Resting in His Masterpiece

This weekend a group of gals headed out to the annual Park Avenue Ladies Retreat. I must admit my mind was full and my body exhausted when we left. Truthfully, I dreaded it. April is testing time for teachers in the state of Texas...my mind was not on retreating. My mind was on my 'to do' list that needed doing! I'm ashamed to admit that I actually sneaked benchmark tests in a bag to work on while there. SO...chest tight, mind busy...I headed out...wasn't even sure what I had thrown in the bag to wear. I knew I had toothpaste and underwear...so I was good to go. Threw my bags in a car with my buddies...my heart buddies that know more about me than I know about myself! Off we went. There was the normal catching up and laughter...then suddenly...appearing to morph from the center of the road, up and over the trees to the left was the most amazing rainbow. It was a sign of a blessed weekend...a joyous upside down smile...a reminder of a promise made long ago...created from the Master Creator's imagination!

And...so it went throughout the weekend. My tight chest released. Benchmark tests were left in the bag...and I retreated into His arms. My Father invited me into His beauty with my sisters and we worshiped. 

Our wonderful speaker shared her story, her strength...her tears, and her triumphs. We opened our hearts as we surrounded each other in love and trust. Stories were shared...some stories still kept safely tucked away for another day. But mostly we just loved on each other...with no judgements. God surely smiled as He watched His daughters clinging to each other with such tenderness and unity. 

This morning as our tradition we spent a quiet hour in silence with our Lord, His Word...and the nature He so artfully designed. Over the lake as the sun came up...a mist crawled across the lake, moving gracefully...in and out of sunbeams piercing through the East Texas pines. It was as if the Holy Spirit moved...touching each heart and each head bowed in prayer and meditation. His creatures greeted the day...frogs added bass tones to the tenor and soprano of the birds as they welcomed the day. The weekend that began with a happy prism of colors ended in His splendor and glory. 

Do you know how precious you are to Him? Do you know how much He loves you? Do you know it? Thank you, Father for the reminder...

The Master Potter

 There are multiple verses in The Word that refer the potter. We have often thought of God as the potter and his children are the clay...to be shaped and molded by our Father. However, the analogies run much deeper than the initial obvious. Understanding the nature of 'throwing a pot' helps to understand the complete imagery of the many layers of the Christian walk. 

The potter begins with a formless lump of clay. Sometimes he has a clear picture of what he plans for the clay to become...other times he allows the piece to form, grow and change as his vision shifts with the clay. Either way it is the hands of the potter that holds the shape of the clay. It is  the pressure of his palms, fingers, and thumbs that pulls and tugs the shape. The steady pressure...creates the shape. I have "thrown" a pot or two...it is during this step that I often lost control of the clay as it began to sway on the wheel. If the potter does not keep the hands steady and the pressure consistent the clay begins to wobble and the clay become useless...only to begin again. What a blessing that with the Master Potter we are in good, steady hands. 

It is important that the potter keeps the clay clean and free of air bubbles. Both will destroy the pot in the kiln where the pot will endure a firing. After the vessel dries...it is placed in a kiln at high temperatures. This process strengthens the pottery. Firing produces irreversible changes in the body. It is only after firing that the clay becomes pottery. The physical, chemical and mineral properties are greatly altered by the firing...strengthening the material. 

Isn't it the same with us? We are shaped by the pressures of life and how we react and respond to that pressure. Certainly, at different points in my own life I have learned much about the 'firing' process. It changes you. Perspective changes, hearts are broken, relationships damaged, and beliefs are questioned. You will never be the same...but stronger. Wow...just wow! 


There is a Japanese custom that I admire. We could learn a thing or two from our Japanese friends. When they discover a crack in a piece of pottery the damage is repaired with pure gold. They believe when something has suffered and has a history it becomes more beautiful. 



Another expressed it beautifully...only through cracked pots do we see The Light. I don't know about you...but I am feeling better about being a cracked pot! 

Inspired!

There is nothing so beautiful...so awe inspiring as the twinkling of stained glass in the cathedrals of old. Consider the artistry of the thousands of tiny pieces of glass carefully chosen to create illuminating spaces. The intricacy and the labor intensive challenge of creating such a splendor is often overlooked. Imagine, if you will, the process. It begins by simply making the glass...using varieties and combinations of metallic salts, heating them to such temperatures to create the multiple colors. With the knowledge of a chemist, mind of an inventor, and the heart of an artist...they 'played' with methods and techniques for creating dazzling colors of glass.

Once the glass was made and the design was created...then began the tedious job of cutting the glass and putting the pieces together like an intricate puzzle. It was a craft that required the artist to conceive a design that must fit snugly into the space for which it was made, must resist wind and rain...and it had to support its own weight. Many windows have withstood the test of time and still remain intact today. The purpose for the window was not to allow those inside to see out...or to admit light...but rather to control the light. 

Today the labor is not so intensive...we are not so patient. Even still the designing and creating of an original stain glass window for a church today is expensive and the process continues to be tedious. 

SO...what is the point to all this information? Are you ready? Hang on...because this is so smack dab incredible! Check out the designs below. The first design is the famous South Rose stained glass window from the cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris, France. The light begins in the middle and radiates out. This masterpiece was designed by Jean de Chelles and Pierre de Montreuil. It was a gift from the king Saint Louis. 

The next design...a cross section of human DNA! Our Father...well, He spoke it...and it was! Each strand is unique! Hmmmm is it just me or do they favor? The pondering question for today...

Do you think the Master designer created the vision of the artist in the artist...that He created? Ponder that, my friends.... 

Rose Window Notre Dame

Human DNA

The Grand Weaver

God's tapestry...His divine and amazing plan for His world...His children...unfolds for us through His Word. His is the Grand Weaver. There is a divine design for human kind but...is there an individual plan for each of us? Does He have a plan for me? How do I fit into the Grand Weaver's masterpiece? As I write these words...it is a relief to me that He is the weaver...and I am not. He sees the threads of my life and works them neatly into His masterpiece. What peace...to know that His hands are working my threads! 

Saori...Japanese free-form weaving

There is a Japanese method of weaving called Saori...a method of free weaving. Saori encourages people to do what only a human being can do that a machine cannot...to be spontaneous, be original...to create one's own rules of beauty. It values each person's individuality as it expresses itself in each moment. No two weavings are alike. Further, mistakes are not avoided...loose threads, skipped threads, irregular fringes, and inserted bits of yarn or other materials all add to the organic liveliness, the "human-ness" of the creative art. If God created us in His image...the ability to create separates us from all other beings. The Grand Weaver then takes our individually designed patches and weaves them into the master tapestry...with other threads that are interwoven and entwined making connections with other patches! I can almost visualize God smiling as He sees generations of connectedness...maybe even pointing to a patch saying to an angel..."See those two patches...no...it's two...but it is two patches so tightly woven together they appear as one...they have been husband and wife for 62 years..." Can't you just imagine the stories in the threads?

Sometimes a weave becomes loosened, or some threads can become stressed by too much tension...new threads can be woven into old patterns...some threads are weak. All can cause a thread to break. The weaver then must stop and repair the broken thread to prevent it from weakening the entire fabric. This process takes time. The weaver must tie off  the broken thread and then tie another thread into the broken piece. When the process is complete the broken thread is stronger than ever before. What a reminder to us that only through our brokenness do we become strong...we don't like it. It hurts. It takes time to repair. But our Grand Weaver can repair our brokenness. He can weave in recovery. We become stronger. Now...no doubt when you see the backside of the tapestry you will see plenty of knots and loose threads. The back of the tapestry shows the messy scars of life. But the final front design of the fabric...is so unique and so perfect it will take our breath away!

I don't have to know what my tapestry will look like...I trust the Grand Weaver. With the threads of my life in His Hands...I know the results will be more than I could ever have imagined!

Psalm 139:13-15

For you created my inmost being;

you knit me together in my mother's womb.

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

your works are wonderful,

I know that full well.

My frame was not hidden from you

when I was made in the secret place.

When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,

your eyes saw my unformed body.

God's Masterpiece

Michelangelo's creation from the Sistine Chapel 

God is the ultimate divine artist, scientist, inventor, and creator. Can you even imagine it? Thinking thoughts, speaking your vision into being...our human minds cannot fathom it. Pondering on the beauty, the humor, the complexity, and the perfection of it all is more than we can take in. Consider the beauty of the atmosphere in a West Texas sunset, the Northern Lights, full moons, ocean waves, crystal clear lakes and waterfalls. Think on the simple beauty of a daisy...or a tulip...the elegant beauty of a rose. Chuckle when you visualize God stretching the neck of a giraffe or the nose of the elephant. How He must have delighted in clothing some in stripes and others with spots or vibrant colors. Imagine how He constructed the universe to be interdependent down to the most intricate cell...designing it all to be unique yet connected.

But the absolutely most amazing thing is that in His final act of creation He designed us...to be in the image of Him! He wanted His children to resemble Him. He gave us some of His DNA. We are the only beings He created that can think logically, reason, create, design, invent, converse...evaluate, debate. Oh, I know what you are thinking...those apes are pretty smart. They communicate. Animals do communicate with each other...but humans are the only creations designed to communicate with God. Isn't that simply incredible? He wants a relationship with us...His children He designed to be in His image. Hopefully, we reflect the family resemblance. I pray that when others see my spirit and my character they recognize I am the daughter of The Father. We are His masterpiece...His glory!

Michelangelo's David

There are two methods in the process of sculpting...one is additive and the other is subtractive. When working with clay the sculptor adds bits of clay and works it into the piece. Then using tools to scrape, shape, and mold the clay, it becomes what the sculptor sees in his minds eye. The subtractive process is much different. It is the chipping away of the rock to reveal the vision of the artist. When Michelangelo sculpted the statue of David from marble he stated (I'm paraphrasing...) "I saw David in the marble and I carved until I set him free." 

Scripture refers to us as the clay...and our Lord, Our Father as the potter or the artist. He is constantly adding or chipping away at our beings to set us free...to finally design us to be all He envisions. It is painful...but always useful. To take the analogy one step further...before the clay pot can be useful or complete it must endure the kiln and the firing. Chipping and firing are no fun! The firing strengthens the pot and without it the vessel would be useless. The final results...each piece is unique. Some are elegant, others are simple...all are precious to The Father...after all He created them...us...you...me...

Isaiah 64:8 

...O Lord, you are the Father. 

We are the clay, you are the Potter; 

we are all the work of your hand.

Jeremiah 18:6

...like clay in the hand of the Potter, so are you in my hand...

God's BIG Plan!

A couple of springs ago we were blessed to be able to go to Paris, France on a dream trip. Monet has always been one of my favorite artists so I was thrilled to be able to see his original works. To my disappointment I was a little bit underwhelmed. When examined closely his paintings seemed a little sloppy to me. The colors were beautiful but his technique felt lacking…until...we were told that we were to back away from the paintings and take in the whole work. Monet's masterpieces were never meant to be closely examined but to be viewed from some distance allowing the viewer to take in the whole…not the details. It was only then that you could see the ebb and flow, the meshing of the colors, the design and the breathtaking beauty of his works. I think it must be a little like that for us when we try to consider God’s plan. We are living up close in our personal space…but God is smiling because what we view as a sloppy mess…He sees the whole of it…and it is beautiful. 

It might be a little like finding one piece of a thousand piece puzzle. One puzzle piece is  just this random mixture of colors that means nothing apart from the whole. God’s BIG plan is so much bigger than us. He designed His plan long before creation! The Word tells us even the angels were unaware. Prophets and kings of the Old Testament mention ‘the mystery’…they knew that God was planning something big…but what? Who really could have imagined it? God knew…always…He would create and we would destroy. He knew from the beginning He would hand pick a special group of people to create a bloodline for The King. He always knew He would become part of own His creation experiencing birth, life, and death. He knew His plan would never exclude anyone but included all…Israelites and Gentiles...everyone. 

God’s BIG plan has never been about just ME…but about saving the whole world. I am just a small piece of a magnificent puzzle designed by the creator Himself. But...here is the really exciting part…as long as this old world is spinning on its axis God’s plan is still evolving. The BIG Plan is not complete. More mysteries will be revealed when He returns…and takes us home with Him. Can you even imagine it? When that final puzzle piece is dropped into place…and we back up to absorb the majesty of His design. It will surely take our breath away as we fall on our knees with humility to be in the presence of our Lord, our King…our Father.

To know God's will for my life...first I must know HIM!

What is God's will for my life? Oh my...how many times have I pondered this question? How do I know what direction He wants me to go? Would God's plan disrupt my comfortable life? Have I missed it? Was there some really 'big' thing He wanted me to do and I missed the opportunity? Have I been sleep walking through life...going through the days not paying attention? Most days are not life changing...most days are just regular from the time the alarm goes off  to the end of the day routine...washing my face, brushing my teeth, making sure I have plenty of wrinkle cream slathered on before I climb into my comfortable bed and snuggle in for the night. Then the next the day...the alarm goes off...and the cycle begins again.

Some decisions have been life changing. Making the decision to marry my sweet Mustache Man was life changing. Choosing to change my major was life changing. Some decisions we make are eternity changing...and some are both. Choosing to live in God's will...means I must know HIM. How can I know what He wants without knowing Him?

Where does one even begin with God? The beginning? Where would that be? God has always been...always. Even before the first moment He chose to split the dark from the light He was. We know He existed in a spirit world with angels and heavenly hosts. It is impossible to even think about it too long...it is so mind bending. The Word even tells us He is beyond comprehension...and that He only shares what our human minds can absorb.

Here is just a smidgeon of what we know...

God is all knowing and ever present... 
Psalm 139 - You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways.

God is beautiful and desirable...
Psalm 36 - Your love, O Lord, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies. Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, your justice like the great deep. 

God is good and generous...
Psalm 34 - The righteous cry out and the Lord hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. 

God is Holy...
Psalm 66 - Shout with joy to God, all the earth! Sing the glory of his name; make his praise glorious! ...All the earth bows down to you; they sing praise to you, they sing praise to your name.

All God does is good...reverence for God is the beginning of wisdom

Psalm 111 - Praise the Lord

...Great are the works of the Lord;

they are pondered by all who delight in them.

 Glorious and majestic are His deeds, 

and His righteousness endures forever. 

He has caused His wonders to be remembered;

the Lord is gracious and compassionate. 

He provides food for those who fear Him;

He remembers his covenant forever.

He has shown his people the power of His works, 

giving them the lands of other nations.

The works of His hands are faithful and just;

all His precepts are trustworthy.

They are steadfast for ever and ever,

done in faithfulness and uprightness. 

He provided redemption for his people; 

He ordained his covenant forever-

Holy and awesome is His Name.

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom;

all who follow his precepts have good understanding. 

To HIM belongs eternal praise. 

What I have learned from Gideon...

God calls us when HE is ready. I will never be strong enough, good enough, or wise enough...but God is. He will decide what to do with me. With God I am enough.

God prepares me and uses my abilities. God used Gideon's quiet years in the cave to prepare his heart for leadership. He plunked a boy from a herd of sheep to teach him how to use a sling shot on predators...preparing him to slay a giant. Spiritual giants spent lots of quiet time in communion with their Lord. He placed a baby in a basket...in a river...to allow a young man to see up close and personal both sides of an Egyptian/Israelite struggle. He used a barn, a feed trough, and two wide eyed young people to provide for the birth of a King...a Savior for all humankind.  He prepares us for His use in the most unexpected ways. Don't ever underestimate what our God is planning for your life!

God uses the weak. God uses us in spite of our limitations. God uses us even when we fail. I am convinced that God loves surprises. What joy it must bring Him to see His weakest child overcome the strong. With God there are no limitations. Failure is only practice for getting it right...He lifts us up. He dusts us off and helps us straighten our shoulders. He emboldens us to try again...this time relying more on Him than ourselves. He rejoices when we get it right...knowing we have finally figured it out. We need HIM. He is our strength.

Finally, even the strong can fall...and they will without God. Over and over we see the Israelites slide back into sin. Sometimes when we read the Word we scratch our heads in wonder. Why didn't they get it? How dumb can you be? But...we are so much like them. The Evil One is never blatant. Evil never comes knocking boldly on your door announcing himself. He sneaks in. He pretends to be a friend. He is the giver of lovely gifts. He wraps lies in truth and confuses us. Without a continual walk wearing our spiritual armor we are exposed to the flaming arrows of Satan.

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. Ephesians 6:10

Flannel Flat Stanley going to war...

Do you remember when you were little in Sunday school and the teacher showed you the flannel story of the full armor of God? Standing in all the flannel glory was a figure simply clothed and as the teacher spoke of each piece of gear she begin to arm the flat Stanley for battle. I even remember buying a plastic armor at a Christian bookstore for my little youngster so he could fight righteous battles with pretend armor. I think we might have messed up!

Over and over in God's word he says to us...you don't need any of that stuff. I AM your armor. Of course, when a soldier is engaged in an earthly struggle with a physical enemy he needs his earthly body as protected as it can be. But in Judges when God is preparing Gideon for battle...He is the general. They have no need for battle gear. All they need is a horn and some pots. God just confuses the enemy around midnight with loud horns and breaking pots. God has no need for battle gear...he just asks for a trusting heart. Wasn't it the same with David? David in his tender youth was wise enough to know that he needed no heavy burdensome armor...that God was his protector. So...God provided a slingshot to slay an awkward near sighted giant. Moses found himself lacking in confidence so God just simply provided a staff...just a little something to hang on to like a security blanket. The power was never in the staff...

Our battles are spiritual battles. Our weapons are spiritual weapons. But it is impossible to go into a spiritual battle if I am weighed down with earthly stuff. I wonder if my waist is girded with the belt of gossip or rumors. What if I am wearing the breast plate of pettiness? Are my feet planted firmly with fear? Am I dragging around a shield of doubt? Do I wear a helmet of unbelief while I wave around a sword of man's counsel? Is my mind dull and wandering with thoughts of earthly things? If so, I will never be able to extinguish the flaming arrows of the evil one.

Perhaps we should return to our Flat Stanley flannel graph and flip our lesson. Begin with the soldier burdened with all his armor...and remove one piece at a time reminding children that we worship a HEAVENLY God. We are fighting in spiritual realms. We need to shed the heaviness of earthly armor to open our hearts and our minds to God. God wants his children to be armed with His Holiness...and that my friends lightens your load.



Ephesians 6:13-18 Therefore, put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requiest. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.

What are they saying behind your back?

There is a little section about Gideon that I don't want to overlook. God tells Gideon that He will deliver the Midianites into his hands...but God realizes Gideon is still in need of a bit of encouragement....so He tells Gideon to take his servant Phurah, head on down and check out what the Midianites are saying. Now listen to this...the Bible gives us such imagery. The Bible says the Midianites and the Amalekites lay along the valley like grasshoppers for the multitudes, their camels were without number, as the sand by the sea. In plain Texas talk...there's a bunch of 'em! Now Gideon and a few of his boys are sneaking around listening...and he hears a Midianite fellow telling his buddy about a bad dream he had...and the buddy explains to him he must have been dreaming about Gideon, the son of Joash...remember the Asher pole....it earned puny Gideon a big bad reputation! They are scared to death of him. They are having nightmares about HIM. This is all Gideon needed...just that little push of encouragement to get him going. He stood up a little taller, puffed his chest out, and without hesitation said...Let's go get 'em, boys! (Texas style...I can't help myself)

We must never doubt the power of our words for good or for bad. As a teacher I witness often how the turn of a phrase or a tone can break a spirit. Encouraging words and words of affirmation can be so powerful...and plant a seed in a heart. Have you ever been walking by and overhead a conversation about you...they had no idea you were listening? Don't you lean in to hear a little better....holding your breath hoping it will be good? What if you hear something fabulous? Maybe someone exaggerates your abilities. Doesn't it just make you want to be as fabulous as they believe you are? So inside you are grinning from ear to ear...you stand a little taller...maybe you walk away whistling or humming a tune. You try a little harder...you want to be all they believe you can be!

Let's promise each other that we will be cheerleaders for one another. We will strive to be encouragers...believing in each other...expecting the best. Youngsters yearn for it. Middle schoolers (that weird age) are desperate to feel appreciated and noticed. High schoolers are hungry for adulthood....hungering for someone to recognize their strengths, their talents, their gifts, their possibilities. Young parents need to hear they are doing a lot right. Exhausted parents of teens need an encouraging word coupled with a pat on the back or hug. The elderly just want someone to be acknowledge they existed and achieved....somebody to remember they weren't always so wrinkled and slow. So when someone hears me talking about them behind their back....they should walk away...a little taller...with a lighter step and a song in their heart. From my mouth...never should be heard a discouraging word! (It's that Texas thang...)

Never take a knife to a gun fight...well, unless you have GOD!

The Midianites were camel-riding marauders. They were desert dwelling bullies...they had been kicking sand in the face of the Israelites for a while. They were scary...and there was a bunch of 'em! God was there for His chosen people once again...when they cried out to Him. He picked his weakest man from the weakest tribe to face the enemy. So Gideon (after some convincing) gathered the troops...a whopping thirty-two thousand! God...who never does anything we expect...tells Gideon that is just too many!

Why? Because if they defeat the Midianites...they will get all puffed up thinking THEY were the ones that defeated this army. THEY are only going to be victorious because of GOD. So...Gideon announces if anyone trembles with fear...go home. Twenty-two thousand leave! Good grief...talk about jumping ship. Down to ten thousand men now...Gideon is probably feeling worried but...sort of ok. Then God says...this is still too many. Uh...what?

Don't you see, Gideon? I'm fighting this battle for you. I AM your secret weapon. I'm just including you so you won't feel left out. You have a dog in this fight so you need to be IN the fight WITH ME. You have been invited to hang out with ME...GOD! This whole battle scene that I am about to reveal to you is on MY terms. I AM! I created each hair on each head...on both sides. I flooded the earth. I parted the Red Sea. I placed the stars and the moon in the sky. Your whole fleece object lesson was laughable! I created the fleece, the dew, YOU! I'm about to demonstrate my power to my people one more time...it will be another story you can tell your children. SO, Gideon...I don't really need any men...or you. But...I want you by MY side as we go into this "battle".

After separating the men who lap with their tongues when they drink water from their hands...this army is whittled down to three hundred men. Gideon then passes out trumpets and empty jars with torches inside. Just after the guard changed...Gideon's army led by God...blew their trumpets. THEN they just sat back and simply watched as the army of Midian fell into panic and confusion...killing each other and falling back into a disorderly retreat. Not one man had to draw a sword to defeat the enemy. When God is your general and He is planning the strategy...well, it is down right amazing.


My battles are not so exciting. But I wonder why I try so hard to go to battle alone...when I have a mighty God that will defeat the enemy for me? Why do I wait to call on Him? Why am I surprised when He shows up in the most unexpected ways? God doesn't need me to fight battles for Him...or for me. He is the great 
I AM. It is a relief really. It gives me a great deal of 
peace to know that He is my defender, my protector, 
my Father...and I need not be afraid.

I'm hiding out, Lord. But...if you give me a sign...

I tend to be a hermit. Seriously... I love my home. It is not big but just right. It is warm and cozy. And because my job requires that I deal with lots of different people at all ages and stages...sometimes, I find myself running away, shutting the doors, and hiding out. I don't sin too much when I am alone...I hide from Satan and his temptations. You can't tempt me if I retreat to four walls. I can just be. In Gideon's story however, Gideon was hiding from the real life-threatening evils of the oppressive Midianites.  Gideon found a good hiding spot in the mountains where he could farm in secret and protect his family.

In Sara Young's Jesus is Calling she reminds us that our desire to lead a risk free life is a form of disbelief. Ouch! In order to follow God wholeheartedly one must relinquish the tendency to play it safe. Ouch...again! Gideon was very comfortable in his safe little hiding place on the mountain...threshing his wheat and feeding his family. He was not sinning...in fact, God was using that quiet mountain time to prepare him for battle. Threshing wheat gives a fellow lots of time to think...and ponder...some serious time with God.

When God does appear to Gideon...he challenges God to give him proof. This is pretty bold of Gideon...but I totally get it.  "Now...who are you and what did you say you wanted ME to do? Well...how about a sign? Just so I am totally sure it is YOU that is asking ME. Just want to make sure you have the right address..."

God must sigh. But...the fleece thing is no big deal for God. Really, I'm surprised Gideon couldn't come up with something better than the whole wet fleece, dry ground thing. God responds...but just to make totally sure Gideon asks Him to flip it...ok...this time how about dry fleece, wet ground? God sighs (my insert) and just for Gideon's reassurance He responds one more time. Demanding the extra signs was a form of unbelief. Fear just needing more confirmation. Don't you think Gideon really knew?

Don't we sometimes really know when God is prodding us? But yet we hesitate. We retreat. We go hide in our house. We ask for some visible sign to give us the push we need. He must sigh...and whisper...."Go to my words that I have revealed to you. Over and over through many stories in the Old and New Testaments and the many verses of encouragement I have revealed My love, My desires, My sacrifice, My personality....Me. My Words are calling to you...read them, say them...live by them and be at peace."

"Be still, and KNOW that I AM GOD; 

I will be exalted among the nations, 

I will be exalted in the earth."

  Psalm 46:10

"I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;

I will counsel you and watch over you." 

Psalm 32:8

Clark Kent becomes SUPERMAN!

God loves an underdog...it's when He does His best work! In chapter six we see a timid, fearful Gideon. God asks him to take down the idol of Baal and to cut down the Asherah pole beside it. Gideon rounds up ten buddies...and because he is afraid they sneak around at night to do the deed. Word spreads it was Gideon and his bunch that destroyed Baal.  An angry mob wants him killed...but his fast thinking dad, Joash, challenges the men...in a mocking tone..."If your Baal is so great...let him do his own fighting!" And...guess what...nothing happens. No surprise...stone statues don't do much. But what did happen is Gideon's reputation changes...his name becomes Jerub-Baal...meaning Baal Fighter!

Fearful Gideon

Don't you just love it? Can't you just see it? Folks whispering..."Look, it's Baal Fighter!" Clark Kent takes off his glasses...sweeps his cap around his shoulders and takes on all the bad guys. It is a common theme of many tales...the weak become strong. Whimpy guy takes on the bully...whimpy guy through a series of fortunate events wins. In the Word...over and over we see men of God transformed...when that happens God assigns them a new name. The Gideon of chapter six is not the Gideon of chapter seven. He has changed. With God he has become courageous. He walks a little taller...he speaks with a new boldness. He is not the same person. Crisis changes us.

Let me say it again...just in case you missed it! Crisis changes us...forever.  It is designed by God to change us. The valley we walk through...changes our perspective. The sports world coined the phrase "no pain, no gain"...reminding us that building mental and physical strength comes through hard work and effort...stretching our capabilities and muscles. It is painful. With each growth spurt as a Christian....you can guarantee it's beginning is rooted in human crisis. Often through devastating events we find our passion, our calling or our place to serve. When we are weak...we find we are walking closest to God. While clinging to Him...He leads us where He wants us to go. He renames us. He whispers...you are not you...you are now new...who I always knew you could be.

I wonder what God would rename me after a crisis? I wonder...maybe I might be Defender of Little Ones....or Seeker of Truth....Fighter for Family....I want my new transformed name to be one of strength and boldness for my King! I pray I would live with passion and renewed commitment to my God.

Gideon...Jerub-baal
Baal Fighter! 

When I am weak...He is strong!

The three chapters in Judges about Gideon are so full of good stuff it is hard to even know where to begin. God loves surprises! I wonder if He gets a twinkle in His eye right before He exhibits His glory to His children. When Sara laughed...I imagine God chuckled too. She doubted...but He knew that only when a barren belly bore a babe that the world would have no doubt that God's power provided renewed health, energy, and youth for a 90 plus woman to become a new mom. Then there is the time He plucked a young boy from a herd of sheep to face a nine foot giant...with a sling shot! Over and over God uses the weak to display His strength. It is as if He smiles and says...."Stand back...give me some room...now watch this!" Do you doubt who is in control?

As we read Judges 6 we find the Israelites have fallen (again!) They completely turned away from God...so for seven years the Lord allowed them to fall into the hands of the Midianites. The Midianites were powerful and oppressive! They ravaged the Israelites. Once again when in trouble...the Israelites call out to God for help. He was always there...just waiting to be asked. No crisis is ever powerful enough to place you out of the hands of God!

Who did God tap out to lead this rebellious bunch...insecure, timid, small in stature...and fearful Gideon. And do you know how God approached him? He appeared as an angel and said, "The Lord is with you, mighty warrior." God called Gideon a mighty warrior! He wasn't...not yet! God loves to make the impossible possible...and the improbable probable. God always sees the heart of his children...he pays no attention to all that other stuff. God is always more interested in changing our hearts instead of our circumstances. He is not interested in our size, our age, our features, our handicaps...He sees what we do not see...because He knows HIS plan for our lives. Doesn't that just give you chills?

I wonder what God sees in me that I don't see? The word tells us that when we get to heaven we won't need our earthly bodies. They are just a shell for our spirit. Yet the word also tells us that when we get to heaven we will recognize each other. Do you suppose it will be because we will recognized by our hearts...the heart that God always sees? I wonder what phrase God would use to call me? I pray that in all circumstances my ears will be open to hear and my eyes will be open to see God's plan for me...because I know that I am weak and puny...but HE is strong.

Hmmmm...What's so special about Gideon?

Hebrews chapter 11 is often referred to as the Who's Who of the Faithful. It is really a listing of some of the super faith-fillled servants in the Bible. Out of all sixty-six books in the Bible...including the twelve chapters in the book of Judges there are just three chapters about Gideon. Yet...there he is listed in the incredible list of saints in the New Testament. These guys and gals are the super stars of the Bible stories....Noah, Abraham, Jacob...Moses, David. There embedded in this remarkable list is Gideon.

Now Gideon means mighty warrior or feller of trees. So right away you imagine this massive strength of a man chopping down forests of trees....kind of the Paul Bunyan during Bible times. But it seems that his parents were wishful thinking when they named him. He never physically grew into his name. Scripture tells us he was part of the weakest tribe...and he was the weakest in the weakest tribe. So our Gideon is no mighty warrior by our worldly definition...and therein lies the surprise. God LOVES surprises!

God loves nothing more than to use the smallest of small, the weakest of weak, the most interesting moments or unlikely individuals. I wonder if He chuckles to himself before He exhibits the spectacular.  He reminds us that HE is God...and we are not. Gideon will be a mighty warrior and a feller of trees...but not how you and I envision it. It will be all God's doing. Just you wait and see....

Gideon's story is our story. 

When we are weak...He is strong.

Nehemiah...you have inspired me!

Nehemiah has inspired me! I didn't know too much about him...but now I am a fan! He could be the model for a handbook on "How to be a Leader". I am paraphrasing a commentary I found in
one of my Bibles that sums it up perfectly. Take a look...





* Have a clear purpose and keep evaluating it in light of God's will. Nothing prevented Nehemiah from staying on track.

* Be straightforward and honest! He spoke the truth...even when it wasn't easy. Nobody wondered about where Nehemiah stood.

* Live above reproach. Rumors were laughable...accusations meant nothing...because Nehemiah's life was a clean as a whistle! And everybody knew it.

* Be in constant prayer. He prayed for guidance. He prayed for protection. He prayed with joy and thankfulness. There were prayers of confession and repentance. He prayed admitting his helplessness without God's power. Nehemiah prayed!

Nehemiah was able to accomplish a huge task against incredible odds because he learned that there is no success without risk of failure, no reward without hard work, no opportunity without criticism, and no true leadership without trust in God.

This book is about rebuilding the wall of a great city, but it is also about spiritual renewal, rebuilding a people's dependence on God. When we take our eyes off God, our lives begin to crumble.

Did you soak it in...that last line?

When we take our eyes off God, our lives begin to crumble. 

I was committed...then just kinda...then not at all...

Don't you just love January 1st? I really do. I like to renew. I like to start over. I like that clean slate feeling...a fresh start. It is January 10th that causes me to sigh.

Perhaps you have been to a youth rally? Or a spiritual retreat? You know those "I'm gonna get right with God" moments. You have been in a secluded place with no outside interference...no worldly worries. You have immersed your heart in prayer, song, and spiritual conversations until past midnight. You head home motivated with a full heart of good intentions. The next morning at work you were convinced you must glow with His love...and you did..until the phones started ringing, the emails filled up, the world crept in and shut Him out. Before long...the busy-ness of life has pushed Him away.

When we read Nehemiah...we see just that scenario. In chapter 12 the people are praying, singing praises, and rededicating their lives to the law. In chapter 13...oops! What scripture doesn't tell us is the time frame between chapter 12 and 13. But...let me fill you in. Nehemiah has a job and a boss. After celebrating and cheering with the people...he heads home....gotta get back to work.  He stays there about twelve years before returning. When he returns...oh my! He is beside himself with frustration! Over time the people have gone right back to living just like they were before. Now when you read it...you just want to slap your head and say,"Seriously!" Chapter 13 is about Nehemiah putting their houses back in order (literally)...he even snatched a few men bald! It's true...read it for yourself! Chapter 13 verse 25...good stuff.

Twelve years is almost an entire lost generation. One single generation of compromise can undo the work of centuries. And remember the real purpose for this chosen few...these folks will be the kinfolk for who? That's right...God is using Nehemiah to prepare the lineage for His own Son through this chosen bunch. Gotta get these knuckleheads on the right track...

While I shake my head in wonder as I read this story...I ponder... if I can't keep a New Year's resolution for a month...what makes me think I am so very different. Why do I fall so far so fast after a weekend retreat? Perhaps we must learn to gage our spiritual walks day by day...not by highs or lows. We have to keep steady the course. This is no sprint...this is a long distance race. It is minute by minute, moment by moment, month by month...and sometimes we even might need a Nehemiah in our lives to snatch us bald!

Thank you, Father, for hanging in there with us...even when we forget to hang out with You!

My Praying Heart

Recently a sweet struggling friend of mine posted on Facebook..."I am broken." Her words broke my heart resulting in a tender tug of compassion. I am aware of her struggle...and even though the words 'praying for you' are big...somehow the words felt small and hollow. Another precious friend is battling cancer. We gathered to pray with her one night...while we were pulled together knee to knee in a tight circle...she asked the question..."when you say you will pray for me...do you really?" Ouch! I kind of do....I say a quick dart prayer...but her words caused me to ponder. Do I weep for the hurting? I weep when I am hurting...or one of my children is hurting...but does my heart break for the broken? Does my heart break for the lost? Are my prayers from my heart?

Nehemiah is my new hero. He was a pray-er! When he hears about the brokenness of his people...the scripture says, "I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heavens".   With every single challenge Nehemiah faced...scripture says he prayed and fasted. Through the power of prayer and a compassionate heart God takes a cup bearer and raises up a confident, courageous leader for His people. God always taps out somebody that has a relationship with Him...someone that relies on Him to make the impossible possible.

Nehemiah was leading the rebuilding of the wall. God was rebuilding the hearts of His chosen people. They had forgotten who they were. God called Ezra to read the scripture to the people. They listened attentively to the reading of the law from daybreak until noon. (Whew!) To their credit...their ears were open to hear God's law...their hearts were filled with joy...but also broken with repentance. They were sorry for the sins of their forefathers...sorry for their sins...they wept...they wanted to change and become the people they were chosen to be!

Prayer...praying from the heart. Praying from a broken heart...a rejoicing heart...a repentant heart...a wounded heart...If God can take a praying cup bearer and raise up a bold architect of walls...then maybe He can do something with an old school teacher on her knees praying from her heart for the hurting.

Thank you, Father, from the bottom on my broken heart for allowing small me to talk to big You.

I wonder...what is my place on the wall?

God pricked Nehemiah's heart. He listened. He responded. He was as clear as a bell about his mission for his God. Then in chapters four and six...Nehemiah meets resistance. Satan hates it when one of God's children gets that serving nudge. He just can't stand it! So...he just starts messing with them.

Here is my struggle. What is God's plan for me? Where is He nudging me? And...am I listening? Do I hear? Am I willing to respond? If I do respond...and there is resistance...do I quit? I know for certain I often say to myself..."well, God shut that door." Clearly He has another plan for me (an easier one that requires no sacrifice on my part). I am guilty. When the going gets too tough...I get going. If I am totally honest with myself I justify my actions...or non-actions...by saying surely this was not God's will. 

Nehemiah and the people's resilience is fascinating. They were ridiculed and insulted. Yet they continued to work with all their heart. I don't know about you but I really don't like it when someone makes fun of me. When ridicule didn't work they hurled threats...basically, 'we are gonna beat you up!' The Israelites responded by posting guards. Next there were death threats. Now...this is pretty much where I would have bailed. But instead the people came up with a plan to protect themselves while working. Half would work while the other half would be posted as guards with swords. They worked wearing heavy armor prepared to fight. They didn't break for baths or changing clothes. Later their enemies tried spreading rumors. Isn't that interesting that rumor spreading was the ultimate threat? I suppose their thinking was if we can't physically kill you...then we will kill you with words...ruin your reputation. Then you will wish you were dead.

Don't you wonder why God just didn't make it easy for them. He could have. He has the power! But there He goes again...turning a curse into a blessing. He takes a broken disgraceful wall...and uses it to build character. He is teaching them much more that architecture...He takes our rubble and redeems and restores. 

All the while Nehemiah stayed focused on the goal. He was clear he was an instrument of God on a  mission. Satan would not have his way...not this time. With God's guidance he would lead the people to restoration...not just of a wall...but of their very souls. I wonder...have I answered the call to the wall? Will God use me for His purpose? If I don't respond...His will will be done...with or without me. I want to go...I want to respond...but will it hurt? What will I have to give up? Who will I have to give up? I wonder if I pick a stone will I add it to the wall...or just toss it to the ground and walk away? I wonder....

Government Shut Down? Not a Chance!

When reading Nehemiah chapter five...I couldn't help but think about the current situation of our own government. Today we have two parties in a stalemate, with their feet planted firmly in a face off waiting for the other to blink. We sure do need to send a Nehemiah to Washington!

Nehemiah listened to the people. They were full of complaints about their very own leaders. It seems the guys (their own countrymen) in charge were fleecing the regular fellow a pretty penny for grain and taxes. They had left slavery to become enslaved in just a different way by their own folks! When Nehemiah heard about all the injustices taking place he called a big meeting and he just told it like it was...and it wasn't pretty. The scriptures say..."They kept quiet because they had nothing to say." They had no defense for their behavior. Shame, shame, I know your name! My daddy would say Nehemiah cleaned their plow! Now the really great thing is...they recognized their sin and repented. Then they changed their ways. End of story....well, no... it gets even better. The people appointed Nehemiah governor...a nice little paid position.

Nehemiah could have just patted them on the back and given them a thumbs up with a thank you very much. But instead he worked along side of the people. He didn't take any money. He didn't try to acquire land. He led by serving. He led by being one of them. When they sweat he sweat too. When they were hungry his stomach growled.

Isn't that what Jesus did for us? He became one of us. He walked our walk. He hurt like we hurt. He was tempted like we are tempted. It was only then that He could FEEL what we feel. He didn't have to...but He knew it was the best way to relate and identify with His children. He had to know what it was really like to live a human life and suffer a human death. So when I am on my knees pouring out my grief, my fears, my joys...I know He knows. When I sigh...he gets it. When I am tired after a really long day...He understands. What joy to have such a Savior...and friend!

Washington...are you listening? Hmmm, would it be possible for you to keep quiet and have nothing to say? Maybe if you took a page out of Nehemiah (chapter 5 to be exact) and served the people...rolled up your sleeves and worked along side your people without benefits to yourselves...there is no telling what might happen! Nehemiah knew about servant leadership. Our Jesus, our Savior knew the power of a King stepping off a heavenly throne to live an earth bound life...and He did it just for you and for me.