The last few days, I've been a little under the weather. It started with a mild soreness in my throat and some sinus congestion. Saturday was bad, Sunday I lost my voice and my throat was more sore than ever, and Monday I went to urgent care in Athens to make sure it wasn't strep. I don't have strep, it's a viral thing, so the doctor said I just have to wait for it to go away. Today has been a little better as far as my sore throat, but it's definitely the worst I've felt. So, I'm hoping this is the peak and it will start to dissolve from here.
Since yesterday, I haven't held Elise much. We've been trying to keep her from getting sick. It's definitely tough on me because I love to hold her and rock her to sleep, but it's rough on Kim having to do pretty much everything for Elise with little help. She's great about it though. She still stays on top of things. But, that's her personality. She is super disciplined whereas I am a little more slobbish (if I can use that as a word). I even noticed when she was taking care of laundry, she was talking to Elise and mentioned ironing one of my shirts.
Kim irons a lot of the stuff I wear to church or anything that gets crazy wrinkled. I've tried to tell her certain things will be fine without ironing, but she always comes back with something to the effect of this statement: "I can't let you walk out of the house with that shirt/those pants not ironed. People will think that I don't take care of you." Basically, she implies that what I look like is a reflection of her and what kind of wife she is. That made me think of trying to live my life as representing Christ.
So often I try to make excuses of what I can do or don't have to do as a Christian because it may not be that big of a deal. After all, we have freedom and liberty in Christ. But, I think of wearing the shirt that wasn't ironed. What if I told Kim that I just wasn't going to let her iron anymore of my clothes? I could tell her that it doesn't even matter in the long run and I don't care what anyone else thinks so leave my clothes alone. First, this would hurt her because she wants to do it with the intention that ironing my clothes is one of the small things that identifies us as being together. If someone suggests that my clothes look superb and neatly pressed, I could use that opportunity to brag up my wife. Second, Kim uses ironing my clothes as an attempt to make me the best I can be. So, by turning down the ironing, I'm essentially saying that I'm content where I am with no desire to be better.
As awkward an illustration as that is, it really did make me think of how Christ works in us. When the Holy Spirit is working in us, even in small ways, it is what helps me identify with God and His kingdom. By taking an outward examination of my life and seeing where I came from to where I am now spiritually, I can see it was the Spirit who did this and I can make much of Him. Then, I recognize His working in me as an attempt to make me better. This is the Spirit bringing my heart towards holiness. I have to indulge this rather than stay content where I am. It's then that I can see just how much more I need to grow.
After that whole illustration though, I would hate to leave it as though Kim only inadvertently gives spiritual lessons. She far surpasses that. Her dedication and discipline with the things of God give me encouragement and motivation all the time. One of my favorite things she does (and I'll end the brag session on the ole wifey with this) is that she prays with Elise before every baby food meal. It's obviously something that Elise doesn't understand the logic of now, but it will be something that we can explain as she grows. And not just as a legalistic thing, but as something with meaning.
Showing posts with label Theology. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Theology. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Eating God's Word
I've been reading a new book the past few days from Joshua Harris called Dug Down Deep. So far, it's pretty good. I found one part pretty interesting when he was talking about the Bible:
Looking back, I wonder how I could think corn to be so terrible. It's still by far not my favorite thing in the world to eat as I am kind of a junk food addict, but now it probably tops as one of my favorite vegetables. Somehow, over time, my taste buds changed and became more than tolerant, but actually started to enjoy the taste. The same thing goes for cinnamon rolls and fruit smoothies. There are certain foods that have grown into more enjoyable tastes over time.
This analogy is a little broken in the sense that I have never hated God's Word. I've always had a love and reverence for it. But, especially as a child and even teenager, God's Word wasn't as enjoyable to me. It didn't quite ring the same. It didn't fulfill me like I get fulfillment now. Again, I relate to the author as well in that there are times now where I only nibble or don't feel as hungry for it as I truly would like to be. But, my desire for His Word grows more over time. It seems as though the more I mature, the more God's Word fulfills me in more satisfying ways. I think part of it is probably the fact that I read slower, study more, and dig deeper into meaning. But, more than that, connecting with truths God is trying to reveal to me makes it better. I only hope that this desire grows more and gives me motivation to read and seek much more than I do now.
"Eating God's Word. It's an odd picture. Yet that's what the prophet Jeremiah describes when he says to God, 'Your words were found, and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart, for I am called by your name, O Lord, God of hosts' (Jeremiah 15:16).
When I read these words, I imagine someone tearing out the crinkly, tissue-thin pages of a Bible and stuffing them in his mouth. Of course I know Jeremiah is speaking metaphorically. Hes describing his wholehearted embrace of God's Word. We should have the same appetite.
That's how I want to be. But I still have a long way to go. I do love God's Word. I've tasted that it's good. But sometimes I only nibble on it. Sometimes I don't feel like eating at all. I want to delight in it the way Jeremiah describes. I want to be hungrier than I am."I definitely feel like I can relate to the author. In fact, I was even taking the metaphor in a different direction in my own mind while reading. I was thinking back to when I was a child. I remember back in those days, oh so long ago (in the early 90s)--back when kids didn't even have cell phones--anyways, we used to sit at the table as a family and eat dinner. The t.v. was off, we didn't have portable game systems to get in the way (not that they didn't exist, we just didn't have them-thanks mom and dad! Just kidding), and we talked about how our days went. There were many of these times where my mom would make corn as a vegetable and I literally wasn't allowed up from the table until I ate it all. And let me say this before I get judged for being a picky eater..okay, no excuses, I was and still am a picky eater. But, I HATED corn back then. I would rather have eaten moth balls.
Looking back, I wonder how I could think corn to be so terrible. It's still by far not my favorite thing in the world to eat as I am kind of a junk food addict, but now it probably tops as one of my favorite vegetables. Somehow, over time, my taste buds changed and became more than tolerant, but actually started to enjoy the taste. The same thing goes for cinnamon rolls and fruit smoothies. There are certain foods that have grown into more enjoyable tastes over time.
This analogy is a little broken in the sense that I have never hated God's Word. I've always had a love and reverence for it. But, especially as a child and even teenager, God's Word wasn't as enjoyable to me. It didn't quite ring the same. It didn't fulfill me like I get fulfillment now. Again, I relate to the author as well in that there are times now where I only nibble or don't feel as hungry for it as I truly would like to be. But, my desire for His Word grows more over time. It seems as though the more I mature, the more God's Word fulfills me in more satisfying ways. I think part of it is probably the fact that I read slower, study more, and dig deeper into meaning. But, more than that, connecting with truths God is trying to reveal to me makes it better. I only hope that this desire grows more and gives me motivation to read and seek much more than I do now.
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
God's Plan
It's crazy how much faith it takes to really be a follower of Jesus sometimes. I was thinking about when Jesus was being arrested. Up until then, the disciples had been following him so closely and desiring to see His power fully manifested. We see this when Jesus would tell them of His coming death and they would have nothing to do with it. Peter was thinking that there was no way he was going to let that happen. They had seen Jesus perform miracle after miracle on top of knowing the prophecies of the Messiah--how He was going to be this great conqueror of the nations. I can only imagine that they were going along with this peace making gig, but soon Jesus was going to really exercise His amazing power and start ruining some people.
But, that's not how Jesus did things. In fact, when it came to Jesus' arrest, Peter was carrying his sword and swiped off the ear of the high priest's slave. It was like Jesus had told them some big stuff was going to happen so Peter picked up his battle equipment and was ready for war. That's not an official scholarly opinion or anything, but judging by his decision here and then denying Christ later that night, it seems as if his attitude changed when he started to think that Jesus wasn't going to be what Peter thought He was going to be. It seems for a brief moment that his faith started to waiver.
I can see the same thing in my life though. There are these times when I feel at the top of the faith ladder and that God is doing exactly what He's supposed to do as far as I'm concerned. And I'm thinking that if any hard times fall that He's there about to show His true power in the way that I think it should come. It's like I'm waiting on Him to show that warrior, Messiah power in my life to not just help my faith, but establish it with the proof in His power. But, time after time, His abundance of power comes in such a different way than I expect. I'm caught off guard and sometimes even wonder if this is really Him, because it's not how I would have did things, and after all, He can read my mind, so why not do it the way I want.
But, God's glory is so much greater. And, eventually, Peter would see this and change his focus again. I guess that's part of the Christian life. Discovering God in so many new ways. Waiting for His presence and getting so much more. Even if pain is there longer than we want, He's still going to be there somehow.
But, that's not how Jesus did things. In fact, when it came to Jesus' arrest, Peter was carrying his sword and swiped off the ear of the high priest's slave. It was like Jesus had told them some big stuff was going to happen so Peter picked up his battle equipment and was ready for war. That's not an official scholarly opinion or anything, but judging by his decision here and then denying Christ later that night, it seems as if his attitude changed when he started to think that Jesus wasn't going to be what Peter thought He was going to be. It seems for a brief moment that his faith started to waiver.
I can see the same thing in my life though. There are these times when I feel at the top of the faith ladder and that God is doing exactly what He's supposed to do as far as I'm concerned. And I'm thinking that if any hard times fall that He's there about to show His true power in the way that I think it should come. It's like I'm waiting on Him to show that warrior, Messiah power in my life to not just help my faith, but establish it with the proof in His power. But, time after time, His abundance of power comes in such a different way than I expect. I'm caught off guard and sometimes even wonder if this is really Him, because it's not how I would have did things, and after all, He can read my mind, so why not do it the way I want.
But, God's glory is so much greater. And, eventually, Peter would see this and change his focus again. I guess that's part of the Christian life. Discovering God in so many new ways. Waiting for His presence and getting so much more. Even if pain is there longer than we want, He's still going to be there somehow.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
May 21, 2011--Last Day?!?!
Harold Camping Article
What in the world are people thinking believing Harold Camping and his nonsense that the rapture will be on May 21, 2011. I don't get it. The boat for his proving himself sailed long ago when he said it was going to be in 1994. Let me rephrase: he said it might be in 1994...but there was the most humble possibility that his calculations could be wrong and it would be 2011 when it happened. Either way, only true believers (i.e. anyone who believes that the world will end when he does) will be raptured. I wouldn't quite call him a false prophet; after all, he never claimed to receive a vision from God or anything. I would say that he's a false teacher though. Telling people you have a sure thing when you don't isn't the best way to go about teaching the Gospel. This isn't the Da Vinci Code where we have to decipher hidden and complex messages in the Bible to figure out when this thing is going down. It was written for every man! Sure there are complexities here and there, but not to the point we dig for the timing of something that Jesus said no man knows. That's why Paul said not to worry about it. He told us to preach the gospel, not the timing of judgment day. Just that we will be judged one day.
What in the world are people thinking believing Harold Camping and his nonsense that the rapture will be on May 21, 2011. I don't get it. The boat for his proving himself sailed long ago when he said it was going to be in 1994. Let me rephrase: he said it might be in 1994...but there was the most humble possibility that his calculations could be wrong and it would be 2011 when it happened. Either way, only true believers (i.e. anyone who believes that the world will end when he does) will be raptured. I wouldn't quite call him a false prophet; after all, he never claimed to receive a vision from God or anything. I would say that he's a false teacher though. Telling people you have a sure thing when you don't isn't the best way to go about teaching the Gospel. This isn't the Da Vinci Code where we have to decipher hidden and complex messages in the Bible to figure out when this thing is going down. It was written for every man! Sure there are complexities here and there, but not to the point we dig for the timing of something that Jesus said no man knows. That's why Paul said not to worry about it. He told us to preach the gospel, not the timing of judgment day. Just that we will be judged one day.
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