We live in America where there is plenty of everything. Plenty of the good stuff and plenty of the bad stuff. Plenty of what we need and plenty of what we “want”. How could anyone be unhappy in America? How can anyone not have enough? Why is it possible to live in the richest country in the world and be poor?
There are lots of complicated answers but one simple answer is because we don’t know how to be content. We don’t know how to be thankful for what we have. We have not learned how to say, “It is well”. An old hymn that I can hear in my heart and want heard at my funeral someday, says “It is well with my soul”. (If I get to see Jesus before my Uncle Lloyd, he would be my choice of singers too. Just sayin’.) I was reminded of it yesterday when a friend shared a beautiful, acapella version of it on Facebook. (click here to see it), or look up Chris Tomlin’s version on YouTube. Both are glorious.
This song to me is a precious reminder of what Paul says in Philippians 4:12-13 NIV. “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.”The key of course is the last verse. “I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.”
Paul is not saying I love being hungry as much as being full, or I am just as thrilled to be in jail or without a home as I am to be in my home surrounded by the people that love me. What I believe he is saying is that we can find peace and comfort no matter what is happening in our lives by looking to and living for Christ. Paul is telling us what it means to say, “It is well”.
When we find our peace in Christ instead of money, it means that we don’t confuse storing up treasure with wanting to be a millionaire. When we find our strength in Christ instead of worldly power, it means that “looking out for number One” has a whole new definition. When we find our joy in Christ instead of in fame or worldly success, it means that we have joy to share for richer and for poorer, in sickness and in health. When we let Christ’s provision fill our hearts and meet our needs, it means we understand success is not about how much we can have but how much we can give.
We’re coming quickly upon the “holiday” season. Yes, I just had to go there. Thanksgiving and Christmas are such important opportunities as Christians to give instead of get as we are called to show others who Jesus is by how we live. The most important ones we can show being our children. Pray with me to be able to walk so closely with the Lord that we can truly know and share that “It is well.”
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Monday, October 12, 2009
Can I skip this season and say I didn’t?
To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven (Ecclesiastes 3:1 NKJV).
I was reading my devotion this morning and this was the verse that inspired it. The devotion was about a mom who is homeschooling her children and on that day felt like she would never get past the lesson they were learning that week. We all know how that feels. It may be the assignment we have in school, the particular job/account/mission we’re assigned to at work, the age of our children and the specific difficulties that come with it, (you know potty training or junior high or dating, etc.), the stage our marriage is in right now, our health or the health of a loved one, or the state of our finances. Some days it feels like we will be there forever and we so desperately wish to be through it, over it, even just away from it for a while. We want to escape- right?
I was feeling like that myself this past week and then I went to an early childhood education conference on Saturday. The keynote speaker was a woman who has been in early childhood education for more than 30 years. She shared specific instances God has used in her life where there have been parents who seemed as though they were so far from God and from being good parents that no matter how she tried to help and care about their child and family nothing seemed to change or reach them. Time after time they would show up late or walk in high on something, send their children to school in the same diaper they had left in the evening before, etc. She would get so frustrated and discouraged that she would finally decide to tell them they could not be in her school anymore. She would get to the point where she was telling God, “I’ve helped all I can.” “I’ve tried hard enough. I’m done!"
Of course, that was the point where that family, that Mom or Dad would finally ask for help, or open up and want to know more about Jesus. She was honest enough to say how hard it was to put her anger aside at that point. To not look at them and say, “Oh, now you want help?”. But, praise God, she would stop, let go of how she was feeling and let God work through her to say "Yes, He really does love you. It really is as simple as He says it is. He loves us, He sent His son to die for us and all we have to do is admit what we already know about ourselves and choose Him."
There were some amazing stories of life change and Godly restoration and healing! Each story was a clear reminder that He can do anything but is so often patiently waiting, while preparing the way for me or you as believers to share Him. He is waiting for us, as the ones who have lived in His love and forgiveness, to be the salt and light (Matthew 5:13-16 NIV). Preparing us through these seasons of testing to be the person that is trusted with the question, “Is it true? Is it true what you are teaching my child? Is it true what I see by how you live your life? Is it true what the Pastor says?"
Rest in His love today and remember with me that no matter what season we are in we can trust God’s timing and purpose. We can trust Him to show us grace so that we can show it to others. We can trust His forgiveness so we must forgive. We can trust Him to speak when we are out of words. We can trust Him to use even us, in our weakness, to show others how to reach Him and find what we’ve found- peace, restoration and hope.
Amy Gieger
Children's Ministry Director
I was reading my devotion this morning and this was the verse that inspired it. The devotion was about a mom who is homeschooling her children and on that day felt like she would never get past the lesson they were learning that week. We all know how that feels. It may be the assignment we have in school, the particular job/account/mission we’re assigned to at work, the age of our children and the specific difficulties that come with it, (you know potty training or junior high or dating, etc.), the stage our marriage is in right now, our health or the health of a loved one, or the state of our finances. Some days it feels like we will be there forever and we so desperately wish to be through it, over it, even just away from it for a while. We want to escape- right?
I was feeling like that myself this past week and then I went to an early childhood education conference on Saturday. The keynote speaker was a woman who has been in early childhood education for more than 30 years. She shared specific instances God has used in her life where there have been parents who seemed as though they were so far from God and from being good parents that no matter how she tried to help and care about their child and family nothing seemed to change or reach them. Time after time they would show up late or walk in high on something, send their children to school in the same diaper they had left in the evening before, etc. She would get so frustrated and discouraged that she would finally decide to tell them they could not be in her school anymore. She would get to the point where she was telling God, “I’ve helped all I can.” “I’ve tried hard enough. I’m done!"
Of course, that was the point where that family, that Mom or Dad would finally ask for help, or open up and want to know more about Jesus. She was honest enough to say how hard it was to put her anger aside at that point. To not look at them and say, “Oh, now you want help?”. But, praise God, she would stop, let go of how she was feeling and let God work through her to say "Yes, He really does love you. It really is as simple as He says it is. He loves us, He sent His son to die for us and all we have to do is admit what we already know about ourselves and choose Him."
There were some amazing stories of life change and Godly restoration and healing! Each story was a clear reminder that He can do anything but is so often patiently waiting, while preparing the way for me or you as believers to share Him. He is waiting for us, as the ones who have lived in His love and forgiveness, to be the salt and light (Matthew 5:13-16 NIV). Preparing us through these seasons of testing to be the person that is trusted with the question, “Is it true? Is it true what you are teaching my child? Is it true what I see by how you live your life? Is it true what the Pastor says?"
Rest in His love today and remember with me that no matter what season we are in we can trust God’s timing and purpose. We can trust Him to show us grace so that we can show it to others. We can trust His forgiveness so we must forgive. We can trust Him to speak when we are out of words. We can trust Him to use even us, in our weakness, to show others how to reach Him and find what we’ve found- peace, restoration and hope.
Amy Gieger
Children's Ministry Director
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
