Self and Individual Worth
How do I define my worth?
For many years I was a stay at home mom. Although I knew that I was doing exactly what the Lord wanted me to do, I felt a sense of letting the world down. Many times when people would ask me what I did for a job I would state, "I am a stay at home mom." Their disappointment was obvious from the looks on their faces. You know the look, head tilted to one side, chin down, their eyes looking down the slope of their nose at you. Then to make sure that you completely understood their disappointment they would say something like, "Oh, that's nice."
Sadly, there were times when I wished that I had said something else just to avoid the look and conversation that followed. As the boys got older the disappointment seemed to grow. The common response was, "Your boys are old enough to take care of themselves. It's time for you to do something productive." Ugh! I thought being a mother was one of the most productive jobs in the world! People just didn't get it.
After years of persevering through these moments I became somewhat immune to them. Unfortunately, my husband would be subjected to ridicule for being married to a stay at home mom. "Why doesn't your wife get a job?" or "She just sits around eating bonbons all day while you are working?" are just a few of the lines that my husands coworkers used. I think it hurt me more that they tried to make him feel bad about the choice we had made when our children were born to have a parent at home with them. I worried that he would believe what people told him and that in his eyes my worth would be diminished. He is a good man, and although I know that he had his moments of frustration, he stood up for me. In those moments I would think to myself, "Am I worth it? Am I worthy of his defense?" These two questions would come to help me understand how I value myself.
When my boys were teenagers I would be called to be a seminary teacher in my church. This experience would forever change my love for the scriptures and for myself. For the first time in my life I would study the scriptures so intensely that the impact on me would be profound. I began to better understand who I am, why my life is the way it is, and how much I am loved.
I think it was the study of the Atonement that affected my self worth the most. As I studied the last week of Christ's earthly life, I found myself overwhelmed with feelings of inadequacy. Reading about His suffering in D&C 19:16-19 brought me to tears:
"For behold, I, God, have suffered these things for all, that they might not suffer if they would repent; But if they would not repent they must suffer even as I; Which suffering caused myself, even God, the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore, and to suffer both body and spirit--and would that I might not drink the bitter cup, and shrink--Nevertheless, glory be to the Father, and I partook and finished my preparations unto the children of men."
Why would Christ do this for me?
"Remember that the worth of a soul is great in the sight of God" (D&C 18:10)
This brought two questions to my mind: Am I worth it? and Am I worthy of His defense?
This has become the standard for which I base my self and individual worth. Am I living a life to be worthy of the sacrifice He made for me? When I stand before God to be judged and Christ stands as my advocate, will I deserve the efforts that He is putting forth? This is what motivates me to be the best me I can be; God's love for me. Nothing else matters. What the world thinks of me will not matter in the end. What will matter is how true to God I have been. Am I loving God back as much as He loves me? I don't know if that is possible, but I do know that He will take into account the intent of my heart when my mortal limitations step in.
I am the child of a God that loves me enough to send His son to die for me. He thinks I am worth it, so should I. Saint Augustine said, "God loves each of us as if there were only one of us." I know this to be true. What an amazing thought to carry with you throughout the day!
What difference would it make in your life if you learned to know this for yourself? You have self worth, you are worth it. This knowledge will not take away your trials or hardships, but it may give you a different perspective in which to see them. Knowing that you are worth His sacrifice can help you understand your importance to God's plan and give you the strength to withstand the condescending looks from people that don't even understand their own worth, yet are judging yours.
Are you worth it? The answer is an emphatic YES!
Monday, February 27, 2012
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Connecting Spirit to Spirit
Divine Nature
This week’s topic in sacrament was Divine Nature. In my search for understanding I was led to the Second book of Peter in the New Testament. This book contains the words that Peter felt he needed to say before he died. In chapter 1 verses 14-15 he states, "Knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle... Moreover I will endeavour that ye may be able after my decease to have these things always in remembrance." This is the message that Peter thought most important to leave the world before he left it. Knowing this makes me realize that I should probably pay attention to what he is saying.
In the first chapter he will cover spiritual maturity; in the second, a warning against false teachers; and in the third, the promise of Jesus' return. I find it interesting that Peter chooses to talk about the importance of Christian maturity and growth first.
This prompted me to think about where I stand in spiritual maturity. If you had to rate yourself on a scale from 1-10, 1 being a "spiritual simpleton" and 10 being a "spiritual scholar"...how would you rate yourself?
At first, I put myself somewhere in the middle around a 5, but after I started digging into this topic I started to feel more like I was in the 3 or 4 area. The Lord has a way of keeping me humble!
In the Young Woman's Personal Progress booklet of the Church we are given this little tidbit of information about divine nature:
Peter tells us that we escape worldliness (2 Peter 1:4), but there is so much more that happens. The scriptures tell us that when we partake of the Spirit of God we can be blessed with wisdom, understanding, knowledge (Ex 31:3), given the gift of prophecy (1 Sam 10:10), know the mind of Christ (1 Cor 2:16), have discernment (Moses 1:27), and freedom (Alma 61:15). Spiritual gifts are given to us through the Spirit of God (1 Cor 12:8-11), gifts that we need to complete the tasks that God has asked us to do. Partaking of the divine nature means tapping into the ultimate power source!
Are you seeing a pattern here? We become more Christ-like when we partake of the Spirit. Everything about us gets better and who wouldn't want that? The scriptures tell us that even our countenance will change when we allow our divine nature to grow (Alma 5:14). That's right, we even look better when we partake of the Spirit!
This partaking of God's divine nature through spirit to spirit communication makes perfect sense to me. I think it goes along with what Peter is saying in this chapter:
"Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:" (2 Pet 1:10)
What great promises Peter gives us: escaping corruption, the ability to have God work through us, and the assurance that we won't fall away from God. What more could we ask for!
I have a new found appreciation for that part of me that is divine and a heart filled with gratitude for a God that would allow me to tap into His divine nature to improve myself in such a personal way, Spirit to Spirit. The best part of me connecting with a part of Him!
Once again His love for me overwhelms me and His greatness humbles me. Peter was a wise man, these are truly things to remember.
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Forgiving Myself
I am one of those people that sits in sacrament meeting and has to make myself stay focused on what is being said. I have a short attention span (which is probably why I work with the youth) and to top it off I am a high energy person, so sitting for an hour is hard for me to do. Sitting and listening is torture! What is a person to do?
To help me get more out of sacrament meetings I started using a journal and writing things down that interested me. If I am having a particularly hard time focusing (which is most Sundays) I use my scriptures and start to investigate the topic of the week. This is good for me, it keeps me busy, and it gives me a topic to think about during the week.
This week the main topic was forgiveness. Talks about forgiveness tend to be about forgiving others. This is important, but I find it easier to forgive others than I do to forgive myself. Is that weird? I am harder on myself, I know what I am capable of, and when I don't meet the expectations I tend to beat myself up. This is the topic of forgiveness that I need to learn about: Forgiving Myself.
As usual, I went to the scriptures. One of the scriptures I came across stuck with me: "Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye." (Col 3:13)
It's the "even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye" that hits home. Why is it okay for Christ to forgive me, but not for me to forgive myself? Is it hypocritical for me to hold on to those feelings that come with sin when Christ has already paid the price for them? Am I being disrespectful to the power of the Atonement when I don't forgive myself?
Jeremiah 31:34 states, "...for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more." God chooses not to bring up our sin to Himself or others. So why do we? When we don't forgive ourselves and choose not to forget, we are dwelling on the sin, not the sacrifice Christ made for us.
Forgiving ourselves can be deeply healing. In 2 Corinthians 2:7 we read, "So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow." We can apply this to how we feel about ourselves. Until we forgive ourselves, we will focus on our sorrow, regret, and shame. Wouldn't it be more productive to fill our minds with thoughts of the awesome God who forgave us and thank and praise Him for it. Remembering our sins is only beneficial when it reminds us of the extent of God’s forgiveness and makes it easier for us to forgive others (Matt 18:21-35).
It is sometimes difficult to remember that the way we see ourselves is not an accurate picture of how Christ sees us. When we are forgiven He sees us as a step closer to perfection, yet many of us tend to stay focused on the affects of the sin. Is that basically denying the work that He did for us during the atonement?
Mahatma Gandhi said, "The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong." I think this is true, especially when it comes to forgiving oneself. As long as we hold on and do not allow the atonement to do it's work, we are only weaken ourselves. How can we progress if we keep holding on to the past? It is when we have the confidence in God and in ourselves to let go and move on that we feel the strength that comes from removing the burden.
I am starting to see the damage that is done when I don't forgive myself. My relationship with God suffers, my progression suffers, and I allow my weaknesses to overcome my strengths. What a great target I become for Satan to jump in and work on me! What the heck am I thinking?!
What great gifts we are given in the atonement: the ability to be forgiven, to strengthen ourselves against Satan, to come one step closer to perfection, and to strengthen our relationship with God. I have been wasting so much time and energy on not letting go, that I haven't allowed the full power of these gifts to be a part of my life. What a shame.
I've decided that I am not going to dwell on what I haven't done, instead I am going to focus on asking for forgiveness and then MOVE ON! I want the full blessings of the atonement in my life, really I need them in my life. I want to have the attribute of forgiveness and be strong! I want God to know that I believe in Him. I want to move closer to perfection and I can when I truly forgive myself.
To help me get more out of sacrament meetings I started using a journal and writing things down that interested me. If I am having a particularly hard time focusing (which is most Sundays) I use my scriptures and start to investigate the topic of the week. This is good for me, it keeps me busy, and it gives me a topic to think about during the week.
This week the main topic was forgiveness. Talks about forgiveness tend to be about forgiving others. This is important, but I find it easier to forgive others than I do to forgive myself. Is that weird? I am harder on myself, I know what I am capable of, and when I don't meet the expectations I tend to beat myself up. This is the topic of forgiveness that I need to learn about: Forgiving Myself.
As usual, I went to the scriptures. One of the scriptures I came across stuck with me: "Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye." (Col 3:13)
It's the "even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye" that hits home. Why is it okay for Christ to forgive me, but not for me to forgive myself? Is it hypocritical for me to hold on to those feelings that come with sin when Christ has already paid the price for them? Am I being disrespectful to the power of the Atonement when I don't forgive myself?
Jeremiah 31:34 states, "...for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more." God chooses not to bring up our sin to Himself or others. So why do we? When we don't forgive ourselves and choose not to forget, we are dwelling on the sin, not the sacrifice Christ made for us.
Forgiving ourselves can be deeply healing. In 2 Corinthians 2:7 we read, "So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow." We can apply this to how we feel about ourselves. Until we forgive ourselves, we will focus on our sorrow, regret, and shame. Wouldn't it be more productive to fill our minds with thoughts of the awesome God who forgave us and thank and praise Him for it. Remembering our sins is only beneficial when it reminds us of the extent of God’s forgiveness and makes it easier for us to forgive others (Matt 18:21-35).
It is sometimes difficult to remember that the way we see ourselves is not an accurate picture of how Christ sees us. When we are forgiven He sees us as a step closer to perfection, yet many of us tend to stay focused on the affects of the sin. Is that basically denying the work that He did for us during the atonement?
Mahatma Gandhi said, "The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong." I think this is true, especially when it comes to forgiving oneself. As long as we hold on and do not allow the atonement to do it's work, we are only weaken ourselves. How can we progress if we keep holding on to the past? It is when we have the confidence in God and in ourselves to let go and move on that we feel the strength that comes from removing the burden.
I am starting to see the damage that is done when I don't forgive myself. My relationship with God suffers, my progression suffers, and I allow my weaknesses to overcome my strengths. What a great target I become for Satan to jump in and work on me! What the heck am I thinking?!
What great gifts we are given in the atonement: the ability to be forgiven, to strengthen ourselves against Satan, to come one step closer to perfection, and to strengthen our relationship with God. I have been wasting so much time and energy on not letting go, that I haven't allowed the full power of these gifts to be a part of my life. What a shame.
I've decided that I am not going to dwell on what I haven't done, instead I am going to focus on asking for forgiveness and then MOVE ON! I want the full blessings of the atonement in my life, really I need them in my life. I want to have the attribute of forgiveness and be strong! I want God to know that I believe in Him. I want to move closer to perfection and I can when I truly forgive myself.
Friday, December 30, 2011
What a Journey!
Day three hundred sixty-five
It has been an interesting year. When I started this journey of scripture study and blogging I wasn't sure what to expect. I thought it might be therapeutic for a former seminary teacher to share what I discovered in my scripture study. I was really missing teaching.
Really, it was the brainchild of my husband, who has been the patient listener of many of my discoveries. I'm sure that part of his reasoning for challenging me to do this was so that he didn't have to listen to every detail, but he assures me that he thought that it was worth sharing with others.
So last January I set the goal to study my scriptures each day and to blog about what I had learned. I don't think I really understood the amount of time and effort this would require. That's probably a good thing, because if I had known that it would end up with 4000+ blog pages and countless hours of studying, I don't think I would have ever begun.
This journey has been filled with plenty of trials and obstacles. I’ve had technical difficulties (the computer hates me), family emergencies, a job, projects, callings, all of which take a lot of time. The average post took about two hours to prepare. That's a lot of time for a person who has a million other things to accomplish in their day. It meant late nights studying because the day was filled with too many other things to do or earlier hours so that I could get it done before there could be any distractions.
The blessings far outweigh the obstacles though. My family has been extremely supportive of this endeavor. My husband and my sons have often finished my chores, and have always been willing to listen as I bounce ideas off of them. It has been a great blessing in my life to know that they would step up when I needed them to help. I could not have done this without them.
The biggest blessing has been my ability to see God in my life. I had a good relationship with God before I started this, but it is much stronger now. My outlook on things has changed, I am less stressed and more willing. I have had my bad days, but I have learned to turn to the Lord more and rely on myself less. There are some things that He puts in our lives that we are not meant to do alone, and the ability to recognize those moments is a true blessing to me.
Also, I have learned to be brave and step out of my comfort zone. It is a scary thing to post your thoughts on spiritual things. There have been many times when I doubted myself and felt like no one really cared if I wrote or not. Over the year I have had people from all over the world read some of my posts. At first that brought a little anxiety with it. I started to feel like my posts had to be super stupendous or I would embarrass myself. Luckily, the Lord stepped in and let me know that I just needed to write what He wanted me to write and He would take care of the rest.
It is an amazing thing to let the Lord lead you. When I go back and read some of my posts I can't believe that I wrote it. Where does this stuff come from? It is definitely not from me! I know this because I have received comments, messages and emails from people sharing their thoughts on what I wrote. I am often surprised at what has touched their hearts. Touching people's hearts, that is outside my realm, that's more of God's thing.
Well I want to thank all of you that have followed me on this journey. You should know that your kind words have made it a labor of love. When I wanted to give up one of you would make a comment or send me an email that kept me going. Thank you for that!
I also want to thank the Lord for this amazing experience. He has carried me often through this and I have felt His love for me many times. It is my hope that as I move on to the next thing that He will continue to bless me. Hopefully, He will continue to use me in ways that bless the lives of those around me. What a journey it has been and I am looking forward to what He has in store for me in the days to come!
Thursday, December 29, 2011
God Dreams For Me
Day three hundred sixty-four
Lately, I have been feeling like my relationship with my boys is in transition again. This transition is not going as smoothly as I had hoped. I never seem to have the right words or know how to react to the situations that have come up. And when I do decide to speak the boys look at me with those eyes that say, "Um, Mom you aren't making any sense, but I still love you." I am the socially awkward, bumbling dork lately. I am hoping this is some phase that we are going through and will soon pass.
So, much of my prayer this morning was a plea to the Lord for some direction regarding this situation. Hopefully, the Spirit will help me get through this with a little dignity.
Psalm 20
"Dreams are the touchstones of our character." ~Henry David Thoreau
Dreams are usually associated with thoughts, emotions, or images occurring during certain periods of our sleep cycle. But the word dream is also used to mean the things that we desire or hope for in our heart. We have all said things like: "I dream of someday being a doctor" or "I dream of having a family one day" or "I dream of someday being famous." We all have dreams.
We have to be careful what we dream for or hold in our heart. We have been warned in Jeremiah 17:9-10 that "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings."
The things in our heart can also lead to good, "Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart" (Psa 37:4). If our dreams or heart's desires match that of the Lord's then He will make them happen (Psa 37:5). What we truly desire or dream really can say a lot about our character, but it also says a lot about our relationship with God. I have often asked the Lord to show me His will, but I don't think I've ever asked the Lord to share His dreams with me. What would it be like to ask God what is in His heart and what He dreams about?
I was lead to this train of thought from verse 4 "Grant thee according to thine own heart, and fulfil all thy counsel. " David asks the Lord to act according to what is in His heart, not what's in his own heart. It is not about having his dreams come true, but having God's dreams put into him.
At first I thought that this would be an amazing thing to happen, to know God's dreams, but then I began to think about all the responsibility that comes with that. I'm not sure I want or am ready for that kind of relationship with God. I'm sure His dreams are much bigger than mine. What would He expect of me if I knew what He desired? My weaknesses were starting to get the best of me!
Then I came across this quote: "Don’t be afraid of letting God put His dreams in you. God gives us dreams a size too big so that we can grow into them." ~ Unknown
Now that is the proper perspective to have! Suddenly my insecurities seem ridiculous as they are pushed aside by the thought that God dreams for me. As a parent I know that I have dreams for my children, why would I think it would be any different for Him?
This is highly personal, knowing what God dreams for us. It is a testament to the relationship that He wants to have with us, intimate and loving. He knows everything about us, our strengths and our weaknesses, so His dreams for us are based on His perfect knowledge of us.
In the heading of this Psalm we read that David wrote this psalm as a plea to ask the Lord to hear his prayer in times of trouble. I think that is a brilliant request, but I think asking God to put His dreams for us in us, is even more brilliant. I can see how knowing what God hopes and desires for us could help us in times of need. I know my interest is definitely piqued concerning what God dreams for me. I foresee some deep prayer conversation coming in my future regarding this topic. Hopefully, His dreams for me won't be too big and I will grow into them gracefully.
Lately, I have been feeling like my relationship with my boys is in transition again. This transition is not going as smoothly as I had hoped. I never seem to have the right words or know how to react to the situations that have come up. And when I do decide to speak the boys look at me with those eyes that say, "Um, Mom you aren't making any sense, but I still love you." I am the socially awkward, bumbling dork lately. I am hoping this is some phase that we are going through and will soon pass.
So, much of my prayer this morning was a plea to the Lord for some direction regarding this situation. Hopefully, the Spirit will help me get through this with a little dignity.
Psalm 20
"Dreams are the touchstones of our character." ~Henry David Thoreau
Dreams are usually associated with thoughts, emotions, or images occurring during certain periods of our sleep cycle. But the word dream is also used to mean the things that we desire or hope for in our heart. We have all said things like: "I dream of someday being a doctor" or "I dream of having a family one day" or "I dream of someday being famous." We all have dreams.
We have to be careful what we dream for or hold in our heart. We have been warned in Jeremiah 17:9-10 that "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings."
The things in our heart can also lead to good, "Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart" (Psa 37:4). If our dreams or heart's desires match that of the Lord's then He will make them happen (Psa 37:5). What we truly desire or dream really can say a lot about our character, but it also says a lot about our relationship with God. I have often asked the Lord to show me His will, but I don't think I've ever asked the Lord to share His dreams with me. What would it be like to ask God what is in His heart and what He dreams about?
I was lead to this train of thought from verse 4 "Grant thee according to thine own heart, and fulfil all thy counsel. " David asks the Lord to act according to what is in His heart, not what's in his own heart. It is not about having his dreams come true, but having God's dreams put into him.
At first I thought that this would be an amazing thing to happen, to know God's dreams, but then I began to think about all the responsibility that comes with that. I'm not sure I want or am ready for that kind of relationship with God. I'm sure His dreams are much bigger than mine. What would He expect of me if I knew what He desired? My weaknesses were starting to get the best of me!
Then I came across this quote: "Don’t be afraid of letting God put His dreams in you. God gives us dreams a size too big so that we can grow into them." ~ Unknown
Now that is the proper perspective to have! Suddenly my insecurities seem ridiculous as they are pushed aside by the thought that God dreams for me. As a parent I know that I have dreams for my children, why would I think it would be any different for Him?
This is highly personal, knowing what God dreams for us. It is a testament to the relationship that He wants to have with us, intimate and loving. He knows everything about us, our strengths and our weaknesses, so His dreams for us are based on His perfect knowledge of us.
In the heading of this Psalm we read that David wrote this psalm as a plea to ask the Lord to hear his prayer in times of trouble. I think that is a brilliant request, but I think asking God to put His dreams for us in us, is even more brilliant. I can see how knowing what God hopes and desires for us could help us in times of need. I know my interest is definitely piqued concerning what God dreams for me. I foresee some deep prayer conversation coming in my future regarding this topic. Hopefully, His dreams for me won't be too big and I will grow into them gracefully.
Where To Find God
Day three hundred sixty-three
I am one of those people that likes to have order in my house. I wouldn’t characterize it as compulsive; I just like to have a place for everything so that when I look for it I know where it is. Now, I live with three men who don’t always share my passion for cleanliness which can cause a little tension sometimes. So this morning I asked the Lord to please bless me and my family with patience and understanding as I tackle some of those less than organized areas of my house. If all goes well, I might even recruit a few helpers!
Psalm 19
One of life's great challenges is finding the answers to our questions. In this pursuit we search for reliable, trustworthy sources to search for our answers. Where do you go for your answers? Do you have a resource that can answer your questions? Do you have a library that can answer the very questions of life?
There is one question that many people ask, where do you find God? David answers this question for us in Psalm 19. As a young boy tending his father’s flock out in the field, David grew up with two sources for finding God, Nature and Scripture.
In this Psalm David talks about where he finds his answers for life. He shares with us His resources for finding God.
Psalm 19
One of life's great challenges is finding the answers to our questions. In this pursuit we search for reliable, trustworthy sources to search for our answers. Where do you go for your answers? Do you have a resource that can answer your questions? Do you have a library that can answer the very questions of life?
There is one question that many people ask, where do you find God? David answers this question for us in Psalm 19. As a young boy tending his father’s flock out in the field, David grew up with two sources for finding God, Nature and Scripture.
In this Psalm David talks about where he finds his answers for life. He shares with us His resources for finding God.
Nature (vv 1-6)
If you ever wonder if God exists, all you have to do is look up. The heavens declare the glory of God by openly bearing testimony that they have not been put together by chance, but were wonderfully made by the Supreme Architect. Sometimes we're impressed by a certain wonder of a landscape scene or by a nightscape.
If you ever wonder if God exists, all you have to do is look up. The heavens declare the glory of God by openly bearing testimony that they have not been put together by chance, but were wonderfully made by the Supreme Architect. Sometimes we're impressed by a certain wonder of a landscape scene or by a nightscape.
George MacDonald writes, "Something is wrong in the man to whom the sunrise is not a divine glory, for therein is embodied the truth, the simplicity, and the might of the Maker. ... Alongside the gentle meeting of earth and sky, ... the great burst of a new morning, the sordid affairs of mammon sink to the bottom of things and have little more interest.”
David reminds us that we don't find God per se; He removes the veil to reveal Himself. The witness of creation is a silent one. It is something seen, but without words (v 3). He also tells us that nature is not just for the Christian to see God, but is meant for all the earth to learn to recognize Him (v 4). Man has the witness of creation before his eyes, but some will choose to ignore it. As a result, man has to lie to himself and without a Creator, he descends into a moral mess.
Scripture (vv 7-11)
We've been outdoors looking at God's world, now David leads us inside and picks up with the scriptures. Notice how David describes the scriptures:
Law (v 7) - instruction
Testimony (v 7) - a witness to God’s will and man’s duty
Statutes (v 8) - a collection of specific injunctions
Commandment (v 8) - that which expresses the will of a personal God
Fear (v 9) - that which brings reverence for God
Judgments (v 9) - it is also a group of judgments
How reliable is it?
It is perfect (v 7), sure/trustworthy (v 7), right (v 8), pure (v 8), clean/clear (v 9), true (v 9) and righteous (v 9).
The idea is that you can count on God’s Word. It does not change, it is trustworthy. God’s Word is true, whether we believe in it or not.
What does it do?
It converts the soul (v 7); makes the simple wise (v 7); brings joy to the heart (v 8); sheds light on the way of life (v 8), bears warning (v 11) and tells of our rewards (v 11).
All of these things are important, but for me the warning part is playing a larger rule in my life. In today's society I think it is important that we pay attention to the warnings in the scriptures. God means what He says. He doesn’t warn us to ruin our fun. He wants to protect us from the temptations of the world.
Note that David ends this Psalm with a prayer. It seems fitting that he would do so after reflecting on finding God. Notice what he prays for:
keep me from sin (v 13)
give me the right words to say (v 14)
a heart fueled by God's will (v 14)
acceptance from God (v 14)
strength (v 14)
If we started each day beholding God's glory in nature and the scriptures, and we lived each day with devotion and determination; then at the end of each day we will have done what pleases Him! I have already spent some time this morning finding God in the scriptures, so I think a good goal would be to find God in nature today. Yes, it is possible to find God even in the rainy, stormy weather of the Pacific Northwest.
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Living for the Lord
Day three hundred sixty-two
This holiday was filled with some great moments, but there is one that has special meaning to me. Like most families, some members of my family are little harder to love. They tend to say or do things that offend others, yet don't see the problem with what they are doing.
In this case, one family member had said some inappropriate things to another member of the family and the person hung up on them. There was definitely some animosity between these two people. I wasn't sure how the interaction would play out on Christmas Day as we all got together. I'm happy to say that the offended member of my family took the higher road and put the incident behind them for the holiday season. I was so proud of this person, they were such a good example to the rest of us.
This morning I prayed with gratitude for such teaching moments and asked the Lord to bless those that were involved in this situation. It is moments like this one that help me keep my hope for mankind alive. When you see two strong-willed people come together and put their issues aside for the sake of others, you can't help but see the Lord's hand in it. Thank you Lord for blessing my family in such awesome ways!
Psalm 18
At the very beginning, the Psalmist makes two great and profound declarations:
First, he declares his love for the Lord: "I will love thee, O Lord, my strength." (Psalm 18:1)
The word translated “love” here is a word that means, “to love deeply.” It is not the normal word translated love. The normal word speaks of “covenant love”. This word speaks of “tender intimacy”. It carries the idea of a mother’s love for an infant child. It has the idea of loving one so much; you just want to hug them real close!
We have all felt this way about someone we love. Each of us has had someone in our lives that filled our hearts with so much love that we just want to reach out and hug them and hold them.
I think this is the emotion felt by Mary Magdalene when she encountered the risen Christ (John 20:17), and by the Disciples when they saw Him (Matt 28:9). Considering all that the Lord has done for us and how He loves us, our hearts should also be filled with that same kind of love for Him (1 John 4:19).
Second, he declares his absolute dependence upon the Lord: "The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies." (Psalm 18:2-3)
He calls God “my strength” and then gives us some examples of this strength: a rock, a fortress, and a deliverer. These are great descriptions. Can you picture the rock that David would need to lean on when he no longer could go on? or the fortress walls that he will count on to keep his enemies at bay? or the moment when David feels all is lost and cries to the Lord to deliverer him from his anguish? David is expressing his faith in his relationship with the Lord. He is telling us that he is totally dependent upon the Lord for everything. Every ounce of his strength came from the Lord.
We are in the same boat as David. The Lord has told us that "for without me ye can do nothing" (John 15:5) and with Him "...my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus." (Phil 4:13)
David bears his heart and tells us what he has determined to do. He is telling us that he will live his life with these two great themes. He is expressing to us that he finds his greatest delight in the Lord. His plan is to live for the Lord, love the Lord and to lean on the Lord for everything he needs, does and is in life. I think this is a worthy goal for all of us. He deserves nothing less!
This holiday was filled with some great moments, but there is one that has special meaning to me. Like most families, some members of my family are little harder to love. They tend to say or do things that offend others, yet don't see the problem with what they are doing.
In this case, one family member had said some inappropriate things to another member of the family and the person hung up on them. There was definitely some animosity between these two people. I wasn't sure how the interaction would play out on Christmas Day as we all got together. I'm happy to say that the offended member of my family took the higher road and put the incident behind them for the holiday season. I was so proud of this person, they were such a good example to the rest of us.
This morning I prayed with gratitude for such teaching moments and asked the Lord to bless those that were involved in this situation. It is moments like this one that help me keep my hope for mankind alive. When you see two strong-willed people come together and put their issues aside for the sake of others, you can't help but see the Lord's hand in it. Thank you Lord for blessing my family in such awesome ways!
Psalm 18
At the very beginning, the Psalmist makes two great and profound declarations:
First, he declares his love for the Lord: "I will love thee, O Lord, my strength." (Psalm 18:1)
The word translated “love” here is a word that means, “to love deeply.” It is not the normal word translated love. The normal word speaks of “covenant love”. This word speaks of “tender intimacy”. It carries the idea of a mother’s love for an infant child. It has the idea of loving one so much; you just want to hug them real close!
We have all felt this way about someone we love. Each of us has had someone in our lives that filled our hearts with so much love that we just want to reach out and hug them and hold them.
I think this is the emotion felt by Mary Magdalene when she encountered the risen Christ (John 20:17), and by the Disciples when they saw Him (Matt 28:9). Considering all that the Lord has done for us and how He loves us, our hearts should also be filled with that same kind of love for Him (1 John 4:19).
Second, he declares his absolute dependence upon the Lord: "The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies." (Psalm 18:2-3)
He calls God “my strength” and then gives us some examples of this strength: a rock, a fortress, and a deliverer. These are great descriptions. Can you picture the rock that David would need to lean on when he no longer could go on? or the fortress walls that he will count on to keep his enemies at bay? or the moment when David feels all is lost and cries to the Lord to deliverer him from his anguish? David is expressing his faith in his relationship with the Lord. He is telling us that he is totally dependent upon the Lord for everything. Every ounce of his strength came from the Lord.
We are in the same boat as David. The Lord has told us that "for without me ye can do nothing" (John 15:5) and with Him "...my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus." (Phil 4:13)
David bears his heart and tells us what he has determined to do. He is telling us that he will live his life with these two great themes. He is expressing to us that he finds his greatest delight in the Lord. His plan is to live for the Lord, love the Lord and to lean on the Lord for everything he needs, does and is in life. I think this is a worthy goal for all of us. He deserves nothing less!
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