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Archive for the ‘Faith’ Category

StaringEyes

The person who lives in right relationship with God does it by embracing what God arranges for him. Doing things for God is the opposite of entering into what God does for you” — Galatians 3:11b (The Message)

I sought God for 30 years, requesting a vision or direction concerning some task I could do for him, something I could say, “Here, God, I have done this for you!”, when all along there was (and is) nothing I can do for God but worship him.

It was staring me in the face all along! Life can’t be lived by trying to do something for him but by accepting what he has done and continues to do for us and being grateful. He’s not looking for those who want to do great things, he is looking for those who will choose to love the greatest thing in the universe (Him), letting him express his love in and through us.

I think God doesn’t so much want us to do great things but, instead, do the right thing — to do justly, to love mercy, to walk humbly with him. *

 

— fritz
* Micah 6:8, John 4:23

Throwback Thursday Post 2021-12-21

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Recently and close more than 140 cars piled up in an accident. Fog was so thick one could see no more than ten (10) feet ahead but they were traveling at highway speed anyway.

In a sense we are all like that. None of us can see what is in front of us in time yet we can not stop. Like it or not we are careening forward in that fog making decisions only guessing what will happen next and hoping for the best.

But while we have no eyes to see the future we were made to hear. Jesus said,

“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:” (John 10:27)

We have the capacity to hear God. When we give ourselves to Christ we begin to “hear” his peace in our inner being.

Christ’s sacrifice not only saves us into eternity, it removes the figurative “wax from our ears”. We start learning to “listen” to his peaceful urging how to live, when to act, when to wait, what to do.

As we learn to listen we crash less and discover God sees, he cares, and he speaks.

Prayer: Jesus, like your apostle John leaned on your chest at the last supper to hear your heartbeat, so I desire to “hear” you moment by moment.

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“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me … To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness…that he might be glorified.” (Isaiah 61:1-3 / Luke 4:81)

When they are put into the hands of Jesus, God replaces our ashes (burnt up dreams and missed opportunities), mourning (sadness), and spirit of heaviness (depression) with a beauty that’s enticing, a joyfulness that splashes onto everything, and an attitude of praise covering our struggles.

The phrase, “to appoint”, here literally means “to call” and the term, “Zion”, refers specifically to God’s people. The meaning is clear: followers of Christ going through sadness, grief, and depression are the specific candidates for renewal.

Expect it

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