An Added ….Some More Old Thoughts for April

 

Picture from my youngest son.

Once upon a time I was wondering… 

When is prayer not meaningful? 

Prayer is conversation with GOD - we, who are but dust- get the attention of GOD every time we call His name. 

Matthew 6:8-10 “Our Father which art in Heaven, Hallowed be Thy name. Thy Kingdom come…”. Hallowed means holy, consecrated- sacred, set apart- because it’s special, unlike any other place or thing. In Exodus 3:5, God called out to Moses from the burning bush and told him to remove his shoes because the very ground he was encountering God was holy ground and God wanted nothing between Him and Moses. The physical contact was that important. I just have to suppose that since the ground was that special, then surely since Jesus said, our Father’s name is “Hallowed”… our calling for God’s attention; begs to suggest way more than a modicum of respect - way more, (if ground can be holy… GOD is holier - He made the ground, dust, us).   

When we glibly, (insincerely and shallow), call upon God; perhaps, at least one should share that mundane moment and why you required God’s attention… to the mundane. Not that Father God is not aware of what we are doing 24/7, (remember He’s omniscient and omnipresent to boot), but when calling on Father God - it’s kind of an opportunity for us to check-in with ourselves; to identify where and what we are doing… even in the small things. Especially, if you called out God’s name - for His attention, to make Him aware of what and where you are - when your’e doing something super minor, (I want to say stupid). In this, we show ourselves to be the mindless, sometimes thoughtless children we are. At least be mindful that we called on Father God for something small - “Oh ____, I missed the ball!”(Sadly, this is me sometimes). 

Do not take the name of God in vain. PERIOD. It’s kind of crazy that people who don’t even believe in Father God call on His Son’s name - Jesus. When was the last time you heard someone call on a pagan god’s name for something frivolous, or even important? Just wondering…

Let me make myself clear on the other side… ALL conversation to God is important - when done sincerely. God is our Father. He delights in hearing from His children… but to simply call out His Holy name in anger, disrespect, carelessly… irreverently… It cheapens God in our eyes, and in the eyes of those within earshot of our vain calling… IF you profess to be a Christ follower, folks are indeed watching closely and so your behavior reflects back upon God. I pray regularly, for Father to put a guard over my mouth… because I see people just like me, doing stupid all of the time… My first grade teacher used to use duct tape!

On another day…

Humans have “SPAN” as in lifeSPAN. Subsequently, angels may be curious with what we do with the space between our birth date and our death date. Angels are incredible beings, but they don’t know what we are going to do before we do it, (in truth, some of us are just as clueless); and they, the angels - watch us, humans…(It’s a little creepy if you think about too long - so don’t…). I wonder, do angels wonder why we do what we do sometimes… Perhaps, those angels that are dispatched by Father God are logical, I presume, and so must wonder WHY we do what we do… Can you imagine the huddle they have sometimes… If they have the time to huddle and chat about their charges… We do keep them busy… And the demonic ones… compile information to create that next stumbling block… Those are the busybodies…

Most humans know that there is a limit to our “life”span. Some are reckless -not so much that they do crazy things, although this is true, but they live as if there is no limit to their tomorrows and so plan only for the moment; if even then. So why do we not treasure our moments more meaningfully? This may be the reasoning behind the angels watching over us so… They intervene only as God directs but otherwise “watch” 24/7. 

Why do we humans spend something, SPAN, so costly - on meaningless pursuits? The angels know God gave His Son Jesus for us humans - dust! (Father also gave us - only humans - His image - this is HUGE! Some try to change what God gave at conception as HE was knitting us together... and we say, “…wrong or we don’t like it…” to God! And dare to go against God and natural order).  

And look at what we do with our SPAN. The enemy understands we underestimate our precious gift of SPAN and so provides us with vain pursuits… so that we are ineffectual - have no impact upon others that we’ve been given to be around... 

An aspect of hell could be to realize the endless possibilities of the what ifs - the things we could have done with our span and didn’t - regret without end.

And the days turn…

I had an epiphany: 

What I’ve learned: Father God does not want love that isn’t freely given, subsequently, His love is 100% unconditional, (“…yet while we were still sinners, Christ Jesus died for us…”) … so He gives freely but, it is “anticipatory” - emphasis on the last word. Not so much for Him, because He already knows exactly where we are concerning our affections or the lack thereof for Him, but we don’t know it of ourselves. We lie to Father God and to ourselves… Sadly. I think this is why we are given relationships so we “get” to practice loving others as Father God loves us… Which means not always accepting what our loved ones do, or not do to us, themselves and others. Chew on this last sentence. 

We also experience the hurt/heartache, the brokenness that Father God experiences as well...  It’s like a given - 100% - that we will have broken relationships no matter what we do… Because folks don’t have to receive someone’s love, (remember - free will). The BIG difference between Father God and us, of course - He knows everything - even the end of everyone’s story… We, of course - do not… But like Him -we don’t give up… He doesn’t seem to give up on folks either, (this is totally a God thing). However, we should turn folks over to Father God rather than trying to get folks to love.  Can’t make someone love you. Can’t make someone receive your love. 

Only Father God loves perfectly. Of course 😏

Another thing that popped into my head…

One day we, (everybody), will all know all truth about everything. Conversely, every lie will be exposed… With hearing/knowing all the truth as a believer- there will be undoubtedly tears, because of the understanding of the repercussions of the aforementioned “denial” of what was true… 

So, these tears of regret, hurt, shame… are these the tears that scripture says God, Himself will wipe away every tear? Isaiah 25:8 and Revelation 21:4

Think about everything you’ve been told and discovering what was true and what was not… You will “see”/realize all the endless positive possibilities that could have been and how life could have been different, for the lack of lies you were told.

Understanding the lies that have impacted my life now, I can still say - on this side of Glory - I still give thanks because even in the lies, I’ve come to understand and see how Father God used evil lies for His Glory and my good… because life has been a journey that Father God has always been with me… no matter what…

Still I think understanding ALL of the lies and the missed impact of other choices - could be momentarily sad… till Father wipes ALL the tears away. 🙂

Just thinking  

… And on yet another day

With regards to Isaiah 38 and Hezekiah’s tears… Verse 5 “I have seen thy tears…” 

What tears move Father? Surely, all tears of righteousness, but to seemingly change His mind or to be so moved… How I have cried tears… Surely the two Tamars, Hagar, Samson, Hannah in the Old Testament… Mary Magdalene, Martha, Paul, as did Jesus in the garden… So many request for movements of motions - seem to be set and can not be changed… It is the old road less traveled that must be taken… such an unknown. But Father’s beloved are never alone. 

Soli Deo Gloria

Nina 

Something Old - For April: Only God Takes Death and Says “The Sting is Gone!”

 Mark 15:39  “And when the centurion, which stood over against Him, saw that He cried out, and gave up the ghost, he said, “Truly this Man was the Son of God.”” 

Matthew 27:54 says “… and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, “Truly this was the Son of God””. 

A Roman gentile centurion, (I know it’s redundant), acknowledges the Son of God - being the Jewish Man, he just assisted in crucifying per instructions from his commander Pontius Pilate, the Governor; who was worried about the Jewish mob of all the chief priests, the Pharisees and the councils of the Sanhedrin, per Matthew 27.   

It is my opinion that a lot of the Bible is a paradox, (“an argument that apparently derives self-contradictory conclusions by valid deduction from acceptable premises. …Opposed to common sense and yet is well founded or true.” New Oxford American and Merriam Webster Dictionaries) - like things that defy what we of this earth take as solid truth - like the air we breathe to live. We can not see it, nor taste it, although, we can feel its effects when it blows from whence it comes and then goes, but we see it not. Without it we die. Period. Something we can not even see… but we presume it to be… because we live… 

The centurion, just doing his job… given that he was Roman, he did not care that he was given the job to oversee the crucifixion of another Jew… This was something that the Romans, the ruling body, did… But Jesus gave this centurion - a gift - the opportunity to profess that He was indeed the Son of God. Which had to be a paradox for the centurion… We know the end of this story - RESURRECTION on the third day… But at the time this centurion just saw and believed that he assisted in the killing of Whom he perceived to be, the Son of God… “How can this be… God’s Son, dead at my hands?” 

Did this centurion feel shame? Confusion? Disgust of what he was a party to? Was he angered all the more at the Jews? Was he even more fearful - of God the Father? Did his heart break? Was his grasp of this world loosen as a result of his eye-opening moment? 

…But the gift he was given. To know that indeed this Jew - Jesus of Nazareth was “Truly the Son of God!” There was a ember of light, a flicker of a flame - lit in his heart and mind - to settle, to chew upon, to ponder deeply… This Jesus was the Son of God - This is the gift that he had come to know. That this Son of God, cried out, (as in a victorious voice - “IT IS FINISHED!”), and gave up His life - in that He chose to…  

Then the continuation of the paradoxical events… Third day… The first day of the week, Matthew 28… Jesus RESURRECTS! He lives. He was dead… but now He LIVES! 

He is Risen… He is Risen INDEED! 

Hallelujah!

Soli Deo Gloria

Nina

Something New for April - But Not: The Cause of the Cross

 Sometimes when I’m out and about, encountering people I do not know- in other words strangers… I converse with them. My default setting is to suppose they are like me and think like me…I am more times than not - sorely disappointed, but I go headlong, with my settings on my default. Of course, unless they initially offer some thoughts that are opposing my worldview, which I am yet open to conversation, (a talk, …where ideas are exchanged. Discussion); most that are opposed, however, are not at all open for conversation. Still, living in a metropolis in the Midwest…strangers rarely make eye contact and surely do not initiate polite and civil conversation. Most people are absorbed into their cell phones or devices. 

I had a choice of two people about me on the crowded train the other day… A man wearing very dark sunglasses, (we were in the subway - where it was dark), coming from a protest. I could tell from his tee shirt that he wore - it had a vulgarity printed on it. Conversely, another man wore a face mask and wore a jacket with his employment printed on it. Both men made contact with me…however, a conversation spring up between myself and the masked man… because I could read his eyes and he could read mine. Where masks do hide the face… The eyes are what I read of a person. Even though the masked man, (70 years old - he shared his age), was partially hidden, we were able to have a lively conversation about Father God and the importance of training ones children so that they don’t learn hate at home and are safeguarded against such in the world… and so learn not to share venom with the world. We were in agreement that Jesus is King and that He is coming again and that sadly too many people were choosing to go the route of hell… Only Father God orchestrates such meetings and appointments… and with a captive audiences… The train!

This short story offers a segue into how I and many other believers - maybe even non-believers to a degree… Look at Father God as they view their own image. We bring GOD the maker of all we know and only supposed is out there, into something that we pretend to understand and even pretend to manipulate. For example we dole out judgement and grace as an assist to Father God. (Aside: We can judge FRUIT - not hearts- aka intent). We, some of us… many of us, go as far to tell Father God what He should do. I’m looking at Psalm 109, an imprecatory psalm - a psalm filled with “Get them Lord - they deserve it, really bad…”

…But, oh beloved, don’t we all?… deserve it, really bad…

We all want justice, even the non believer. We all want vengeance… but we want it on our terms and like Jonah; without any mercy, lest those who we feel deserve retribution and even vindictive punishment - escape and receive mercy and grace. You see my dear friend, while we want to step into Father God’s shoes - we do not see nor even begin to understand His perfect reasoning of doling out mercy and grace. He sees into the dark places of the heart and hears the silent cries for mercy. 

Yes, many a downcast person can see themselves in Psalm 109, (probably pick any psalm and folks can identify), as the wicked and deceitful are against those who do no wrong and have even extended love. Actually, Jesus is really being highlighted here in the opening verses, “…and they have rewarded me evil for good, and hatred for my love.” But then in verse 6 “Set thou a wicked man over him: and let satan stand at his right hand…” This would be Judas and satan is standing as his accuser Rev.12:10… satan accuses sinners and rightfully can accuse Judas. However regretful, Judas did not seek forgiveness -at all. 

Can any of us step into the shoes of Jesus and walk with Judas for three years… loving, teaching, encouraging… all the while extending free will for what He knew was to come - the cross? Jesus loved Judas and did not treat him as the enemy that he became. Surely, we all want to be the judge, and see that everyone “gets theirs”… But this is not Father God’s heart. He knows the Cost of the mercy and grace that He alone can extend freely and perfectly. The difference is perfect vengeance verses imperfect vindication. To return to Judas… For the length of Jesus’ ministry He was with Judas and could have - even in the Garden of Gethsemane, call upon legions of angels to fight for Him, (If you or I were in Jesus’ shoes wouldn’t you seek justice rather than the cross - saying, “Die for sinful, evil people who should get exactly what they deserve - hell!?”)… But that would have left the world without a Savior. Sinners cry out for mercy - sometimes even as they are in their sin… and Jesus is listening…  

Are we really any different from Judas in some regard? 

My sin, everyone’s sin, was put upon Jesus at the cross. “For He hath made Him to be sin for us, Who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.” 2 Corinthians 5:21 (A foreshadowing or example of this is in Genesis 22:6-14 with Abraham and Issac).

We repay Jesus’ perfect love with evil, hate, sin. (Beloved doesn’t this break your heart?… Ponder this for a moment - we throw our filth upon the beautiful, spotless Lamb of God - Jesus, the Agnus Dei, Who simply and purely, loves us all.)

BUT GOD! 

Jesus stepped into time to save us - to stand at our right hand to declare we are forgiven - justified - declared sinless.

What am I trying to say here?

As believers we do not get what we deserve from our just God. You’ve heard it said, 

“Justice is getting exactly what you deserve”. Evil is deceitful and hypocritical and oftentimes a total disconnect from the sin committed. We all do this - all too well.

“Grace is getting the good you do not deserve”. Salvation. No one deserves salvation. We can’t do anything to earn it and so avoid the punishment that is due. We deserve - hell - (like what Judas got) punishment doled out by a JUST GOD!

BUT GOD!

All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth a propitiation through faith in His Blood, to declare His Righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time His righteousness: that He might be just, and the justifier of him, which believeth in JESUS.  Romans 3:23 -26.  Amen. Let this be said of you beloved.

Sadly, some of you may be wondering… “Well what’s the deal about being saved - from what?” 

Answer: - hell. A separation from God for an eternity. 

Sin cost! Remember - stop looking at Father God through your lens… God is way BIGGER!

Jesus paid the cost/took the punishment - with all of His Blood. You get Heaven for Home forever… or you could say… “No, I’m going to stand before Father God for my sin and pay the cost…” Even though it’s ALL PAID IN FULL by JESUS with HIS BLOOD!  

It is a choice.

Soli Deo Gloria

Nina