Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Maternity-ward Recall

Jesus answered and said to him,  "Most assuredly, I say to you,
 unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."
John 3

The title of this post, and the following excerpts are from Max Lucado's book, Cast of Characters. 


"Birth, by definition,is a passive act. The enwombed child contributes nothing to the delivery. Postpartum celebrations applaud the work of the mother. The mother pays the price of birth. She doesn't enlist the child's assistance or solicit his or her advice.Why would she? The baby can't even take a breath without umbilical help, much less navigate a path into new life. Nor, Jesus is saying, can we..Spiritual rebirthing requires a capable parent, not an able infant."

"Pedigrees and possessions don't matter. Your best won't do. Your works don't work. Your finest efforts don't mean squat.  Newborn hearts are born of heaven. You can't wish, earn, or create one.  We need, not the muscle of self, but a miracle of God. God handles the task, start to finish."

"whoever believes in him shall not perish.  Perish...a sobering word. We'd like to dilute, if not delete, the term.  Not Jesus. He pounds Do No Enter signs on every square inch of Satan's gate and tells those hell-bent on entering to do so over his dead body. Even so, some souls insist."

Whoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life.
John 3:16

"Born Again, eh?"  Are you?  I hope so.   :)

Monday, April 29, 2013

Leaf Words


                                                                                 

"I believe  the books (of the bible) are alive; 
I believe that leaves still grow in them."
G.K. Chesterton


Words. Animate things, actually. 

In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word WAS God.

The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life.

Take to heart all the words I have solemnly declared to you this day... for they are not idle words--they are your life.

If leaves grow on words, then I better watch and water my words well.  

Be slow to speak and quick to listen.

Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight.

Sometimes words can violate a moment.

Be still and know that I am God.

Leaves. Words.  Life.  
***

Blessed is the one who delights in the law of the Lord, and meditates on His Word.
She is like a tree planted by streams of water--
her leaf never withers.
Psalm 1:2-3

                                             
John 1:1, 6:63 Deuteronomy 32:46-47  James 1:19  Psalm 19:14, 46:10



Saturday, April 27, 2013

But She Died

I don't remember the topic, but I do remember the question; Has God ever disappointed you?
Seated in pretense, the entire class shook their pious heads and delivered the expected answer;  NO!
Me? Not so much!  I sat silent, but my soul screamed loud... YES. YES. YES, HE HAS.
He made me a promise and gave me scripture to back it. He spoke to me in dreams. He verified it
through circumstances that aligned with his word.
He said she would live.

But she died.

I remember staring into her eyes as she sat across the table from me that day.  I tried to sear those blue waters into my memory. I didn't want to forget her eyes. I DIDN'T WANT TO FORGET HER EYES. I wanted to always be able to look into her soul and touch her spirit. 

But she died!

Thanks for nothing, God!  Where's the back door, I would like to leave now. And by the way, how am I supposed to ever recognize your voice again?

I was catapulted into immediate despondency.  What if I was wrong? What if it's my fault she is in some hellish place? She believed me, she trusted me, what if I had mislead her?  What if I was wrong in my interpretation of scripture and salvation? Worse, what if I was wrong about God himself?
Fortunately, The Lord didn't leave me in the valley of doubt and despair very long--

Linda, Linda, "have I been with you this long and still you don't know me"?
John 14:9

Yes, LORD, I know you. You are The Christ.
Mark 8:29

You have the words of eternal life, to whom else would I go?
John 6:68

In the end, I realized I had exchanged his definition of answered prayer for mine. I was guilty of selective faith, what I had considered loss, he considered gain.

Hope never disappoints.
Romans 5:5



Monday, April 22, 2013

Cupped

Sometimes you feel caged when really you're only cupped.*

That's what she said after a bird flew into her kitchen this morning.
Ironic. This was exactly my experience today as well. The frantic flight for freedom, the thumping of chest, caged confusion. All attempts to free the bewildered bird frustrating, but ultimately resulting in release.
Oh the elation of winged freedom, it was an early morning gift of joy to what was to become a heavy day for me.

And then she does--she spreads her wings and she finds out: He is the air of this world and she's meant to soar.*


                                                                            



I have felt caged lately. Life being what it is, you probably have as well.
Life has a way of doing that to us, we have a way of doing that to ourselves.
In spite of our poor choices, or simply as the beneficiaries of a broken world, we were meant to soar above it all.
I needed the message of freedom this morning--I needed to soar!
It may feel otherwise, but we aren't caged!  We are lovingly cupped in the hands of our heavenly Father, delivered from the confines of captivity, and nested safely in His great name.
Now that is a reason to sing.





* Ann Voskamp, Aholyexperience

Friday, April 19, 2013

Upside Down

As the deer pants for living water, 
so my soul pants for thee O LORD.
Psalm 42:1

If the bending of the knee is truly the vantage point of life, if the lapping of living water quenches spiritual thirst, then let my soul bend and pant for thee O LORD.  


When life just seems 
all upside down, 
when I insist
on eyeing ground, 
remind me of 
reflective grace
where all things earth
reveal Christ's face.
                            L.paddock



Wednesday, April 17, 2013

A Song to My Soul

"Arise, come, my darling;
my beautiful one, come with me.

SEE! The Winter has past;
the rains are over and gone.
Flowers appear on the earth;
the season of singing has come,
the cooing of doves
is heard in our land.



song of solomon 2:10
Photo by Beth York Bonhom

Thursday, April 11, 2013

Small Me

 Knees pulled tight to chest,
I press into the hush of hills,
breathe shallow, 
eye shadows, 
watch.
Barely bending 
under whisper of a breeze, 
like bristles in an artists hand, 
wooded arms stretch feathered bark 
to lofty heights, 
sweep languid against the sphere, 
to follow celestial caravan. 
Silent vault of voices stilled,
the firmament. 
Shimmering luminaries,
sojourning soul, 
suspended star with story to be told.
Time, confused by eternity.
Prayer, choked by immensity.
Humanity cheated by sin,
redeemed in red.
Small me.
                                      L.Paddock
    
                                                                             

What is man, that thou are mindful of him?
Psalm 8:4





Tuesday, April 2, 2013

Chasing the Moth


                                                                               

It was barely 2 inches long, azure blue with fine yellow streaks down each side. Frantic in motion, darting in spurts, pouncing on dried leaves 10 times its size. Relentless, ever forward, snapping at the tiny fluttering and crippled moth but getting only mouthfuls of air. The whole scene took less than a minute, and ended in defeat--the meal got away. The skink slithered back to its damp, underworld hollow. Still hungry.
I reveled in the private show my ambling stroll had provided, and thought of him, way ahead of me, out of sight.  If he would only slow down, stop embracing destination, savor the moment, he too could have observed the dance, my arrogance muttered.
It was then I rounded the bend and noticed him. Pensively poised, palms overlapping, cupping the walking stick under his chin, I followed his gaze--a dear in the glen, grazing on green.
In the end, I was the one humbled. Why all the frantic activity? Why always chasing the moth? The doe of the morning has all it needs right under its feet.


Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, 
what you will eat or drink; 
or about your body, what you will wear. 
See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 
Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor 
was dressed like one of these.
Matthew 6:25-34



Psalm 22--  "Doe of the Morning", a song of King David.