A few weeks ago was Mother's day and as I perused Facebook, it occurred to me that Mother's day is not always a wonderful holiday for everyone. The weeks leading up to Mother's day, my friend spent in the hospital as they watched their son lose his battle with heart disease. My friend is regularly on my mind and it has made me aware even more than ever that in the midst of the affluence of north Texas, there is also much pain and suffering. So on Mother's day I posted on Facebook this comment: "I am profoundly aware that this day can be as painful for some as it is joyful for others. Praying for those who are hurting today. Christ's grace is sufficient."
The event of my friend's son's memorial service has opened my eyes to see people around me just a little bit differently. I can't quite put my finger on it but I know that God is at work wanting to awaken my compassion and shape me to look and act more like Christ. I am trying very hard to cooperate with Him.
But back to Facebook for a moment. I check my Facebook page regularly enough to keep up with what is going on in the lives of my friends and acquaintances. Reading Facebook often reminds me of receiving that Christmas card in the mail. You know the one I mean. The one with the three page newsletter describing in detail the events of The Perfect Family.
Now before anyone gets offended, let me assure you.....I have sent said letter for many Christmases. But I have to admit, often my letters were purposefully vague. Everything wasn't always perfect in our family.
And then it struck me. Where do people go when they can't go to Facebook? After all, I've never seen this posted on Facebook: "So proud of my girl! Today she will graduate at the bottom of her class. Somebody had to do it and my baby girl did!"
Or this post: "Thrilled to announce my son's job loss. This would be his third since graduating college last year. Way to go, son!"
Or how about this one: "Discovered my kid's alcohol stash today. So proud of myself for being clever enough to check under the bathroom sink. Smarter than an 8th grader!"
What if your Facebook post would say: "While your daughter was graduating, mine was arrested for shoplifting!"
Where? Where do people go when their life looks like this? I don't know where they go. I know where my friends went and I know where I go. I want to tell you so you can go there too. His name is Jesus. And the Bible says in I Peter 5:7 that we can cast all our anxiety on him (Jesus) because he
cares for you. Isn't that wonderful news? One translation says "throw your whole anxiety on him." I like the image that creates in my mind. I throw like a girl but when it comes to my troubles I can hurl them to the feet of Jesus.
I love what I found in Notes on the Bible by Albert Barnes [1834]. Mr. Barnes writes about 1 Peter 5:7 and says: "The meaning is, that we are to commit our whole cause to him. If we suffer heavy trials; if we lose our friends, health, or property; if we have arduous and responsible duties to perform; if we feel that we have no strength, and are in danger of being crushed by what is laid upon us, we may go and cast all upon the Lord; that is, we may look to him for grace and strength, and feel assured that he will enable us to sustain all that is laid upon us. The relief in the case will be as real, and as full of consolation, as if he took the burden and bore it himself. He will enable us to bear with ease what we supposed we could never have done; and the burden which he lays upon us will be light."
I hope you didn't miss any of that. Read it again. Did you notice that relief will be real? I assure you it is. And my friends who lost their son? They can assure you too. Mr. Barnes could not be more accurate. But why can we trust Jesus like that? It says because He cares for you. I wonder do you know what it means that Jesus cares?
Jesus is not a god that is distant and uncaring like what you would find in Greek or Roman mythology. Jesus is not a myth. The word care means with watchful care of interest and affection. God's love for each of us is real and it is demonstrative. It says in Romans 5:8 "that God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Oh how He loves you and me!
So where do you go when you are being crushed? Where do you go when your Facebook post would shock your friends or when your Christmas letter would get you shunned by the family. Where? Follow me to Jesus and start casting because He cares for you!
Saturday, May 17, 2014
Thursday, March 13, 2014
Peter
Yes, Peter! A fisherman. A Galilean. A sanguine. A man who had been with Jesus. Acts 4:13 says, "When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus." I want people to take note that this girl has "been with Jesus."
After 3 years with Jesus, Peter is still impetuous, impulsive, and insecure. Remember in the garden how he draws his sword and cuts off the ear of the nearby soldier? And just a few hours later he's in the courtyard denying Christ. Poor thing, lacking the power of the Holy Spirit, Peter is a mess.
I can identify with this Peter. I'm sure many others can too. But what's so attractive about Peter isn't his raw humanness; its his transformation. Oh how God loves us. The word says he knew us before we were born and he fashioned us in our mother's womb. But God never intended us to stay immature. He desires to take all those coarse personality traits and transform them into a magnificent and distinctive thing of beauty. Because I'm a girl who loves jewelry.....I think of myself as a plain ordinary rock that God is chiseling away to become something like the Hope diamond. Not for my gain or beauty but for God's glory! It's what he did for Peter.
Take a look at 2 Peter, chapter 1. I've always regarded that Peter's transformation was a work of God through the Holy Spirit. And by no means do I intend to change that position. It always begins and ends with God. But I also think we have some responsibility to cooperate and mature. And I just keep wondering if there's something I'm missing. How did Peter go from A to Z in just a few months? I've been a believer many, many years and I dare say I haven't even gotten to M. Then I read (well and studied) 2 Peter 1:1-9.
There is so much in these verses it blows my mind. Verse one alone is so profound. It begins with Simon Peter, a servant. Peter never failed to remember he was once Simon, but Jesus called him Peter. Peter knew his past but he also knew his future and Peter was certain of his calling. In humility he did not consider himself better than others, but served them as Christ served.
Look with me at 2 Peter 1:5-7: "For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love."
Very specific instructions to make every effort to grow....to mature in Christ Jesus. What helped me the most was looking up and writing down the definition of the words in this list. Sure, I had a working knowledge of these words but something struck me as I wrote out each definition.
Virtue: conformity to a standard of right
Knowledge: a skill you gain from education and experience
Self-Control: control over your feelings and actions
Steadfastness: firm in purpose
Godliness: conforming to the ways of God
Brotherly affection: affection for and devotion to
Love: Christ-like, 1 Corinthians 13 kind of love
I noticed this progression of behavior changing and knowledge learning determination to "take every thought captive" and to "lay hold of." And I wondered out loud if this 55 year old had the strength. And I asked God to teach me. And then my eyes fell upon verse 3. Oh such sweet words....
I liked the Common English Version best: "By his divine power the Lord has given us everything we need for life and godliness through the knowledge of the one who called us by his own honor and glory."
I already have all I need. Peter knew it. Now we know it too. So no more excuses. I have everything I need to go from Simon to Peter. But it requires knowledge of the one who called us. Get to know Jesus. Get to know him well and watch your life transform. Digging deeper because I want others to know I've been with Jesus.
After 3 years with Jesus, Peter is still impetuous, impulsive, and insecure. Remember in the garden how he draws his sword and cuts off the ear of the nearby soldier? And just a few hours later he's in the courtyard denying Christ. Poor thing, lacking the power of the Holy Spirit, Peter is a mess.
I can identify with this Peter. I'm sure many others can too. But what's so attractive about Peter isn't his raw humanness; its his transformation. Oh how God loves us. The word says he knew us before we were born and he fashioned us in our mother's womb. But God never intended us to stay immature. He desires to take all those coarse personality traits and transform them into a magnificent and distinctive thing of beauty. Because I'm a girl who loves jewelry.....I think of myself as a plain ordinary rock that God is chiseling away to become something like the Hope diamond. Not for my gain or beauty but for God's glory! It's what he did for Peter.
Take a look at 2 Peter, chapter 1. I've always regarded that Peter's transformation was a work of God through the Holy Spirit. And by no means do I intend to change that position. It always begins and ends with God. But I also think we have some responsibility to cooperate and mature. And I just keep wondering if there's something I'm missing. How did Peter go from A to Z in just a few months? I've been a believer many, many years and I dare say I haven't even gotten to M. Then I read (well and studied) 2 Peter 1:1-9.
There is so much in these verses it blows my mind. Verse one alone is so profound. It begins with Simon Peter, a servant. Peter never failed to remember he was once Simon, but Jesus called him Peter. Peter knew his past but he also knew his future and Peter was certain of his calling. In humility he did not consider himself better than others, but served them as Christ served.
Look with me at 2 Peter 1:5-7: "For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love."
Very specific instructions to make every effort to grow....to mature in Christ Jesus. What helped me the most was looking up and writing down the definition of the words in this list. Sure, I had a working knowledge of these words but something struck me as I wrote out each definition.
Virtue: conformity to a standard of right
Knowledge: a skill you gain from education and experience
Self-Control: control over your feelings and actions
Steadfastness: firm in purpose
Godliness: conforming to the ways of God
Brotherly affection: affection for and devotion to
Love: Christ-like, 1 Corinthians 13 kind of love
I noticed this progression of behavior changing and knowledge learning determination to "take every thought captive" and to "lay hold of." And I wondered out loud if this 55 year old had the strength. And I asked God to teach me. And then my eyes fell upon verse 3. Oh such sweet words....
I liked the Common English Version best: "By his divine power the Lord has given us everything we need for life and godliness through the knowledge of the one who called us by his own honor and glory."
I already have all I need. Peter knew it. Now we know it too. So no more excuses. I have everything I need to go from Simon to Peter. But it requires knowledge of the one who called us. Get to know Jesus. Get to know him well and watch your life transform. Digging deeper because I want others to know I've been with Jesus.
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