Humility

Sketched IX Day 12 I Have Seen Him: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days

Finding the original intent of Scripture and making good application to our everyday lives as we become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out I Have Seen Him!

The Questions

1) What is the significance of the boats? (verse 3)

2) What changed in Peter as he witnessed the miracle? (verse 8)

3) What did Jesus mean when He told Peter he would now catch people? (verse 10)

Luke 5:1-11

5 As the crowd was pressing in on Jesus to hear God’s word, He was standing by Lake Gennesaret. 2 He saw two boats at the edge of the lake; the fishermen had left them and were washing their nets. 3 He got into one of the boats, which belonged to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from the land. Then he sat down and was teaching the crowds from the boat. 4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water and let down your nets for a catch.”5 “Master,” Simon replied, “we’ve worked hard all night long and caught nothing. But if you say so, I’ll let down the nets. 6 When they did this, they caught a great number of fish, and their nets began to tear. 7 So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them; they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink. 8 When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’s knees and said, “Go away from me, because I’m a sinful man, Lord!” 9 For he and all those with him were amazed at the catch of fish they had taken, 10 and so were James and John, Zebedee’s sons, who were Simon’s partners. “Don’t be afraid,” Jesus told Simon. “From now on you will be catching people.” 11 Then they brought the boats to land, left everything, and followed him.

Original Intent

1) What is the significance of the boats? (verse 3)
As Peter was a fisherman, a boat was an important tool of the trade. After an unsuccessful night of fishing, Peter was washing the nets by the shore. It was here in this very common moment, Jesus physically stepped into Peter’s boat to better serve the crowd pressing close to hear Him. Jesus often taught from boats as it gave Him a little space from the crowd while the masses could sit on the shore, allowing them to see and hear better.

2) What changed in Peter as he witnessed the miracle? (verse 8)
Similar to Isaiah’s call in the Old Testament (Isaiah 6:1-8), Peter was overcome by the power and presence of Jesus. He was overcome and hyper-aware of his sinful nature. Before the miracle was given, however, Peter was faced with a decision to trust a Rabbi’s fishing advice over his long-seasoned experience, or just laugh Him off. Jesus’ advice surely seemed laughable to Peter, but his willingness to humble himself under Christ’s authority paved the way for the Lord Jesus to not only abundantly bless Peter with fish, but entirely re-write the story of his life. As Peter chose obedience, he witnessed the result of one step of faith and became keenly aware of Jesus’ authoritative holiness and his own un-holiness! (verse 8)

3) What did Jesus mean when He told Peter he would now catch people? (verse 10)
Jesus uses Peter’s current occupation as a metaphor to explain his future as a follower of Christ and “fisherman” for “people”. He responds to Peter’s humility with grace and a new assignment filled with rich purpose. Jesus would not divorce Peter’s natural love of fishing from his new calling, but instead, would use it to take Peter deeper and into more meaning than he ever dared dream. Peter would continue to fish, but instead of death, he would “catch” people, leading them to life. On the day of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit came in the form of tongues of fire, Peter preached the Gospel and about 3,000 people were saved! (Acts 2)

Everyday Application

1) What is the significance of the boats? (verse 3)
The boat in this passage was a critically important tool Peter used to provide for himself and his family. It was vital for his career and the livelihood of his family. Yet, when allowed to be used by God, it produced so much more than Peter could have ever imagined! What have you been given? The first thing often considered is wealth, and God can certainly do much with our financial generosity, but we all have much more to offer Him. Consider your time. Depending on your season, you may have more time in this season to serve those who need to hear, or see, the saving grace of Jesus manifested through the generosity of your time. Consider other possessions. I know several who open their homes to groups of high school students on Sunday nights, so they can grow in their relationship with Jesus. What about your talents? Are you a gifted writer? An artist? Resist the temptation to compare your gift to someone else’s. Peter wasn’t comparing his boat to John’s, he just allowed the Lord to use what he had! When we surrender our whole hearts and lives to Jesus for His glory, there is no limit to what can be accomplished for His Kingdom!

2) What changed in Peter as he witnessed the miracle? (verse 8)
When was the last time you were overwhelmed by the power and movement of God? Enough so that, not only were you swept up by the sheer magnitude of God, but also were deeply aware of your own un-holiness. Peter witnessed something that could only have been done by the power of Jesus and he was overcome with His divine presence. I remember a time when I sensed the Spirit in an overwhelming way. Following the news that a fertility treatment had not produce the desired results, I sat, overcome with sadness, when the Comforter wrapped His arms around me as only He could. I truly physically felt as if Jesus sat with me as I cried. In that moment, there was nothing else I wanted but His presence. If you’ve never experienced this kind of intimacy with the Lord, there is nothing mystical about it, instead the Lord gives these as we grow closer in relationship with Him, coming to Him with a heart of humility and a desire to know Him for Him, just as Peter did.

3) What did Jesus mean when He told Peter he would now catch people? (verse 10)
Peter’s assignment as a “fisher of people” is the same assignment we have when we decide to follow Jesus. Just as Jesus did with Peter’s natural passion, Christ also takes our natural design to color His new purpose for us. As disciples of Christ, we are called to make disciples as we go through everyday life, however that looks for each of us. Teaching others what Jesus has done in our lives is the centering purpose for all who have surrendered to Jesus. This looks different for every Christ-follower because each of our stories is unique while the freeing, gospel story of hope in Jesus remains exactly the same! Sometimes we make this too hard, thinking we need to know everything about the Bible or be able to teach in formal scenarios. But, we are simply called to share with others the hope we have been given as we chose to trust in Jesus! 1 Peter 3:15 tells us we are to live holy lives and be ready to give an answer for the hope we have in us. Jesus is contagious! People have always been drawn to Him, and as they see Jesus in us, we need to be prepared to share the source of our Hope!

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with I Have Seen Him!

Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read it, and the verses around it,
several times
3) Write down your questions
as you think of them.
4) Ask specific culture related questions and be ready to dig around for your answers. Google them, use www.studylight.org, or look them up in a study Bible and read the footnotes (click on the little letters next to a word and it will show you
other related verses!). (www.esvbible.org)
5) Check your applications with other trusted Christians that you are in community with and embrace the fullness of God
in your everyday!

Digging Deeper Community

Share What You’ve Learned!
Pray Together!
Join us in the GT Facebook Community!

Our Current Study Theme!

This is Sketched IX Week Three!
Don’t miss out on the discussion!
Sign up to receive every GT Journey Study!

Why Dig Deeper?

Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.

In our modern-day relationships, we want people to understand our original intention as we communicate; how much more so between God and humanity?!

Here’s a little bit more on why we take Digging Deeper so seriously.

Study Tools

We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources, providing the original Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament) with an English translation.

Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Discover “origin”, “definition” and hear the original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

Want more background? Click “Study Tools”, then pick a few commentaries to read their scholarly approach, keeping in mind that just because a commentary says it, doesn’t mean it’s true. (just like the internet :-))

Memorize It!

Download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!
Tap and hold on your mobile device to save.

Word Day 11 Do As I Do

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Read His Words Before Ours!

John 13:1-17
John 13:34-35
1 Corinthians 10:31-11:1

Word, Day 11

“Do as I say, not as I do!”
Have you heard this statement from someone in authority?
Are you drawn to respect them, or do you have another reaction?

As a leader oversees employees, volunteers, or children, it is easier to see the mistakes of others and call them out, rather than coming alongside to model growth. It’s easier to list the rules and expect compliance rather than walk with another to demonstrate, correct, and encourage.

Jesus didn’t choose easy leadership.

Though He was fully God, He didn’t use His authority to demand His followers to go where He was unwilling. In John 13, Jesus postures Himself as a servant, washing His disciples’ feet. His death was imminent, yet He gathered them to observe Passover, serve them, and give instructions on carrying out the will of the Father by serving one another.

Neither the disciples, nor us, have the power naturally to obey this, or any command given by Jesus, on our own. It is only when we belong to Him by surrendering control of our life, through humbly submitting by faith (Hebrews 11:6) to His perfect authority, that we are given divine power through the Holy Spirit to obey Him.

Without complete submission to Him,
we are only playing a part without any heart change.

Jesus submitted to the Father with obedient surrender.
Just as He modeled, so are we to follow.

As the triune Godhead, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are three distinct persons, while also One Being. The very existence of the triune God is actively lived out with mutual submission to One Another out of shared respect and love just as they have always done for eternity past, and will continue for eternity future.

God does not choose easy leadership. He perfectly models, and humbly walks beside us, teaching us to live and love like Him.

“By this everyone will know you are My disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:35)

Love.
Our greatest command from Jesus.
His greatest example to us.

Jesus modeled the love we are to have for others;
none were considered too “damaged” for His perfect love.

The truest test of a disciple of Jesus is how we love.

Today, it’s often difficult to see love in action, especially if we focus on the media’s newsfeed. With sin and brokenness ruling our world, the selfless love modeled by Jesus doesn’t take the spotlight.

Therefore it takes courage…..
To stand against the norm and love like Jesus.
To defend the bullied or mistreated.
To serve both the arrogant and the diseased.
To sacrificially love those society has rejected.

This kind of love….
requires a boldness only available through the power of the God
who gave Himself entirely for us.
When we love like Jesus, we risk ridicule or even bodily harm.
Loving like Jesus isn’t easy.

Jesus’ love alive within us….
Offers kind words to those who are hateful or mistreat us.
Sacrifices time, puts on humility, and sees those who need a smile and gentle touch.
Courageously expands our circles to include those different from us.
This is how Jesus loves us.

Just this morning, I broke down weeping as I read of disunity and brokenness in our culture. It all felt like too much! Overwhelming! How much we need humble, self-sacrificing love to bring genuine healing! This broken world and its hurting relationships are clearly not what God intended as He so carefully created every detail from nothing. (Genesis 1)

Sometimes I feel Jesus’ command to love others, in good and bad times, is a crushing weight! To reach out and love those who have hurt or blatantly oppose me feels impossible! Through tears, I shared with my husband that sometimes I want to quit, step outside this command to love and raise my white flag in defeat.

But Jesus!
Jesus washed the feet of Judas,
fully knowing those feet would soon rush to betray Him!

He faced the cross in our place to save us!
Us, the outcast, the hurting, the unclean, and rejected.
He stretched Himself out to pay for every sin past, present, and future,
even as He became unclean and rejected.

As Jesus suffered cruel torture, He reached out with perfect love to rescue souls condemned to an eternity apart from Him.

Magnificent Love!
But not devoid of truth.

His love was not a permissive “you do you” kind of love. He loved the world enough to declare the truth of the Gospel that all are separated from Him because of sin, and only can return to God through Christ’s sacrifice to pay for sin.
Likewise, He calls us to love others with this truth.

Paul invites us to, “Imitate me, as I also imitate Christ.” (1 Corinthians 11:1)
I want to echo this invitation.
I want to, yet I hesitate.

Such an invitation is risky.
It requires humility, transparency, and vulnerability.

It would be more comfortable, easier, to hand over some verses and say, “just do what the Bible says”. But that isn’t loving like Jesus.

Instead, I’m called to die to my own comfort and let others see Jesus actually living through me!

I can’t do it alone.
I must be willing to both live in constant communication with God through His Word and prayer, and actively engage in biblical community, surrounding myself with others who will share Jesus’ truth in love alongside me. Jesus’ sacrificial love, alive in me, requires me to meet others where they are, demonstrating Jesus’ love in everyday life.

Like Paul, I must be willing to live a life worth imitating
as I do as Jesus has done for me.

Will you join me?!

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Embracing God’s fullness in our lives is rooted in scripture and memorizing His word is vital to our continued growth and depth with Jesus. Tap and hold from your mobile device to download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Word Week Three! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!

Looking for other journeys from this theme?
Here’s a link to all past studies in Word

Word Day 7 How’s Your Worship?: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days

Finding the original intent of Scripture and making good application to our everyday lives as we become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out How’s Your Worship?!

The Questions

1) What are the benefits of following the Lord?

2) David repeats the phrase, “the fear of the Lord”; what does this mean?

3) Why does David write, “bless the Lord”? I thought God blesses us.

Psalm 103

My soul, bless the Lord,
and all that is within me, bless his holy name.
2 My soul, bless the Lord,
and do not forget all his benefits.

3 He forgives all your iniquity;
he heals all your diseases.
4 He redeems your life from the Pit;
he crowns you with faithful love and compassion.
5 He satisfies you with good things;
your youth is renewed like the eagle.

6 The Lord executes acts of righteousness
and justice for all the oppressed.
7 He revealed his ways to Moses,
his deeds to the people of Israel.
8 The Lord is compassionate and gracious,
slow to anger and abounding in faithful love.
9 He will not always accuse us
or be angry forever.
10 He has not dealt with us as our sins deserve
or repaid us according to our iniquities.

11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his faithful love
toward those who fear him.
12 As far as the east is from the west,
so far has he removed
our transgressions from us.
13 As a father has compassion on his children,
so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him.
14 For he knows what we are made of,
remembering that we are dust.

15 As for man, his days are like grass—
he blooms like a flower of the field;
16 when the wind passes over it, it vanishes,
and its place is no longer known.
17 But from eternity to eternity
the Lord’s faithful love is toward those who fear him,
and his righteousness toward the grandchildren
18 of those who keep his covenant,
who remember to observe his precepts.
19 The Lord has established his throne in heaven,
and his kingdom rules over all.

20 Bless the Lord,
all his angels of great strength,
who do his word,
obedient to his command.
21 Bless the Lord, all his armies,
his servants who do his will.
22 Bless the Lord, all his works
in all the places where he rules.
My soul, bless the Lord!

Original Intent

1) What are the benefits of following the Lord?

In this psalm, David lists a multitude of benefits for following the Lord. Just because David was the one anointed to become king (1 Samuel 16:1-13), didn’t mean he was isolated and protected. He was hunted down to be killed by more than one person, including his own son, Absalom. (2 Samuel 17) He faced death often, and even before he was chosen as the next king, he was viewed as insignificant. (1 Samuel 17:33) He was also far from perfect. David murdered (2 Samuel 11:14-18), lied (1 Samuel 21:2-3), and committed adultery (2 Samuel 11:2-4). He still suffered the negative effects of those sins. Yet, he penned this psalm of praise, encouraging everyone to follow the Lord because His way is wise, best and overflowing with benefits. When he committed adultery with Bathsheba (2 Samuel 12:1-15), David experienced the benefit of the Lord’s forgiveness. (verses 3, 9-10) David knew firsthand what it meant to have his life saved from destruction as he was pursued by enemies. (verses 6, 8, and 13) Because David had experienced the many, gracious benefits of the Lord throughout his life, he confidently proclaimed how the Lord would continue blessing future generations who committed to following the ways of the Lord. (verses 15-19) We see one evidence of God’s generational blessing specific to David and his son, Solomon, in the genealogy of Jesus in Matthew 1:6.

 

2) David repeats the phrase, “the fear of the Lord”; what does this mean?

Fear in this case does not mean being afraid in the sense of terror, rather it means a humble recognition that God is all-powerful and the only One worthy of respect and glory. The fear of the Lord is reverential awe. David’s son, Solomon, would eventually write, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” (Proverbs 9:10) Fearing the Lord in the Old Testament looked like sacrifices, but it also was tightly connected to the posture of the heart. (Psalm 51:16-17, Isaiah 1:10-15) Brothers, Cain and Abel, both offered sacrifices, but only one brother’s offering was acceptable. (Genesis 4:4-5) Sacrifices were commanded by God because He wanted His people to understand that sinning against Him breaks His relationship with them. Sin pridefully asserts ourselves against God’s righteousness. Because God wanted His people to understand the seriousness of sin, and the reality that sin comes at a price, He instituted the Sacrificial System. Depending on the type of sin, sacrifices were required to pay the penalty of sin. Doves, grain, sheep, and bulls (yes, an entire cow!) were offered as atonement for sin when they stepped away from following God and His law. (Leviticus 19) All of this was designed to help Israel understand that fearing the Lord meant realizing God is righteous and holy while we are sinners, separated from Him. There were a lot of laws to remember, and along the way, Israel’s focus shifted from fearing the Lord to simply managing their behavior with ever-lengthening lists of “how to’s and don’t do’s”. David’s words were a reminder to Israel that fearing the Lord is a good thing; the best thing. Revering the Lord is the right way to live because only in this context, we enjoy a close relationship with the Lord. By walking in the fear of the Lord, God pours out His blessings on generations to come. (verses 13 and 17)

 

3) Why does David write, “bless the Lord”? I thought God blesses us.

There are several types of psalms including lament, thanksgiving, and praise among others. While some psalms combine themes, Psalm 103 is full of praise as the psalmist, David, lists reasons to “bless the Lord, oh my soul” both individually and corporately with other believers. David knew how to praise the Lord because he had witnessed the Lord’s kindness in all aspects of life, whether difficult or easy and he wrote many psalms extolling God’s goodness. He literally danced in the street so great was his desire to bless the Lord. (2 Samuel 6:14-22) David’s “oh my soul” refrain springs from a desire to go deeper in his worshipful adoration of the Lord. In the midst of his praise, David speaks to himself. He isn’t content with merely singing, or even dancing or hand-raising as outward expressions of praise. David wants to praise the Lord from the depths of his being. He wants to be all in for blessing the Lord.   

Everyday Application

1) What are the benefits of following the Lord?

Because the Lord doesn’t change, the benefits of following Him are the same for us as they were for King David and the generations who followed him. (Numbers 23:19, James 1:17) When Jesus came to earth as God incarnate (in human flesh), those who followed God experienced a fuller manifestation of His benefits. After Jesus ascended back to Heaven, He poured out the Holy Spirit to dwell within those who trusted Him. (Acts 2:4) His presence brought a radical abundance of blessing to God’s people. For us today, His benefit may not look like a leper being cleansed (Mark 1:40-45), but it could look like a different diagnosis, being healed completely, or having minimal side effects from a treatment. (verse 3) The benefits in the 21st century may be evidenced as the exact provision we need precisely at the time we need it. Deliverance may not be a physical “parting of the Red Sea”, but it could look like your plans suddenly changing, later realizing the shift ended up being better than the original plan. Even running late could be the Lord’s protection and deliverance from a potential accident. The Lord’s benefits are as simple as a flower’s bloom or as grand as healing, but the most significant benefit from the Lord is forgiveness from sin and redemption from our past. These benefits didn’t end when Jesus died on the cross, they only started there. The price Jesus paid to cover our unrighteousness was for all time. Repent from your sin, believe on the Lord Jesus, and your sins will be washed away just as David wrote, “…as far as the east is from the west.” (verse 12)

 

2) David repeats the phrase, “the fear of the Lord”; what does this mean?

Even today many view God as angry and vengeful when His “rules” aren’t followed. We tend to miss God’s heart’s desire to have a relationship with us. Still, our sin separates us from Him. This is why Jesus came as God in the flesh! Christ came to earth, sacrificing Himself as the full payment for all sin, demonstrating once and for all that God is merciful and gracious. He loves each person. In the Old Testament, sin had a sliding scale of “value”. Different sins mandated different types of sacrifices, some more costly than others. There may have been instances of people not being able to provide the sacrifice required, which meant they were still under the burden of unremitted, unforgiven sin. But Jesus! Jesus paid for all sin, whether large or small, past or present. All sin is sin. There are still consequences to our sins, but if we trust Jesus as our Savior to make payment for our sin and we repent, we are forgiven. The effects of sin remain as long as we are on earth, but the eternal price has been paid at Calvary with Jesus’ blood sacrifice. In our modern age, fearing the Lord should still be the focal point of our everyday lives. His love for us leaves us awestruck! Even when we are deep in sin, we are still loved and can be rescued! A lifestyle drenched in iniquity, a vice we can’t seem to overcome, even a bad attitude can become like mire and keep us trapped in the pit of sin. When we repent and believe in Christ, choosing to follow Him and His ways, we are rescued from the Pit of Hell! (verse 12) We are no longer separated from God! In Jesus, God in the flesh mercifully gave Himself for us. Instead of angry judgement, He gives compassion, love and mercy. We should stand in reverential awe of this divine, selfless grace as He wraps us in His love.

 

3) Why does David write, “bless the Lord”? I thought God blesses us.

We know how to bless others, like family and friends, with kind gestures of generosity or a thoughtful phone call, but how do we, mere humans, bless the Lord God Almighty? In our modern culture we use “bless” and “blessing” to mean bestowing gifts or as a description for receiving good things. But blessing the Lord can stem from nothing less than a true heart of worship. The Lord owns all things and has authority over all things, but He has given us free will to choose whether we will worship Him or worship ourselves. Even as finite human beings, we can indeed bless the Lord by surrendering our hearts in adoring worship to Him. While outward gestures bless people, the Lord looks at our hearts. We can raise our hands, bow our heads, and sing vibrantly, but unless our hearts are humbled before the King of Kings, we aren’t truly blessing Him. David wanted to praise God from his innermost being, to be completely in for blessing the God who rescued him. Psalm 103 lists a whole slew of reasons (if we needed some help) to give the Lord worship and praise. Let’s tap into the very deep core of our spirit, turning ourselves over in genuine worship to give God the praise and blessing due His name!

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with How’s Your Worship?!

Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read it, and the verses around it,
several times
3) Write down your questions
as you think of them.
4) Ask specific culture related questions and be ready to dig around for your answers. Google them, use www.studylight.org, or look them up in a study Bible and read the footnotes (click on the little letters next to a word and it will show you
other related verses!). (www.esvbible.org)
5) Check your applications with other trusted Christians that you are in community with and embrace the fullness of God
in your everyday!

Digging Deeper Community

Share What You’ve Learned!
Pray Together!
Join us in the GT Facebook Community!

Our Current Study Theme!

This is Word Week Two!
Don’t miss out on the discussion!
Sign up to receive every GT Journey Study!

Why Dig Deeper?

Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.

In our modern-day relationships, we want people to understand our original intention as we communicate; how much more so between God and humanity?!

Here’s a little bit more on why we take Digging Deeper so seriously.

Study Tools

We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources, providing the original Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament) with an English translation.

Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Discover “origin”, “definition” and hear the original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

Want more background? Click “Study Tools”, then pick a few commentaries to read their scholarly approach, keeping in mind that just because a commentary says it, doesn’t mean it’s true. (just like the internet :-))

Memorize It!

Download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!
Tap and hold on your mobile device to save.

Enough Day 13 Sacrificial Lamb

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Psalm 118
Exodus 12
1 Corinthians 5:6-8
Mark 11:1-11

Enough, Day 13

“Bind the festival sacrifice with cords to the horns of the altar!”
(Psalm 118:27)

This was the concluding chorus of King David’s praise song, preceding his final stanza, “You are my God, and I will give thanks to You; You are my God; I will exalt You.” (Psalm 118:28)

Then, arms flung wide, inviting all to join him in praise at the Passover festival, the King shouted victoriously the timeless familiar refrain of God’s chosen people, “Oh! Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His faithful love endures forever!” (Psalm 118:29)

Israel’s King David, known for his whole-hearted passion for God, his musical ability, his songs of celebration and laments, his sin and his forgiveness, was leading his nation in another Passover feast.

The hingepoint?
The binding of the Passover lamb.

One sacrifice, given on behalf of all, to atone for their sinfulness and free them from the slavery of sin and the cords of death.

Each Jew in attendance imagined the mighty Red Sea rolling back on itself at the command of Yahweh, so Israel could pass on dry land.

Freedom was coming, even as Pharaoh’s militia followed them, effectively sequestering them between two death traps, the sea or the army.

I can imagine Israel’s intensifying fear coiling within them. Mamas, hushing babies as their own tears flowed and panic pounded in their ears. Fathers, knowing they were helpless, pushed their families behind them, certain there would be no mercy from Egypt’s finest soldiers.

Israel knew these faces.
They’d seen them every day.

These Egyptians didn’t just ride chariots and fight Pharaoh’s battles; their hands held whips and their voices laughed as Jewish blood spilled under their abuse. These were the taskmasters. These were the men who spit on the Israelites and cruelly dictated every aspect of their lives.

Freedom from this nightmare seemed utterly impossible, until one afternoon Moses announced Yahweh had heard His people’s cries.
Mercy was coming.

But now, with desert sands quaking beneath them from the thunder of oncoming horses’ hooves, mercy seemed like a cruel joke. Where was Yahweh now? Where was His great freedom? Death from the sea on one side. Death from the ruthless Egyptian army on the other.

Then, in one unthinkable act, the Lord breathed a pathway through the Sea while His cloud moved to block the army, lavishing an entire nation of runaway slaves with incredible mercy.

In the place where Death had reigned, mercy ruled.

“Lord, save us!
Lord, please grant us success!
He who comes in the name
of the Lord is blessed.” (Psalm 118:25-26)

Hundreds of years after the Red Sea victory, David’s voice carried across the nation sprawling before him on Passover, his words a prescient echo of centuries beyond, when another crowd gathered before another King.

Palm branches waved, excitement electrified the atmosphere, and the same prophetic words reverberated through the air, “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord.” (Mark 11:9)

Victory seemingly swelled, but the cheering participants were oblivious to the pervasive Death around them. Two Death Traps.

Death was the rightful consequence, earned like a paycheck, for even one sidestep from God’s standard of righteousness. And sins were aplenty. Lies, gossip, lusting hearts, and manipulative tongues named only a few.

An impassable chasm stood on one side, separating every person, of every color, every language, every gender, every sin from the glory of freedom and delight found only in the presence of the God of everlasting, enduring love.

On the other? Eternal Death. Unending darkness, unceasing punishment, and the fullness of God’s wrath poured out without pause for grace or mercy.

Mankind was hopelessly caught between Death on either side; yet freedom was coming.
In one unthinkable act, God Himself left His rightful glory and humbled Himself to stand between the ones He loved and the relentless onslaught of Death’s fury.

“Bind the festival sacrifice with cords to the horns of the altar!” (Psalm 118:27)

Impossibly, the sacrifice of God Himself was bound to a Roman tool of unthinkable torture.
His blood spilled to pay for our sin. Mercy had come.

Mercy to take the eternal blow of death.
Freedom unleashed as Christ’s once-dead body flooded with the warmth of life.
Death lost and Life won as Christ rose to victoriously conquer the grave, forever.

Mercy ruled where Death once snarled.

“There are shouts of joy and victory
in the tents of the righteous:
‘The Lord’s right hand performs valiantly!
The Lord’s right hand is raised.
The Lord’s right hand performs valiantly!’”
(Psalm 118:15-16)

The Lord God had done, again, what mankind could never accomplish. Just as He forged the path of mercy through the Red Sea, so He paid the consequence of Death in His own body, allowing Himself to be bound as the Sacrificial Lamb. In His offering, He became the gate of Life, declaring “righteous” all who enter through Him, trusting Him as their sacrifice on their behalf.

By the blood of the Sacrificial Lamb of God, we are emancipated from the slavery of Sin’s whip, shame, mockery, and reign to run forever free in the rich flood of Christ’s unabashed mercy and love. And so my lips will ever shout King David’s refrain,

“I will not die, but I will live
and proclaim what the Lord has done!”
(Psalm 118:17)

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Enough Day 11 Humble King

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Genesis 3
Zechariah 9:9-17
Philippians 2:5-11
Revelation 21

Enough, Day 11

There is a God-shaped hole in our hearts.

Our family loves Kincaid paintings. Of course, we were never able to purchase a painting, so we did the next best thing; we bought, assembled, and framed puzzles. What an accomplishment to finish the gorgeous pictures by placing the last piece!

However, my husband enjoyed hiding away a puzzle piece so he could place it into the last open spot. It became a fun routine at our house and the kids went straight to Daddy to find the last piece.

One Christmas, however, he didn’t take a piece and yet, one was missing. Initially, the kids didn’t believe him, but eventually, the truth sank in; oh, what a disappointment to have a hole in the middle of the picture, leaving it incomplete! We framed the picture anyway, taking a piece from the unseen edges to try to fill the empty space, but our eyes were immediately drawn to the patched-up place every time we looked at the picture.

Just like the unfinished puzzle, there is a hole in our hearts in the shape of God. The piece was removed way back in the Garden of Eden when Adam and Eve sinned against God, separating us all from His Presence.

Oh, the ache we feel over lost fellowship with God! We know something is missing, but often, we are not sure what (or really, Who). So we might try to fill the emptiness with other pieces like family, love, success, drugs, alcohol. But nothing really fits.

God’s heart also aches to be in fellowship with us. So, He gave us a promise that one day, He would fill the lonely space in our hearts.

“Look, your King is coming to you;
he is righteous and victorious,
humble and riding on a donkey[.]
(Zechariah 9:9-10)

God’s people knew the promise of a King who would bring peace and hope. They watched and waited for over 400 years. But they looked for a powerful and mighty conqueror, someone to fight their enemies and restore political peace to Israel.

They heard Zechariah’s words, “your King comes to you, righteous and victorious”,
but they missed the next part, “lowly and riding on a donkey.”

They brushed past Isaiah’s prophecy, “He didn’t have impressive form, or majesty that we should look at Him, no appearance that we should desire Him. He was despised and rejected by men, a man of suffering who knew what sickness was. He was like someone people turn away from; He was despised, and we didn’t value Him.” (Isaiah 53:3)

Rather than arriving in a palace among princes and kings, God’s Son was born to peasants, in a dirty stable. He was announced, not to royalty, but to shepherds. In fact, royalty missed the whole event until wise men from abroad pointed it out. (Lessons from the Words of Life)

Yes, one day, He will come as the “righteous and victorious” conqueror Zecharaiah described. (Revelation 19) In the meantime, the apostle Paul reminds us to live with the “same attitude as that of Christ,” who “emptied Himself by assuming the form of a servant, taking on the likeness of humanity.  And when He had come as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death– even to death on a cross.” (Philippians 2:5-8)

He came humbly, not just to teach us how to live, but to live as an example before us. He came so the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, could live within us and bring us true peace despite the unrest around us. This was another step to reuniting us in complete fellowship with our God. His Holy Spirit can perfectly fill that hole in our souls.

There is nothing like having the right puzzle piece. The following Christmas, as we brought out the decorations, we found the missing puzzle piece! It had somehow fallen off the table into one of the boxes and was stored away. How appropriate to have found the missing piece at Christmas! Just like our family, if we keep searching for God (our hearts’ missing piece), we will find Him. (Jeremiah 29:13)

All who accept Christ as their personal Savior have the Holy Spirit living within them, guiding and directing their lives. Indeed, God is with us now, but one day Christ will return to earth, righteous and victorious. He will set up His Kingdom, removing all evil.

We will hear a voice from heaven saying,
“Look, God’s dwelling is with humanity, and He will live with them. They will be His peoples, and God Himself will be with them and will be their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; grief, crying, and pain will be no more, because the previous things have passed away [… ] Look, I am making everything new.” (Revelation 21:3-5)

Are you ready for that day? Will you remove all else with which you have tried to fill that God-shaped hole, even good things? Have you humbled your heart to God and allowed His Holy Spirit to come in? I invite you to embrace God alone as your own humble king, so you can experience how perfectly the Holy Spirit fills the emptiness within.

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Fervent Day 13 Strength Training

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Romans 12:1-21
Ephesians 3:1-21
1 Thessalonians 2:1-20

Fervent, Day 13

They say some things are taught while others are caught.

I’m not exactly sure who “they” are, but I couldn’t agree more.

In reading Paul’s letters, I find in the midst of teaching so many truths, Paul exudes much to be caught. His words are not always explicitly cut up for us to ingest quickly and easily, but are implicitly intended to be chewed upon and stirred up in our hearts.

Paul wrote to the church and challenged them to actually be the Church. Today, his words challenge us to be the Church. Paul is the biblical equivalent of a spiritual personal trainer. In order to be a personal trainer, one must have a passion and love for physical fitness that extends past the practical knowledge of exercise.

Paul’s passion and love for the Lord and the gospel are evident throughout his letters. I challenge you to open just one of his letters and not find references to the gospel. Paul knew his why (introducing every possible person to Christ), and it became the foundation upon which all of Paul’s efforts were built.

Paul pleads for God to strengthen His Church, but at the same time, we, as the Church are not called to passive inaction. Like an athlete, Christ’s Body is urged to grow up in Christ by strength training disciplines and put in hard work to build strong muscle. This is Paul’s strength-training prayer for every believer and every local body of believers.

While we do have a role to play in practicing daily submission to the Holy Spirit, this strengthening cannot happen apart from Christ. The Spirit functioning in our lives enables the strengthening, just as He is the motivation for it. John 15 declares we can do nothing apart from Christ, and abiding in Him is vital by staying in close consistent connection with Him. Ephesians 6 tells us to put on the full armor of God. Praying, worshipping, and fasting are a few spiritual disciplines that help us grow stronger in our faith journey with Christ.

So what are some of the strengthening elements we can “catch” from Paul’s words, beyond his direct teaching? Think of these as the components of a workout a trainer might emphasize, demonstrate, encourage, or adjust in order for the exercise itself to be more effective.

In the three portions of Scripture listed at the beginning of this study, multiple concepts stood out to me, but I’ll only focus on a few. The Holy Spirit may highlight other topics as you read; this is the beauty of the Word being living and active! (2 Timothy 3:16-17) Before His Word can be active in you, it must first be read. If you missed it, I urge you to go back and Read His Words Before Ours!

Romans 12:1-21
Ephesians 3:1-21
1 Thessalonians 2:1-20

Humility is the proper form needed to carry the weight of sharing the Gospel. Paul understood the rich truth of the Good News was for both Jews and Gentiles. Therefore, he approached everyone around him with a confident humility, explaining that while he had credibility to teach the Truth, he would not wield it like a weapon against them, instead he held it out in love. Paul’s posture lent credibility towards the Savior who had lovingly rescued him!

Boldness is the determined intensity with which Paul proclaimed the gift of the Gospel. When exercising, I can tell the difference in the effectiveness of my workout when I boldly take on the movements, rather than simply going through the motions. Paul spoke up and did not hesitate to share with any and all who would listen. How often do I fail to obey the nudge of the Holy Spirit to speak up? May I be a bolder person for His glory.

Perseverance is the endurance needed to take the Gospel all the places the Lord calls us to go. While this will look different for every person, all of us will have our perseverance tested at some point. The call to be a Christian will be too much, too out of our comfort zones, too counter-cultural, too costly, too overwhelming, and a myriad of other realities.

Similarly, Paul could have listed a variety of trials that might have caused him to stop his Gospel mission. It’s too painful after another flogging. It’s too scary after surviving a shipwreck. It’s too humiliating to surrender the prestige of his former life.

He could have said all of these things, but instead he stepped into a personal trainer role and urged us to keep going.
Press through the pain.
Press through the rejection.
Press through the costs incurred to invite another soul to experience heaven with us.

My dear sisters, we can do hard things with the Spirit of the Living God at work within us!  Christ will carry us through, and He will train our hands for battle. (Psalm 144:1-2)
Let’s put in the work to allow the Lord to strengthen us, to teach us how to be the Church, and to catch Paul’s passion. May we be proven answers to Paul’s prayers.

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Questions 2 Day 7 You Do You: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days

Finding the original intent of Scripture and making good application to our everyday lives as we become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out You Do You!

The Questions

1) Is the personification of Wisdom as a woman significant to the passage? (verses 20-21)

2) To whom does Wisdom speak and why must she loudly cry out? (verses 21-24)

3) What warning does Wisdom give to those in the downward spiral toward apostasy? (verses 28-32)

Proverbs 1:20-33

20 Wisdom calls out in the street; she makes her voice heard in the public squares. 21 She cries out above the commotion; she speaks at the entrance of the city gates: 22 “How long, inexperienced ones, will you love ignorance? How long will you mockers enjoy mocking and you fools hate knowledge? 23 If you respond to my warning, then I will pour out my spirit on you and teach you my words. 24 Since I called out and you refused, extended my hand and no one paid attention, 25 since you neglected all my counsel and did not accept my correction, 26 I, in turn, will laugh at your calamity. I will mock when terror strikes you, 27 when terror strikes you like a storm and your calamity comes like a whirlwind, when trouble and stress overcome you. 28 Then they will call me, but I won’t answer; they will search for me, but won’t find me. 29 Because they hated knowledge, didn’t choose to fear the Lord, 30 were not interested in my counsel, and rejected all my correction, 31 they will eat the fruit of their way and be glutted with their own schemes. 32 For the apostasy of the inexperienced will kill them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them. 33 But whoever listens to me will live securely and be undisturbed by the dread of danger.

Original Intent

1) Is the personification of Wisdom as a woman significant to the passage? (verses 20-21)
The majority of Proverbs is authored by King Solomon, the son of King David, who admirably asked the Lord for wisdom to lead his kingdom rather than asking for personal fame, wealth, or power. (2 Chronicles 1:1-12) As God often does, He rewarded the king’s request by giving him more than he sought. It was Solomon’s wisdom that brought him much recognition, wealth, and success. He penned many words of wisdom that were not recorded in Scripture but were known throughout the world. (1 Kings 4:29-34) We are not told specifically why Proverbs personifies the quality of wisdom as a woman. The Hebrew word for wisdom is the feminine noun hakmot, leading some scholars to believe that Wisdom personified would naturally be translated “she.” It is difficult to know whether the feminine grammar structure of the word itself influenced his choice or not. What is obvious is that wisdom was so important to Solomon that he intentionally utilized the literary device of personification to elevate it to human form. In personifying wisdom, he communicated the value of wisdom through a vivid illustration. Although I usually encourage digging into the context of a verse or passage, the book of Proverbs is one of a few unique books in Scripture which provides very little context. It is made up of independent, often witty, observations from its author about how the world operates, and offers practical and prudent solutions for life issues. “The word ‘proverb’ means ‘to be like,’ thus Proverbs is a book of comparisons between common, concrete images and life’s most profound truths.” (bible-studys.org) Personifying Wisdom captivates the reader and intensifies the wise instructions and important warnings from Solomon.

2) To whom does Wisdom speak and why must she loudly cry out? (verses 21-24)
Solomon reminds his son of the enticement and secrecy of sin (verses 10-11) and instructs him to instead heed the voice of Wisdom (verse 21) above the noise. Wisdom has nothing to hide as she cries out “at the entrance of the city gates.” She is calling those who love their ignorance to pay attention to her, but they are content to continue in foolish ways rather than do the hard work required to gain knowledge. If we were looking down on the crowd, we would see chaos and disorder. Solomon has observed the battle that raged between Wisdom and her mockers as he ruled his kingdom. He has seen the devastation foolishness creates (verses 27-28) and wants his son to pay attention to the threat. “The greatest tragedy is that there’s so much noise that people can’t hear the things they really need to hear. God is trying to get through to them with the voice of wisdom, but all they hear are the confused communications clutter, foolish voices that lead them farther away from the truth.” (Warren Wiersbe biblegateway.com)

3) What warning does Wisdom give to those in the downward spiral toward apostasy? (verses 28-32)
Apostasy is defined by Merriam-Webster as “1: an act of refusing to continue to follow, obey, or recognize a religious faith 2: abandonment of a previous loyalty. (merriam-webster.com) It is clear from the passage that people have a choice about which way they will go. Their chaotic lives are, to a great extent, the consequence of their intentional decision to refuse Wisdom’s call. It is not fate that has brought about this foolishness. The mockers enjoyed their condition and rejected Wisdom’s counsel and correction as she calls them to fear the Lord. (verses 29-30) The apostle Paul tells us in the New Testament that God will give the wicked what they desire. (Romans 1:24-25) It is important to note that those who hated knowledge received the “fruit of their way … and their own schemes”. (verse 31) Wisdom is not laughing (verse 26) at the fool’s calamity as some hard-hearted scoffer who does not sympathize with human misery. Wisdom is not the mocker! We once again see the comparison Proverbs often uses. Laughter reveals the absurdity of choosing an unwise way of living that leads to destruction rather than receiving the security that Wisdom offers, which leads to life. (verse 33)

Everyday Application

1) Is the personification of Wisdom as a woman significant to the passage? (verses 20-21)
Solomon is painting a picture for his son. Throughout Proverbs, Solomon warns his son of the two kinds of women, the virtuous kind and the wicked, seductive kind. This ‘woman’ (Wisdom) is the feminine personification of godly wisdom. Solomon, the man of wisdom, offers his son what had become so valuable to him through God’s provision. Solomon understood the value and significance of a woman. Painting wisdom as a woman would likely be compelling to the young man, not necessarily in a sexual way but in a tender and nurturing way. (Proverbs 1:8-9) In portraying wisdom as an elegant lady, Solomon sets the scene for his instruction to his son. Lady Wisdom provides a better choice for us too. She provides the pathway to a better life. Friend, putting ourselves in the center of our world will not bring us peace. The fruit of the righteous person is demonstrated by our desire for and pursuit of wisdom. She calls out to us, “Seek wisdom and let your gentleness and humility be known to all!”. (James 3:13-18)

2) To whom does Wisdom speak and why must she loudly cry out? (verses 21-24)
As I write this study, many are reflecting on the year 2020. It seemed to be a year of confusion and chaos, but Wisdom shouts to us above the chaos. She calls the righteous to hear and heed her instruction and warnings. Make no mistake, it is the Lord Who is behind her voice! Until we exchange our identity for Christ’s, we limit our lives to the brokenness of the world. This exchange happens through our surrendering ourselves to God and receiving His forgiveness and righteousness.  (1 John 2:28-3:3) Sister, our identity with Christ encompasses all the abundance of being a beloved daughter of God.  In Christ we have been given all wisdom! Solomon chose wisdom and became rich. When we choose Christ, we also become rich. Wisdom is calling out through the person of Jesus Christ, “I want their hearts to be encouraged and joined together in love, so that they may have all the riches of complete understanding and have the knowledge of God’s mystery—Christ. In Him are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” (Colossians 2:2-3)

3) What warning does Wisdom give to those in the downward spiral toward apostasy? (verses 28-32)
Whether we decide to accept or reject the knowledge of God, our choice determines our future. Choosing the path of self-centered living only leads to destruction. We may be the smartest woman in our circle. We may be the most confident. We may believe the lie of our adversary (1 Peter 5:6-8) that tells us exalting ourselves is the way to happiness. Yet, the wisest man who ever lived would urge us to resist this way of thinking. Although being confident, smart, and powerful are not evil in themselves, they are not the source of contentment and tranquility, my sweet sister. “But whoever listens to me will live securely and be undisturbed by the dread of danger.” (verse 33) What a beautiful description of the peace that comes from listening to Wisdom. Humbling ourselves before the Lord is the beginning of a life of abundance and satisfaction. (1 Corinthians 1:30-31) As we look to the future, dread will not be a part of our vocabulary. And as we seek wisdom, we receive all the rest of the promises that are ours as we hide ourselves in God through our Savior Jesus Christ. (Colossians 3:3)

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Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read it, and the verses around it,
several times
3) Write down your questions
as you think of them.
4) Ask specific culture related questions and be ready to dig around for your answers. Google them, use www.studylight.org, or look them up in a study Bible and read the footnotes (click on the little letters next to a word and it will show you
other related verses!). (www.esvbible.org)
5) Check your applications with other trusted Christians that you are in community with and embrace the fullness of God
in your everyday!

Digging Deeper Community

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Why Dig Deeper?

Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.

In our modern-day relationships, we want people to understand our original intention as we communicate; how much more so between God and humanity?!

Here’s a little bit more on why we take Digging Deeper so seriously.

Study Tools

We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources, providing the original Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament) with an English translation.

Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Discover “origin”, “definition” and hear the original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

Want more background? Click “Study Tools”, then pick a few commentaries to read their scholarly approach, keeping in mind that just because a commentary says it, doesn’t mean it’s true. (just like the internet :-))

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Questions 2 Day 6 You Do You

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Colossians 3:1-10
Proverbs 1:20-33
Romans 6:20-23

Questions 2, Day 6

“You Do You!”

The message is full of promise and electric excitement, isn’t it?!
It sounds pretty amazing!
The popular catchphrase is full of empowerment to let each individual be exactly whoever and whatever she wants to be with no questions asked.
No one else’s standards.
No one else’s rule.
No one else’s expectation.

Just, you do you.

While we nod along in agreement, feeling the thrill of personal power, we don’t even recognize the thickly woven rope tossed casually around us.

We are not our own.
We are slaves.

Makers of our own destinies.
Rulers of our own kingdoms.
You Do You, Boo.

Take that bite, Eve.
God didn’t really say you couldn’t eat from that tree, right? (Genesis 3:1)

Abraham, you’ve waited long enough on God.
Don’t you think He wants you to take some control? Sleep with your wife’s servant and produce your own heir. Do it your way, Abraham. (Genesis 16:1-2)

Build your tower, ancient Babylonians.
Be who you want to be.
Do what you want. (Genesis 11:4)

The enemy’s seductive whisper lingers over every syllable, “You do you.”

Satan’s goal hasn’t changed since the beginning of time, and his tactics haven’t, either. While he slyly entices us to “follow our hearts,” we end up being led away to demise. But there is another voice in the streets. Wisdom lifts her head and shouts aloud,
“‘Whoever is inexperienced, enter here!’
To him who lacks sense, she says,
‘Come, eat my bread
and drink the wine I have mixed.
Leave inexperience behind you, and you will live;
Pursue the way of understanding.’” (Proverbs 9:4-6)

In the face of Satan’s seduction, the Lord’s wisdom resounds,
“The one who trusts in himself is a fool,
but one who walks in wisdom will be safe.” (Proverbs 28:26)

Of course it’s exciting to toss around “you be you”! Who doesn’t want to be their own god? Self-worship is exceedingly provocative. Toss it under a masquerade of knowing yourself and pursuing your dreams, and no one will ever consider your feet are ensnared in the worship of one, yourself.

Is each person uniquely crafted with special gifts, passions, and heady dreams?
Yes! On Purpose!
These are a gift from the Maker, intended to be enjoyed and lived out to the fullest.

The difference is surrender.
The blade of surrender cuts through the thick cords of slavery tightening around us, like a warm table knife sinking through soft butter.

We are not our own.
We are bought at a price.

Esther, oh Queen, why risk your life and your position for a motley band of exiles?
You have it all, fame and beauty and safety.

But the voice of the Lord beckoned to her heart,
“You were born for such a time as this.” (Esther 4:14)
And Queen Esther changed the course of history by not following her way.
She walked away from self-worship.
She embraced self-sacrifice.

Mary, sweet and tender, this cost is too much! Give in to your fear, for who could carry the Son of God? Who will believe you, Mary? They will kill you!

But the angel of the Lord emboldened her,
“Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.” (Luke 1:30)
And humble Mary changed the course of history by not following her way.
She walked away from self-worship.
She embraced self-sacrifice.

Self-sacrifice isn’t nearly as trendy, but it is the way of the Lord.
Why?

Because His is the chosen path of sacrifice.
The King of Glory humbled Himself in total surrender to give His life in exchange for ours.
Then He calls us to do the same.

The Almighty God is not a deity centered around the motto “you do you.” If He were, you and I would have no hope in this life or the next. We would die in our sin and our self-worship with the rope of slavery bound around us like a noose.

As the God of the Universe, humbled into human form, hung dying for the sins we have committed, not the least of which is elevating ourselves to the position of god in our hearts, the way was made for our release from sin.
His righteousness in exchange for our sinfulness.

Surrender
Bought at a price.
The price of Christ’s precious blood. (1 Peter 1:18-19)

Sister, fully embrace who you are.
Introvert?
Extrovert?
Prefer tea over coffee or crowds to quiet solace?
Be assured your gifts and your passions have been handcrafted by the Lord who loves you; He placed them beautifully inside you.
He intended you to live these out in complete surrender
and with all wisdom as you follow Jesus.

Be you, Sister.
Walk inside the life of the Christ, who gave His life for you.
And find it to the fullest!

“You are not your own, for you were bought with a price.
So glorify God with your body.”
(1 Corinthians 6:19-20)

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Follow Day 15 Lydia, Spaghetti, and Waffles

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Acts 16:6-15, 40
Romans 12:1-21
Mark 8:34-38

Follow, Day 15

Men’s brains work like waffles; women’s work like spaghetti.

Have you heard this analogy? While I’ve never read the book in which it’s presented, I am very aware of the concept. Men are able to compartmentalize their thinking (waffles), whereas women have several thoughts moving at once that may be under, over, in-between, wrapped around, tied in knots, etc (spaghetti).

For example, when my husband asks what I’m thinking, I need to follow one specific noodle in my mind to figure out how it connected with what we were originally talking about. In other scenarios, I will bring up a topic from a previous conversation and he will acknowledge he hasn’t considered it since because he “tucked that thought in its waffle square.”

I don’t know about you, but I’m pretty sure if my brain truly existed in the “waffle-sphere,” things would end badly. I’d tuck something away safely in a square and promptly forget about it forever. Or I would ineffectively label my squares and end up with a massive, jumbled laundry pile of sorts, one with random thoughts falling away like errant socks rolling down the sides and disappearing (is this where all the missing socks go?).

The more I imagined life with a waffle-mind, my thankfulness for how the Lord wired my brain grew. With these thoughts, I began writing this Journey Study and was surprised to encounter an entirely new and challenging perspective on our dear sister in the Bible, Lydia.

Lydia’s story graces only a few verses in Scripture, but a great deal about her can be inferred from those lines. If you already read the Acts passages at the start of this study, excellent! If not, take a minute to read now. (Acts 16:6-15, 40)

Paul encountered Lydia outside the city gates of Philippi, yet Lydia was introduced as being from the city of Thyatira. Looking at the map of Paul’s missionary journeys in the back of my Bible, I discovered Thyatira and Phillippi are not neighboring towns; Lydia was a traveler. 

Additionally, she was a seller of purple cloth, for which Thyatira was famous. Note the verse does not say she was married to a seller of purple cloth; no, Lydia was a business woman, defying social norms by actively working.

She is also described as God-fearing. Paul found Lydia and other women gathered in prayer outside of the city gates. These women were humble and determined enough to step outside the boundaries of the city (most definitely the physical ones, but perhaps the societal, economic, and emotional boundaries as well) in order to seek the Lord. Lydia’s presence was intentional as she denied her own convenient comfort. (Mark 8:34)

After Lydia is introduced, we are immediately told what she was doing: listening. Because she was actively engaged with Paul’s words, “the Lord opened her heart to respond.” (Acts 16:14) If I were to envision this scenario occurring today, it might look like a woman intentionally moving to a place where she can encounter the Lord. For me, that would mean leaving my phone in the other room, having my journal and a pen ready to write thoughts to and from the Lord, and time enough to be still and truly listen.

Lydia followed through on the Lord’s nudge to respond. Holding nothing back from the Lord, she and her household were baptized. Then, she served as hostess to Paul and his traveling companions on multiple occasions. She demonstrated hospitality, generosity, humility, focus, and faithfulness. (Romans 12:6)

Now, in a perfect example of my brain’s spaghetti-like wiring, let’s jump back to how Lydia’s example showed me two ways in which I am asking the Lord to help my “spaghetti-ness.” First, like Lydia, I’m learning I must carve out time to be with the Lord and listen. The compartments of church and my personal time with Him cannot be replaced by other things. Failing to prioritize those will be detrimental to myself and those the Lord is entrusting to me.

Second, I do compartmentalize some areas that I shouldn’t. The phrase “separation between church and state” is not a biblical concept, yet it aptly describes a pattern of distinct boundaries between Jesus and the rest of my life. Rather than existing in separate compartments, what I learn in church and during my quiet times MUST bleed over into the other facets of my life. I must blend my heart for the Lord with my work environment and ethic, my home life, and my time in community. This does not mean I have a “Honk if you love Jesus” bumper sticker on my cubicle, but it does mean that I live to be a light to those around me. 

Lydia took all she had and used it for the glory of the Lord.
As a result, her entire household met Jesus.

Paul and his companions were blessed, ministered to, and energized for their journeys.
The kingdom gained a hard-working evangelist with a broad sphere of influence.

Beloved, as we consider our lives, where might God be calling us to use what He’s already given us for His glory?

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