday night Bible study to pray that my baby would hurry up and join us, because I hurt all the time and was having incredible difficulty taking care of my little family. I didn't want to ask them to help me with my responsibilities. My thought was, "I got myself into this situation, and I need to handle it." But my sweet sisters did my laundry and provided meals for us for the rest of that week. And I was thankful.
Fast forward about eight years. I have a whole other set of responsibilities and difficulties all revolving around the same family. And I am still reluctant to ask for help, because I still think that I've gotten myself into this situation and I should handle it. So I was both challenged and encouraged while I read about Moses this morning.
Moses acted as both prophet and priest for the Israelites. He spoke God's words to them, and he interceded on their behalf before the Lord. In terms of responsibility, Moses was no slouch. But there are two scenes back to back, which give us a glimpse of Moses' need. First, Moses stands on a hill as Joshua leads the army into battle. As long as Moses keeps his arms raised, the Israelites are winning the battle. But when his arms fall, they begin to lose. While God could have easily supplied Moses with supernatural endurance, He chooses instead to use the people in Moses' life to support him. His brother Aaron, and another man named Hur stand on either side of Moses and give him the support to hold up his arms until the end of the battle. Then in the following chapter, Moses' father-in-law instructs him to stop trying to settle all the Israelites' disputes by himself. In fact, he tells Moses that he is wearing out himself AND the people.
And I began to think... I worry about "how much" I have to do. But I certainly don't have more on my plate than Moses did. And I think that my family will fall apart if I don't get the laundry done, and cook, and clean, and get through that certain number of lessons in their schoolwork, and balance the checkbook, and... and... and... But the Lord is gently teaching me that I am needy. And that I NEED to ask for help when life gets tough. Not just from Him, but also from the people He has placed in my life. And, dear Christian, you do too.
Then Amalek came and fought with Israel at Rephidim. So Moses said to Joshua, "Choose for us men, and go out and fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand." So Joshua did as Moses told him, and fought with Amalek, while Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. Whenever Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed, and whenever he lowered his hand, Amalek prevailed. But Moses' hands grew weary, so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it, while Aaron and Hur held up his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side. So his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. And Joshua overwhelmed Amalek and his people with the sword.
Exodus 17:8-13
Fast forward about eight years. I have a whole other set of responsibilities and difficulties all revolving around the same family. And I am still reluctant to ask for help, because I still think that I've gotten myself into this situation and I should handle it. So I was both challenged and encouraged while I read about Moses this morning.
Moses acted as both prophet and priest for the Israelites. He spoke God's words to them, and he interceded on their behalf before the Lord. In terms of responsibility, Moses was no slouch. But there are two scenes back to back, which give us a glimpse of Moses' need. First, Moses stands on a hill as Joshua leads the army into battle. As long as Moses keeps his arms raised, the Israelites are winning the battle. But when his arms fall, they begin to lose. While God could have easily supplied Moses with supernatural endurance, He chooses instead to use the people in Moses' life to support him. His brother Aaron, and another man named Hur stand on either side of Moses and give him the support to hold up his arms until the end of the battle. Then in the following chapter, Moses' father-in-law instructs him to stop trying to settle all the Israelites' disputes by himself. In fact, he tells Moses that he is wearing out himself AND the people.
And I began to think... I worry about "how much" I have to do. But I certainly don't have more on my plate than Moses did. And I think that my family will fall apart if I don't get the laundry done, and cook, and clean, and get through that certain number of lessons in their schoolwork, and balance the checkbook, and... and... and... But the Lord is gently teaching me that I am needy. And that I NEED to ask for help when life gets tough. Not just from Him, but also from the people He has placed in my life. And, dear Christian, you do too.
Then Amalek came and fought with Israel at Rephidim. So Moses said to Joshua, "Choose for us men, and go out and fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand." So Joshua did as Moses told him, and fought with Amalek, while Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. Whenever Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed, and whenever he lowered his hand, Amalek prevailed. But Moses' hands grew weary, so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it, while Aaron and Hur held up his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side. So his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. And Joshua overwhelmed Amalek and his people with the sword.
Exodus 17:8-13
Monday, March 23, 2015
Words of Life
I love words. And stories. And books. I was telling Shorty this weekend that I devour books. Especially novels. And while all my Crew have acquired some of my taste for the written word, my oldest is especially captivated. She is well on the way to having her own collection of stories. For us, books are fun! Since she has professed faith in Christ, I've been encouraging her to begin reading the Bible for herself. I even challenged her recently to NOT read one of her novels for fun until she has read in the Bible for that day.
Shepherding her in this area has been a challenge and encouragement to me as well. While I don't have as much time to read for pleasure as I once had, when I do begin a story, I tend to get sucked in so that all my attention is focused on reaching the ending. And sometimes I neglect things that are more important. Sometimes I choose to read the next chapter of the novel rather than do my devotions. But while that offers a brief pleasure, it doesn't satisfy my soul. Kind of like a child who would rather eat dessert than meat and fruits and veggies. Food for fun or food for life? Words for fun or words of life? Dear Christian, as you spend your moments today, please fuel your soul with the words of life!
After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. So Jesus said to the Twelve, "Do you want to go away as well?" Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God."
John 6:66-69
Shepherding her in this area has been a challenge and encouragement to me as well. While I don't have as much time to read for pleasure as I once had, when I do begin a story, I tend to get sucked in so that all my attention is focused on reaching the ending. And sometimes I neglect things that are more important. Sometimes I choose to read the next chapter of the novel rather than do my devotions. But while that offers a brief pleasure, it doesn't satisfy my soul. Kind of like a child who would rather eat dessert than meat and fruits and veggies. Food for fun or food for life? Words for fun or words of life? Dear Christian, as you spend your moments today, please fuel your soul with the words of life!
After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. So Jesus said to the Twelve, "Do you want to go away as well?" Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God."
John 6:66-69
Monday, March 16, 2015
who IS
Yesterday during our church's worship service, we sang "Revelation Song".
"Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty
Who was and is and is to come..."
As we sang, I was reminded afresh of my need for the God who IS. I need Him in THIS moment. I need Him for THIS day.
In the opening verses of Revelation, we are introduced to God the Father as "him who is and who was and who is to come". As I've muddle and stumbled and trudged through this school year with my Crew, I've been faced with my own bankruptcy. I really have nothing to offer apart from the work of Christ in me. And while I need to remember the God who was. That is, the God who was faithful to me last week, and last month, and last year, and five years ago... The God who was loving and kind and powerful. And while I need to know that He doesn't change, that He is able to bring His plan to completion and finally restore this broken world. The God who is to come. In the midst of the heaviness of living as a sinner in a fallen world, I need the God who IS. He is faithful in this moment, for this day. He is loving in this moment, for this day. He is kind in this moment, for this day. He is powerful in this moment, for this day. He is accomplishing His purpose in me and in His church and in His world. And one glorious day His church will be perfected, finally and fully freed from sin. And this world will be fixed, no more pain or sickness or death. And He will still be the God who IS.
Then Moses said to God, "If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you,' and they ask me, 'What is his name?' what shall I say to them?" God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM." And he said, "Say this to the people of Israel, 'I AM has sent me to you.'"
Exodus 3:13-14
John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
Revelation 1:4-6
"Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty
Who was and is and is to come..."
As we sang, I was reminded afresh of my need for the God who IS. I need Him in THIS moment. I need Him for THIS day.
In the opening verses of Revelation, we are introduced to God the Father as "him who is and who was and who is to come". As I've muddle and stumbled and trudged through this school year with my Crew, I've been faced with my own bankruptcy. I really have nothing to offer apart from the work of Christ in me. And while I need to remember the God who was. That is, the God who was faithful to me last week, and last month, and last year, and five years ago... The God who was loving and kind and powerful. And while I need to know that He doesn't change, that He is able to bring His plan to completion and finally restore this broken world. The God who is to come. In the midst of the heaviness of living as a sinner in a fallen world, I need the God who IS. He is faithful in this moment, for this day. He is loving in this moment, for this day. He is kind in this moment, for this day. He is powerful in this moment, for this day. He is accomplishing His purpose in me and in His church and in His world. And one glorious day His church will be perfected, finally and fully freed from sin. And this world will be fixed, no more pain or sickness or death. And He will still be the God who IS.
Then Moses said to God, "If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you,' and they ask me, 'What is his name?' what shall I say to them?" God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM." And he said, "Say this to the people of Israel, 'I AM has sent me to you.'"
Exodus 3:13-14
John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
Revelation 1:4-6
Thursday, March 12, 2015
Multiplication: Part 2
I didn't exactly intend there to be a part two, but as I read chapter 11 of Exodus this morning, the word "multiplied" jumped out at me. By chapter 11, we've moved from the oppression of the Hebrews in Egypt all the way through the ninth plague. And Moses has told Pharaoh that God is going to send a final plague in which all the firstborn of Egypt will die.
Then the LORD said to Moses, "Pharaoh will not listen to you, that my wonders may be multiplied in the land of Egypt."
Exodus 11:9 (emphasis mine)
When Moses first returned to Egypt from Midian, he went to Pharaoh as God had commanded, but the results were not at all what he was expecting. Rather than releasing the Hebrews, Pharaoh INCREASED their workload by telling them to gather their own straw while making the same number of bricks. (Prior to this, Pharaoh had provided straw for them.) Moses went to God and prayed, "...you have not delivered your people at all." For the next few chapters God does wonder after wonder with the purpose of revealing Himself both to the Hebrews as the God who saves them, and to the Egyptians as the God who is greater than all their gods combined. And their story serves the same purpose for us today. That you may know...
I will remember the deeds of the LORD; yes, I will remember your wonders of old. I will ponder all your work, and meditate on your mighty deeds. Your way, O God, is holy. What god is great like our God? You are the God who works wonders; you have made known your might among the peoples.
Psalms 77:11-14
Then the LORD said to Moses, "Pharaoh will not listen to you, that my wonders may be multiplied in the land of Egypt."
Exodus 11:9 (emphasis mine)
When Moses first returned to Egypt from Midian, he went to Pharaoh as God had commanded, but the results were not at all what he was expecting. Rather than releasing the Hebrews, Pharaoh INCREASED their workload by telling them to gather their own straw while making the same number of bricks. (Prior to this, Pharaoh had provided straw for them.) Moses went to God and prayed, "...you have not delivered your people at all." For the next few chapters God does wonder after wonder with the purpose of revealing Himself both to the Hebrews as the God who saves them, and to the Egyptians as the God who is greater than all their gods combined. And their story serves the same purpose for us today. That you may know...
I will remember the deeds of the LORD; yes, I will remember your wonders of old. I will ponder all your work, and meditate on your mighty deeds. Your way, O God, is holy. What god is great like our God? You are the God who works wonders; you have made known your might among the peoples.
Psalms 77:11-14
Wednesday, March 11, 2015
Wrestling
My youngest daughter played basketball this year. She was in the youngest age group. You know, the ones who really have no idea what they're doing, but they look really cute doing it. There was a little girl on one of the other teams who was assigned to guard my daughter several quarters one game, and it was a HUGE frustration for me because this particular little girl seemed to think that "guarding" meant "grab and hold". As a result, it looked more like a wrestling match than basketball between those two girls. After the game I was still a bit frustrated, and my daughter told me, "Well, Mama, I started holding on to her too." At which point I explained to her that that is not legal in basketball. And that when her team has the ball, she should try to get away from her defender.
I've thought about that game quite a bit the last couple weeks. And it's lead me to ponder how I interact with my sin. Remembering that sin is something INSIDE me, not outside of me. It is something that I'm supposed to be working to eradicate from my life. Or, borrowing the words of a Puritan brother, to mortify it. But I'm afraid that there are times when, despite my best efforts, I end up hanging on. I end up wrestling when I should be running. Thankfully, the Spirit lives in me to call me back to running. Christ always lived faithfully in my place, and now always lives to intercede for me. And the Father loves me and is faithful to complete the work He's begun.
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.
Ephesians 6:10-13
I've thought about that game quite a bit the last couple weeks. And it's lead me to ponder how I interact with my sin. Remembering that sin is something INSIDE me, not outside of me. It is something that I'm supposed to be working to eradicate from my life. Or, borrowing the words of a Puritan brother, to mortify it. But I'm afraid that there are times when, despite my best efforts, I end up hanging on. I end up wrestling when I should be running. Thankfully, the Spirit lives in me to call me back to running. Christ always lived faithfully in my place, and now always lives to intercede for me. And the Father loves me and is faithful to complete the work He's begun.
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.
Ephesians 6:10-13
Tuesday, March 10, 2015
Multiplication
At present I have taught three of my Crew to multiply. My youngest isn't quite old enough yet. The definition in my teacher's manual is that multiplication is a fast way to add the same number again and again.
I'm reading about the plagues in Exodus. For the first few plagues, the Egyptian magicians try to duplicate them. This struck me as rather ridiculous. God turns the Nile (which was their main water source) to blood, and the magicians say, "Well, we'll just turn MORE of the water to blood." (That is a bit of conjecture on my part. The Bible doesn't tell us what they were thinking, it only tells us what they did.) Then when God sends swarms of frogs to overrun their homes, the magicians bring in MORE frogs. And I thought, "Why in the world would they want to multiply their trouble?"
As I stewed on that, I realized that they were trying to prove that they were equal to this unknown-to-them god. If they could do what he did, they need not fear him. And in the beginning they did duplicate His work. They turned water to blood. They brought frogs up out of the Nile. And they multiplied their misery.
Then I realized that there are many ways in which I try to live as though I don't need God. Living as a sinner among other sinners in this fallen world is often miserable. There are good things, pleasant things, times of happiness. But there is just a whole lot of YUCK. There is still SO MUCH sin in my heart. And I don't like it. So I make my plans, and then I work hard to accomplish MY plan. Usually I end up frustrated because my plans just don't work out. There are too many variables over which I have no control. So I multiply my misery.
What I need is not to prove that I don't need God. Rather, I need to realize MORE how much I do NEED Him. And because of Christ's sacrifice in my place, and the work of the Spirit in my heart, that is what's happening. Slowly. Slowly. Slowly.
For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
Titus 3:3-7
I'm reading about the plagues in Exodus. For the first few plagues, the Egyptian magicians try to duplicate them. This struck me as rather ridiculous. God turns the Nile (which was their main water source) to blood, and the magicians say, "Well, we'll just turn MORE of the water to blood." (That is a bit of conjecture on my part. The Bible doesn't tell us what they were thinking, it only tells us what they did.) Then when God sends swarms of frogs to overrun their homes, the magicians bring in MORE frogs. And I thought, "Why in the world would they want to multiply their trouble?"
As I stewed on that, I realized that they were trying to prove that they were equal to this unknown-to-them god. If they could do what he did, they need not fear him. And in the beginning they did duplicate His work. They turned water to blood. They brought frogs up out of the Nile. And they multiplied their misery.
Then I realized that there are many ways in which I try to live as though I don't need God. Living as a sinner among other sinners in this fallen world is often miserable. There are good things, pleasant things, times of happiness. But there is just a whole lot of YUCK. There is still SO MUCH sin in my heart. And I don't like it. So I make my plans, and then I work hard to accomplish MY plan. Usually I end up frustrated because my plans just don't work out. There are too many variables over which I have no control. So I multiply my misery.
What I need is not to prove that I don't need God. Rather, I need to realize MORE how much I do NEED Him. And because of Christ's sacrifice in my place, and the work of the Spirit in my heart, that is what's happening. Slowly. Slowly. Slowly.
For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
Titus 3:3-7
Sunday, March 8, 2015
Sacrifice of Praise
Drowning. Pulled. Torn. Drained. Empty. Exhausted. These are the kinds of words that have frequently described how I've felt for the last few months. And while the last couple of weeks have seen marked improvement, Sunday mornings have been a bigger than normal challenge. Sunday morning worship has been a foundational part of my life since before I can remember. And much of the time, I was eager to meet with God and His people. I enjoyed (and still enjoy) singing praises to the Lord. I loved (and still love) communing with the Lord in prayer. I listened attentively (much of the time) to the preaching of the Word. And I was refreshed. But these last couple of Sundays, just as I feel that I'm about to get REALLY engaged in the worship service, one of my children begins to pull at me. They need to go to the bathroom. They forgot a bulletin. They don't want brother/sister touching them. What does that word mean? Why are you holding your hands like that? And I fall apart. You know when glass shatters and the shards scatter from one end of the room to the other? That's me, because I so DESPERATELY want to be refreshed, but I feel like I'm missing it.
To the choirmaster. A Maskil of the Sons of Korah. As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?
Psalms 42:1-2
As I was pondering my fall apart earlier, I was reminded of this verse:
Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name.
Hebrews 13:15
I used to hear the phrase "sacrifice of praise" and wonder what that was. I know that it is never really EASY to worship the Lord properly this side of glory, but when you acknowledge that the goodness in your life is from the Lord, and it feels like there is a lot of goodness, it's pretty easy to praise. On the other hand, when you feel like you're drowning... or being pulled in too many directions... or exhausted, it becomes very difficult to acknowledge His name.
Then I was reminded of the widow who offered her two mites. There is something precious to God about us offering Him our best, like Abel. But there is also something precious to God about us offering Him the very last, bottom of the barrel, I'll-die-if-I-give-this-up. And that encouraged me for today. And for tomorrow. And hopefully for next Sunday, as I shepherd my Crew through another Sunday morning worship...
A Psalm of David, when he was in the wilderness of Judah. O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water. So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary, beholding your power and glory. Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you. So I will bless you as long as I live; in your name I will lift up my hands. My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food, and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips, when I remember you upon my bed, and meditate on you in the watches of the night; for you have been my help, and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy. My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me.
Psalms 63:1-8
To the choirmaster. A Maskil of the Sons of Korah. As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?
Psalms 42:1-2
As I was pondering my fall apart earlier, I was reminded of this verse:
Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name.
Hebrews 13:15
I used to hear the phrase "sacrifice of praise" and wonder what that was. I know that it is never really EASY to worship the Lord properly this side of glory, but when you acknowledge that the goodness in your life is from the Lord, and it feels like there is a lot of goodness, it's pretty easy to praise. On the other hand, when you feel like you're drowning... or being pulled in too many directions... or exhausted, it becomes very difficult to acknowledge His name.
Then I was reminded of the widow who offered her two mites. There is something precious to God about us offering Him our best, like Abel. But there is also something precious to God about us offering Him the very last, bottom of the barrel, I'll-die-if-I-give-this-up. And that encouraged me for today. And for tomorrow. And hopefully for next Sunday, as I shepherd my Crew through another Sunday morning worship...
A Psalm of David, when he was in the wilderness of Judah. O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water. So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary, beholding your power and glory. Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you. So I will bless you as long as I live; in your name I will lift up my hands. My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food, and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips, when I remember you upon my bed, and meditate on you in the watches of the night; for you have been my help, and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy. My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me.
Psalms 63:1-8
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