Depictions of The King in the Courtyard

Does your faith need a cool drink of refreshing water?  Read along.

I see our Lord everywhere; in people, in children, in my dog, (yes, my dog), and especially in nature.  Some people raise their eyebrows at this concept, but when Jesus Christ saturates your life you cannot help but view life shaded in a reflection of Him.

I will never forget last Thursday when one of my more memorable encounters with My King happened in a courtyard at Covenant Counseling Center.  I had finished a session with my counselor, but earlier in our time together I was describing a story a friend told me about when she was a little girl.  She explained that her daddy would kneel every night and pray before she and her sister went to bed.  The two sisters would fight to be the one who got to get under him as he was kneeling in prayer.  The story was so precious and touched me so much that the imagery I formulated will forever be imprinted in my mind and on my heart.  It was a story that reminded me of a verse that is very special to me. Psalm 91:4 ~ He will cover you with his feathers. He will shelter you with his wings.  His faithful promises are your armor and protection.

I was telling my counselor how this verse has been layered over me time and again the last couple years.  Little did I know that just a short time later, that very verse would come to life right before my eyes.

I finished my session and walked out to a crisp, sunny, beautiful day.  I had an urge to be outside, so I drove home, got my reading materials and came back to the same location to sit in the peaceful and inviting small courtyard in front of the building.  One thing I love about that courtyard is it appears like an umbrella of trees, so it feels secluded and safe. While I was sitting on the bench, I was praying and again reflecting on many verses in addition to Psalm 91:4.

I was there about an hour when my peace was interrupted by an onslaught of noise in one of the trees just to my left.  A majestic, red tail hawk landed on a sturdy branch, and he had an army of crows, after him.  Crows are loud, and they are relentless predators.

I suddenly froze and was unable to think or react quickly because I could not believe what was evolving.  In that quiet place Psalm 91:4 was beautifully played out in the nature that surrounded me.  I was in awe of my faithful and loving Father, who goes to creative lengths to express His presence and love.  Let me explain.

After studying the battalion of crows charging at the hawk for several minutes, I noticed the hawk was using his wings as a deflector and shield of protection.  I eventually maneuvered myself into a location that I could see the hawk was protecting something under his wing.  Time and time again crow after crow would dive at the hawk, and the hawk would bat his wing to deflect the attack.  I watched this go on for over 15 minutes. The hawk was protecting a baby and was doing so with such commanding diligence, strength, and care.  The crows were not giving up easily, but neither was the hawk.  He was resolute.  Despite the continuous assaults, the hawk shielded that vulnerable baby.

The other thing that impacted me was the stability of the hawk; as he was hit over and over again using his wing for defense.  Some of the attacks were aggressive enough that he would bobble or slightly lose his balance.  Every single time, however, he would regain his footing, readjust and return to an anchored stance on the branch.  He never moved from the same spot the entire time even though he would stumble at times.  He never flew away in an attempt to flea from fear.  He never gave up, and he was the lone one standing in the end!

When we are under the shelter of our Lord Jesus, we are a lot like that hawk. Attacks come, fear assaults us and enemies persecute us.  We may lose our balance; we may have to readjust, and we may be shaken, but we are never shattered because our anchor is under the wings of a King, who is our armor and protection.  He will not be moved.  When our foundation is solid in Him, we may falter, and need adjustments at times, but we can withstand life’s storms still returning to a stable stance.

I was also reminded of Revelation 5:6 that day. ~ Then I saw a Lamb that looked as if it had been slaughtered, but it was standing between the throne and the four living beings and among the twenty-four elders.

Jesus suffered throughout his life.  Many attacks were forged against him and He was eventually crucified.  Sometimes life can leave us feeling battered, bruised, betrayed and cut up as if we, too have been slain.  The key to the verse in Revelation is the Lamb, though he looked as if he had been slaughtered, He was still standing.

Life is hard, but when His feathers are our garments and His wings our refuge, there will be times we are disturbed, but never defeated because the Promiser keeper says He is our sure foundation.

 

Who is Building Your House?

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Not just anyone can build a house, a carpenter does.  Only He knows where all the highs and lows will be.  He knows all the specifications to include that will assist the house to withstand the elements.  Only the carpenter knows just the right foundation to build on, and how to prepare it to carry the weight of the house.  He knows just where to hammer the nails to strengthen the home.  A house is the work of His hands, and He puts great care, attention, and love into His masterpieces.  We should often ask ourselves; who is building our house, the carpenter or the world?

The Face of Danger is Not Always Evil

 

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Children should not go to public bathrooms alone, nor should teen girls.  I always tell my daughter to take a friend if I am not with her.  I do not tell her this because I am concerned about any particular population of people other than PREDATORS.  Predators do not fit the image we want to mold them into to make ourselves feel comfortable.  They are rarely a face that signals danger, and they are prone to hang out in places we deem to be the safest.

It is hard for us to face the reality of evil being packaged so nice and neatly in places we trust.  We are much more comfortable making “different” people the enemy because it makes us feel better.

We have to wake up and know this disillusion is one way we make ourselves and our children vulnerable to the depravity of our fallen world.

Also, I know I am stepping on some toes, but Jesus did not hang out with the self-righteous, the do-gooders, the know it alls.  Luke 5:32 ~”I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.”  He went straight for hearts broken by sin, (that would include all of us), not built by superiority.

I do not believe if He walked this world today that He would shun away any population of people.  It is easy to forget that; we are ALL people.  Jesus did not come to shame people with law, but to shower them with love.  The best way to make an impact on someone is how well you love them as they are and not how you think they should be.  Yes, we must speak the truth; but we must say it swaddled in love or not speak at all; otherwise all is lost.

 “Love without truth is sentimentality; it supports and affirms us but keeps us in denial about our flaws.  Truth without love is harshness; it gives us information but in such a way that we cannot really hear it.” ~Tim Keller

Freely Inadequate but Fully Accepted

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Are you feeling inadequate this morning?  Me, too.  As a matter of fact, I have been feeling incompetent for some time now due to a variety of life challenges.  Then last Thursday happened.

I was attending a dinner, and the speaker was talking about a very dark subject.  She was telling her story, and it was very far from pretty.  One thing the brave woman said with a trembling voice has captivated my thoughts since that night.  I am paraphrasing her words; I never thought Jesus could love and forgive a sinner as dirty as me.  Then one day I realized that my attitude about His forgiveness was equivalent to me putting Jesus back on the cross because He did not do His job right the first time and I could not do that.

Wow!  I have been thinking a lot about how many times I am crucifying Jesus again because I too am not feeling “good enough.”  The truth I often forget is that I am not good enough, never was, never will be and that is why Christ had to pay the ultimate price for me.

Jesus died for my inadequacies, and yours.  Being ashamed of them is a dishonor to Him.  He willingly gave his life to give me mine.  He suffered a cruel, undeserved death to complete me in all the areas I am incomplete.  Because He is whole, I am free to be broken.  Because he is perfect, I am free to be imperfect.  That is good news for a ragamuffin like me.

There is no need to twinge in light of my truth and no reason to cower to condemnation.  I am righteous because Jesus has risen.  Isaiah 61:10 says it best;  I am overwhelmed with joy in the LORD my God!  For he has dressed me in the clothing of salvation and draped me in a robe of righteousness.

I am prone, however, to forget what I know to be true.  I knew His promise, but I had forgotten.  I had forgotten, and thus, I had forsaken the Gospel.  Life has a tendency to court us away from the truth, but God has a tender character that carries us back under the shelter of His wings where we are allowed to be freely inadequate but fully accepted.  I am preaching this to myself today, friends.  I pray if need be you can find rest here, too.

Resign and Rest Today

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Hey fretting friend.  Resign from your post today and rest here.

Psalm 119:42~I trust in your word.  

What peaceful lives we would lead if we believed this word every moment of ever day.  It is easy to apply this to parts of our lives, but other areas like our children, our security, our health and our provisions pose a threat to our faith.

God’s word is not meant to be picked and chosen to fit only our comfort zones.  

It is intended to stretch far beyond those seemingly safe spheres and cover every area of occupation.   The degree to which we surrender to an unwavering belief in undesirable places, otherwise known as faith, is directionally proportional to our breadth of peace.  

Do we believe when it is counterintuitive or just when it is convenient? 

It’s ok.  Me, too.  Life is a series of remembering God’s promises, repenting of our unbelief and returning to His shelter.  We are continually under construction, and that is not only ok, but it is also normal! ‪#‎selfiesermon‬ ‪#‎surrender‬ ‪#‎mychildrenhaveaSavioranditisnotme‬

Happy freedom Friday!

A Rare and Magnificent Rose

 

Recently I completed a life mapping activity as a part of an incredible, purpose driven study, pathFinder, offered by Beacon People. (beaconpeople.org). I knew when I began that the life mapping process would be difficult, and it was because the nature of life is messy. However, I found myself looking at my life map and the prominent emotion I felt when I finished was gratitude.

My map reminded me of something so powerful. I am always thankful for the “rosy” moments in life, but I miss out on so much when I limit my focus there. God’s glory is magnified the most through gifts grown in the fertile soil of suffering.

Abraham Lincoln once said: ~ We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses.

It is easy to be thankful for the roses in our lives, but what about the thorns?

Our lives are like long stemmed roses filled with thorns. Some are bigger than others, some sharper and some cut deeper when they pierce us. No two look alike, and they cannot be compared.

What thorns are you bearing today? I encourage you to remember each one was designed for your protection, preparation, and purpose. You have already seen God’s faithfulness worked through some, and others you are still waiting. Me, too.

Father, sometimes I fail to appreciate the benefit of the thorns in my life. I often see them as a burden instead of a blessing. Give me the grace to remember it is the thorns, not the triumphs that yield the most fruit. Thank you God for my thorns, every single one! Help us all remember today that when we follow you; the state of our hearts is not dependent on the situations of our lives. Amen.

Be encouraged by the power of your thorns, friends. God is the great gardener, and He is pruning YOU into a rare and magnificent rose!

You Are Enough

Most days I do not have adequate time or energy to get it all done. The enemy tells me I am not enough. Living within the realm of infallible grace assures me that even on my worst days; I am always enough. You are, too, friend! Ephesians 2:8-9~ For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

Walking The Trials of the Trails Home

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My heart is so heavy and my chest so tight tonight.  I do not know that the fires of our furnaces ever die.  I think they always simmer discretely somewhere deep within, only to be reignited by sharing in the pain of others.

I am grateful to have known suffering and, in turn, God’s mercy and love as He walks through it with us.  It is a beautiful thing to see God’s people rally around the hurting.  Prayer is a beautiful thing.  Tears are a beautiful thing because they shed the weight of our hearts so they will not implode just when it feels as if they may.  But God’s word, it is the most beautiful gift.  

When we believe the One who holds us in His hands was at the beginning and already knows the ending; it is a comfort that we cannot gain from any other source.  Having a Savior who lived a life of suffering so that He could identify with us in ours is a the balm for our bleeding hearts.  

No one can console others like travelers who have walked similar dirt roads.  Isn’t it a blessing that Jesus walked them all, and there is no path we travel that He does not understand.  

As my heart and mind keep churning, I opened my journal a minute ago to see immediately Psalm 46:10 ~ Be still and know that I am God, and that was it.  That was enough for today.  It was enough yesterday, and it will be enough forever.  

Keep praying with faith friends so that the hurting may be held up. God will bring great glory to His name through His work and His people.  All of you praying are part of God’s story.  Don’t you feel special?  What a privilege to go to the Lord on behalf of our brothers and sisters.  It is a beautiful thing, and you are all shining lights that contribute to this broken but beautiful life!  

May we all continue to walk with each other well on this journey home.  Home–that is where we are all traveling, because we are not there yet.