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Sketched IX Day 11 I Have Seen Him

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Isaiah 35:5-7
Isaiah 52:13-53:12
Psalm 78:2-4
Luke 5:1-11
Acts 1:12-26

Sketched IX, Day 11

Golden-rosy light glows in the east, dispelling the darkness. The breaking dawn mirrors the dawn of truth upon my soul. Truth casts its glow into the dark soul, ever brightening, ever rising, finally flooding the soul with radiant light. Like the rising sun, the truth of Jesus’ incarnation and His sojourn on earth has become increasingly clear. The light has broken upon my darkened understanding.

It all began on an early morning like this one. The crew and I had just finished a frustrating, fruitless night on the water. Usually we caught something, but that night there was nothing; it was odd. 

A rabbi, Jesus of Nazareth, whom Andrew knew, often came to the lake in the early mornings, teaching from the boats. Many viewed him as the Messiah. He told parables; His teaching was interesting and relatable. He taught as One having first-hand knowledge of ancient truth. His wisdom was primordial, yet fresh and alive. He was not just another rabbi, but Who He was remained a mystery to me. Andrew hung upon His words, convinced He was “the prophet” of which Moses prophesied.

That morning, He taught from our boats longer than usual. Water slapped against the side of the gently rocking boat and I dozed, half-listening. He roused me and matter-of-factly instructed, “Go out into the deep water; let down the nets for a catch.”

This Nazarene was serious. Andrew was already in his boat, shoving off; I followed. Andrew flung out his net; it slapped onto the water and slowly sank. Nothing, silence . . . then in an instantaneous rush, there were schools of fish!

Andrew gasped, then whooped as he began drawing in the net. Immediately his boat listed violently, nearly keeling over. We rowed fiercely, reaching them in time to fling out our net to reinforce theirs. Immediately, ours were full, nearly breaking under the weight. We were in danger of losing all the fish, both boats, and our lives as well.

We dug in with the oars, straining in unison for the shallows. I bailed into the lake and with rhythmic heave-hos, the crew and I made for the shore, dragging the straining nets. Exhausted, I collapsed onto the beach. My chest heaved as I lay on the sand and simply breathed.

He came to me. I stared up at the Creator against His blue dome of sky. He extended His hand and helped me stand. We all gaped in silence– at the haul of fish, at one another, but mostly at Him. He smiled and simply said, “From now on, you will be fishers of men!”  The light of truth was breaking upon me.

As I watched and listened, evidence began to mount. He just might be “the prophet” as Andrew insisted. He certainly held power over the movement of fish in the lake; no ordinary man does that! Every day He healed someone, often anyone who asked. Isaiah prophesied when “the prophet” came, healing those born blind would be one of His miracles. With my own eyes, I witnessed Jesus restore sight to people blind from birth. Elijah healed on a few occasions, but Jesus healed all the time.

The evidence continued increasing, but we understood Messiah’s coming as restoring Israel’s political and national glory. While Jesus spoke often of “the kingdom of Heaven,” He showed no interest in initiating an insurrection. On the other hand, His fulfillment of prophecies couldn’t be coincidental, or denied.

He multiplied food and wine as needed and had power to heal all diseases.

Nature obeyed His commands as though He were its Master. Storms stopped at His command; trees withered at His rebuke.

With evil spirits came immediate recognition, “Son of the Most High God,” they called Him. It wasn’t their first encounter with Him; they groveled in His presence. He held their fate in His hands, it seemed. Only Elohim could do this.

Then, in a brilliant, unforgettable moment of divine splendor, He showed James, John and I His glory on the sacred mountain. He stood as Friend with friend beside Moses and Elijah, emanating an ethereal, other-worldly light.

Then there was Lazarus’ return from death, and the people shouting “Hosanna” as He entered Jerusalem, riding a donkey’s colt. Within hours, the tide turned. His arrest, the flogging, and the cross. It was brutally sudden, unnerving, and terrifying, yet all of it followed straight from Isaiah’s prophecies.

Then Resurrection Day; He was back! It was stunning, yet confusing. Now He’s ascended to His former glory. He’s gone, and He left me in charge! This is both terrifying and humbling.

Every crowing rooster reminds of my failure. However, it was another early morning like this one, days ago, when His grace breathed life into my deflated soul. As long as I live, in the soft gray stillness of each breaking dawn, I will remember the fire of coals and the breakfast of fish. His questions were like well-aimed arrows piercing my soul. The same knowing gaze rested upon me, as it had in the courtyard the night of His trial. There was eternal knowing, yet eternal kindness in His eyes.

“Shepherd my sheep,” He said softly, His eyes of grace locked with my own shame-filled eyes. He placed before me the enormous calling of shepherding this fledgling flock.

The brothers and I remain in steadfast prayer since He returned to Glory.  It seems job one is to appoint Judas’ replacement, as Scripture says. We shall proceed in prayerful obedience, as we await His affirmation upon the chosen man.

In the courtyard below, the rooster fluffs his bronze-green feathers in the first rays of dawn and readies himself for a morning crow. Though he attempts to remind me of my failure, I choose to remind myself of my Lord’s grace and His holy calling.

“His grace covers me! Crow away, rooster, crow away!”

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A Note About Sketched
In this series, we are stepping into the shoes of various characters throughout history. Some are biblical, some are well-known in modern day times, and some are people our writers know personally. We do our best to research the culture and times surrounding these individuals to give an accurate representation of their first-person perspectives on life and the world, but we can’t be 100% accurate. “Sketched” is our best interpretation of how these characters view(ed) God, themselves, and the world around them. Our hope is that by stepping into their everyday, we will see our own lives a little differently!
Enjoy!
And keep watching for Sketched Themes to pop up throughout the year!

Join the GT Community and share your thoughts!

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 Sketched IX 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 Sketched IX!

Worship VIII Day 8 Who Is Like Our God?

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Psalm 71:19-21
Psalm 113:4-9
Romans 16:25-27
Jude 24-25
Ephesians 3:20-21

Worship VIII, Day 8

2020 . . . the year of the unexpected and unknown.
In Kansas City, we began the year celebrating a Chiefs Super Bowl victory.
We high-fived strangers wearing red, calling out, “How ‘bout them CHIEEEEEEEFS?!”
We stood UNITED as “MaHOMIES.”

The weather was perfect for the championship parade.
Little did we imagine the storms heading our way.
2020 was the embodiment of “when it rains, it pours.”
Our celebrations turned to confusion as we learned about coronavirus.
High-fives became a thing of the past, as did many of our other daily activities.

Vacations were cancelled.
Schools were closed.
Businesses shut down.

And all too soon, red wasn’t uniting us.
With a presidential election looming, teams were declared and apparently, picking sides was required.
Red or Blue?

Social distancing wasn’t the only thing keeping us 6 feet apart.
Social media became a place to attack each other’s opinions, judge choices, and condemn those with different thoughts.

We seem so divided.

2020 was a year of hard questions and few answers.
So far, 2021 has been more of the same.

Today, though, as I listened to Who Is Like Our God, I found questions with OBVIOUS answers.

I’d never heard this song before, but wow, it’s absolutely perfect for the challenges we’re facing.

Like us, the song is FULL of questions.

“Who was in the beginning before time began?
Who holds all of creation in the palm of His hand?”

The answer is certain, and therefore invaluable in a time of countless unknowns.

“My Father, He is the one who sustains all things
He is the source, the Creator of everything”

As Paul reminds us in Colossians 1:
“For everything was created by Him, in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities–all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and by Him all things hold together.”  

And while an understanding of God as Creator and Sustainer is foundational, it might not feel PERSONAL.
The stars and planets seem far away; the universe, big and overwhelming.

Especially when we’re dealing with job cuts, dwindling bank accounts, and constantly changing plans.
As we try to navigate the nitty gritty of our daily lives, we can find comfort in Psalm 139.

I, too, search for assurance God sees and cares about the details of my life. We are in the process of adopting 2 boys from Haiti. As I write, we have been waiting for 23 months. We are registered and approved for adoption, but we have to wait for a match. It’s excruciating to feel we are so close, and nowhere at all.  We continue to pray, wrestling with the when and why of our loooong wait.

I may not know how God will fulfill His promise for our family.  BUT I know GOD sees and holds our future: my boys here with us, playing in the backyard, reading bedtime stories, eating popcorn during movie night. He sees them wrapped in my arms.

When the ache for my boys is overwhelming, I find encouragement in Isaiah 40:31:
“Those who trust in the Lord will renew their strength;
They will soar on wings like eagles;
They will run and not become weary;
They will walk and not faint.”
And because I can trust GOD sees and cares, I can wait and trust with HOPE.

Similarly, David explains God’s involvement in our lives,
and today’s song reiterates,
“Whose thoughts toward me outnumber the sand?”

God thinks about YOU.
He SEES you.
He KNOWS you . . . the number of hairs on your head, your strengths and weaknesses, the promises on which you’re waiting.

He created you, fearfully and wonderfully, declaring YOU a masterpiece.
He made you ON PURPOSE, for a purpose. (Ephesians 2:10)

So we can REST in believing God knows us and will sustain us.
NO ONE else can do this.

“Who has given Him wisdom?
Who has made Him understand? [. . .]
Who is like our God in all the earth?”

The answer is obvious.
No one possesses His wisdom or understanding.
No one can compare.

He alone sees all and knows all (Job 28:24).
He alone has been since before time began (John 1:1-2),
and He alone knows how all eternity will play out, beginning to end (Isaiah 46:10).
Thus, He alone is ABLE to sustain the world He has created, including YOU! (Psalm 54:4)

“Fill me with knowledge of You, God
(Let me behold more of You, God)
Open my heart to your truth, God
(I have to have more of You)”

So, let’s do as the song invites and behold the Lord.
Let’s intentionally spend time in the Word, grounding ourselves in Jesus and on His promises.

Let’s ask Him to fill us with His knowledge,
and open our hearts to Him so we can KNOW the Truth.
As we do, we will find JESUS is the answer to all our questions.

Even in the hardest, most challenging scenarios 2020/1 could possibly throw our way.

Take a moment to revisit Read His Words Before Mine. As our spirits soak in the majesty and promise and hope of our God, we might just catch some air.

Share your thoughts from today’s Journey Study!
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Join the GT Community and share your thoughts!

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 Worship VIII Week Two! 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 Worship VIII!

The GT Weekend! ~ Reveal Week 2

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The GT Weekend!

At Gracefully Truthful, weekends aren’t for “checking out”.
Use this time to invite the Almighty’s fullness into you life in a deeper way!
Saturdays and Sundays are a chance to
reflect, rest, and re-center our lives onto Christ.
Don’t miss the opportunity to connect with other women in prayer,
rest your soul in reflective journaling,
and spend time worshiping the Creator who
longs for intimacy with each of us!

Worship Through Journaling

Worship Through Journaling

1) When the angels announced the birth of Jesus, they declared “good news of great joy that will be for all the people.” Jesus’ birth was, and is, good news! We have the privilege of celebrating this good news every year at Christmas. Just as the Word of God went forth to fill the emptiness at creation, so also Jesus went forth from the Father to fill the emptiness of our broken world. His birth brought us the hope of Immanuel, God with us. As you consider the Christmas season, think about your traditions and rituals around Christmas. Are they filled with the presence of Christ, or are they empty motions to just “do”? What might be some ways you can celebrate the fullness of Christ as you celebrate His birth. What is one way you can incorporate others into your celebration, revealing to them the fullness of “God with us?” Consider inviting someone to join you for a meal or your church’s Christmas Eve service who may otherwise be alone. Or consider writing cards to residents of a local nursing home or members of your church who are unable to leave their homes. Share the Good News of great joy with all the people!

2) We live in a world of constant chaos. We don’t need to look far to see all the things causing the world to worry, fret, and fear. As people who trust Jesus, we do not need to be bound by chaos. We serve a God who chose to come down and experience the chaos for Himself, and then to make it right. Our God is in the business of bringing order from chaos. The world tells us we need to be in control, but God tells us He is in control. The world shows us we have every reason to fear, but God proves we can trust Him. We work endlessly to try to create our own peace, but God offers each of us true, lasting peace. As we anticipate the “busy” of the holiday season, there is a tendency to rush to complete every “to do” and “to purchase” list while forgetting where our peace comes from. Write down one or two ways you attempt to manufacture your own peace in stressful times. Consider how effective you have found these strategies in the past and whether they point toward the God of shalom or toward your own strength. Then write down two more strategies that would help you remember where true peace comes from and ask God to help you implement these new mindsets in your chaotic seasons.

3) There’s a popular saying you have probably heard, “Jesus is the reason for the season.” It’s likely supposed to remind us that while there are many trappings surrounding Christmas, from the music and decorations to gifts and great food, ultimately our celebration should focus on Jesus and His coming to earth. Yesterday’s Journey Study reminds us our fullness, our peace, and our joy ultimately do not come from this world, but from the Creator of this world. What would it look like if we truly believed Christmas was about more than giving gifts and decorations? Suppose we were to truly celebrate Jesus in this season? There is nothing wrong with enjoying the celebration of this holy day, just as Nehemiah and Ezra told the people of Israel to celebrate their holy days. But we must remember to turn our eyes to the author and perfecter of our faith in the midst of it all. Ask the Lord today to give you grace to remember Him during this season. Ask Him to give you opportunities to share your joy with others. As you celebrate and feast this holiday season, ask God to remind you in fresh ways of His “good news of great joy.”

Praying Scripture back to the One who wrote it in the first place is a great way to jump start our prayer-life! Pray this passage from Romans 15:10-13 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

Again it says, Rejoice, you Gentiles, with His people!
And again, praise the Lord, all you Gentiles;
let all the peoples praise Him!
And again, Isaiah says,
The root of Jesse will appear,
the one who rises to rule the Gentiles;
the Gentiles will hope in Him.
Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believe so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Prayer Journal
Immanuel, God with us, a very present help in times of trouble, You alone are the source of peace and joy. As I turn my thoughts to Christmas, I am so quickly overwhelmed. I want to do everything perfectly and please everyone around me. I know I become busy and distracted from the whole reason we are celebrating much too easily. I confess I work hard to look good for others, while also neglecting to worship and remember You. I admit my concern is often more tied to temporary pleasure than everlasting hope. Lord, help me when I am distracted! Thank You for Your gentle patience toward me. Thank You for giving us seasons of rejoicing in a broken world. Thank You for reminding us of Your great love for us. Teach us to find peace, joy, and comfort in Your goodness when chaos threatens to undo us. Guide us in the ways of true joy and lasting peace. Help us remember You are the reason we celebrate, and Your presence dwells among us because of the work You have done to rescue us from our sin.

Worship Through Community

Can we pray for you? Reach Out! We’d love to pray for and with you!
Send us an email at prayer@gracefullytruthful.com

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Share how God spoke to you today!
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Worship Through Prayer

Worship Through Music

The GT Weekend! ~ Beloved Week 3

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The GT Weekend!

At Gracefully Truthful, weekends aren’t for “checking out”.
Use this time to invite the Almighty’s fullness into you life in a deeper way!
Saturdays and Sundays are a chance to
reflect, rest, and re-center our lives onto Christ.
Don’t miss the opportunity to connect with other women in prayer,
rest your soul in reflective journaling,
and spend time worshiping the Creator who
longs for intimacy with each of us!

Worship Through Journaling

Worship Through Journaling

1) When you think of God and sexual intimacy, what are your first responses? Pulling away? Shame? Closeness and delight? Gratitude? How we respond to the idea of God and sex reveals what we believe about our Creator and intimacy with us. As you unpack your beliefs in this area, take the challenge to read through Song of Solomon aloud. Spend some time praying beforehand, asking God to open your heart to understand His desire for oneness and delight in marriage. The world, and our enemy Satan, would have us believe that sex is dirty, embarrassing, and anything but sacred. Whether you are single or married, all of us have room to grow in elevating our view of the holiness of marriage and sexual intimacy. As you finish reading through Song of Solomon, write down the truths that most arrested your attention. Ask the Lord to keep expanding your understanding of these rich truths!

2) We all love the thrilling feelings of soaring excitement when relationships begin or when we finally say, “I do.” It’s the after when the excitement fades, disagreements arise, and suddenly, the glorious feelings we once felt towards the one person we vowed to love are nowhere to be found. Stacy shares of her euphoria at the beginning, only to watch it fade to mundane and lackluster in the after. A million and one distractions tempt us away from growing in love and maturity with our spouse, and if we aren’t on guard, these can quickly fuel entitlement in relationship effectively driving a wedge between two who were once inseparable. If you’re married, some ways your spouse has become distracted and entitled are probably already popping into your mind! But, turn it around and ask the Spirit to show you how you are becoming disengaged and entitled as well. Thank Him for showing you these, then ask for His power to flee the temptation to run towards these and run away instead. Single friends, consider the idols you run towards most often to distract you from hard or messy things. What patterns do you notice about yourself when you are feeling unloved or unaccepted in your relationships? Take these to the Lord and ask Him to show you His rich redemptive work in your life!

3) Give yourself permission to have some space in your day to be still and reflective. Maybe you lock your closet or your bathroom door, or maybe “quiet” needs to look like your kids are loud. Just make the space! Close your eyes, take some deep breaths and consider what it has felt like, or what it might feel like, to have someone sing over you who knows you deeply, wholly, and without condition or judgement. What words would they choose to set to melody? What would their voice sound like? What characteristics would they eagerly highlight about you? What might they say about their own love toward you? What if this was the Lord’s voice over you; how might your heart respond? Pause here and take in these feelings without discounting them or brushing them aside. Beloved, how deeply the Lord loves to love you! Breathe in this truth and let His voice sing over you with bold declaration! Stay here as long you need, then as your time closes, ask the Lord specifically who you can sing over. Whether it’s with true musical melodies or it’s just a spoken word of truth, woven with life-giving love, be willing and ready to extend a song of love over whoever the Lord brings to mind!

Praying Scripture back to the One who wrote it in the first place is a great way to jump start our prayer-life! Pray this passage from Zephaniah 3:17 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

The Lord your God is among you,
a warrior who saves.
He will rejoice over you with gladness.
He will be quiet in his love.
He will delight in you with singing.”

Prayer Journal
Your love truly is matchless, oh Lord, my Savior and my God. Your love is as mighty as an ocean wave at every single moment of my life. When I feel alone in my relationships as friend, daughter, mother, or wife, You “send Your faithful love by day and at night Your song is with me.” (Psalm 42:8) No one else offers steadfast constancy like You. Forgive me, oh Abba, for the many times I choose to hinge my delight on another’s love and care for me instead of yours. Never will Your love change or disappoint; remind me to listen for Your love song regardless of feelings. Make me aware, Holy Spirit, of the countless distractions pulling me away from You, the Only One who loves me perfectly and completely. Empower me to turn my eyes from worthless things, focusing on You as complete satisfier of my every need. As I practice turning and looking in full at You and Your word, teach me how to love others selflessly with the same humility You model towards me. I love You, Lord Jesus, heal my relationships and use me as a conduit of Your love.

Worship Through Community

Can we pray for you? Reach Out! We’d love to pray for and with you!
Send us an email at prayer@gracefullytruthful.com

Build community, be transparent, and encourage others:
Share how God spoke to you today!
Comment Here or in our Facebook Community Group!

Worship Through Prayer

Worship Through Music

Beloved Day 8 Intimacy

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Song of Solomon 4:1-7
Song of Solomon 7:1-13
Proverbs 5:15-23
Ecclesiastes 9:7-10
John 14:8-11

Beloved, Day 8

Intimacy.

There’s no other way of saying it: sexual intimacy within marriage is a gift hand-crafted by our incredible Creator God for the people He made in His image.

Throughout the Bible, there are countless examples of God’s created beings enjoying and participating in the gift of physical union. Early in Genesis, the Lord affirms the goodness of sex for the purpose of procreation. (Genesis 1:28) Just a little later in Genesis, we see Isaac comforted in his grief by physical union with Rebekah, which affirms the great comfort of sex in times of grief and loss. (Genesis 24:61-67) In Proverbs, Scripture also asserts sex for the purpose of physical pleasure and enjoyment is good. (Proverbs 5:15-23)

The entire book of the Song of Solomon extols the heady pleasures of physical desire and fulfillment found in the physical act of sex. Vivid descriptions, expressions of love, and honest dialogue about the emotional and physical experiences which accompany physical intimacy were poured over, examined, tested, and ultimately included in the canon of Scripture for a specific purpose. God gave us sex, and sex within the context of marriage between a man and a woman is a good, good thing.

Song of Solomon is a depiction of the literal joys of physical intimacy, but there are some traits we see exemplified in the two young lovers which warrant further exploration in the context of our own marriages.

They are transparent.
The two young lovers are obviously desirous for each other, but they are also completely transparent with others about the one to whom their thoughts, emotions and desires are drawn. They aren’t hiding the way they feel about their beloved; they are practically shouting it from the rooftops. There is no mistaking how they feel, what they want, and to whom their heart belongs.

They are honest with each other.
There’s no question the two are each in pursuit of the other. There is no sub-text and no veiled references. Neither is playing “hard to get.” There’s no competition, no game, no “prove your love to me.” They are each completely, totally, all in.

They are vulnerable.
Nothing is too intimate to share. No expression too outlandish, no description too flowery. There’s no thought of looking foolish, or saying something silly. Each feels completely safe with the other, and as a result they are unashamed to share their thoughts, emotions and desires.

They are purposeful.
They are willing to do practically anything to steal away for an encounter with the one they love. They talk of slipping away to a vineyard, to a quiet room, to his chambers. They are not embarrassed to say exactly what they want, and their actions support their words.

For a moment, let’s set aside all our expectations of our spouse and take a look at where we are.

Beloved, when we examine how we operate in the context of our own marriage, can we say the same? Are we transparent with our spouses? Do we create space for them to be transparent in return, without fear of us shutting down or refusing to respond? Are we honest? And if we aren’t “all in,” is that an area we need to confess to our Father and allow Him to touch? Are we vulnerable in sharing the intimate spaces of our bodies, yes, but even more importantly, our hearts and minds? Are we purposeful in our marriage? Do we choose to pursue our spouse every day, even when we don’t feel like it?

Let’s take it a step further. Are those traits present in our relationship with our Father? Are we transparent about the condition of our hearts and lives with the One Who holds the power to change us? Are we honest with Him about our thoughts and feelings? Do we surrender them to Him? Do we allow ourselves to be open and soft to His conviction, to His healing? And do we pursue radical intimacy with the God Who is with us? Do we consistently prioritize placing ourselves before Him, in all our humanity?

These are hard questions, aren’t they? I can’t say yes to all of them. 

Maybe you can’t, either.

So what do we do from here? Where do we go from this place of knowing we aren’t where we’d like to be, and recognizing we can’t move forward on our own?

We start with confessing where we’ve been, where we are, and where we’d like to be to our Bridegroom King. We acknowledge our definition of intimacy falls woefully short of the intimacy He designed for us to experience with Him, and we ask Him to show us the way. He alone is the Author of intimacy; we can trust Him to lead us into the fullness of all He created!

Share your thoughts from today’s Journey Study!
Can we pray for you?
Sign up to receive every Journey Study!
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Join the GT Community and share your thoughts!

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 Beloved Week Two! 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 Beloved!

Redeemed Day 5 Comfort In The Bitter

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Exodus 15:22-27
Ruth 1:1-22
Matthew 20:17-28
Philippians 2:12-18

Redeemed, Day 5

Murmurs whispered swiftly through the small town, carried by dusty, sandaled feet. A sudden sense of excitement and curiosity pulsed through Bethlehem as two women approached. Questions swirled among small clusters of residents as all peered intently at the two figures.

The older woman walked with an authority that conveyed she knew the town well, and as excitement grew, a woman nearby exclaimed, “Can this be Naomi?” The elder woman stopped suddenly, and electricity charged the air as all within earshot waited for her reply.

“Don’t call me Naomi.” She bit the words off as if they were a weapon. “Call me Mara, for the Almighty has made me bitter.” The younger woman walking beside her slipped a comforting arm around her tense shoulders, but she stiffened and continued. “I went away full, but the Lord has brought me back empty. Why do you call me Naomi, since the Lord has opposed me, and the Almighty has afflicted me?”

When Naomi left her hometown as a younger woman, she was in a far different season of life. Life in her new home of Moab was good. There were hardships, sure. It was a time of famine, after all. But for the most part, her life was pleasant. Which was fitting; the name “Naomi” means “pleasantness.” Her life was following the natural order.

Marry a good, upstanding Jewish man. Check.
Build a family together and continue the lineage. Check, check.

Her list could have been mine. Or yours too, maybe?

But then.

Elimelech died. Her person. The one with whom she built a life. The one she cleaved to, having left behind her family and friends. Gone.

Every plan for the future, every marital hope, every daydream glimpse of her beloved as a gray-haired grandfather, telling stories to delighted little ones. Vanished. Gone forever, like a wisp in the desert air. As a widow, she found herself facing an unknown future, alone.

Her sons married, and years passed.

It’s likely she began to look forward with expectancy as she waited for news of grandchildren. Scripture doesn’t say if those ten years were hard or soft, but sudden loss came to call on Naomi again with the death of not one, but both, of her sons.

Another defining facet of her identity, marred forever. Stripped of the treasured roles which defined a woman’s value, she grieved both those she loved and her cultural purpose. Wounds of loss and disappointment were raw and gaping for a time, but eventually, they began to harden.

Naomi decided to return to Bethlehem, and Ruth insisted on joining her.

Scripture doesn’t describe the scene of Naomi’s return in quite the detail my imagination paints, but it isn’t difficult to picture, is it?

By the time Naomi and Ruth reached Bethlehem, Naomi’s heart posture was apparent. The grief and loss she had endured were not submitted to the Lord, but were instead allowed to harden into bitterness. By telling the women in Bethlehem to call her “Mara,” she drew a clear parallel between herself and the Israelites’ experience wandering through the wilderness with only bitter water to drink.

Anger, frustration, self-pity. Bitterness.

I imagine as they approached Bethlehem, her mind was flooded with memories of the day she and Elimilech left, and the sorrow of that initial separation. The naive, wistful thoughts about returning together in the future, perhaps with a few mischievous grandchildren in tow. Instead, she returned with her son’s widow, carrying a burden of grief and sorrow.

It wasn’t supposed to be this way. 

Oh, Naomi. I’ve been there. The words feel familiar, because they are familiar. They’ve split through my hurting heart more than once.

And maybe yours, too, Sister? 

Have you let your own plans, or the experiences in your life, define you?

Have you let them fill you? 

I have. 

Just like Naomi, we can all reflect on times we have sought what only God can give
us from our
husband,
family,
friends,
career,
health,
talent,
reputation,
safety,
security,
political party, or
fill-in-your-blank.

But dear friend.

If we are filled and defined by what we want, or by our relationships or experiences, how are we any different from the rest of the world? Do any of those things fill us with light or God’s truth? 

More importantly, if we are full of those things, how can He fill us with what He desires? 

Ouch.

The truth of what happens when we allow ourselves to be filled by anything but our God is illustrated by Naomi’s response to the pressure and loss in her life. She allowed herself to be filled by something other than the Lord, so when those people and relationships were no longer in her life, she was empty. The wounds of loss allowed her hard heart to spill out when she publicly blamed Him for all she endured.

She missed the comfort the Lord provided her in Ruth, but she also missed the opportunity to share with the townspeople about the comfort, peace, joy, and fruitfulness the Lord provides in hard seasons.

And friend? We are in danger of the same. When we allow ourselves to be filled by anything but God, we are missing the blessing He longs to extend to us in both the famine and the plenty.

Lord, You are the author and creator of life. Your plans are far above any I could devise. I confess my desire and need for control, and I choose to repent today. Heal the places in me that need a touch from You, and teach me how to walk in Your way. All I have is Yours. In Jesus’ Name, amen.

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Treasure Day 8 The Gift Of Laboring

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Psalm 127:1-2
John 15:4-8
Colossians 1:16-18
Matthew 11:28-30

Treasure, Day 8

As treasures of God, created by and for Him,
we have been given the gift of work. 

Whether leading a corporation or a family, God has given each of us unique talents and opportunities to glorify Him and draw others to Himself. He has also provided guidelines to protect us and to help us learn to trust Him. As our Creator, God invites us into a working partnership, one in which He is both guide and co-laborer.

Psalm 127:1 explains,
“Unless the Lord builds the house,
the workers labor in vain who build the house;
Unless the Lord watches the city,
the watchmen watch in vain.”  

Our work should begin with God in mind.
Colossians 3:23 reminds us to do everything for the Lord. We are to seek Him first, allowing Him to guide our decisions and processes. When we do this, our priorities line up with His and we make decisions based on the principles He’s given His followers. Then, He can bless the work of our hands and we can step back and celebrate His work through us!

However, our identities can get tangled up in the work we do, instead of who God says we are.  When this happens, we become greedy, prideful, critical, and absent from those we love.

When we don’t view our work as God’s purposes through us, we begin micromanaging and hovering over every project instead of trusting those assigned to the work. Rather than working as a team, allowing all members to learn and thrive, decisions are made to feed the ego of the leader.

As we continue to find identity in our work,
we are consumed with busy-ness,
eventually neglecting regular meetings with our Father,
and further becoming enslaved to the success of the job to prove our worth.

We were made for work, but not for constant work.
Our bodies were made for a balance of work and rest. How kind of our Creator to model this for us! He spent six days creating, then spent the seventh day resting.

As God, He doesn’t need rest, but He showed us the importance of stepping back, seeing all we’ve done, and resting. As we practice regular Sabbath, lovingly given for our good, we demonstrate the trustworthiness of our God, who designs our work and holds all things together.

In addition, as Jesus modeled, we need to take time away daily to connect with the Lord, He who loves us best and in Whom we find our true identity. When we allow ourselves to be filled with Him first, the work we do is fueled with His purpose and energy.

As we consistently abide in Him, our work bears fruit as God intended, glorifying Him. He also reminds us how deeply He loves those we lead, and we learn how to lead them well.

Perhaps the greatest obstacle to getting time away from work is our devices. Our phones are no longer connected to the wall, but accompany us wherever we go, making us constantly, immediately accessible. With the ease of remote work comes the double-edged sword of always being “on” and consumed by work.

In addition, our devices make it all too easy to trade quietness and reflection in favor of unceasing preoccupation with social media or even games. Peeking at the screen “just this once” becomes an entire vacation lost, or a day with the family plunged into electronic isolation.

Be assured, sister, if you identify with any of this, you are not alone.

I am currently working to build limits for my own cell phone use and lack of true rest. Though I don’t work outside the home, I can get lost in the search for dinner ideas, recipes, or ways to more effectively manage my home.

The too-high cost is precious time with my family. I end up feeling more frustrated about my lack of productivity, lack of time to pursue creative outlets, or inability to rest and connect with Jesus. If you find yourself there as well, take heart and be reminded of Jesus’ words in Matthew 11:28-30,

“Come to me all you who are weak and weary,
and I will give you rest.
For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Our Savior knows we need rest.
The Holy Spirit gently reminds us true rest, like our true identity, is found in Him.
When we seek Him first, trusting Him with the details of the job, He is faithful to provide restoration to our weary souls as He blesses the work of our hands.

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Captivating Day 1 The Middle Of The Story

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Read His Words Before Ours!

2 Corinthians 2:4-17
Colossians 1:24-29
Judges 13-16

Captivating, Day 1

I catch Ms. Eileen out of the corner of my eye as we sing the chorus to “Only King Forever.”
You are the only King forever
Almighty God we lift You higher
You are the only King forever
Forevermore, You are victorious

Ms. Eileen is the older sister/motherly type figure in my life and my children’s. She is the one my husband refers to as “The hugging bandit”.
She is coming my way and I know what she wants and will lovingly give: the biggest, tightest hug one can take without choking.

My one son, who is not the touchy-feely type, jokes that Ms. Eileen could kill someone with her hug. My other son, however, gleefully smiles with open arms, eager to receive her gift.

When Ms. Eileen is seated, the scent of her lingers in the air, on my shirt, and on my son’s head. It is the fragrance of Ms. Eileen.
It is the aroma she carries on her and sweetly leaves behind.

As I read 2 Corinthians 2 of believers being the aroma of Christ, carrying the fragrance of life or death depending on whether the recipient has trusted Jesus, is seeking Him, or has turned away, I think of Ms. Eileen.
Scent-wearers carry with them an odor, some more pleasant and welcoming than others. *For the record, I am quite fond of Ms. Eileen’s fragrance. 😉

Maybe you’ve had a similar experience where someone wearing a strong fragrance embraces you and then you “smell” that person on you the rest of the day.  In similar lingering fashion, the gospel brings a lasting fragrance of either life or death.

This aroma of Christ is something we, as believers, ARE, not necessarily something we do.
It is, however, directly correlated with the message we profess and the hope we offer to others through the gospel.

God delighted in creating Adam and Eve and provided everything they needed for life, even boundary lines by which they would know their lives were intended for worship to the Lord. God gave one command: do not eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil (Genesis 2:16-17).

Man, deceived by God’s enemy and his own desire to rule over himself instead of trusting God’s good love for him, sinned against God and crossed into disobedience. (Genesis 3)

God sent His Son, Jesus, to take the punishment man deserved for the sinful state perpetuated in every human being since Adam (Romans 5:12, John 3:16).

By trusting in the atonement of Jesus, man receives forgiveness of sins and is given the gift of eternal life with God, forever dwelling in perfect communion with Him (Romans 10:9).

As Christians, we are called to both
declare these truths
and live this hope.
In this way, others catch the waft of Christ’s fragrance.

The people within the walls of our home are the ones receiving a front-row seat to this dramatic, fragrant affect.
The pleasing fragrance intensifies as we devote time to studying God’s Word and conversing with Him in prayer. Its aromatic tendrils extend towards those we love, first for the ones at home, who are the first witnesses of our dedication to the living God and His active Word.

Its attractiveness is found in the soft answer we return to harsh words.
It’s on display as we patiently endure through suffering, both in everyday trials and intense life-storms.
Its winsome delight is displayed in our willing surrender of our preference to another’s and as forgiveness is extended before apologies are even made.

In these ways we emit the aroma of Christ.

Eyes are watching.
Hearts are witnessing.
How deeply do we love the Savior?

To those in our homes and families for whom the veil is being lifted (2 Corinthians 3:15), witnessing our life and hearing our hope is the beginning of sight for them!

But, it is a hard, hard reality to accept that for some within our families,
the fragrance of Christ we embody will be to them the stench of death.

Our motives will be questioned.
Our meekness, mocked.
Our “religion” considered a crutch.
And, it will sting.

I imagine it stung deeply for Samson’s parents, too, when the boy they were gifted deceived his parents, denied his consecration, and followed after his fleshly desires rather than God’s purposes for his life.

As a mother of two teens and one tween-ager, I have a different vantage point reading Samson’s story than when I read it as a child. Now I see through the eyes of Samson’s parents, and my heart breaks for the years they surely spent in travail for the wayward choices of their son.  I imagine (because the Scripture doesn’t say) them appealing to Samson, pleading with God, angling to arrange God-fearers to influence Samson to turn from his selfish, arrogant pursuits and dedicate his life afresh to the God Who set him apart from birth.

We know the end of Samson’s story.
We know the faith of his parents eventually became his own.
We know Samson turned to God in the final moments of his life. And, though his eyes were gouged out, Samson finally was granted sight.
He saw God for Who He is: The Only One with infinite power to both destroy and save.
The One who longs for all to find life and so He tarries patiently.

All of us, however, are still in the middle of both our stories and others’.
Our children, parents, siblings, cousins, aunts and uncles; all of our family members are either carriers of the aroma of Christ or catching whiffs of us.

For those in our families, whether unbeliever or Christ-follower, we live out love, travail in prayer, and proclaim with our lives and tongues the greatest news ever given!

Jesus loves me this I know

For the Bible tells me so

Little ones to him belong

They are weak but he is strong

Yes, Jesus loves me

Oh, yes Jesus loves me

Yes, Jesus loves me for the Bible tells me so

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Gospel Day 7 That He Gave: 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 That He Gave!

The Questions

1) What is being compared or connected in verse 25 with the word “neither”?

2) What important doctrine is taught in the phrase “God who made the world”?

3) Why is Paul reminding the people of Athens God doesn’t need anything or anyone?

Acts 17:24-25

“The God who made the world and everything in it—he is Lord of heaven and earth—does not live in shrines made by hands. 25 Neither is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives everyone life and breath and all things.”

Original Intent

1) What is being compared or connected in verse 25 with the word “neither”?
The context for this passage of Scripture places Paul in Athens. While waiting for Timothy and Silas to join him, he engages in continual dialogue with the Jewish leaders and many of the people in the city. Disturbed by the number of idols he has noticed, Paul feels compelled to tell them the truth about Jehovah, the One True God. The gods the Athenians worshipped were made with human hands and had limitations. But the God unknown to them, the One who had delivered them and was worthy of their worship, was in reality the Creator God. This God was “neither” confined to an earthly temple “nor” was He dependent on humans to provide Him with anything. He has no needs. God is the Provider. In fact, He is the ultimate giver of everything.  Romans 11:33 reminds us, “Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and of the knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments and untraceable his ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor? And who has ever given to God, that he should be repaid?”
The word “neither” places emphasis on the fact that God wasn’t needy of anything, and therefore was uniquely worthy of their worship.

2) What important doctrine is taught in the phrase “God who made the world”?
Some people in Athens didn’t know the One they were honoring was indeed the One True God. There are Bible scholars who believe the verses regarding this specific altar (verses 22-23) are possibly referencing a time in Athenian history when the people believed they were rescued from pestilence and plague. They constructed the altar/idol out of their gratitude. Paul wanted them to understand the altar they had erected to their “unknown God” (verse 23) was not just to a god. He was in fact The God. He was their Deliverer. He was the One who had rescued them.
He was also their Creator. In their ignorance, they were celebrating the God of the universe without realizing it. In the following verses, Paul revealed how this God was also their Savior through the work of Christ Jesus. Paul’s message to the people declared the God who created them, and the God who had rescued them from disease, was the very same God who would save their souls. (Acts 17.30-31) Paul’s gospel was this: From creation to this very moment, this is the same God. The only God.

3) Why is Paul reminding the people of Athens God doesn’t need anything or anyone?
The people who worshiped in this day were accustomed to their religious practices (verse 22). They mostly likely served their gods “religiously”. Paul used this opportunity to teach them that the God he was speaking of did not need their service. “If I were hungry, I would not tell you, for the world and everything in it is mine.” Psalm 50:12
In fact, this God was the giver of all things, not the receiver. Through the prophet Isaiah, God reminded His people of this truth. Reminding them of the inadequacy of idols, He said, “Listen to me, house of Jacob, all the remnant of the house of Israel, who have been sustained from the womb, carried along since birth. I will be the same until your old age, and I will bear you up when you turn gray. I have made you, and I will carry you; I will bear and rescue you. Who will you compare me or make me equal to? Who will you measure me with, so that we should be like each other?” (Isaiah 46:3-5)
Just like foreign gods could not save the people of old, neither were the present gods able to deliver them. Only an all-powerful and all-sufficient God was worthy of genuine worship.

Everyday Application

1) What is being compared or connected in verse 25 with the word “neither”?
We must keep in mind we worship a God much higher than us. “’For my thoughts are not your thoughts, and your ways are not my ways.’ This is the Lord’s declaration. ‘For as heaven is higher than earth, so my ways are higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:8)
Paul was burdened that the people of Athens were missing the true God of salvation. The One True God of whom Moses proclaimed, “For I will proclaim the Lord’s name. Declare the greatness of our God! The Rock—his work is perfect; all his ways are just. A faithful God, without bias, he is righteous and true. The Lord declares, ‘See now that I alone am he; there is no God but me. I bring death and I give life; I wound and I heal. No one can rescue anyone from my power.’” (Deuteronomy 32:3-4, 39)
This God is able to accomplish anything. He created the universe and He sustains it. We do well to humbly acknowledge our relation as humans to Him, the LORD of all.

2) What important doctrine is taught in the phrase “God who made the world”?
In John 3:16, we learn that God loved the world and He gave us His only Son. In Acts 17 we learn God created the world and gives us life and breath … and ALL things. What an amazing thought: The creator of the universe is a giver. He did not just create a world and then leave us alone. He isn’t some distant deity, uninterested in our lives.
We understand this because we are made in His image.
Those in Athens had heard their own poets refer to themselves as God’s offspring (17:29). Paul used this familiar concept to communicate how God was more than a figure made of wood or stone. Humans were created to live in relationship with the Creator. He has given us life and has also given us the power to live and breathe. He demonstrated this life through the resurrection of Jesus, the Son He gave. THE God, who created everything wants a forever relationship with us. Peter preached the same message that Paul preached, “By the word of God the heavens came into being long ago and the earth was brought about from water and through water… [This] Lord does not delay his promise, as some understand delay, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish but all to come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:5, 9) We were created by God and we are loved by God. He is a life-breathing, life-giving God!

3) Why is Paul reminding the people of Athens God doesn’t need anything or anyone?
When we worship the One True God, we are the beneficiaries. He doesn’t need our worship, He deserves our worship. We must recognize that we remain a receiver and God is always the giver, yet even so, He finds delight in relationship with us. We are the beneficiary and He is the benefactor. Everything we have was given to us by God. (1 Corinthians 4:7 ) When we pray, we are confessing our dependence on Him to even desire to pray. When we serve, we aren’t working for a weak God who can’t accomplish a task without us. We are simply vessels God created to be His human hands and feet on earth. When we ‘count our blessings’, we aren’t tallying what we owe God. We could never repay Him. Nor should we see it that way. God doesn’t give because He needs a return. God gives because He is a giving God. In Isaiah 41:10, God says “I’ll help you, and I’ll hold you.”
John Piper said, “Trust this God, and every day pray as a helpless, empty recipient of this promise. And when you pray and when you trust as a helpless little kid, God will work for you. And He will get the glory, and you’ll get the joy.”

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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!

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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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