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mess

Follow Day 5 Where We See A Mess

January 8, 2021 by Sarah Afan Leave a Comment

Read His Words Before Ours!

Exodus 3:1-14
Exodus 4:1-20
Acts 4:7-13
 1 Corinthians 1:26-30

Follow, Day 5

“‘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 the earth, so My ways are higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.’” (Isaiah 55:8-9)

Who but God would invite an ex- murderer to lead an entire nation? Humans use the past to judge the present, but God sees beyond the past. Regardless of our history, He longs to make us radically new and use us to build His kingdom.

Consider Moses, who grew up in the palace of the Egyptian pharaoh knowing he was a Hebrew. One day, he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew slave, and, after carefully ensuring no one was watching, Moses killed the Egyptian. Still, Pharaoh learned of Moses’ crime and sought to kill him, so Moses fled to Midian. Welcomed into the family of Jethro, a Midian priest, Moses planned to live out his days in the wilderness as an isolated shepherd caring for mangy sheep.

Like Moses, there was a time in my college life when I felt like running away. My boyfriend spent the night with another student in his home, and someone told the school authority I was the student. I was innocent, but unable to convince school leadership. My punishment was a warning; a repeat would earn my dismissal.

I was devastated. In time, bolstered by God’s merciful strength, I ended the relationship. God gave me a new beginning altogether: since then, I have been following Him, and am now in His service.

Similarly, Moses was in desperate need of a new beginning. Moses was content with a shepherd’s life in the bush; one day God appeared to him in a literal bush bursting with fire. God called Moses to Egypt to bring His people out from slavery and into a land of freedom and plenty, a land of promise.

Dismayed, Moses gave God a slew of excuses:

“Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh?” (Exodus 3:11)
What if they ask Your name? ( Exodus 3:13-15)
“What if they don’t believe me?” (Exodus 4:1)
I am not eloquent (Exodus 4:10); send someone else (Exodus 4:13).

Looking through the lens of his past, Moses saw himself as unfit for the work God was calling him to do. But despite his resistance, God was not deterred. He promised to be with Moses, and commissioned Moses’ brother, Aaron, as his spokesman. God also understood the physical fear hiding behind Moses’ excuses, and assured him those who sought to kill him were dead.

We cannot mess up God’s plan for us, even if we push against Him!
He refuses to give up on us because He looks not at our mess, but our potential in Him.

As Moses’ heart turned toward trusting obedience to God, he encountered God in a personal and powerful way. He received instruction and clear direction from God for his next steps. When he met resistance in Pharaoh, he sought God who faithfully met and guided him. Soon, the naïve and fearful man became a threat to Pharaoh and all of Egypt, until Pharaoh released the Israelites.

Sometimes, our past failures threaten to hold us back from following God. The past upsets us, and we lose confidence. Like Moses, we easily conclude we cannot be useful to God. Moses didn’t have an organized plan, talent, or the confidence of a leader, but God still invited him to follow. It was not about Moses, but about God. He chooses the foolish, the weak, and the despised to shame the wise and the mighty, so we boast in Him alone. (1 Corinthians 1:26-29)

Regardless of our past, God forgives completely, and equips us by His power for His service as we choose to follow His way. We see this truth in the lives of the apostles. Some were mere fishermen; one was even a tax collector, considered by the Jews as the most sinful; yet Jesus called each of them to follow Him. When the Pharisees grumbled about Jesus dining with sinners, Jesus replied His call was precisely for sinners such as them. (Mark 2:15-17)

Consider the Apostle Paul, a persecutor of the Church; yet God called him out of slavery and empowered him with the Holy Spirit to follow Him in freedom. As a result, Paul became a great preacher of the gospel. His Spirit-inspired writings continue to guide our lives today, comprising a large part of the New Testament.

Hear Paul’s own testimony, “This saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance: ‘Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners–and I am the worst of them.’”
(1 Timothy 1:15)

Moses’ story, the first 12 apostles, Paul, and even my own life, join together to declare in wondrous chorus . . .
Where we see a mess,
God sees an opportunity for transformation.

God simply requires hearts willing to accept His invitation to follow Him, one step after the other.

Sisters, let us turn our eyes from our pasts to the One who holds our tomorrows and whisper, “Yes.”

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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 Follow Week One! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!
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Looking for other journeys from this theme?
Here’s a link to all past studies in Follow!

Posted in: Amazed, Called, church, Comfort, Community, Discipline, Equipped, Esther, Excuses, Faith, Fear, Follow, Future, Obedience Tagged: follow, hope, mess, mission, purpose, real life

Sketched VIII Day 10 Tamar & Judah

September 4, 2020 by Rebecca Leave a Comment

Read His Words Before Ours!

Genesis 38
Matthew 1:1-16
Isaiah 30:18-22

Sketched VIII, Day 10

“Judah has chosen you to marry his son, Er!”

“Papa!” my disgust was as thick as the outrage in my voice.

I’d always been too outspoken, and Mama’s quick glare reminded me I’d spoken out of turn, again.

“Tamar!” My mother clicked her tongue and added reprovingly, “Judah is one of the twelve sons of Jacob; you should be honored! Covenant promises with Yahweh surround his family.”

I whirled to face her. My family was well-accustomed to my vigorous debates, and this was one I would not lose. “You know Judah’s reputation! I don’t care a whit whether he’s Jacob’s son, that man has a wandering eye for any woman with a pulse!”

“Well, Tamar, you’re marrying Er, not Judah. That’s final!”

“Papa! No! It’s not fair!” My shrill voice drew the glances of passersby.

Papa responded with tender grace, “Tamar, I love you. You are important and precious, and Yahweh will use you for His work.” He reached out to touch my cheek. “My fiery girl, I adore you. Er has no idea what he’s in for.” He winked and took his seat to bless our meal.

I smiled at the memory. I loved Papa dearly, and he had loved me for who I was. I grieved every day he was gone, but also breathed a prayer of thanks he never had to witness the obscenity that was my marriage to Er.

Er was spiteful and addicted to many things: alcohol, women, and anger . . . but mostly, himself. Whatever Er wanted, he got, until finally, the Lord mercifully answered my pleas for safety. Er was killed by the Lord’s hand.
Truly, the Lord is a God of justice.

In accordance with the Lord’s law, Judah gave me to his next son, Onan.

“Onan.” I spat out his name like a curse. Onan was devious, passive aggressive, and manipulative. Where Er had beaten me with his fists, Onan cut my heart with his words and insidious deception. The death trap of marriage to Judah’s sons was stifling.

My only hope was to bear a child. Even one son would bring purpose to my suffering. Please, Lord, please, I whispered all day and through the watches of the night, grant your daughter redemption.

My situation felt hopeless. Onan only had sex with me for his own pleasure, pulling out at the last moment so I couldn’t conceive. Yet, I knew Yahweh saw all. I clung to my God of justice, waiting.

Mercifully, the Lord did see Onan’s treachery, and He hated it. By Yahweh’s hand, Onan was also put to death. Two dead husbands, a heart damaged enough for a lifetime, and all hope was dashed.

Still, Yahweh was and always would be just, even if I couldn’t see it. There remained Judah’s youngest son, Shelah. I would be close to the end of my child-bearing years by the time Shelah was old enough to marry, but Judah, with some semblance of honor, promised me Shelah if I returned home and waited for him.

Mama. Sweet mama. I nestled my head against her aging shoulder, wrapping my arms around her. “Tamar, my girl, I love you. You are important and precious. Yahweh will use you for His work.” Despite my pride, tears flowed down my cheeks into my mother’s silvery hair. Such faith! Lord, look upon Your daughter! Extend Your just arm!

Shelah’s coming of age came and went. Weeks turned to months as I waited, sure the Lord heard my pleas, but Judah never fulfilled his promise. Word had it, he blamed me for the deaths of his other two sons.

Angry, I cried out to the Lord. Where is your justice, Yahweh?! Have you not seen me waiting, oppressed, and broken all these years?! I have trusted You, haven’t I?!

“Tamar, Judah is heading to Timnah to shear his sheep.” My friend’s bit of information lit a match within me and hope sparked to life. My plan was devious, yes, but I was too angry to care. Yahweh had given Judah the responsibility of protecting and caring for me, yet he shirked his duties. Now was the time for action.

My heart raced as I removed my widow’s clothing, and hurried to the outskirts of Timnah where Judah would pass. Dressed as a prostitute, I was counting on old Judah to be as scandalous as always. I was not disappointed, for moments later, he asked for my services.

I would not be taken advantage of this time. “Give me your signet, your cord, and your staff from your hand as pledge of your payment.” Greedy Judah readily agreed and the deed was done. We both went on our way, Judah to shear his sheep, and me to plead with Yahweh for mercy.

Three months later, Judah’s baby was 12 weeks along.
The Lord had heard! Evidence of His justice fluttered in my womb.

Proof of His abundant kindness washed over me when I safely delivered two sons a few months later. As I held their tiny bodies close, tears streamed from my eyes. The Lord was righteous! Perez and Zerah were proof!

But when the community heard of my sons’ birth, they cried out for my death as an adulteress. As they dragged me to the place of judgement, I clenched Judah’s signet, cord, and staff, calling out for their owner to claim his items, and his sons.

The blood drained from Judah’s face as he put the fragmented pieces together.
I held my breath.

Would the Lord bring justice?

Judah stepped forward, raising a shaking voice,
“She is more righteous than I, since I did not give her my son, Shelah.”

I trembled, in shock at Judah’s confession and in awe of the Lord’s justice.
I would live and raise my boys in peace!

Hundreds of years later, Yahweh further unfolded a plan Tamar wouldn’t know until she reached Heaven: Perez and Zerah are listed in the lineage of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord is faithful and just; His righteousness knows no limits. God used a woman of fierce bravery, fighting through difficult circumstances, to usher in the One who would bring justice and righteousness to all people through His death and resurrection. Never doubt, dear sister, the Lord sees, and knows, and fights for you!

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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!

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 VIII Week Two! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!
Click the above image for today’s Digging Deeper!

Looking for other journeys from this theme?
See all past studies in Sketched VIII!

Posted in: Accepted, Attention, Blessed, Broken, Daughter, Deliver, Faithfulness, Freedom, Future, Grace, Help, Marriage, Pain, Redemption, Relationship, Sketched, Truth, Victorious Tagged: broken, faithful, help, hope, marriage, mess, promise, provider, relationship, Yahweh

Dwell Day 15 Practicing This Gospel

October 19, 2018 by Paula Romang Leave a Comment

Read His Words Before Ours!

Psalm 103:8-10 
James 1:22-25
Philippians 2:1-11
Galatians 5:7-15 

Dwell, Day 15

Do not merely listen to the Word, Sisters, and so deceive yourselves.
Do what it says.
Anyone who listens to the Word and does not apply it
is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror,
and after looking at himself,
goes away and forgets what he looks like.
But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom,
and continues to do this,
not forgetting what he has heard,
but doing it – he will be blessed in what he does!
(James 1:22-25) 

Beep, Beep, Beep! I swat off my alarm, stumble toward the bathroom and pause with my hand on the light switch, bracing for the onslaught of light.
With one eye open, I squint up at the mirror.
Ugh, there I am in all my morning glory; a sorry sight for even just one half-open eye!

Puffy eyes, pasty complexion– and that hair!
Wow, just wow!

This mirror is not my friend!
But wait, maybe it is.

Mirrors don’t lie.
What sort of friend would look at this mess, tell me I look gorgeous, and allow me to go to work this way?  I hate how it points out my mess, yet without the mirror’s truth-telling, how would I know I look like a fright?

The mirror simply shows me the truth.
It’s up to me to take corrective measures and fix the obvious problems.  

Just as my bathroom mirror points out my glaring physical imperfections,
God’s Word is a mirror for our souls. In His word, we encounter truth.

Like the mirror reflects our physical image, 
so the scripture reveals the contents of our hearts.
As we encounter truth, we see our error.
We are then confronted with the choice of taking corrective action through the help of the Holy Spirit, or ignoring the issue, hoping it will solve itself.  

Just like the mirror directly points out my obvious need for make-up and hair brushing, so Scripture points out where my attitudes and actions need adjustments.  

Scripture says, 
“Do nothing out of selfishness or vain conceit, 
but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 
Each of you should look not only on your own interests, 
but also to the interests of others.” (Philippians 2:3-4)

Staring up at me from the mirror of truth is my selfishness.
A wild-eyed girl, hands on hips and stamping her feet, brazenly demanding her own way.  And I am ashamed that a daughter of the King should behave as I have done.

My spirit is broken, like the Father’s, over my sin.
I long for restoration, and I run to His open arms, knowing He is for me, ready to bring redemptive healing and a heart like His. 

Scripture says, 
“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, 
but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, 
that it may benefit those who listen.” (Ephesians 4:29)

However, sneering up at me from the mirror of truth are my harsh words and sarcasm.
A snaggle-toothed hag leering garishly, the sword of my words brandishing high.
And I am aghast at the ugliness of my soul.  

Scripture declares,
“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. 
Stand firm then, and do not let yourselves 
be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.”
Galatians 5:1

However, bondage to my flesh stares back.
A pitiful slave-girl gazing up with pleading eyes, begging for release, while clenching her own chains possessively.
My heart reaches for her in empathy, yet I’m powerless to lift her shackles.  

Yet scripture whispers:
“The Lord is compassionate and gracious,
slow to anger, 
abounding in love. 
He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor His anger forever; 
he does not treat us as our sins deserve 
or repay us according to our iniquities.”
Psalm 103:8-10 

In this glorious mirror of Truth, we find Grace, with the name of Father, Son, and Spirit. Here we find our strong and compassionate Father,
extending the nail-scarred hand of the Son,
ready and able to lift us to freedom through the untamable power of the Spirit.
Rooted in truth, buoyed by grace, we are enfolded in His robes of righteousness.

In that moment, the selfish little girl
is transformed into a humble, compassionate princess.

The snaggle-toothed hag
morphs into a magnificent beauty with kindness on her lips.

The wretched slave-girl
rises to take her place among the redeemed royalty, shackles unleashed.

….and such is the beauty and kindness of truth and grace.  

“…you shall know the truth,” the Savior says, 
“and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:32)

So, I bless the harsh realities the mirror of Scripture reveals,
for facing the truth is my only path to freedom through grace.
“…and whoever the Son sets free, is free indeed.” (John 8:36)

Dwell with Him, Sisters.
Dwell deeply and intimately with the King through His eternal Word,
then live free by His Word!

Ready for more? Dig Deeper!
Join us for every Journey Study by signing up!
Looking for yesterday’s Journey Study?
Share your thoughts from today’s Study!

Don’t miss today’s Digging Deeper!     And we’d love to hear your thoughts from today’s Journey!    Comment Here!

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 Dwell  Week Three! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!
Click the above image for today’s Digging Deeper!

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

Posted in: Beauty, Believe, Creation, Daughter, Design, Excuses, Freedom, God, Gospel, Grace, Identity, Love, Need, Redemption, Restored, Scripture, Selfishness, Significance, Transformation, Truth, Ugly, Uncategorized, Wisdom Tagged: apply, brokenness, fix, freedom, God, gospel, heart, listen, look, love, mess, mirrors, reveal, scripture, selfishness, Sin, Truth

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