Hey! Obey!

Yes, yes, it's time once again to beat that drum. 

OBEDIENCE!

I'm currently on vacation, so I'll make this brief. First, some excellent perspectives from a few disciples not named in Scripture:

We would hold fast if we wanted to. When we have the Word of God in us, the Enemy cannot steal it; the problem is, we abandon it. ~ Lt. Colonel Marie Juliano USMC (RET)

Do not let doubt and reflection take the place of spontaneous obedience. ~ Pastor Bryan McGrouty

I sometimes think that when you have that feeling that you should do something to help someone, you should do it within the first ten seconds, or you may think yourself out of doing it. ~ Michael Jr., Comedian

And now for some Bible:

1 Pet. 1:1,2 CJB Peter was writing to those God had chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father and set apart by the Spirit for obeying Yeshua the Messiah and for sprinkling with his blood. Chosen for obedience to Jesus Christ! If you have been born again, if you believe Jesus Christ to be the only way --your only way to forgiveness and reconciliation with God, you have been chosen for the same purpose. Do we get great bennies? Certainly, but none of us was handed a fire insurance policy and told to have a great life until we're dead. The bennies --at least the one's on this side of glory --come with the change God's Holy Spirit works in us. But there is no change, no success without obedience. If we're unwilling to obey and unwilling to be changed, will we ever be happy in heaven? Can we long to spend eternity in the presence of our King when we have no desire to follow Him into holiness now?

1 Jn. 2:3,4 Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. And what does Scripture say will be the end of those who do not obey, who do not know Jesus? Matthew 7:21-23 tells us they get just what they've earned --separation from God, eternally. Let's not kid ourselves; it is not out of ignorance we do not obey; it is out of rebellion. It is not for lack of opportunity we don't obey; it is for lack of desire. It is not for lack of others to hold us accountable that we do not obey; it is because we do not seek and submit to accountability. 

Obedience to a holy God is an individual, one hundred-eighty degree move away from serving ourselves, away from all that our flesh desires, away from living as though we are not part of something greater and holier. And while obedience can be tough, it is really, eternally worth it! 

Midweek: Bring It On!

The brokenness we experience in this life was never meant to be. Humanity was cursed by our own rebellion and all of creation with us. HOWEVER, that is not to say God doesn't use even the worst of circumstances to draw us to Himself. He is not cursed. In fact, He has used the curse for a much greater Redemption Story! But to fix hope on some kind of utopia in this world is to aspire to something much less than what He has purchased for those who serve Him. To claim the blood-bought life must be adorned with an abundance of earthly things is to contend life in this world is enough. 

God doesn't want His people to experience famine. God never allows His Church to experience drought. God never meant for His children to struggle to make ends meet. God doesn't allow true believers to suffer grief, or loneliness, or pain. God desires all His people to live in homes free of crisis and work in places where things are fair and uncomplicated. 

Oh, really? 

Hunger keeps our soul aching for Bread. John 6:35 And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst."

Thirst keeps our soul panting for Water. John 4:13, 14 Jesus answered and said to her, “Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.”

Poverty keeps our eyes fixed on Treasure. Matthew 13:14 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field."

Darkness keeps us dependent upon Light. John 8:12 Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”

Unrest keeps us longing for Peace. Ephesians 2:14-16 For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity.

John 16:33 "These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

So let hunger and thirst, poverty and darkness, conflict and turmoil come for us, and may they take us down to our knees and before the throne of our conquering King!

Rid Me of the Oppression of These Trees

What is it going to take to get you to obey?!

Sounds like a desperate mother pleading with her child, doesn't it? This was the voice I heard in my heart one day, the "voice" of a Father who knows how important obedience is, for my own good. My eating was out of control. My exercise and starving myself --the means used to cover the outward effects of overeating --were equally out of control. Every means of behavior modification had failed. My knees ached and stress fractures signaled their arrival with sharp twinges. I knew my behavior was idolatry, disobedience, ingratitude, and a host of offenses toward the God who loves me, made me, and called me. Each morning, I shed tears of contrition and repentance; I could no longer go on like this; I could no longer dishonor God with my rebellion or continue to harm myself. But when chaos encircled me midafternoon, when I felt small and alone and powerless, when I had no clue how to navigate all that was happening around me and in me --in those moments of sheer panic, the pause to pray or speak God's Word over situations or praise God for His presence, were habits I'd not yet developed. Inner turmoil was real; it had been with me for as long as I could recall. And not that God is not real or I do not believe that He is, but without developing some counter-reflex to the natural reflexes I'd developed since youth, He could not be as real to me as the emotional anarchy I followed into disobedience.

When done with discretion, following gives comfort. Imagine walking through a dense wood at night. How comforting it is to grasp tightly the shirttail of one who knows the way. Stay close, I'll get you through this. Fear, anger, jealousy, worry, and grief were some of the trees in my wood. Emotions triggered by circumstances. But rather than cling to my Guide, I chose to follow bad behaviors, false guides, ungodly guides, dangerous guides. Evil escorts that have us warring against our emotions (our "trees") or paralyzed in fear before them; the gullible following of false guides that only brings us deeper into the woods and to further despair, disobedience, and self-harm. Rid me of the oppression of these trees!  

Psalm 118:10-12 says:

All nations surrounded me,
But in the name of the Lord I will destroy them.
They surrounded me,
Yes, they surrounded me;
But in the name of the Lord I will destroy them.
They surrounded me like bees;
They were quenched like a fire of thorns;
For in the name of the Lord I will destroy them.

When I read "in the name of the Lord," I think of Crusades marching under banners emblazoned with the cross, or Gideon's army shouting from the hillside, conquering in God's name, claiming territory for Him and with His blessing. But Robert Alter renders this repeated phrase, "With the LORD's name I cut them down" (emphasis mine). That by calling on the name of the Lord, by praying to Him, speaking His words, praising Him --loudly, if necessary, and at all times --those feelings like fear, anger, jealousy, worry, grief and the reflexes I have developed to mitigate them might be cut down! No more running into trees, scratching and clawing at them until my fingers are raw and burning. With the Lord's name, I cut them down. A simple step, a conscious desire to move toward my God and remain with Him there continually, long before circumstances reached maelstrom levels. No longer could I close my Bible after morning devotions with a see-You-when-I-see-You flourish and expect to find myself close to Him hours later. The habits of prayer, speaking God's truth, and praise throughout the day had to be cultivated. Spiritual disciplines had to be practiced. Who likes discipline, right? But faithful are the wounds of a friend. Jesus, our Savior and Friend, the Way, Truth, and Life, the Word of God made flesh transforms and corrects our nature as we draw near to Him throughout the day --in prayer, in meditating and speaking the Word hidden in our hearts, in worship. Obedience comes; bad behavior ceases. 

Stay close, I'll get you through this.

Today's Forecast: Truth with No Chance of Variability

Rain, rain, go away! This has been one of the wettest summers I ever recall. Our lawn, which looked thick and green in June, now looks more like a fantasyland for gnomes. However, we are coming dangerously close to August, and August is --at least in our little corner of the world --becoming more and more unpredictable. Evenings go from moist and muggy, fraught with bloodthirsty mosquitoes, to cool and comfortable, perfect lightning bug catching weather and just enough to lure one into thoughts of sweaters and firepits. The rain all but disappears from the radar and new sources of sultriness --daytime humidity and evening dew --saturate the landscape. No doubt, local meteorologists will still predict things like "pop-up showers", the "occasional thunderstorm", and the "possibility of a heatwave" to cover the chance of everything but snow that might befall us. Welcome to modern-day forecasting. I can't help but long for the days when a local "weatherman" --that's the simple label they were given in those days --would grab his pointer and a few paper icons, head out before the cameras, and offer up an almost flawless 5-day forecast. A smiling sun on Monday, a sad little cloud parked somewhat askew on Tuesday, and lightning bolts stuck to the calendar for the remainder of the workweek were trustworthy predictors of what was to come. 

In this world, trustworthy predictors are hard to find. Sure, there are plenty of folks looking to profit off of telling us the things we want to hear --fortune tellers, really. If you serve God, your children will be accepted at the best colleges. If you give your tithe faithfully, fortune is waiting right around the corner. When I say "trustworthy predictors", I mean truth tellers; I mean those who will caution us as to what will happen if we don't do the things God requires or serve God as we should serve; those who are willing to risk being disliked or unpopular in order to share the truth in love; those who tell us Thus saith the Lord, regardless of outcome. Jesus clearly didn't seek prominence or favor when He spoke to people from all walks of life. The masses, however willing they were to receive His words, could certainly trust all He said was true. He spoke plainly; in a way all who wanted to understand could. Likewise, we can understand and trust His words today. 

And seeking out the truth is not the final measure. When we find truth, we must embrace it, follow it (follow Him), and assimilate it into the very fiber of our being. Truth must be as important to our character as oxygen is to our lungs. When that weatherman stuck that lacy paper snowflake up on his board, every child in viewing distance went to bed dreaming of school closings. We thanked God we had an extra day to finish the book report we'd been putting off and waxed the runners on our sleds. The truth became our North star, guiding our snow-covered path for at least the next twenty-four hours. As adults, can we say the same about all God says? Are we really seeking to know His words? Are we reading the Scriptures daily? How many of us are applying what we've read, whether we feel happy or successful doing it or not? How many of us are listening to pastors and teachers who are humble servants delivering the hard messages to the people of God? Are we repenting from the lives we've lived? Do we want nothing more than to obey God? Are we serious about obedience, or are we waiting for just the right time or the ideal circumstances to serve the Lord? How many of us are doing the hard things, breaking relationships and habits, developing relationships and habits, counting the cost and laying down everything for the sake of God's Kingdom? Or has truth become something only to possess for the moment or spout off to condemn others?

Trustworthy predictors, truth tellers, and truth will always be difficult to find in the world; but Jesus, the Light of the world has never wavered or gone underground. He doesn't use disclaimers, just in case things don't work out as He promised. He doesn't need expensive, cutting-edge technology or even paper clouds --He made the real ones Himself. His word is to be trusted and followed. 

Midweek: Shelter

Better to shelter in the LORD

than to trust in humankind.

Better to shelter in the LORD

than to trust in princes.

~ Psalm 118:8, 9 Alter

There's an overall message here: better to depend on, take refuge, place all your trust in the Lord than in any other entity. Got it. But it's the language used here that stands out to me. "Better to shelter in the Lord." Think back to a few years ago when a virus, unfamiliar to most of us and presented by officials as being a deadly enemy whose vulnerabilities were, as yet, unknown kept us "sheltered" in place. Is it spread strictly through touch or is it airborne? What is the incubation period? Are any of us more susceptible than others? We were told to disinfect our mail, wash our hands frequently, and to stay put. Our homes, for many, became a place of refuge. Social media and virtual meeting sites exploded as people longed for human contact or simply tried to do business. Food delivery services kept "unessential" workers' cupboards full. Governmental supplements quietly and without contact were deposited into our bank accounts to compensate for the lack of jobs or places in which to work. All of this as the powers-that-be attempted to gather information and find some way for us to all return to "normal", to a situation in which the entire globe itself was, once again, our refuge. Shelter.

But even as we attempted to shelter in places where we might have once thought we could never want for anything --food, clothing, a hot shower, a clean bed, family --we discovered outside services were necessary. We are not completely self-sufficient --even in our homes. We cannot survive without a continuous flow of provisions. We depend on contact with other beings and entities. As we learned when we attempted to shelter within our safest places, we need shelter of an entirely different, a divinely perfected caliber. 

To shelter in a relationship --All I need is a husband and I will be complete. All I need is a wife and I can be happy. --is no guarantee we will have fullness of joy or eternal life. To shelter in our careers is no promise of security or peace. To shelter in our physicians or even the concept of health perfected cannot provide comfort and encouragement when our hearts are aching from loss. To shelter in our politicians, our teachers, or even our pastors does not assure us we know the truth that provides us with freedom or the strength that allows us to course like eagles through cloudless blue skies. To shelter in anyone or anything but the Lord will always require more. Better to shelter in the Lord. 

He has given us many other things --relationships, work to do, bodies, leaders --in which we can place trust momentarily, even superficially; hands and talents through which He can conduct His business. Trusting in the helps that He has placed before our eyes and ears, is never meant to be a substitute for abiding in Him, but a picture of, a glimpse of what He does for those who seek Him. Better to shelter in the Lord, the Lord our refuge and strength in all things, for all circumstances, and for all eternity. 

 

A Most Worthy Lord

It's Ren Faire season! If you don't know, I suggest you fire up your Google machine, find one nearest you, and go. It's days and days of stepping back in time, immersing yourself in some period food, entertainment, and fun! There's always something to be learned as well. In fact, this week I had the opportunity to review a 1611 King James Bible, and Scott and I unintentionally began bingeing a period drama about a week ago. Unlike our God, who is not wont to waste anything, I wasted years in Miss Williamson's World History classes and now find myself Googling every fifteen minutes, trying to gain context. But I'm learning! And God is merciful. Despite my carelessness, He is showing me other things as well. For instance, the word "lord" is used throughout the Bible to designate a human master. 1 Samuel 1:26 and 25:28 are two examples:

And she said, “O my lord! As your soul lives, my lord, I am the woman who stood by you here, praying to the Lord.

Please forgive the trespass of your maidservant. For the Lord will certainly make for my lord an enduring house, because my lord fights the battles of the Lord, and evil is not found in you throughout your days.

Both of these verses are translated with a capitalized rendering of the word "lord" and a lower-case rendering. In the original Hebrew, these are two different words and are, in the King James, translated accordingly; but the thing that struck me as I found myself perusing this 1611 Bible, watching Netflix, and wishing I was walking the paths of our local Ren Faire, is the substance of the word "lord" --its weight.

When a person was subject to a lord or king, next level obedience was expected. The king demands you hand over your land, your wife and children to him? Obey, and without question. You have been captured by the enemy and forced to live apart from your lord for years? You've earned the respect of your captors and have made a halfway decent life for yourself when your lord shows up? Follow him back to his kingdom with zero hesitation. Your best friend is suspected of treason? You execute the enemy of your master with zeal. Your prince leads you to battle what all evidence points to as an insurmountable foe? You take your position on the front lines and fight with your all until the very end --whatever end. 

Why did those who followed fallible, mortal, sometimes corrupt kings follow so whole-heartedly? Sure, there were dire consequences to disobedience, but monarchs also offered protection within the walls of their kingdom. The lord's army fought for the kingdom and all its inhabitants; victory belonged to the ruler and his people. Kings promised the faithful land, kingdoms of their own and a title, an identity. They fed and provided for subjects in return for fealty and a portion of their yield. Their lives were not their own, but by design, loyalty was not without rewards.

HOW MUCH MORE our King of all kings? our Lord of all lords? Superlative in nature, perfect in justice, infinite in wisdom, boundless in mercy, magnanimous and kind! How much more should we readily obey Him? How much more zealous should we be to bring others to His Kingdom? How much more immediately should we jump to serve Him --and with joy?! How much of an honor should we consider it that our Lord has called us to suffer for His name? His bountiful rewards aside, how much more deserving is He of our all?

As I sat there admiring the quaintness of an archaic font and reading Scripture in the King's English, as I thought of strolling amongst leathercrafters and blacksmiths, as I dug into a bag of popcorn and snuggled next to my husband, it struck me: I and most Americans have no idea what it means to serve a monarch or dictator. We might think we do, but we are far too privileged to have that experience. Perhaps that is why many who call themselves "Christians" serve our King so poorly. We are without zeal for Him. We want to manipulate Him for our own prosperity. We think our relationship with Him is some sort of democracy. We are driven by our selves and break covenant when we are unsatisfied with outcomes. Obedience is practiced at our convenience. When the God through the Apostle Paul tells us we are not our own but have been bought with a price and are subject to our Redeemer, we struggle to understand the substance of that relationship. Everything for the glory of God? First and foremost? But that is the nature of our relationship with our Savior, our King, our Lord. And that is where we find the greatest fulfillment, for our Savior, our King, our Lord is good and worthy of our fealty!

Crushing Foes

Halleluyah!

How happy is anyone who fears Adonai,

who greatly delights in his mitzvot.

He will not be frightened by bad news;

he remains steady, trusting in Adonai.

His heart is set firm, he will not be afraid,

till finally he looks in triumph at his enemies.

~ Psalm 112:1, 7-8 CJB

Don't we just love these sorts of verses? We begin by thinking, O, yes. I follow after the Lord. I fear Him and worship Him. And then, we start digging into all the benefits. And there are lots of them throughout the Scriptures!

Well, as I was reading over this psalm, and patting myself on the back for my steadfastness (insert lightning strike here), I began to wonder why all of these wonderful things God promises haven't befallen me yet. Haven't we all thought that from time to time? Why do I still have cancer? Why is my sister's rapist still roaming the streets? Why does my mother not care for me? Why are my finances such a mess? If we are faithful servants of the Most High, why is life still so unruly and unkind?

Let me run through a few possibilities before I come back to what the Holy Spirit gave me that morning. Maybe we're not as great at serving and fearing God as we think, and we are not truly His. Maybe God is preparing us to receive the blessing He has for us or (and this is exciting!) He is positioning others to be present as witnesses when it comes. Maybe our terrible problems and predicaments are squarely within the crosshairs of our Father, and He is giving actors every opportunity to repent; we only have to wait well. Maybe it's simply the side-effects of living in a corrupt and dark world. Maybe God is building up the suspense --like a great novelist continues to add layer after layer of uncertainty before the glorious culmination of his work, when all things are revealed and put right --for His glory. Maybe.

Or maybe --and this is where I sat that day --maybe we have misidentified the enemy. In Robert Alter's translation of Psalm 112:8, he says of God's faithful, His heart is staunch, he shall not fear, till he sees the defeat of his foes. Is my foe cancer? Is my foe my sister's attacker? Is my foe my mother or the lies she has believed or her own sinfulness? Is my foe the system or "bad luck" or joblessness? Or is my foe fear of the unknown? Is my foe bitterness and unforgiveness? Is my foe envy, pride, worry, selfishness, impulsivity, self-sufficiency, busyness, or any others of a litany of self-inflicted enemies to my soul? Is God going to put down enemies that disrupt our situations, enemies that torment our temporal existence? Maybe. But maybe --and more gloriously --God wants to level the foes of our peace, the enemies of our obedience, the adversaries of our relationships, the opponents of our sanctification! Rather than assuming the things we perceive with our physical senses are our problems, rather than looking to God to deal with those things mightily and vengefully, let's first look to Him --Lord God, what are the true enemies of Your blood-bought child, the enemies You are looking to crush? And then to ourselves --Am I even on the right battlefield, or am I causing interference and chaos in the Spirit's fight for my sanctification? Am I surrendered to my King and following after His battle plan? Whatever your enemy, whatever foe you have in your sights, be certain God is aware of your plight. But the God of exceedingly abundantly above, the God whose ways are better than ours may be looking to do something so much greater than what you are asking! The adversaries he's looking to crush may be targets of which we are completely oblivious. He is a worthy Lord and Conqueror, and we would do well to allow Him to lead us. He has identified the enemy; may it not be us!

 

Midweek: 1611 KJV with Apocrypha

Sooooo, I was curious. I probably would not have considered reading a 1611 KJV Bible, but the thought of having the Apocrypha close at hand made it impossible for me to resist. I have to say, when my complimentary edition from Thomas Nelson Publishers arrived, my excitement quickly turned to shock: this is a "digitally remastered" edition. In other words, the print (though modified from the original Gothic to a 19th century Roman font) and typeset are generally consistent with the original 1611 copy. "Priests" is rendered "Priefts" and "reproved" is "reproued", just to name a few anomalies. Well, time to put on my RenFaire persona and get this thing done.

To start, this guaranteed-for-life Bible is packaged in a protective cardboard sleeve. Its Leathersoft™ cover is stamped, stitched, and embossed; the spine is ribbed and stamped. The gilt-edged pages are thin --not necessarily friendly toward those who tend to mark up their Bibles at all. The binding allows for the book to lie flat when opened. A gold double-sided satin bookmark makes a lovely addition. The print itself is rather small and has a faded appearance, making it a little more difficult to read on top of the atypical typeset.  

Just behind the article From the Translators to the Reader, begins an almanac which includes times of the sun's rising and setting, number of days in each month, a calendar, feasts and fasts celebrated by the church, Psalms and Bible lessons to accompany morning and evening prayers, and an almanac of those "floating" church holidays everyone is always striving to figure out. An Anglican's Google, I suppose, for the days when one Bible (if any) graced the home and was a main source of information and record-keeping. Additional features according to Thomas Nelson's website include:

• Word-for-word reprint of the first edition of the Authorized Version

• Books of the Apocrypha between the Old and New Testaments

• Drop caps at the beginning of each chapter

• Original introductions from the 1611, including the article, “From the Translators to the Readers”

• Illustrated genealogy of key biblical figures from Adam and Eve to Jesus

• Reading plan to help you read through the entire Bible in a year

• Translator notes in the outer and gutter margins

• Updated typeface for easier reading

However, unless I'm missing something, I do not see the illustrated genealogy spoken of in this list of features. While the cardboard sleeve, which also catalogues the Bible's features, does not include the genealogy in its list, it does mention "original 1611 extra content. The illustrated genealogy is consistent with that description.

Would I recommend this edition? Mmmm, maybe. It's a bit of a lark; unique, appealing to a target audience. I just don't think I could pay its suggested retail of $49.99 for funzies. Christianbook is currently selling the same brown Leathersoft™ edition I received for $28.65 (with personalization available); a much more commodious price. As for my copy, I will be passing it on to someone who appreciates the King James Version of scripture and might possibly enjoy the schmaltz. 

Success is an Attitude

Is there something you're supposed to be doing? I'm not talking about, maybe, you're supposed to be mowing the lawn or you're supposed to be preparing for Sunday's sermon, but you are instead scrolling social media or taking a nap. I mean, you are supposed to have had three children by now, or you are supposed to be a musical phenom by now. I mean, God finally gave you that perfect husband who, like you, loves children and wants a home full of dents and dings and childish laughter, but despite the doctors telling you everything is fine, you haven't one single son or daughter. I mean, God gave you this perfect pitch and the ability to simply pick up an instrument and play, this remarkable rhythm and notes that flow through your soul moment by moment, but despite your sacrifice, despite your toil, you can't even feed yourself on what you earn playing music. You know that you know that you know you are to be a mother. You know that you know that you know you are to be a musician. So, where is your success?

From the time I was a young girl, I loved reading and writing; I loved learning and teaching. But there was nothing I ever wanted more than to be a mother. (In fact, in my foolishness, I saw being a wife as a means to end, the way I could be a mother, but not on my list of aspirations.) A neighbor told my mother repeatedly, "She's going to be a missionary." A teacher allowed me to teach the Spelling lesson from time to time. During summer break, a friend and I published a neighborhood newspaper. My mother carried in her purse a list of all the Nancy Drew books I owned so she never inadvertently bought duplicates for my birthday, Christmas, whatever occasion, such was my love of reading. As a teen, I was always asked to babysit or help out with Vacation Bible School or teach younger children. Every indication, every avenue, every community in which I existed reaffirmed what I was supposed to do. I had the gifts, I had the passion, and they were clearly recognizable. So, where is my success? Why am I not teaching hundreds from a dais? Where is my best seller? And why, as a parent, am I plagued more often by thoughts of what I should have done rather than basking in the perpetual adulation and celebration of our children for the felicity of having me as their mother? Why am I so unremarkable, so ineffectual, so ordinary?   

When Jesus sat down and spoke what we call The Beatitudes to the people gathered on a mountainside, it was in response to the commission His Father had given Him. He wasn't looking to be made king of Judea; He was bringing glory to His Father. It wasn't for fame or popularity --if it had been, surely, He would not have started out by telling His listeners that to be truly blessed, one must be meek, one must grieve; it was to bring glory to His Father. 

And what of The Beatitudes themselves, Jesus' very words? Not a one declares, "Blessed, highly favored, abundant in fruitfulness is the world-famous athlete," or "Blessed, highly favored, abundant in fruitfulness is the Oscar-winning actress." Likewise, nowhere in Scripture does it caution, "Poor and despised is the barren woman whose love for children drives her to care for and pray for others' children alone," or " Poor and despised is the talented but obscure musician who can only share his gifts with the church every Sunday." Scripture does, however, tells us, Whatever you do, do it heartily as unto the Lord (Col. 3:23). Success is measured by our attitude, not our audience. Obedience and the desire to please God. Using all we are given to the glory of God. Submission to His plan and His authority. Not seeking after the rewards and approval of this world. And if our ministry never serves more than a few, if our talents are shared only with those in our community, if our love is never given to children we can call our own, if our name is never on the lips of millions but is written in the Lamb's Book of Life, we are more than blessed. Let us humbly serve our King in whatever we are supposed to be doing and trust Him with the success of that obedience.   

A Beginning Like No Other, a Future Lived for Christ

This young man who has come to be ours is struggling, and I don't blame him. He moves around this world in the body of a ten-year old, but inside... His childhood was denied him. Not one single picture of a swaddled pink baby remains --if they were ever taken. Not one image of first steps or a first birthday smash cake. No 5x7 glossies of a face smeared with spaghetti, tiny teeth peeking out of a big smile. No "First Christmas" portrait or lock of hair. They've all been lost. Not as things lost in a fire --at least those things once existed; at least someone took the time to preserve them, to curate them. But for our son, none of these things ever existed. At least, I hope not. I mean, what would be the alternative? They did once exist, but are today buried in some landfill? Did someone at some point make a conscious decision to erase all documentation of his existence in the kitchen garbage can amongst carrot peels and junk mail? Did someone choose to go on as though my child was never born? never had those remarkable firsts? never cooed and giggled in his own unique way? was never adored to the point of someone actually having to stop themselves from taking so many photos or preserving every scrap of paper on which he made his mark with dimpled hands gripping preschooler-friendly fat crayons? Who made such a decision? Better to think those mementoes never existed.  

So, his development and his heart remain in a place he no longer fits, searching for a childhood he never had. He spends many days straddling the world of what-might-have-been and the world of what-is-supposed-to-be. And the what-is-supposed-to-be hinges so heavily on the things for which he longs --history, meaning, roots, purpose; those things which naturally emerge when genuine love welcomes a child. I can't believe we haven't found my mom yet. As though it could ever be a simple undertaking. As though I am merely babysitting for the afternoon. I don't take offense. I can't even imagine his pain and confusion. But the familiarity with which I held those children I birthed, the way I breathed in their smell, and knew their skin as my very own, I cannot yet permit with this young man. I tread lightly, wanting him to know he is loved but not looking to breach any boundaries, attempting to respect his private thoughts and feelings.

Most of us come with a history. Be it good or bad, it is uniquely ours, and it explains who we are and where we began. Do you know where I came from? Am I Swedish or Hispanic? Is there someone famous in my family? Did anyone have cancer? Will I be tall like Daddy? These are questions I cannot begin to answer. He is our very own "Mister E", and despite efforts to make it all seem a grand adventure, what a frustrating reminder of an unbearable pain. How great a burden to cast on such a young life! To have not a singular beginning established and unshakeable, but many --as many as homes he has occupied before he came to us. To reinvent oneself again and again. To hope for roots in one place after another, roots that will provide the stability he needs to stand tall with spread wings. 

And for me --to wish I'd held his tiny, newborn frame wrapped in a flannel blanket. For his father to wish he'd been the first to teach his boy how to throw a ball or given him his first truck. Without a past, what point of reference exists for a future? Without knowledge of a beginning, how do we navigate toward an end? 

But I am optimistic --more than optimistic, I am assured. I know -- for a fact -- beyond doubt -- we are family. A loving, providential God brought us together. We are all meant to be right where we are. God's plan for our young man's life includes us. God's plan for our life includes him. Our beginning is not like others, but we have a beginning: a beginning to the story of how we worked to find a child --our child; a beginning to the story of how a child from a place we've never been, born to people we never knew came to be ours; a beginning to the story of our relationship --from our first meeting, to our first fight, to our first Thanksgiving, to his first day on his own journey as the man God has made him to be. Whatever it takes, wherever it leads, however it ends, this journey was bestowed on us as a family --a precious gift, a redemption. We are in this together at God's behest. He is our Hope. And in Him we will rest, even when questions go unanswered and pages of history remain empty. We know the One who holds the future, and we are, moment by moment working to ensure this wonderful young man knows Him as well.

  

Midweek: It's Only Natural

For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.
~ Romans 1:20

People love to find excuses for not following Jesus.

What if there were people in a remote part of the world who have never heard of Jesus? Would God send them to hell? I could never worship a God who would do that!

First of all, God is more about giving people what they want than most people realize. You want to deny Him? He will accept that and reciprocate. You want Him to leave you to your sin? He will give you over to it and its consequences. The consequences include the judgment of a just God who punishes sin with precisely what it deserves --eternal judgment. Today's Western society poo-poos "little sins" like lying or lusting or gossip or the thievery that occurs at all of those self-checkouts across the country. (Yes, I agree large corporations are getting precisely what they deserve in those cases, but I am neither judge nor executioner.) But "little sins" are only downplayed in our language ("white" lies, "pinching" a piece of candy, spilling the "tea") and our assessment because none of us wants to face our guilt; none of us wants to admit these offenses against a perfectly just and holy God are deserving of His wrath. We are born into sin, but God's mercy, God's benevolence, the death of Jesus on our behalf is the only means adequate to save us from that wrath. God's mercy is His not giving us what we deserve, that which we have earned on our own behalf; that which we, by lives lived unto ourselves, wanted.

Second, have you ever thought about the reason we call Nature "nature"? Because it is a direct reflection of the nature of its Creator. To call someone or something "natural" means they exhibit/it exhibits the essence of its creator or founder. To be a "natural born swimmer" or "natural born architect" means that your skill comes as though it was part of your nature from birth, a reflection of perfectionism in said skill endowed without your input or effort. The "natural man" was once created consistent with God's design in His image. It was, at the Fall, corrupted by sin. John Donne, 17th century poet and cleric describes it: O miserable condition of man! which was not imprinted by God, who, as he is immortal himself, had put a coal, a beam of immortality into us, which we might have blown into a flame, but blew it out by our first sin; we beggared ourselves by hearkening after false riches, and infatuated ourselves by hearkening after false knowledge. We, the prideful, the intellectual, the autonomous man, rejected that which we were given --the potential for greatness and fullness of joy found in walking with our Creator. We chose that which destroyed our potential and corrupted our nature, the nature that so beautifully reflected our Creator. And yet, it was our Creator who offered holy blood on our behalf. It is upon that sacrifice and victory over death we choose to stand. Or, we are free to reject it, to rail with entitlement against submitting our lives to anyone, to pass judgment upon a perfect and sovereign God for His divine justice, and to deny His very nature in the world around us. Will you choose to believe the evidence, or will you stand before Him without excuse?

In the Wind

This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel:

‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’

Says the Lord of hosts.

~ Zechariah 4:6

Years ago, we hired an attorney to handle a matter that was not only emotionally charged but seemed to be a serious injustice. We believed the agencies who were, at the time, handling the situation were not only irresponsible but incompetent. (Turns out they were disingenuous as well.) Add to that the uncertainty of a pandemic... Those were crazy times. I wasn't thrilled at the idea of involving an attorney, but the alternative seemed unthinkable. We prayed, my husband and I talked at length, we solicited the advice of many others, and every day we looked into the faces of those who were counting on us to advocate for them. We wrote the check. In the days after, I tried to provide our employee --for that is indeed the position of someone to whom one pays a sizeable retainer --with as much information as I could, and some of it was HUGELY supportive of our case. Our confidence skyrocketed. 

We received a notice from the court: our hearing was in six days. Shouldn't our advocate have known this? But there was a pandemic; everything was a little wonky. I immediately emailed our representative. A full twenty-four hours later, we'd still not received a response; I called. The attorney will call you tomorrow. The following day, Friday, at 5:30 PM, I got an answer when I again reached out. The voice at the other end said I'd get a call the following day --promised I'd get a call the following day! Saturday? I was right to doubt. In fact, no call Saturday, no response on Sunday to the not-so-nice message I'd left late Saturday, and by Monday morning, minutes before the hearing was taking place by phone, I received an email asking what time the hearing was to begin. Livid and panicking, I responded, but ultimately found myself speaking to a judge with my representation in the wind. The conclusion was as we feared and not as we'd hoped. Several phone calls and emails after that, and our employee placed the outcome, the confusion, and the entire debacle squarely on my shoulders. I could have been incensed, I could have turned around and taken legal action against our attorney, but the grief I felt at the initial situation and the conviction I experienced over having not trusted God, outweighed any fury I had over being defrauded.

Fast forward to April of this year, and we are facing another hurdle. God, in His infinite grace (and with what I believe to be an incredible sense of humor), provided us with a poignant reminder, a letter, from our former attorney:

Dear Judi,

This letter is to confirm that my representation of you in the above-referenced matter has ended.

I want to take this opportunity to thank you for allowing me the opportunity to represent you.

... It has been a pleasure, and I hope you will allow me the privilege of representing you again in the future should the need ever arise.

Regards,

Crazy, right? Did it stir up old feelings of animosity? Did it make me want to march over to the address on the letterhead? For about half a minute. Then I heard the Spirit's voice: Not by might, nor by power. Grace had timed that letter most perfectly. Grace had carried us through that hard season and into the next. Grace has worked all things out better than a victory in court could have ever accomplished. Grace is savage and strong and gentle and loud and sometimes painful in order to make us into people who trust firmly in the Spirit whose might and power are matchless, who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all we ask or imagine. 

This newest hurdle is well within God's purview. He has been gracious enough to give us glimpses of His authority and His will. There is no power or might on earth that can achieve all He can achieve. In our time of crisis, we were better for His design, to depend fully on His Spirit, and to leave human might and power in the wind. 

What Good Is a Memory?

"The Forgotten Battle", he said. "Remember that title."

"I'm putting it in my phone."

"We can watch it tomorrow." He countered with a tone that said, "No need for that, just remember it."

Now, I'm not saying we are getting older, but he gets halfway to the kitchen and can't remember why he's going there; I start a sentence and one small interruption, distracts me from what I was saying. We're human; our faculties glitch and wear. If only we could purchase a few more terabytes of storage. 

Then there are those things we prioritize of our own volition. Does my brain need to retain last week's shopping list? No. DELETED! Do I need to recall the phone number of my childhood home? No. DELETED! Do I need to remember the names of our grandchildren? Ab-so-lutely! STORED INDEFINITELY! 💕 Those are some pretty obvious choices --at least, for the grandmothers among us. But how often do we mess that up? How often do we wrongly prioritize or fail to see the value of something. Not long ago, I ripped up a reimbursement check. It was stuck to the back of some junk mail. If you've ever tried to get someone, particularly a large entity, to reissue a check, you know what a fiasco that can be. Obviously, I knew the value, I just wasn't paying attention; I wasn't looking for something of value among the clutter of things addressed to "RESIDENT." 

Scripture tells us there is nothing new under the sun. God's people, Israel had a memory glitch as well. Psalm 106 tells us again and again, "They forgot." Verse 7 in The Complete Jewish Bible says, they "failed to grasp the meaning of your wonders." Their human system of purging and retaining what was important was flawed. They didn't understand the significance and therefore, filed God's wonders under "Low Priority." When their judgment wasn't flawed, it was outright rebellious. Verses 13 & 14:

They soon forgot His works;
They did not wait for His counsel,
But lusted exceedingly in the wilderness,
And tested God in the desert.

The word translated "forgot" also means to ignore, to cease to care. This was not a case of aging equipment: they didn't even try. No putting it in their phones or tying strings around their finger or retelling of it to younger generations. And as a result, they fell away, followed their feelings, envied, crafted their own idols, griped, sacrificed their children, and suffered God's wrath. 

What good is a memory? The Bible is chock full of memories from cover to cover! The history of the past becomes the wise counsel of today. Memory holds us firmly in place when the storms of life come. What has God said? What has God done? Memory keeps us on our knees in reverence and brokenness as we recall who God has revealed Himself to be. Memory bathes our spirits in comfort and assurance when the way is grievous. Memory boosts our stamina when the way seems long. And it is my earnest prayer that when I am old(er) and gray(er), though my mind may crumble and memories fly like dust to the wind, though I may recall nothing else, what is indelibly imprinted on my soul is God's purest hesed for me and my unwavering devotion to Him.  

    

Midweek: On Great Waters

Those who go down to the sea in ships,
Who do business on great waters,
They see the works of the Lord,
And His wonders in the deep.

~ Psalm 103:23, 24

The privilege to see --perhaps even, the ability to see my Savior at work, comes with being in peril.

Does that sound radical to you? a little crazy? It might just be but read The Beatitudes some time. They turn the customs and tenets of this world completely on their head. Likewise, the truth that trouble when placed in the hand of a faithful and sovereign Deliverer is a blessing, a gift, a privilege.

How can we see the Great Physician at work if we or our loved ones are never ill? How can we learn to pray mighty prayers if we are given no reason to do so? How do we learn to be grateful in every circumstance if, in every situation we encounter, gratitude is a natural reaction? How do we see the depth of God's provision if we believe our sustenance comes from any other source? How does our faith increase if we never experience the unknown? How do we learn to suffer well if we never suffer at all? How do we grieve with hope if we never have cause to grieve?

We endure these things --not as victims, for we are more than conquerors! And as we endure, we are witnesses. We see firsthand what others throughout history --biblical history included --have seen. We gain a front row seat to the character of God, to His power, to His will being done --despite the ugliest of circumstances --on earth as it is in heaven. As those who venture out onto the deep, with little to buffer us but a flesh and bone vessel which is itself wind-whipped and wave-driven, we bear witness to the perfecting activity of our Father and Creator in all exploits --terrifying and terrific --for His glory and our good.

Thanks be to God whose love can never be separated from His people! 

You Can't Control It and You Shouldn't Try

Retirement has not been what I expected. It has been busier and livelier without my industry than I ever anticipated. As a result, I don't have time to explore those questions from Scripture that have picked at me so. One such question is with regard to Noah and Abraham. Both were forewarned of an impending doom; Noah, the entire earth, and Abraham, two cities. Abraham went to bat for those cities, pleading with God that, if there were to be found ten righteous men, God would not destroy them. Noah did; according to all that God commanded him, so he did. That's what Scripture says. No pleading, no bargaining; Noah obeyed without, so it seems, putting forth any effort to stop the course of God's judgment. Why the difference? And what does that teach us? As I said, I've not had opportunity to really examine either of the accounts with answers to those questions in mind, but I can tell you what I've been learning.

Sometimes, human beings can stay in grief. Sometimes, human beings can choose to fixate on the sickness. Sometimes human beings can lock eyes with whatever disaster has befallen them and remain there. None of that is good. But, in my humble opinion, the greatest victory one can hand the enemy is believing we possess some sort of control over outcomes. While adversity comes upon us, upending our lives for a time and, in some cases, causing us to never realize the good God wishes to work in and through us, the need for control paralyzes us even before the trouble comes. It leaves us exactly where we are, unwilling to let go long enough to learn or do anything. I can't let my adult children fail. I can't bear to see the shelter close. I can't lose my mom. I can't let someone else have the position I've worked to get. I can't allow the bill to go unpaid. But what if you could? What if you did?

Noah said, Okay, and grabbed a hammer. And, while Abraham chose more preventive means, his bottom line was, If this condition does not exist, Thy will be done. Even the Apostle Paul, suffering from "a thorn in his side," prayed three times for God to remove it; when his request was denied, he moved on. So be it. 

So many things go wrong without warning, and what do we do? Go through it. When trouble descends suddenly, we trust God. We fall on our faces, call our prayer warriors, fast, open our Bibles; we supercharge our spiritual lives. But what of those troubles that creep? Like an approaching storm, we see them coming, and we begin our work. We manipulate, reschedule, and solicit information from every corner of the internet. We take a job we weren't told to take, babysit an adult we should surrender to prayer, worry and exchange our joy for some version of disciplined religiosity that will help us curry favor with the God who controls everything. We say and do anything to keep alive an entity or relationship God wants gone (at least for a time). Perhaps the greatest gift God can give us is the blindsided nature of tragedy; perhaps the greatest test is the subtle creeping in of difficulty. Will we allow God to do what it is He is wanting to do? Will we allow God to be God, and still worship Him anyway? Will we surrender our agenda that God might bring triumph from tragedy? Are we willing to step aside and cede the control we never had for the glory God wishes to give?

Photo Courtesy Rich Harmon

Tough Love

A friend of mine was just telling me about a terrible situation with her adult child. It escalated, and the police were called. My friend refused to allow this adult child back into the home --at least, for that night. Before leaving, an officer confronted my friend, dropping on her a steaming pile of condemnation. A difficult decision was made more difficult by the judgment of an outsider. And, while I concede there may have been experiential knowledge he attempted to share, it came out in the form of reproach. So, today I want to encourage those who are wrestling with, praying about, agonizing over the life of a reprobate adult child. Don't follow your heart, don't spend days pouring over parenting books or YouTube videos. Simply, "Love your neighbor as yourself." 

"Don't we show ourselves tough love from time to time? Don't we give ourselves a good talking to?" my friend asked as she continued. "Why do people think we are wrong if we do that with our adult children?" She is absolutely right. We love ourselves in a way that demonstrates self-care and self-discipline. We know there is danger in allowing ourselves to act exclusively for comfort or convenience. We establish boundaries, particularly in areas where we have struggled with addiction. We know being undisciplined is not good for us or anyone we are commissioned to serve. Tough self-love benefits others as well. But when it comes to our children...? "Love your neighbor as yourself." If you wouldn't allow yourself to act that way in your home, why are we allowing other adults --adults who refuse to moderate their behavior out of respect for others --why are we allowing these adults to do that?

We set boundaries for a four-year old. No, you may not have another cookie before dinner. We set boundaries for our thirteen-year old. That's enough screen time for today. Why are we so reluctant to do that with our twenty-year old? Our thirty-year old? Do we love them less? I certainly hope that's not the case! Maybe we just fear them more. As our children age, they become more autonomous, less easy to control. If our four-year old objects to our decision, he stomps off in a huff. Moments later, he comes back with a broken toy in hand. Daddy, can you fix this? A thirteen-year old slams the door of her room and pops in her earbuds, losing her frustration in music. Two hours later, she appears ready to apologize and put her laundry away as instructed. But our adult child? He has bigger consequences should he continue to live his life in this manner. What if he kills someone with his drinking and driving? What if she overdoses? What if he gets caught? Are we that afraid of consequences, we refuse to love? Are we so inclined to control, we forego selflessness? Are we so earthly-minded, we cannot trust God to work in that child's life as He plans? 

Maybe it has less to do with God's work in our child and more to do with the work we have invested in our child. What if she tells people we asked her to leave? What if people find out we gave him an ultimatum? Far be it for anyone to think all of our hard work failed, that our child chose her own way against our principles. Maintain the Everything's okay facade even if it means intolerable conditions within our home and the enabling of our child. Maybe we've convinced ourselves we are that essential to our child's salvation. If she goes to live with her boyfriend, she'll never hear the Gospel. Maybe we're too afraid of the unknown. If he never comes back, I won't know if he's dead or alive. Control through indulgence rather than love with boundaries.

Whatever the reason, we have to be willing to love our neighbor --our adult children, God's children --as ourselves. And this is where it gets back to showing ourselves some tough love. Asking ourselves some questions with some very difficult answers. How is this benefitting them? Or, let's be honest, is this more about benefitting ourselves? What is this doing for those who are watching? What does this say about the God we trust? How does this glorify Him? Do we spend more time praying for them, or centering our thoughts, our plans, our activities around them --maybe even cleaning up after them or bailing them out of their consequences?

And for those who feel compelled to judge parents attempting to lovingly discipline adult children, kindly keep your opinions to yourselves or provide biblical support. Sorry to be so tough.

Photo courtesy Steven Ganski, Jr.

Midweek: Sad But Not Deceived

In Matthew 19:16-22, Jesus is approached by a young man of great wealth. Maybe you know the story. The young man calls Jesus "Good Teacher." Matthew's account, unlike the others in Mark and Luke, seems to place our focus on the "good" thing. "What good thing must I do that I may have eternal life?" Performance, right? My end goal is to be good. Perhaps that is how such a young man acquired his riches. Maybe, from a father who taught him the value of a hard day's work, of being the best and most fruitful. Nevertheless, Jesus questions this prosperous young man's use of the word "good," and proceeds to break it down for him. It's more than checking off boxes, following the letter of the Law. The Law was given to show you where you lack. You must have enough compassion for others, selflessness and humility in your obedience to God, disregard for your own ambitions and your own way, and longing for the eternal, that you are willing to give everything to follow Me. (paraphrase mine) Charles Gore, in his book, The Sermon on the Mount, says the poverty to which Jesus called this young man is a call to detachment. Each Gospel writer, in his account, tells us plainly, the young man went away sad at hearing this because he had many possessions. He turned his back on the Salvation of God because his way of living, his treasure was where his heart was. What no Gospel writer says is that Jesus, feeling so hurt by the young man's rejection, ran after him to pull him back. What no Gospel writer says is that Jesus, so in love with this young man, changed the rules so he could have eternal life. What no Gospel writer says is that Jesus is more interested in happy followers than obedient followers.

Our society puts such value on happy. We love inclusion. We want peace at any cost and pale at the thought of offending someone. Jesus wanted this young man, and every person who overheard this exchange, and every person throughout history who reads these words, to be sad, if necessary, but not deceived. Happiness is no more the end goal than good works and being good. Inclusion is no more the end goal than performance. Peace is no more the end goal than the letter of the Law. Jesus, Jesus is the end goal, following Him alone in full obedience and to completion. 

Does Jesus want joyful people? Certainly. Does He want inclusion? It is not His desire that any should perish. Does He want peace? He is the Prince of Peace. But never at the cost of truth. To seek those things first is to sacrifice Truth for something less than. Jesus is the Truth, and He will not withhold His character to spare someone's feelings. He is the only Way, and He will not provide another for the sake of convenience. Jesus is the Divine Judge, appointed by the Father, and will not spare anyone the truth just to keep the peace. To allow someone to be deceived is not mercy or righteousness. It does not signal to everyone you are acting in that person's best interest. To stand quietly as someone walks away sad, excluded, or outraged but knowing truth, is an act of perfect love. 

Find Your Groom Before You Find Your Husband

Wife, ex-wife, mom, stepmom, and grandmother here. That in and of itself says I have lived, I have loved, and I have made plenty of mistakes. And, while the living and loving have definitely been the most enjoyable part of the journey, it is the mistakes that have taught me the most. That being said, the weightiest, most wholly beneficial advice I can give any single woman is:

  Find your Groom before you find your husband.

My first marriage took place at twenty-one. A great guy. He had goals. He worked hard toward those goals. His family was stable. I was not a great person: I married him for all the wrong reasons, had no real goals of my own, never discussed with him any sort of goals for "us", and couldn't recognize stability with a photo ID. But when he was around, I was 110% his. I dropped everything and everyone for him. The problem? The converse was equally true: when he was not around, I was not his; I dropped him and all thoughts of him. I betrayed him when he was gone as easily as I betrayed others when he was present. Being self-aware is vastly different from being self-absorbed. I was not self-aware.

My second serious relationship took place shortly thereafter. Not such a great guy. I'll leave it at that. But I had learned. I would never hurt someone like I had hurt my first husband. This man had my undying loyalty. Not until he threatened the safety of someone I infinitely loved, did It ever occur to me to defy him. But defy him I did. I spent years paying for it personally and know the pain of watching those I love pay for my bad judgment and selfishness. My undying loyalty to the wrong type of person may have provided something for me in the short term but ultimately brought forth death.

My second marriage might have begun as a beautiful step toward redemption, but redemption as it exists in the natural is inadequate at its very best. Lessons had been learned by both of us (it was his second marriage as well). My career path was taking shape. "Adulting" had begun: a house, cars, children. For a time, it was picture perfect. But the integrity of a snapshot is limited by time and a lack of context. And it was time that began to reveal the context of our relationship. I was still incredibly dependent on the affirmation of others, as was he. I sought that affirmation within our marriage; he chose other avenues. When our relationship ended in an explosion of rational thought and unshakeable boundaries, I swore I'd be by myself forever. Well, not really "by myself."

In the interim, I'd found my Groom. Marriage, the union of one man to one woman, is our picture of Jesus Christ (the Groom) calling His people, the Church (His Bride), to be one with Him. In Genesis 2:24, God declares "a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh." In the same way, those who would be followers of Christ, His Church, are to be one with Him. He calls us and woos us, showing us His character through creation and His goodness to us. He demands we forsake all others for Him. He draws us to Himself for the purpose of transforming our lives to bring Him glory. (Does that sound narcissistic to you? Well, if you hold the perfect, infinitely good Creator to the same standard you hold your father or high school principal, perhaps. But if I'm going to serve anyone --and we all serve someone in this life --I'm going to serve the One who is worthy and loves me enough to die for me.)  He leads us and guides us in the way which we should go. He loves His Bride with an everlasting love. Protector, Provider, Defender, Friend, Teacher. This is the picture of a perfect Husband. This is the foundation for a perfect relationship. And though no mere mortal after this would measure up, meeting the one who desired and pledged and worked to emulate my Groom, was a blessing beyond blessings. 

Marriage Number Three. Don't get me wrong, I do not advocate divorce or multiple marriages. However, my relationship with the Lord was still taking form when Scott and I met. I was still attempting to maintain boundaries, to obey, and to resist this persistent, very interesting and tender man. So, there we were, both fumbling our way through the newness of new life. And we've been at it ever since. But finding my Groom has made all the difference. When my husband fails, I seek my Groom so I might forgive. When my husband confronts me about wrong I have done, I seek my Groom so I might humbly accept correction and seek reconciliation. When my husband and I want two very different things, I seek my Groom for wisdom. When my husband is all I dreamed he might be, I seek my Groom to express gratitude for the radical change in each of us that has brought about such blessing. My husband is my partner, my friend, my special blessing; but my Groom is our foundation. Without Jesus, I might be a good wife; with Him, I can be a godly wife. Without Him, I might be happy; with Him I am whole. My Groom is making me the best Bride I can be. For His glory and for the good of my husband and me.