Lying Lips

“The man who says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him.”  1 John 2:4

Are you a liar?  Hmmm…..

Do you claim to know Christ, but yet you fail to do what He tells us to do?  Well, do you?

If we inspect our lives, we can always find times and ways in which we fall short of God’s commands.  Let’s face it, we’re part of a sinful, fallen world.  Some of those times and ways are more obvious than others.  I know that there are plenty of ways that I fall short.  And God knows that.  So what does God do about our failures?  He gives us a way to be forgiven – through repentance.  Through the truth.  Through Christ.  That requires that we see those sinful things as sin, though.  And that we really do want to be closer to God, and that we really do want to be close to Him, and be His child.

But what if we claim to be a child of God, one of Christ’s redeemed, but yet we fail to obey God, and continue to insist that our own way is better than God’s way?  What if we engage in sin and celebrate that sin rather than repent from it, because, after all, we “know better” or are more “tolerant” than what the Bible teaches?  That sounds like a very harsh thing to say, but we know that some do take that path.  When we thumb our nose at God, despite having paid lip service to being “saved”, we demonstrate to God that we never really accepted the gift of salvation.  We see ourselves as smarter than God, more in tune with the world than God, and yes, better than God.  We’ve seen all too often those who claim Christ because it is a way for them to gain favor with others who value their faith, but who, in the end, never put that claim into practice in their lives.  Perhaps it’s a family member who wants to make someone happy, or to at least get someone off of their back.  Perhaps it’s  a pastor who once thought they felt God’s call on their life, but who never really wanted anything more than to have others look up to them, or to be like them, or to just make money, or to “get away” with bad behaviors because claiming Christ would cause others to trust them – and they lead their flock away from God’s truth as they perpetrate their own sins.  Perhaps it is a politician who claims that they know Christ, but who knows that such claim is blatantly false, and does everything that they can to promote the very things that are evil in God’s sight – like abortion, gay marriage, stealing inheritances, and persecuting Christians – so that they can hold on to their own power.

We must be vigilant and keep our eyes open for these wolves in sheep’s clothing.  We must guard our hearts and minds from these liars, and stay steeped in God’s word so that we don’t go down that same path of destruction.

Lord, we thank you for your word that tells us so plainly what you expect from us, and what is important to you.  Thank you for reminding us that we can’t just pay lip service to loving you, and that we demonstrate the true content of our hearts by and through our actions.  Be with each of us, Lord, every day, to guide us in our walk with you, so that we don’t stumble and fall away from you.  Turn the hearts of liars, so that they may know your truth and seek repentance for their sins.  Lord, bless us and give us wisdom, and strengthen us as we go out into the world today and every day.  Help us to recognize and avoid the lying lips around us, and help us to boldly speak your truth and to stand for that truth.  Thank you, Lord, your blessing and truth.  In Jesus’ name we pray.  Amen.

Copyright ConnieD.  2012.  All rights reserved.

Those Lazy Days of Summer

” Lazy hands make a man poor, but diligent hands bring wealth.”  Proverbs 10:4

Don’t you just love lounging around in the summertime?  I do.  I enjoy laying in my hammock, watching the puffy clouds float by.  I love closing my eyes and feeling the breeze blow over me, listening to the sounds of the leaves rustling on the trees.  Could I enjoy doing those things all day, every day?  Well, catch me in the right mood, and I would tell you that I would.  But let’s face it, aside from getting bored after a while, I know that there are lots of things in life that need to be done before I can truly enjoy that kind of relaxation.  I enjoy relaxing AFTER I’ve done the work that is important to do on any given day.  Solomon knew this.  In Proverbs, Solomon tells us over and over that hard work and diligence produces wealth and abundance, but that excessive sleep and laziness lead to poverty and disgrace.  And Solomon’s words apply to the tangible world and the spiritual world, now and forever.

Really?  Does this mean I have to work for my salvation?

NO!  Not at all!

What it does mean is that we should work to have a vibrant faith so that we can reap the joy of that faith, even when we go through trials, even when life isn’t all hunky dory.  Hard work in this life doesn’t mean that you’ll never go through a trial, or face loss, or that you’ll always have perfect physical health or abundance.  But if you do work hard, you’ll be able to enjoy more of the fruits of that labor that if you just sat around doing nothing.   Well, the same goes for the “work” we invest in our spiritual life.  If we want to enjoy the maximum benefits from our saving faith in God, through Jesus, we are told to draw near to God, and that by doing that, He will draw near to us.  I’ve learned this principle during some of the greatest challenges I’ve ever faced in life, and in many of the day-to-day problems and annoyances that I’ve dealt with along the way.  When my husband went through cancer, I spent time in God’s word, reading his promises and abilities.  I prayed.  And it was hard work, because my head was continually trying to go down a really dark path.  But God comforted me.  He gave me hope.  He reminded me that He is bigger than cancer, bigger than fear, bigger than the here and now.  When I feel afraid about unemployment and lack I pray, and God pulls me into him and puts his loving arms around me, protecting me and caring for me.  He catches my tears, and opens my heart to His peace.  All of those things take work – doing things that you don’t “want” to do at the time, because it’s easier to focus on the darkest things that are the furthest from God.  But when we do the “work” we reap the benefit of God’s blessings, especially in hard places.

So take the time to do your work.  Don’t be lazy, and you will know the wealth and riches of God.

Dear Lord, we thank you for the great promises of sharing your riches in glory with us.  It is so easy to forgo the “work” of knowing you, drawing near to you, and keeping our faith in You, and in your promises.  Father, we ask you for strength – strength to reject the dark path, strength to hold fast to your word, and strength to walk in your ways.  Help us to deny our lazy nature so that we can grow in You.  Bless us with renewal when we do draw near to you.  Be with us always, and hold us up when life leaves us feeling so down.  Thank you for hearing our prayer.  In Jesus’ name I pray.  Amen.

Copyright ConnieD. 2012.  All rights reserved.

A Double-Minded Man

” I hate double-minded men, but I love your law. ”   Psalm 119:113

and

“For evil men will be cut off, but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land.”  Psalm 37:9

and

“When the righteous thrive, the people rejoice; when the wicked rule, the people groan.”  Psalm 29:2

I ordinarily don’t like to talk about current events when I write – I prefer not to get distracted by this world’s insanity, as I prefer to just focus on the eternal truths of God’s word, and the love of Christ.  It makes me feel better, and hopefully it helps you, my beloved reader, to feel better too.  After all, bringing that kind of inspiration to you is why I love doing this.

But today is a little different.  Sometimes things happen in the world that smack us in the head, telling us and showing us that we need to wake up.  These are screaming examples of exactly what God is telling us throughout His word.  So what exactly happened?  Well, we saw an example of how a single “double-minded” man has the ability to destroy good, and promote evil.  Last week the United States Supreme Court issued a decision on obamacare, and one man, one double-minded man – Chief Justice John Roberts – decided that he alone would impose on the nation a law that stripped us of our freedoms, that uses the fruit of our labor to corporately choose death over life through things like funding  the of murder unborn children and the effective abandonment of those who are old or infirmed, and that mandates that we effectively abandon our faith or be punished.  And Chief Justice Roberts heralded the cause of four other Justices, who have long track records of pro-death, anti-Christian sentiments.  And sadly, these few justices echo the desires of an entire group of people in government and society who also desire and strive for these wicked outcomes.

I was utterly stunned by this decision, but I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that such outright evil is taking control of this nation, and this world.

So what do we do?  What do we say?

We tell the truth.  The whole truth.  And nothing but the truth.  And not just “the truth” – but God’s Truth.

So that takes us back to the Psalms.  David’s words – God’s words through David – are so appropriate and comforting in days like these.  David wrote of the difference between God’s law, which is given to us in love and mercy and eternal Truth, and the imposition of arbitrary, self-motivated rules of “double-minded” men.  Isn’t that what we see today?  Double-minded men?  The Truth – these are people who are supposed to offer us justice, equity, and yes, righteousness, but who in fact are more in love with their positions, power and themselves.  The Truth -these are people who claim to have a superior moral core but who give in to the evil forces and temptation of this world.  These are the people who are willing to sell their souls for temporary gains of the world system.  The Truth – they are willing to fabricate their own reality to essentially become legends in their own minds.  And let me be clear – God “hates” those people.  THAT is God’s TRUTH.  God tells us that these people will be “cut off”.  And God tells us that there is a bright future for those who hope in Him.  In the middle of these dark days, we have to remember God’s promise to us.

I would encourage you to read all of Psalm 37 – God gives us some amazing promises there, and some dire warnings to the wicked.  In Psalm 37:13 God tells us that He laughs at the wicked, for He knows their day is coming.  Yes, you heard that right – he “laughs”.  He sees their evil ways, and He allows them to follow the path of wickedness all the way to their own eternal demise.  He doesn’t reach out, begging them to see the error of their ways.  He doesn’t stop them in their tracks and tell them that He’ll gently help them to see the light.  Nope.  He LAUGHS at them!  He turns them over to themselves and to the evil one.  Some of you may think it’s terrible for me to take comfort in this, but I do.  Why?  Because God wants us to know that the wickedness of this world will not go unpunished in eternity.  And He tells us this so that we might know about His justice, and His love, and His faithfulness.  God tells us this so that we won’t worry, and so that we will continue to put our trust in Him – not this world.

I ask you to remember that we are in this world, but we are not to be of this world.  And through it all, through the wickedness of this world, keep your eyes on the Prize – our eternal future with our Heavenly Father through Jesus Christ.  Never retreat from standing up and speaking up for God’s Truth.  Hope in the Lord, and YOU will inherit the land.

Lord, we thank you for reminding us of your eternal love, and your eternal justice.  Thank you for your promises to bless your servants, despite the evil forces in this world.  Heavenly Father, I ask for your wisdom and guidance as we work to continue to stand for You, and speak up for You.  Bless us so that we don’t lose heart in these evil days.  Hold us up and protect us in your loving arms – when we are tired, when we lose hope and when we struggle to find faith.  Hear our prayers, Lord, and please show us reminders of the hope we have in You.  In Jesus’ name we pray these things.  Amen.

Copyright ConnieD.  2012.  All rights reserved.

 

 

Don’t Look Back

” But Lot’s wife looked back, and she became a pillar of salt.”  Genesis 19:26

If you ever feel like this world is getting more depraved, more unrighteous, and more evil every day, then you know how Lot felt when he was living in Sodom.  So how did Lot get to Sodom in the first place?  Well, he did what many of us do – he looked at the economic opportunities that he believed were available to him and his herdsmen, and decided that moving to Sodom would be both a good business decision and a good personal decision.  Ok, I can understand that.  But what do you do when you realize that the place that you thought had so much hope turns out to be driven by and filled with bad and evil things?

When God gives you the opportunity to leave, you leave.  And you don’t look back.

Lot’s wife drove that point home.  Don’t look back.  You know – that whole pillar of salt thing.  It’s easy to look back at the things we left behind, and be completely unable to move forward in life because of those longings for the good old, bad old days.  And don’t think that Lot’s wife was the only one who did that, either.  What do you think was at the heart of that never-ending trip that the Israelites took – wandering through the desert for 40 years.  Rather than keeping their eyes on the Promised Land ahead of them, they kept whining about everything they left back in Egypt.  Nevermind the fact that they were slaves there.  When I think about all of those desert years I just want to yell at the Israelites through the pages – wake up!  look forward!  DON’T LOOK BACK!

Am I being too critical of these folks?  No.  No, because I’ve learned that I’ve been guilty of exactly the same thing!  What about you?

So why do we even look back?  Because sometimes we don’t know – and I mean really “know” – in our hearts that God has something better for in store for us.  Our fear of the future gives us pause, and we look back – hoping we made the right decision, wishing we had some of the security that we’ve left behind, missing the “freedom” to behave any way we want…you get the picture.

But the bottom line is that if we put our fears away, and put our faith in God, and his amazing goodness and love for us, we can move forward in life with our heads held high, and our eyes set on the future.  God wants us to trust Him, and yes, that can be scary, but when we hold His hand and walk with Him in faith, we never know what wonderful things are waiting for us in our own Promised Land.

Lord, thank you for giving us such hard-hitting examples of what happens when we fail to trust in your goodness.  Forgive me for my own lack of faith.  Lord, help me to keep my eye on the promised land that you have for me, and help me to not be distracted by the things I’ve left behind.  Help me to remember that the things that are behind me are behind me for a reason.  Grant me the wisdom to look forward, and look up, and know in my heart that you are still God, and that you work everything together for my good and your gl0ry.  Thank you for loving me, even when I’m undeserving of that love.  I praise you, Lord, and pray to you in Jesus name.  Amen.

Copyright ConnieD. 2012.  All rights reserved.

Grafted In

” Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.  I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. ”  John 15:4-5

Have you ever been to a vineyard?  Have you ever seen how wine grapes are planted and grown?  It’s actually very interesting, and it has our Father’s hands all over it.

This past weekend my husband and I went to a local vineyard and actually got to participate in planting grapevines.  What we learned set bells off in my head about just what Jesus talked about in John’s gospel.  We learned that to grow a great grape, and end up with abundant, high-quality wine, you have to have a great vine.   Did you know that the finest wines are made from grapes that are grown on branches that are grafted into a hearty vine.   The vines that are the best are ones whose roots grow very deep, even through the most difficult soil, and they have a very special resistance to disease and decay that other vines just don’t have.  These special vines are also willing to receive into them the graft of delicate branches of special kinds of grapes that are perfect for making high quality wines.  The vine actually protects the branches from the diseases and decay that might otherwise harm the branches and the grapes that grow from them.

Does this sound familiar to you?

We are very much like those delicate branches.  We are easily blown around by the winds of society, easily parched by the oppressive heat of our trials in the fire, easily drowned by the flooding torrents of the rain of tears and emotions, and easily brought low by the disease and decay of sin.  But as weak vines we have the hope of restoration, growth and bearing fruit when we allow ourselves to be grafted in to the vine of Christ.  Christ’s roots in the Godhead are deep and strong in even the most difficult soil.  The hope we find in Christ allows us to be refined in the fire of our trials.  The peace we find in Christ gives us calm in the storms and waves the emotions that we experience in life.  Christ’s sacrifice – His love and mercy – His salvation – allows us to break free from the disease and decay, and death, of sin.

And how do we become grafted in to Christ?  The answer is just like it is in the vineyard.  We must be willing to be cut away from our old roots, and allow our own wounds to be bound together with the wounds that Christ received on the cross.  When we hold tight to the sacrificial love of Christ we are joined with Him, and we become strong through Him when we become one with Him.

So if you want to bear good fruit, know that today is a new opportunity to be grafted into the Vine.

Heavenly Father, thank you for showing us your truth in the world around us.  Thank you for giving us examples of your Word in the things that we see every day.  Thank you for the opportunity to be grafted in to your deep, strong roots.  And we know that sometimes being cut away from our old roots can be painful, so help us to look beyond the pain and look forward to our new life in Christ.  Bless us and teach us to bear good fruit.  Help us to remain faithful, and to abide in you when life tosses us around, when trials are long, and when emotions run high.  Thank you for your love, and for caring so much for us.  In Jesus’ name I pray.  Amen.

Copyright ConnieD. 2012.  All rights reserved.

Contented cows

“Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”  Hebrews 13:5

Have you ever watched dairy cows grazing in a field?  Just picture it – a sunny day, buttercups dotting the green fields, a blue sky with just a few white clouds….ah….yes…how serene.  And the cows, well, they mosey around, eating whatever they’d like – not a care in the world.  In that moment, wouldn’t you just love to know what it’s like to live in a world that is just like that field?  Oh, I would.  To be content, just appreciating the blessings right in front of me.  Enjoying the provisions of today, and not giving even the slightest thought of what tomorrow may or may not bring.

If I truly listen to God’s word, and put it into practice, I can indeed experience that kind of contentment.  It’s true.

But for you and me, contentment sometimes takes work.

What?!

Yes, work.

Look out your window, and try to clear you mind of all the angst you’ve got floating around in that noggin.  Not that easy, huh.  I regularly walk around, and even lay in bed at night, with steam coming out of my ears from all of the worries I have buzzing around in there.  When you look out that window, what do you see?  Do you see a bird?  You know – like the sparrow that Jesus told us about, and how much more we are loved than even that sparrow.  Do you see flowers?  Like the lilies that Jesus said don’t labor or spin to get their beautiful “clothes”.  Is it raining?  Like the rain that produces crops, like God’s word tells us.  Can you recognize the things in God’s creation that are evidence of his love for us?  Can you enjoy those things, even if only for a moment?  And when you allow yourself to actually breathe, and take in that beauty, sit back and try to truly appreciate those things.  Be content in those things.  Tell God about it.  Ask Him to let you see other things in your world through those same appreciative, contented eyes.  Ask Him to let you learn to see His handiwork in even your greatest challenges.  You’ll be amazed at what a little contentment can do.

Lord, forgive me for taking so many things in your creation and in my own little world for granted.  Thank you for blessing me with things I’ve never even appreciated.  Thank you for telling me over and over that you’ll never leave me or forsake me…because I need you always, and especially now.  Bless me with your peace, so that I can cast all worry about of my mind, and so that I can learn to be content, and in the moment.  I ask for your blessings in my life and the lives of those who love you – grant them, and me, the desires of our hearts.  In Jesus’ name I pray.  Amen.

Copyright ConnieD. 2012.  All rights reserved.

Lift up your head

” But you are a shield around me, O LORD; you bestow glory on me and lift up my head. ”  Psalm 3:3

David wrote these words when his own son, Absalom, was going after him.  Can you imagine that?  A son, a family member, someone closer than anyone – going after you.  Hating you.  Putting you in fear for your life.  And Absalom wasn’t doing this by himself, mind you – which would be bad enough – but he rounded up “thousands” to help him.  That is hate.  It would have been bad enough if it was a stranger, or a known enemy.  But this was David’s own son.  David’s experience is proof positive that some of our greatest hurts, our biggest disappointments, and our strongest fears, can often be inflicted by those closest to us – our spouses, our family members, or employees, our bosses, or others that we love, trust or rely upon.

But David didn’t shrivel up, as much as he may have wanted to.  He didn’t abandon his faith, as hard as it may have been to find.  He didn’t let fear determine what he would do, as easy as that would have been.  David praised God, as hard as that was to do, when his back was up against the wall.  He spoke, out loud, that God was “his shield” around him. And not just that.  David said that not only was God his protector, but that God was bestowing glory on him.  Yes, you heard that right – David saw that in the middle of the horrible times he was going through that God was, nonetheless, giving him glory.  To be able to recognize God’s grace and glory in your life, during the worst times, is so hard sometimes.  How on earth did David do it?  In short, David recognized that every day, every moment, that God enabled him to live and to fight on, was a new opportunity, and demonstration of God’s faithfulness and sustenance.

Wow.  I need to get my head going in that direction.  Oh, and what direction is that?  UP!  When we acknowledge God’s grace, protection and grace, in our worst circumstances we have no choice but to lift our head to the heavens, and praise Him who sustains us.

Lord, thank you for letting us know that we are not alone in our struggles.  Thank you for being faithful when it seems that this world is against us.  Thank you for sustaining us when others fail us.  Thank you for being our provider.  Thank you for giving us hope and glory, in the middle of our trials.  Thank you for lifting up my head when I am low.  Bless me Lord, even when I know I don’t deserve it, because Christ died for my sins and my failings.  I pray that you deliver me from my trials, and let me know joy again.  I pray that you show your love to those who put their trust in you.  In Jesus’ name I pray.  Amen.

Copyright ConnieD. 2012.  All rights reserved.

 

From little seeds

“Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior.   Habakkuk 3:17-18

Spring is a time of sowing and planting.  It is a time when we can sense new life all around us, and we have an expectancy that the things we sow and plant will one day yield a harvest.  When we put a seed in the ground, we cover it up, water it, and try to create an environment that will help that little seed begin to sprout.  If you’re like me, you go back day after day to look and see if there is a little sprout popping through the top of the soil.  And when we don’t see anything for a while we don’t get upset – we know that seeing evidence that the seed is growing takes a while.  We don’t plant a seed and start wringing our hands an hour later because we don’t have tomatoes that are ripe and ready to pick.  We usually feel excited knowing that we’ve planted a seed, and one day soon, we’ll begin to see a sprout – and that after months of care we’ll eventually have a harvest.

So what about the other kinds of seeds we sow in life.  Do we have that same kind of joyful anticipation about those?   Speaking for myself, no – not always.  Oh, I’d like to think that I sow at least a few good seeds in my life.  But I have this “thing” about wanting to see an immediate harvest.  I’m totally guilty of impatience, faithlessness, fear, worry and all of those other not-so-attractive things.  I think that by watering the seeds I’ve sown with my tears that they’re going to sprout faster.  But they don’t.  I think that by blowing hot air over the seeds that they’ll sprout – you know, like when I angrily tell God that I’d better see some sprout-action, “or else”.  But they don’t.  I think that by stomping the ground all around the seeds will make my own little seeds sprout.  But they don’t sprout then either.

So finally, when I’ve cried myself out, and yelled myself out, and stomped myself out, I just sit there, in my own silence.  And God does indeed let me sit.  And sit.  And when my protracted tantrum is over, then I can start to breathe again.  It’s only then that I can utter a few barely audible words to God.  Usually something like “I”m sorry…so sorry”.  And in my heart I know He hears me.  I think that’s the kind of sprouting God wants in all of us.  He wants the sprouting that comes from HIS seed.  He wants the sprout of my humility.  He wants the sprout of my needing Him, and knowing I need Him.  He wants the sprout of my praise.  And only then can he start to work on my seeds.  In His time.  In His perfect time.

Lord, thank you for showing me the futility of my own efforts, and the realization that without You I’m nothing.  Thank you for reminding me, gently, that YOU are responsible for any good harvest in our lives.  Forgive me for the bad behavior I have – toward you and toward others.  Forgive me for my impatience and utter lack of faith.  Bless me, even thought I don’t deserve it.  Through Christ you saved me from the enemy – and I ask you to save me from myself – from doing the things and being the kind of person that aren’t going to move me forward.  The kinds of things that keep distance between You and me.  Thank you for loving me when I’m so very hard to love.  In Jesus’ name I pray.  Amen.

Copyright ConnieD. 2012. All rights reserved.

A joyful morning

“I will exalt you, O LORD, for you lifted me out of the depths and did not let my enemies gloat over me.  O LORD my God, I called to you for help and you healed me.  O LORD, you brought me up from the grave; you spared me from going down into the pit.  Sing to the LORD, you saints of his; praise his holy name.  For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.”  Psalm 30:1-5

David was a sinful man, and he knew that.  He recognized the seriousness of trials he’d been through, including the trials that he himself created, and he knew in the depths of his heart that it was God himself that delivered him from the very lowest places he ever experienced.  He also recognized that God saved him from even lower places.  I’m certainly no David, but I know that I’m a sinful woman, and I am so very in touch with my own trials.  And I know that it was God that saved me, and spared me, and it is Him that praise.

The Bible tells us that David wrote this psalm for the “dedication of the temple” and although Psalm 30 isn’t considered a Messianic psalm, officially, I can’t help but think of that first, joyful Easter morning when I read David’s words.  Here David is praising God for bringing him “up from the grave” and sparing him from “going down into the pit”.  Isn’t that exactly why Jesus went to the cross?  Isn’t that exactly what Jesus did for all of us that Easter?  HE rose from the grave, so that we could also rise.  HE went down into the pit, so that we would never have to.  Jesus IS the temple that was rebuilt that first Easter morning, so what better way to recognize that fact than to remember the words of David in his dedication of the temple.  Today we remember and celebrate the dedication of the Temple – Jesus himself.

Are you feeling as though you are experiencing God’s anger these days?  Some days I cry out to God, asking what I’ve done wrong – what I’ve done to deserve my trials – you know, “why is this happening to me?”  I lose sight of the goodness of God, and the great eternal salvation that He has already given me.  I’m selfish, foolish and lacking in faith – so very human, and so very fallen.  Do I weep?  Oh yes – and not so delicately either.  But I read David’s words, and God’s promises, and HE tells me that rejoicing comes in the morning.  So I hang on.

Let me reassure you.  Rejoicing does come in the morning!  And this Easter morning, let us all rejoice together!  He is risen!  He is risen indeed!

Lord, thank you for giving me the promises of eternal life.  Thank you for the loving, selfless sacrifice of Christ.  Thank you for knowing, from the foundation of the world, how desperately we need you, and for providing a new life for us.  Thank you for walking with us through our trials – even when we’re the ones who put us there, and for your unending love that saves us from the pit.  Thank you for the promise of the night ending, and the joy of the morning.  Bless me today, Lord, and warm me in the light of your love, and hear my songs of joy and praise that I sing for you.  Help me to cast off the grave, and to rejoice in the morning.  In Jesus’ name I pray.  Amen.

Copyright ConnieD.  2012.  All rights reserved.

Share and share alike

“Have them serve as judges for the people at all times, but have them bring every difficult case to you; the simple cases they can decide themselves. That will make your load lighter, because they will share it with you.”  Exodus 18:22

Sharing comes easier for some people than others.  When I was a kid my parents made me share with my little sister.  Sometimes it wasn’t that hard, like when I had to share a two-stick popsicle.  Other times it was miserably hard, like having to share a favorite toy, especially one that was all mine before she came along.  But how about sharing a personal burden with someone?  That sounds wonderful, actually.  But is even that always easy?  Not necessarily.

Sharing a burden – letting someone carry part of the load – your load – means admitting that you can’t handle doing everything yourself.  It means trusting others enough to hand over those things that you are ultimately responsible for.  It means delegating, and some of us have a hard time with that.  Why?  Because many of us tend to be micro-managers, and have a hard time trusting others to do the job right.  We’re like that in our offices, we’re like that in our homes, you name it.  And sometimes those we trust will disappoint us, and fail at the tasks we’ve given them.  But believe it or not, we can survive those failures, too.  God gave us some wonderful examples of how to delegate – how to share our burdens – and how we can deal with the results – good or bad.

The first act of delegation I can think of happened in the Garden of Eden, when God himself put Adam in charge of God’s creation.  I think we all know how that turned out.  So we would probably want to scratch our heads when it was time for Moses to do a little delegating of his own.  Moses had a heavy burden – he was leading an entire nation , and now he was in the position of having to serve as the judge for all of the people of Israel as well.  It took his father-in-law to speak up and tell Moses what he needed to hear – that he just couldn’t do everything by his lonesome, and that he needed to share his burden with other wise men in the community.  Moses took his father-in-law’s advice, and amazingly enough, it all worked out!  Moses had trained the others well, and was there to be the “go-to guy” for the really difficult cases.  Moses became a new and different kind of leader through that experience.  He became a better leader, and a better man.

So what does that mean for you and me?  It means that we don’t have to try so hard to handle everything life throws our way all by our lonesomes.  It means that we have God’s “permission” and grace to share our burdens with others.  It means that we are by no means less responsible, less adult, or just…less, in any other way, just because we can’t go it alone.  God designed us to be part of one another’s lives.  God made Eve to be Adam’s helper – and that was before the fall.  It didn’t mean that Adam was less of a man, but that Adam would be that much better with someone to help him, and complement him, and love him.  We can ask for help, and maybe even more importantly, we can offer to share the burdens of those we love – and yes, even those we don’t find so lovable.  It’s good to share.

Lord, thank you for the love and kindness of those who share our joys and burdens throughout our lives.  Thank you for the grace to be there when others need our help as well.   God, give me the sense to move beyond myself, and acknowledge my own needs and shortcomings, and even more, give me the heart to reach out to others who need their burdens lifted.  Teach me to share, and teach me to love in greater ways.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Copyright ConnieD. 2012.  All rights reserved.