Annie Wald

Speaking of reflecting God’s light

March 5, 2014 — Leave a comment

“God bring us back to life.
Fill us with Your presence.
Turn the light of Your face upon us.
Restore Your image within us.
Make us one with You.”
—–Christine Sine

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In Him was life,
and that life was the light of all mankind.
The light shines in the darkness,
and the darkness has not overcome it. John 1:4-5

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“The birth of Christ in our souls is for a purpose beyond ourselves:
it is because His manifestation in the world must be through us.
Every Christian is, as it were, part of the dust-laden air
which shall radiate the glowing epiphany of God,
catch and reflect His golden Light.

You are the light of the world -
but only because you are enkindled,
made radiant by the one Light of the world.”
——–Evelyn Underhill

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For God, who said, “Light shall shine out of darkness,” is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.
2 Corinthians 4:6

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“We ourselves are ‘saved to save’–we are made to give–to let everything go if only we have more to give. The pebble takes in the rays of light that fall on it, but the diamond flashes them out again: every little facet is means, not simply of drinking more in, but of giving more out.”
———–Lilias Trotter

In adoration, reflection

How to light a dark corner

February 26, 2014 — 2 Comments

I’m a natural morning person and one thing I love about getting up early is seeing the long rays of sunlight as they wake the world to another day.

And one of the luxuries of keeping the Sabbath is being able to stop and enjoy the morning light. In the winter when it’s too cold to go outside, I’ll find the sunniest place in the house and sit there, praying, reading, reflecting.

I’m like a spring flower turning to the sun

Last month I discovered a new morning spot in our house. Like most Moroccan homes, our dining room is not conveniently placed next to the kitchen. Instead, it’s on the other side of the house to separate the cooks from the guests. And it is also sized for a large extended family.

Half of our dining room filled with our local extended family

Of course it’s too big for two people, so weeks can go by without me having any need or desire to use the room. Then one Sabbath I happened to be in the back of the house and noticed the morning light streaming into the dining room.

I pulled up a chair and positioned it to face the bright sun. Then I settled in to enjoy its warm illumination.

But after a while I sensed there was something not quite right. Then I realized I was facing in the wrong direction. To catch the morning sun I should be pointing east and not west.

the sun rising in the east

Yet there I was facing west. How had the sun turned itself around?

I looked up and saw the answer. A few years ago our neighbors closed their upper terrace with reflective glass. What I was seeing was not the sun (still thankfully rising in the east) but the sun reflecting off a western window, like a mirror.

A once-dark corner of our house where the sun never shone was now flooded with light.

As I basked in the sunlight reflecting off the glass, I marveled at the power of the sun and the capacity of the glass to reflect it. I remembered what Paul wrote to the Corinthians:

For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like Him as we are changed into His glorious image. — 2 Corinthians 3:17-18

The glass doesn’t create the light. It doesn’t even have to make any effort to reflect the sun’s brightness. The sun is the source.

The only way the glass can prevent the light’s reflection is if it becomes coated with dirt and dust. No wonder Jesus told us not to worry about the plank in our brother’s eye and only to worry about the speck in our own. Tiny specks of dust and dirt crowded together can block the power of the all-powerful light.

To reflect the light of Jesus into the dark corners of the world around me, I need to let the Holy Spirit into my dark corners first and wash my heart clean.

Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean;
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
… Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me. –Psalm 51: 7, 10

Then God’s light will shine boldly through me although I may not always be aware of how far His rays of grace extend.

Arise, shine, for your light has come,
and the glory of the Lord rises upon you.
See, darkness covers the earth
and thick darkness is over the peoples,
but the Lord rises upon you
and His glory appears over you.
Nations will come to your light,
and kings to the brightness of your dawn. Isaiah 60:1-3

What about you? What dark unreached corners in your world does God’s light reflect into? And when was the last time you washed your spiritual windows?

In a thousand words, adoration, reflection

Speaking of ‘yet’

February 19, 2014 — 2 Comments

The Lord said to Satan, “Very well, then, he is in your hands; but you must spare his life.”
So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord and afflicted Job with painful sores from the soles of his feet to the crown of his head. Then Job took a piece of broken pottery and scraped himself with it as he sat among the ashes.
His wife said to him, “Are you still maintaining your integrity? Curse God and die!”
He replied, “You are talking like a foolish a woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?” …Though He slay me, yet will I hope in Him.
Job 2:6-10 and Job 13:15

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When my heart was grieved and my spirit embittered,
I was senseless and ignorant;I was a brute beast before You.
Yet I am always with You; You hold me by my right hand.
You guide me with Your counsel,and afterward You will take me into glory.
Whom have I in heaven but You? And earth has nothing I desire besides You.
My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart
and my portion forever.
Psalm 73:21-26

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“Father, if You are willing, take this cup from me;
yet not my will, but Yours be done.”
Luke 22:42

♦◊♦

“Let me remember when it hurts that love will have the final word.”
Jason Gray

In faith

Yet: Love in the midst of winter

February 14, 2014 — 2 Comments

Though I was raised in New England and lived most of my adult life in the northeast of the United States, I don’t really consider myself an expert on winter anymore. It’s been 14 years since I’ve slogged through snow and slush and mud from November to March.

But I have friends and family who are experiencing an icy, frigid winter. The days are short, the skies are sullen. When the sun does break through, the snow melts, exposing brown, soggy ground.

Other friends are going through painful emotional winters, battered by harsh relational storms. Or they are numbed by dark, barren times in their personal lives.

It seems like spring will never arrive. Of course we know that the physical season of winter will not last forever. Come June, the snow and cold is guaranteed to be done [unless you live in the southern hemisphere!]

We’re less confident of leaving our emotional winters behind. Sometimes it feels like things will never change and we’ll be trapped in the blinding blizzard forever. We doubt whether God really cares.

“As soon as the snake saw his chance, he slithered silently up to Eve. ‘Does God really love you?’ the serpent whispered. ‘If he does, why won’t he let you eat the nice, juicy, delicious fruit? Poor you, perhaps God doesn’t want you to be happy.”

The snake’s words hissed into her ears and sunk down deep into her heart, like poison. Does God love me? Eve wondered. Suddenly she didn’t know anymore…

Eve picked the fruit and ate some. And Adam ate some, too.

And a terrible lie came into the world. It would never leave. It would live on in every human heart, whispering to every one of God’s children: ‘God doesn’t love me.’”
[Sally Lloyd-Jones, The Jesus Storybook Bible]

Does God really love me? The question echoes through our winter.

The writer of Lamentations understands this question. In chapter 3, he gives a litany of what God has done in his life. For 20 verses there’s not a ray of faith-fueled sunshine. Instead, he gives a detailed list of how God has treated him badly: weighed him down, barred his way, pierced his heart, trampled him, surrounded him with bitterness and hardship.

The snake’s question must have sounded very loud in his ear. “Does God really love you?”

Who would blame the writer for turning away from God?

But incredibly, in verse 21, he says, “Yet.”

Yet. Everything hinges on that one small word.

Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope:
because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed,
for His compassions never fail.
They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.
I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion;
therefore I will wait for Him.” 3:21-24

How can the writer answer the snake’s hissing question like that?

I don’t think it’s humanly possible. It takes the work of the Holy Spirit, our rememberer, to call to mind God’s goodness and love. And this reminder is joined with God’s supernatural grace that anchors us when we are so numb that we don’t know how we can hold on. Not only that, we have the sympathy of Jesus, our high priest, who has been tempted in every way, just as we are–yet was without sin.* Yet.

Because of Jesus, we can approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.*

...for no one is cast off by the Lord forever.
Though He brings grief, He will show compassion, so great is His unfailing love.
For He does not willingly bring affliction or grief to anyone.
Lamentations 3:31-33

As I wait through the long winter, will I doubt God’s love or will I continue to hope for His help and healing and rescue?

Will I hold on to His Yes?

For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “yes” in Christ.
II Corinthians 1:20

What about you?
Where are you waiting for the Lord?
Where do you need to say, “Yet this I call to mind?”
And who can you encourage to hold to the hope God gives?

*Hebrews 4:15-16

In following Jesus, grace, love

Have you reflected on your relationships lately?

February 6, 2014 — Leave a comment

Although Walk with Me follows the journey of a married couple, just about everything the Bible has to say about love and relationships applies to every person, whether single or married.

Here are questions to consider from the personal reflection track of the Study Guide for Walk with Me

In the Burr Patch of Unkind Words: The power of what we say [Ephesians 4:31-32]
What are the most affirming things someone has said to you recently?
How did it make you feel?

What burrs or barbs have you thrown recently?
What kind words can you say to help remove them?

Up to Pigeon Hole Pass: Studying but not living God’s Word {Matthew 23:25-28]
When in your life have you been more concerned about your external righteousness than your internal holiness?

What effect did it have on your relationship with God?
Your relationships with others?

Lost in the Quagmires: Looking for firmer ground [II Timothy 3:2-5, Galatians 3:16-19]
The Swamp of Selfishness was filled with quagmires: envy, pride, greed, self-indulgence, ingratitude, slander, jealousy, fits of rage. Which is the deepest quagmire in your life right now?

What can you do to get out of it?

At the Camp with Faithfulness: Taking stock
Read Ephesians 4:22–24, which talks about giving up the old self and putting on a new self. After Peter and Celeste gave up their postcards, the journey did not get easier for them. How would you counsel each of them to deal with the loss of their postcard dreams?

Across the Bridge of Forgiveness: Deciding to erase the debt [Matthew 18:32-34]
Peter and Celeste both found difficulty in crossing the bridge of forgiveness. What would you say to someone who is hesitating at the bridge?

Into the darkness: Surrendering all [Matthew 16:25-26]
What negative “snake” voices are hissing in your ear right now trying to get you to turn away from God’s path?

What are they saying to you?

At the Quiet Pool: Being refreshed
Peter and Celeste found much-needed rest at the Quiet Pool. When could you spend time with God this week to be refreshed? Pick one of the following passages and then reflect on how God has been good to you over the last two months:

• Psalm 23

• Psalm 139

• Ephesians 3:3–14

• Romans 8

Would you like to reflect on more questions from the Study Guide for Walk with Me? You can download it for free here.

In examination, love

Speaking of questions

February 4, 2014 — Leave a comment

“Questioning God honors Him. It turns our hearts away from ungodly despair toward a passionate desire to comprehend Him.”
Dan Allender

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“We act and live in confidence that someday we will see face to face, that we will live into the answers. For God’s grace embraces our questions as well as our answers and our blindness as well as our vision.”
Jean Blomquist

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“You can find answers to the hard intellectual questions, but God gives us something better than answers. He gives us a rich sense of His presence. He gives us Himself. Answers satisfy the intellect, the presence of the great El-shaddai satisfies the soul.”
Selwen Hughes

♦◊♦

God asks:
Why, when I called, was there no one to answer?
Is my hand shortened, that it cannot redeem?
Or have I no power to deliver?
Isaiah 50:2

In examination, listen, reflection

Recommending: Gospel

January 31, 2014 — 1 Comment

Gospel by J.D. Greear has been on sale for $.99 in the Kindle version, and still is [at least for today]. Last summer, I shared about Greear’s message in a post on grace. It’s a book I’ll be rereading because I forget so easily that what Jesus offers is neither religion nor moralism nor legalism but the gospel, aka good news.

Gospel is a great book to read slowly, a little bit at a time, letting the wisdom soak into your soul. In fact, that may be the best way to digest its rich nuggets of encouraging truth.

In following Jesus, grace

Ask me a question

January 30, 2014 — 3 Comments

Over the past few months I’ve been working on a study guide for Walk with Me: Pilgrim’s Progress for Married Couples. The guide has just been released and you can download it here for free [don't you love that word?].

Each of the nine sections focuses on a chapter from the book, with three sets of questions to choose from. There’s a set for general small group discussion, another set for small groups who want to take a deeper look at the material, and a third set for individuals or couples. [Take a peek at the introduction here.]

As I worked on the questions, I was reminded of all the questions Jesus is asked in the gospels.

Questions, questions

“How do you know me?” Nathaniel asked.
“Where do you get that living water?” the woman at the well asked.
“Who are you?” the Pharisees asked.
“How can we know the way?” Thomas asked.
“What is truth?” Pilate wanted to know.

Sometimes, a question is used to accuse: “Aren’t we right in saying that you are a Samaritan and demon-possessed?” the Jews asked Jesus.

Or a question can be a way to find an easy out, like Peter’s question to Jesus: “How many times must I forgive my brother?”

They can carry a complaint like Martha’s, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to serve alone?”

I think the best questions are those designed not to find an answer, but to start a dialogue. It’s an asking that doesn’t try to push the other person away. With God, good questions help us come closer to Him, whether they are questions of doubt or mystery or confusion or despair.

God’s questions for me
And when I ask an honest question, I open myself up to being asked one in return. When the lawyer asked Jesus “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus answered by asking, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” He didn’t give the dead-end answer. He invited the lawyer into a give and take.

When the chief priests asked Jesus to tell them by what authority He was teaching and healing, He replied, “I will also ask you a question. Tell me, John’s baptism–was it from heaven, or from men?”

Back and forth, back and forth, the dialogue goes. A question is asked. A question answered, sometimes with a question that enlightens us far more than the easy answer we were looking for.

However God chooses to answer our questions–even when He keeps silent–He want us to stay with Him. Our honest questions never drive Him away because He is always waiting for us to take another step closer, even if that means drawing near to Him in our confusion.

Probably every journey of faith starts with a question, a mystery. And sometimes they end with a question too. “Why have You forsaken me?” God was silent and withdrawn from His son, and still Jesus had a question for Him.

–
What about you?
What question do you want to discuss with God? When will you start the dialogue?
And what question do you think He will ask you in return?

[Edited from the archives]

In examination, listen, reflection

Speaking of taking it step by step

January 22, 2014 — Leave a comment

“We are so easily led to look at life as a great whole, and to neglect the little today, to forget that the single days do indeed make up the whole, and that the value of each single day depends on its influence on the whole.
One day lost is a link broken in the chain, which it often takes more than another day to mend. One day lost influences the next, and makes its keeping more difficult.”
Andrew Murray

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“Go back?” he thought. “No good at all! Go sideways? Impossible! Go forward? Only thing to do! On we go!” So up he got, and trotted along with his little sword held in front of him and one hand feeling the wall, and his heart all a patter and a pitter.”
The Hobbit,J.R.R. Tolkien

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“We are built for the valley, for the ordinary stuff we are in, and that is where we have to prove our mettle.
Spiritual selfishness always wants repeated moments on the mount. We feel
we could talk like angels and live like angels, if only we could stay on
the mount. The times of exaltation are exceptional, they have their
meaning in our life with God, but we must beware lest our spiritual
selfishness wants to make them the only time.”
Oswald Chambers

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Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another–and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
Hebrews 10:23-25

In What do you think?

24/6: Help for the Sabbath

January 18, 2014 — Leave a comment

Need helping thinking about what the Sabbath means? Here’s a book on the importance of keeping the Sabbath, by Matthew Sleeth, an ER doctor, currently $2.99 for the Kindle version:
24/6: A prescription for a healthier, happier life

I’ve started reading it, and it’s excellent.

In enjoying God

How to make it to December

January 15, 2014 — 4 Comments

This week an acquaintance of mine was bemoaning the struggle to keep a 30-day resolution she had made for January. It has seemed like a good idea from the mountain peak of the new year, but things had quickly turned dull and mundane. Having just begun, she found herself already slogging through the valley and she was wondering if she should bail out now.

I know the feeling. I came back from the holidays wanting to set a new course, desperate to make some changes in my life. But as I blue-skyed possibilities and dreamed up plans, I dreaded coming down from the mountain and actually starting the journey.

not a care in the world:

coming down to earth:

the nitty-gritty on the ground:

I know it’s not always going to be pretty or pleasant. I’ll get bored. The enthusiasm for change will turn gray. My new habits may get stuck in mud. Old habits will creep back in. The view from the mountaintop will be replaced by tunnel vision.

So how can I make it to December? How can I keep on the path and not give up? What is the secret to perseverance?

1] Mark your steps
Making progress isn’t hard. It’s simply being faithful day in and day out. Right foot, left foot. But I’m not a robot. I need encouragement along the way. Nothing fancy, just checking off a daily task, or making a week’s tally can give me a sense of accomplishment and keep me going. I’ve done three days of my new ‘read a chapter of the New Testament each day’.

I have a long way to go but I’m getting addicted to the little burst of satisfaction when I check the box. Visual markers–stones in a jar, stars on a calendar–are a great way to spur us on when our interest or desire weakens. Ask anyone in kindergarten.

2] Make sacred stops
Keeping a habit takes energy, especially when I’m going against my natural tendency or selfish default. I think that’s why often I start to slack off. I stop pushing. Soon, the new habit quietly slinks away. Instead, I need to replace slacking off with coming to a full stop, which is exactly what happens when I keep the Sabbath. It’s a time to pause along the way and get refreshed.

I take a break from the routine of my life and spend time enjoying God and His creation. It’s a chance for me to remind myself of the big picture too. And when the Sabbath is over, I’m rested and ready to pick up my habit again.

The year has just begun and there’s a long way to go. But slow and steady like the turtle, I’m getting somewhere.

What about you? What helps you stay on track and persevere through the year?

In eternal life, spiritual growth

The year as a house

January 1, 2014 — 1 Comment

from a poem by Jan Richardson:

“The Year as a House: A Blessing

Think of the year
as a house:
door flung wide
in welcome,
threshold swept
and waiting,
a graced spaciousness
opening and offering itself
to you.

“Let it be blessed
in every room.

“Let it be hallowed
in every corner.

Let every nook
be a refuge
and every object
set to holy use…

“…And may it be
in this house of a year
that the seasons will spin in beauty,

“and may it be
in these turning days
that time will spiral with joy.

“And may it be
that its rooms will fill
with ordinary grace

“and light spill from every window
to welcome the stranger home.”

In a thousand words, following Jesus, reflection

A Christmas benediction

December 25, 2013 — Leave a comment

“Bethlehem has opened Eden:
Come, let us see!
We have found joy hidden!
Come, let us take possession of the paradise within the cave.”
Ikos of the Nativity

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“May you be filled with the wonder of Mary,

the obedience of Joseph,

the joy of the angels,

the eagerness of the shepherds,

the determination of the magi,

and the peace of the Christ child.

Almighty God,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit
bless you now and forever.
Amen!”

In a thousand words, adoration, reflection

Come Lord Jesus

December 21, 2013 — Leave a comment

“Lord Jesus, master of both the light and the darkness,
send Your Holy Spirit upon our preparations for Christmas.
We who have so much to do seek quiet spaces to hear Your voice each day.
We who are anxious over many things look forward to Your coming among us.
We who are blessed in so many ways long for the complete joy of Your kingdom.
We whose hearts are heavy seek the joy of Your presence.
We are Your people, walking in darkness, yet seeking the light.
To You we say, “Come Lord Jesus!” Amen.”

Anonymous

In adoration, grace

Speaking of longing for God’s compassion

December 17, 2013 — Leave a comment

“Advent should be dark and tense.
The world desperately needs a Savior,
and in Advent we should feel the weight of that longing.”
Mike Cosper

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“Come broken, come whole
Come wounded in your soul
Come anyway that you know
Alleluia

Come doubting, come sure
Come fearful to this door
Come see what love is for
Alleluia

Come running, come walking slow
Come weary on your broken road
Come see Him and shed your heavy load
Alleluia”
Mary Chapin Carpenter, Come Darkness, Come Light

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“Light of lights! All gloom dispelling,
You did come to make Your dwelling
Here within our world of sight.
Lord, in pity and in power,
You did in our darkest hour
Rend the clouds and show Your light.

Praise to You in earth and heaven
Now and evermore be given,
Christ, who is sun and shield.
Lord, for us Your life You gave,
Those who trust in You, You save,
All Your mercy stands revealed.”
Thomas Aquinas

♦◊♦

I waited patiently for the Lord,
He turned to me and heard my cry.
He lifted me out of the slimy pit,
out of the mud and mire;
He set my feet on a rock
and gave me a firm place to stand.
Psalm 40:1-2

♦◊♦

In following Jesus, love, reflection

For pity’s sake

December 11, 2013 — Leave a comment

In Walk with Me, as Peter crosses the Swamp of Selfishness, he falls into a sinkhole of self-pity. Instead of trying to get out, he settles into the mud. Perversely, he savours his feelings of woundedness and isolation. Perhaps he sings a song our daughters learned when they were young: “Nobody likes me, everybody hates me, I guess I’ll go eat worms.”

Self-pity is such a seductive feeling, an emotion that feeds on itself. The more I nurture my self-pity, the bigger the sinkhole becomes. I begin to feel that no one else has ever suffered like me before. No one has gone through such hard struggles like I have. I actually take pride in my pain.

That is a very dangerous place to be, and that is exactly where Satan would like me to stay. My enemy tells me to nurse my hurt, hold my grudge, care for myself because no one else will. He tells me to shut myself off from people so I can avoid feeling pain, to give up hoping, to stop trusting God, to act for myself. If he got his way, Satan would keep me wallowing and self-absorbed forever.

In contrast, Jesus invites me to come out of the hole and sit with Him at His feet. He wants me to lay down my burdens and tell Him what the trouble is.

So last week when I found myself being swallowed up by a sinkhole of self-pity, I resisted the impulse to stay in the swamp. Instead, as I spent time with Jesus, I began to open up about one area in my life. I told Him how difficult and awful it has been, and how hopeless it feels to me. As I shared the emotional tatters of my life with Him, I discovered that self-pity is hard to sustain when you’re sitting at the feet of Jesus.

It’s not that Jesus gave me an instant fix. Far from it. But instead of sending me away, He told me to come closer. Instead of judging me or lecturing me telling me to buck up, He lamented with me and comforted me.

In the presence of His strong compassion, my weak and whiny self-pity vanished. I stopped demanding that He make things better right away and simply acknowledged with Him that the world is not the way it should be. Jesus sadly nodded His head. More than any of us, He knows how true this is.

This quiet pondering is one of the lessons of Advent. In the rush to Christmas, I want to skip over the suffering and head straight to hope and joy and light.

Yes, all that is coming, but first I need to lament the brokenness of the world.
He has sent Me to bind up the brokenhearted.

I need to name the darkness.
…to proclaim release from darkness for the prisoners.

I need to hear once again, “Comfort, comfort My people, speak tenderly to Jerusalem.”

I need to listen to songs in a minor key, songs tinged with despair and longing.
“O come, O come, Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear.

Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.”

What about you? What are you pondering this Advent?

In listen, prayer, reflection

Speaking of giving praise

December 4, 2013 — Leave a comment

Rejoice, O people of Zion!
Shout in triumph, O people of Jerusalem!
Look, your king is coming to you.
He is righteous and victorious, yet He is humble,
riding on a donkey–riding on a donkey’s colt.
Zechariah 9:9

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“…the sweetest and the loudest note in our songs of praise
should be of redeeming love.
God’s redeeming acts towards His chosen
are forever the favorite themes of their praise.
If we know what redemption means,
let us not withhold our sonnets of thanksgiving.

We have been redeemed from the power of our corruptions,
uplifted from the depth of sin in which we were naturally plunged.
We have been led to the cross of Christ–
our shackles of guilt have been broken off;
we are no longer slaves, but children of the living God…”
Charles Spurgeon

♦◊♦

I will tell about Your justice,
and all day long proclaim Your salvation,
though I cannot fathom its full extent.
I will come and tell about the mighty acts of the sovereign Lord.
I will proclaim Your justice – Yours alone.
O God, You have taught me since I was young,
and I am still declaring Your amazing deeds.
Psalm 71:15-17

♦◊♦

Let all who seek You rejoice and be glad in You;
let those who love Your salvation say for ever,
“Great is the LORD!”
Psalm 70:4

In adoration

Praisegiving

November 25, 2013 — Leave a comment

Every day God is at work in the world, whether we are aware of it or not. Certainly I’m not always paying attention to what He is doing. And other times, even when I am, I can take His divine acts for granted. I think that might be a good thing; a sign that I’ve come to a better understanding of who He is and what He can do. But the fact that I’ve seen hundreds of brilliant sunsets and witnessed countless broken people come to new life in Him doesn’t diminish my delight.

And He can still take my breath away with an unexpected, unbelievable miracle [that may be redundant, but it sounds right]. Over the past year I’ve seen Him accomplish such a miracle, something I never, ever thought possible.

Our international church is an amazing Christian community, a kind of spiritual Noah’s ark of culture, education, language, and faith practice for those of us living far from home. There are challenges too: the stress of being a miniscule religious minority, and a constantly changing congregation of ex-pats, many on short assignments.

We dreamed of having our own building where we could choose when to worship, and have space to meet during the week. But it was only a dream. Instead, for decades the congregation met at a French church, one of the dozen actual church buildings in this country.

It had a convenient downtown location and a very low rent, which was a good thing since the congregation could not always meet the very small annual budget. This wasn’t because of a lack of faith or commitment. But with continual turnover and a large majority of the congregation on a limited income, it was all we could expect.

Then a few years ago, the congregation was given 24 hours to decide whether to stay at the French church on the condition that they get rid of their pastor. The congregation decided to keep the pastor. The next week, we met at the beach. The following week, we were welcomed by another French church to share their worship space in the basement of a house. The space was smaller, the political climate uncertain, and yet we experienced a deeper sense of community.

Coffee hour in the street.

Last fall God made it clear that we needed to find a place of our own. It had to be big enough and accessible by public transportation [two miracles in their own right.] Then we’d have to furnish it completely and cover the additional monthly costs. Our yearly budget would almost double.

It didn’t seem possible. The congregation wasn’t any bigger. The financial resources were pretty much the same as always. In spite of all the ways I’ve seen God work over the years, I didn’t see how we–God and we–were going to pull it off.

And yet we did. We found a place, raised the funds, and met the budget increase. It sounds so simple to say that. A piece of cake. But it wasn’t. When you’ve lived through lean years, it can be hard to trust. You can look at your five loaves and two fish and feel pretty foolish.

Almost as foolish as when you stand in amazement at God’s provision.

I’m still pretty speechless over it.

Now we don’t have to rush out after the service to make way for another congregation. We have space for Sunday School classes, a prayer room, a library [pretty vital when you live overseas].

Now after church we can talk inside–a help on rainy days!

How did God do this? Frankly, I couldn’t tell you. It’s a mystery to me how His power and our faith came together. It was like moving a mountain into the sea, or a grain of mustard growing into a tree.

It makes me want to echo the Psalmist and shout:

Sing to the Lord! Praise His name!
Announce every day how He delivers!
Tell the nations about His splendor!
Tell all the nations about His amazing deeds!
Psalm 96:2-3

And like John wrote in his first letter, it makes me want to share this with you to make my joy complete.

One generation commends Your works to another;
they tell of Your mighty acts.
They speak of the glorious splendor of Your majesty—
and I will meditate on Your wonderful works.
They tell of the power of Your awesome works—
and I will proclaim Your great deeds.
Psalm 145:4-6

What about you?
What have you seen God do this year?
When will you praise Him?
Who will you tell?

In adoration, faith

Speaking of Sabbath rest

November 20, 2013 — Leave a comment

“A great benefit of Sabbath keeping is that we learn to let God take care of us — not by becoming passive and lazy, but in the freedom of giving up our feeble attempts to be God in our own lives.”
― Marva J. Dawn

♦◊♦

“God rested on the seventh day… Rest, therefore, is seen in the Bible not as a sign of weakness or laziness, but as a divine activity as a sign of his wisdom and holiness. If resting is important to God, I don’t think we can minimize its importance for us as humans.…

We were designed for Camel travel, not supersonic jet behavior. Except for the last 50 years, humans have been able to live within the limits set for the human body. Today, however, we are exceeding these limits, not just barely, by a huge margin. We need the principle of Sabbath keeping.

Real resting takes time. Extended time. Unfrustrated time. Idle time. It also demands that you have nothing waiting in the wings. You have to disconnect, disengage, Let go, and forget what you were doing before and what waits for you after. You have to completely separate yourself from your regular routine.”
–Archibald Hart

♦◊♦

“Worry: The Sabbath is an invitation to rest emotionally and mentally from things that cause worry and stress, such as budgets, major decisions, and planning the week ahead. At the end of the Sabbath, from a place of rest, we can engage in some of the decision-making that needs to be done in the week. How can you say “No” to worry on the Sabbath?”
–Developing a Sabbath Practice

♦◊♦

“Since the definition of “work” involves trying to effect change, I am embracing one simple fact: Sabbath is the cessation of trying to effect change in my environment. This is primarily a mental discipline, and means that I must cease thinking: 1) that things are not okay as they are, and 2) that I need to take steps to change things.”
–Ruth Everhart

In enjoying God, grace, listen

Still practicing

November 14, 2013 — 2 Comments

A person once asked me, “Are you a practicing Christian?” The question took me aback for a moment. To me there wasn’t any other kind, But then I thought, ‘Yes, that’s right. I am practicing. I haven’t mastered this yet.’

I was reminded of that brief encounter when I started to read Lauren Winner’s Mudhouse Sabbath. She begins her reflections on Jewish spiritual practices by saying:

“Practice is to Judaism what belief is to Christianity. That is not to say that Judaism doesn’t have dogma or doctrine. It is rather to say that for Jews, the essence of the thing is a doing, an action. Your faith might come and go, but your practice ought not waver. (Indeed, Judaism suggests that the repeating of the practice is the best way to ensure that a doubter’s faith will return.)

…Madeline L’Engle once likened spiritual practice to piano etudes: You do not necessarily enjoy the etudes— you want to skip right ahead to the sonatas and concertos—but if you don’t work through the etudes you will arrive at the sonatas and not know what to do. So, too, with the spiritual life. It’s not all about mountaintops. Mostly it’s about training so that you’ll know the mountaintop for what it is when you get there.

Practicing the spiritual disciplines does not make us Christians. Instead, the practicing teaches us what it means to live as Christians.”

Given the title of Winner’s book, it’s not surprising that the first discipline she focuses on is the Sabbath. As I read her description of Jewish Sabbath practices, I realized that the Deep Sabbath I wrote about a few months ago is actually the regular Sabbath. Oops. It’s not a once-a-year activity.

Every week, with no exceptions, observant Jews set aside a day and obey the fourth commandment. They light Sabbath candles at sundown and for 24 hours, they cease from all manner of work. The Hebrew verb ‘Shabbat’ means to cease, and that includes lighting fires [no cooking, no turning on lights], and shopping.

When I was working full-time for a publishing company and living a maxed-out life, I decided one year to stop doing laundry and grocery shopping on Sundays. It was a rather radical step, but I was surprised how easy it was to work those activities into the rest of the week.

Now I face other, more subtle challenges. Since Sundays is a prime work day for Jack as a pastor, we’ve tried over the years to take a regular day-off. But as I reflect on it, that’s not the same as a Sabbath. A day-off is something your company gives you for you to do whatever you want or need to do. A Sabbath is a holy day, set apart, and spent in the presence of God. Another oops.

After reading Mudhouse Sabbath, I decided it’s time to try yet again to take a weekly Sabbath. In other words, it’s time to practice. And that means I need to be ready to stumble and fail because establishing a new life habit doesn’t happen over night. Then I discovered a small group guide with a section [pages 10-12], “Developing a Sabbath Practice.” Over the course of a month, it helps you shape your Sabbath practice by having you reflect on what to exclude from your Sabbath. Then it has you practice weaning yourself off those activities, and also think about what to include.

I’m still working through the guide. I’m still thinking about what boundaries I need and want to put on the day. I’m still working on preparing better for the Sabbath, too. Winner writes that Jews spend Sunday, Monday and Tuesday remembering the Sabbath, and Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday preparing for it. Having tried and failed a few weeks to take a Sabbath, I can see the wisdom in that.

This week, our Sabbath day fell perfectly into place. Monday, Jack and I walked to a nearby park, enjoying the cathedral of eucalyptus trees as the sun rose. Later I went with an old friend who was visiting and had a special hammam [Turkish bath]. I stayed off the internet and read a book. We ended the day sharing a meal with our visiting friends: roasted lamb and couscous stuffing and special desserts from a local bakery.

The Sabbath was so enjoyable that I’ve found myself thinking about it every day since then. It has helped me feel loved by God. It’s been a reminder of how He cares for me. I’ve experienced the joy Isaiah told about:

You must observe the Sabbath
rather than doing anything you please on My holy day.
You must look forward to the Sabbath
and treat the Lord’s holy day with respect.
You must treat it with respect by refraining from your normal activities,
and by refraining from your selfish pursuits and from making business deals.

Then you will find joy in your relationship to the Lord,
and I will give you great prosperity,
and cause crops to grow on the land I gave to your ancestor Jacob.”
Isaiah 58:13-14

I’m already beginning to think ahead to this coming Monday. I need to carve out some time to plan and prepare for it. It might not be as perfect as last Monday, but that will be alright. I’m still practicing.

What about you? What spiritual habit are you practicing?

In enjoying God, God's Word, grace, spiritual growth

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Speaking of Sabbath rest

Still practicing

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Free Resource: Study Guide for “Walk with Me”

About the book

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