God's Provision

  It’s a rare morning I can’t find a scripture that grabs my attention. Perhaps it’s because I am not completely focused on the job this morning. It happens, especially in light of everything that is going on and has gone on this past week: meeting with contractors, a trip to Ripley’s aquarium in the city through work, making decisions about the renovations. There is another busy few days ahead as well.

  It’s not all work. Tomorrow is a trip to the Oakville Symphony, one of my greatest pleasures. Then it’s shopping which means road trips to get to the stores where I can find a broader selection of renovation materials. One is a renovation liquidator the other is Ikea. Both are about an hour away, a country mile, but in opposite directions.

  Decisions have to be made before the third contractor will submit a bid on the job. Oh, I have a rough idea about what I like and a sea shell that contains the colours I want to use; that contains the colours I’ve decorated the rest of the house in. It is not pink and peach but sand and stormy water blue/turquoise. This is a trick I learned working in a paint department: find an object like a favorite shirt that contains the colours you like then use them to decorate your home.

  “”Yes,’ the king replied ‘and to those who use well what they are given, even more will be given.’” Luke 19:26

  Thank You, Lord, for leading me to this passage. I have to admit I am wrestling terribly with spending the amount of money this reno will cost just as I struggled with buying a new flute at a fraction of the expense.

  I admit there’s guilt. A lot of it. It is also seasoned with worry about trusting a contractor, about the job being done properly, and about being provided for when I get older.

  Lord, I lift these concerns to You. Time and again, You have provided amply for my needs.

  Is the guilt because I don’t feel I deserve such things? Silly question. Of course! Why is that?

  Yet, two non-musical people told me last Sunday how much they enjoyed the sweet sound of the flute. And she is sweet! These are people who had never said anything before. Their delight affirms my purchase has made a significant difference in the joyful noise we make each Sunday. The added bonus is the flute is a delight to play.

  So let’s think about the renovations from a different aspect. I will be providing income for the contracting company. They in turn will use different businesses: electricians, plumbers, drywall installers, painters, and window installers. There may even be apprentices who are just starting out in life involved in learning their trades. My purchases will provide income for the stores, therefore for the people who work there. This will trickle down to the various manufacturers’ employees who provide the store with their goods. Then to the miners who gather the raw materials from the earth.  My reno will impact hundreds of people.

  Perhaps some of those people are in dire need of the work. Perhaps there is a single father who is trying to raise a family or a young person trying to make ends meet.

  Looking at it this way re frames my perspective tremendously.  Yes, the reno is for me but really, it is for the whole world.

  Lord, let me be a blessing to others in all I do and say. Let this be an opportunity for my faith to do the same thing: span the globe. (Smile. Now there’s a humbling thought… it already does!) In Jesus’ name I pray. AMEN!

For Clarity's sake

  “Everything belongs to you, and you belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God.” 1 Corinthians 3:22-23

  Every so often, something is heard or read that sends shivers down my spine. Last Sunday’s teaching contained such a moment. We were learning about the Jesus Collective, (www.jesuscollective.com) an organization that is forming around a global network of believers of all faiths and languages who want to be Jesus followers.

  Historically, Post WWII, soldiers and families who were impacted by the deaths of comrades and family members were left looking for answers about what was beyond death.

  Jesus teaches us that being right with God by making Him Lord of our life is the only sure way to get to heaven. Believing in heaven in and of itself is insufficient.

  For the last half century or so, this has been the focus of many churches: the life beyond death that is attained through Jesus. This is what “hell fire and damnation” preaching focuses on to this day but society has changed greatly. 

  Today’s questions aren’t as concerned about what happens beyond death because, praise God, our North American children haven’t been exposed to the mass death a world war leaves in its wake. Today’s seekers want to understand the difference following Jesus makes in the present.

  As depression, anxiety, and loneliness are on the rise in a world of instant connection, those of us who believe in Jesus need to be able to share that Jesus is for the now. We need to be aware that the Gospel contains so much more than the pivotal, love filled moment Jesus died for our sins so we can go to heaven.

  The Gospel consists of the first four books in the New Testament containing the life and teachings of Jesus. Jesus taught the gospel.

  Gospel means “good news”. Bruxy Cavey has written a wonderful outline called the Gospel in thirty words that puts it simply but like a great many simple things, it is profound.

  “Jesus is God with us, come to show us God’s love, save us from sin, set up God’s kingdom, and shut down religion, so we can share in God’s life.” (Taken from Bruxy’s online post “And now for something completely different”.)

  I admit to being stretched by the Anabaptist third way, an irreligious religion that fully embraces Kingdom living. This means holding Biblically based views while understanding that acceptance and agreement are two different things. Basically, this is a conservative set of beliefs combined with a liberal heart. I do need to work on the liberal bit because I find myself struggling to love as Jesus loved. Frequently.

  But He is with me. Right now. I am His and He is mine. Always.

 

  And what a difference this has made!

  If you are struggling and don't know Jesus as Lord, I encourage you to think about accepting Jesus into your life. Just think about it, that's all.

Where I Stand (At the foot of the Cross)

“I planted the seed in your hearts, Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow. It’s not important who does the planting, or who does the watering. What’s important is that God makes the seed grow.” 1 Corinthians 3:6-7

  Faith is a living thing. It takes nurturing, fertilizing, and seasons of rest for it to thrive. Sin is like the locust, or the blight that damages the vine. Yet, by a careful pruning away of the diseased parts, the plant will flourish above and beyond our wildest expectations.

  There is a profound relationship between the soil, the sun, and the rain. Not having enough or having too much of one has the ability to stifle a growing plant if not kill it outright.

  I believe the soil is the community of believers in my life who share my desire to come to know Him better through the inspired Word of God, the Bible. Without community, we have no roots.

  The sun is the Son of God who came to earth, lived, died and ascended into heaven to sit at the right hand of His Father. His light can chase away all the darkness, all the shadows, all the blight and locusts. His Light illuminates the better way: the way of love, grace, peace and forgiveness. He makes it possible for these things to exist within us.

  The rain is the Holy Spirit whose presence pours into our soul the moment we declare Jesus as Lord of our life. He is the third facet of God: God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. This is an attribute of God that is often hard to understand for those who question or for those who seek a greater meaning to life. It can be hard for followers of Jesus to understand, too!

  (Long Pause.)

   So...I am a human. I am also a woman, a mother, a grandmother, an employee, an artist, a musician. There are many different aspects of my identity and abilities that make up me. They are relational not separate. For me, that means I am a better musician because I can paint. I am a better artist because I can hear the song in what I see. I am thankful for these gifts.

  God chose to make us in His image for the purpose of relationship, an image whose very foundation is relational.

  He is Father, Brother, Bride-groom, Friend. He was a babe, a child, a man so an immortal God would know what it was to be mortal. He humbled Himself so He could meet me, us, where we stand.

  He loved us that much He was prepared to die. 

  There is nothing I need to do or nothing I could do that would ever earn His kind of love. It is a gift without limits whose only restriction is based on my own free will and the choices I make. But those are my restrictions, not God’s. They are my limitations, formed from an imperfect understanding of the profoundly simple, "God is Love". There are more limitations shaped by experiences and sin; sin being anything that keeps us apart from God. 

  These limitations are becoming less and less the deeper I delve into matters of faith or as Paul so clearly stated, "God makes the seed grow."

  Faith is a living thing. It takes nurturing, fertilizing and seasons of rest for it to thrive. Faith is the ultimate expression of free will. I have chosen to live my life according to my beliefs as best I can. The best simply gets better every day because God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit are active participants in this life not merely bi-standers waiting to greet me when I die.

  Thank You, Jesus, for making this possible. AMEN!

  

A Day Away

   “As God’s partners, we beg you not to accept this marvelous gift of God’s kindness and then ignore it. (The gift is being made right with God through Christ.) 1 Corinthians 6:1

  I am going to add another quote today from the notes on Sunday’s teaching because it explains in a few words what I was trying to say in my last post.

  “Christians often use a false view of God’s providence to excuse our own irresponsibility.”

 

  My friend H and I took a mini-vacation yesterday by heading up to Owen Sound to check out three of the several waterfalls gracing the area. It is an ideal time to go see them in all their majesty as melting snow has swollen the rivers and creeks that feed the falls.

  Inglis Falls, once the site of a grist mill is spectacular! The cliff face is several stories high. The roar of the water drowned out any possibility of conversations. Icy mist swirled overhead making the area around it a magical, icy wonderland.

  The second one, Weaver’s Creek Falls, was found close to downtown Owen Sound within Harrison Park. The falls were lovely but it is the park that ended up being an unexpected delight! It is huge and beautiful and old. There are domesticated water fowl and swans kept in large pond areas as well as several large hutches containing a variety of pheasants from around the world. Weaver Creek, as it meanders through the park, has been carefully reconstructed to provide a more welcoming habitat for trout and salmon. H and I had a moment of childhood delight in going over the foot bridges that span the creek. It is definitely a place to go with my grandchildren.

  Our last stop was Jones Falls. A short hike along an ice packed trail led us to the best vantage point to see it. The creek was lined with icy lace wherever there was shade. It’s a quiet little creek until It, too, plummets several stories. The view of the falls was hampered by cedars trees hanging onto the cliff face.

   The slippery footing made trying to see the falls an adrenaline pumping exercise. There were no fences or railings to prevent a fall should one of us have slipped. The only direction a slip would have taken was straight down into the raging torrent. A mountain goat I am not! For those brief moments, I was a ninety year old and very, very thankful for my hiking stick!

  Both of us laughed at ourselves on the hike back to the car. Weak kneed, and shaking, it took a while. Did I mention I wasn’t a mountain goat?

  This little holiday has left me feeling refreshed and rejuvenated and very thankful there are such wonders only an hour and a bit away.

The Quest Begins

“Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see.” Hebrews 11:1

  As I read the rest of the chapter, it would appear faith in God places me in good company: Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, and Sarah. (Smile.) Now that’s a good way to start today’s post!

  It’s humbling, too, because I am not always quick to lean on God or trust that He’s got my back. Hmmm, maybe there is some Sarah in me.  Her story and how she took God’s promise for a son into her own hands starts in Genesis 18.

  I had a meeting last night with the first of three contractors I have approached about doing the renovations. His company is well thought of. His credentials were excellent. He was polite, well spoken and enthusiastic. He spent a good while making sure the plans included all the necessary information so the addition is built to code.

  A good point in his favor is he was glad I asked questions! Most were from an excellent list found on the internet about the business end of things. I did not feel I was being patronized at any point in our hour long chat.

  That’s a big plus in his favour.

  Once I have all three quotes I will have to make a decision.

  This is where faith kicks in. Firstly, that I have chosen three contractors who are honest and professional and secondly, that I will make the right choice. While cost is an important factor in this decision, cheap is not always best.

  I have been wondering about choosing three instead of trusting the first one to come my way… Does this imply a lack of faith? Does this mean I don’t trust God to bring the right person before me from the start?

 

  The term “blind faith” has come to mind. Blind faith is a dangerous beast.

  I am diligent when it comes to knowing more about Jesus. I lean on learned teachers, Scriptures and the Holy Spirit to discern the truth about all manner of topics pertinent to life as a Christian. It makes sense to exercise that same diligence when it comes to worldly matters.

  Stewardship. It’s not something talked about very much or even something I think about very much but it is such an important aspect of life and faith. God has blessed me with a home. To maintain this home, it needs updating and constant care. (I noticed the front porch will need re-staining this summer.) By doing this, I am exercising the deepest gratitude for God’s provisions. He has made it so I can afford all these things.

  Playing the flute or piano contains another aspect of being a steward of God’s gifts. It’s up to me to polish and refine those gifts through practice, practice, practice!

  So there we are. I am at peace about this quest for a contractor. It is a wonderful opportunity for my faith to manifest itself as trust in God to guide me throughout all the decision making that will come my way in the next while.

  To God be the glory! AMEN!

Thank You, Jesus

  “Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.” 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

  What do I know of love?

  I know the love of Jesus surpasses all the broken, imperfect ways we mortals love each other. His is a love that heals, that restores, that pours worth into the worthless.

  I know I have placed mortal qualities on Jesus but He has forgiven me for that then shown me the unwavering truth of who He is but more importantly, why He is. I am humbled by His grace and find that grace is a building block of love.

  Gratitude is the mortar that holds the building blocks of love in place. Gratitude, being always thankful, manifests its self as patience and kindness and compassion. Gratitude is faith in action. And yes, there are days I am not as thankful as I could be, taking for granted the people in my life, the blessings, and the healing. I am forgiven for that, too.

  Today isn’t one of those days. My heart is aching, filling my rib cage with the beyond words, soul filling emotions of gratitude and its sister, joy. It leaves me humbled, in awe of my Creator and all His wonders.

  Maybe that’s what it means when we say love hurts. A revelation this morning because I always thought it meant to be loved was to be hurt…that hurt was the cost of admission.

  (A long pause.)

  This is the only reason it has taken me so long to delve into the idea of love. (Smile.) I know I mention it frequently but I had only a babe’s understanding of the truth and power of the love of God. My understanding of love came with a truckload of baggage. But, finally, I can say with the deepest gratitude that the bags are unpacked, the contents sorted and put away. All that remains is truth, beautiful truth.

  God is love.

Submission or Suppression?

  “But there is one thing I want you to know: The head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.” 1 Corinthians 11:3

Or:  The source of every man is Christ, the source of woman is man, the source of Christ is God.

Or Greek: Every man is responsible to Christ, a woman is responsible to her husband, and Christ is responsible to God.

  This is from the last teaching in the series, Her Story. It always amazes me how one word can alter the entire meaning of a sentence. The word, head, was translated from the Hebrew, kephale. It can be translated to mean either authority or source. (www.themeetinghouse.com)

  I understand why the blessed and dedicated people who translated the Scriptures into English would have used the word “head”. I also understand why there have been many misunderstandings take place because of our English interpretation of headship. For example: the industrial revolution and the idea of being head of a company created the unquestionable authority to hire, fire, and make demands with no accountability but the success of the business. It turned people into numbers.

   I think the idea of mutual responsibility to each other and Christ cannot happen within a hierarchy…

  Ok. That’s got me thinking…

  If Christ is the authority of my life, it means I must submit to that authority. Yet willing submission, surrender, is living in agreement to the standards of Christ’s teaching (or at least trying to). If a man believes the source of all he is comes from Christ, he is called to live according to the teachings of the Savior. Women can do the same because our source is Christ and therefore God, inherited through man at our creation. Or maybe a better idea is to live according to the heart of our Savior.

  Now, it sounds easy, but I need to be careful that religious rule keeping doesn’t take over. I suppose that’s another reflection of industrialized nations. Policies and procedures, the grease that keeps the industrial machine running smoothly needs to be set aside when it comes to personal living. They are necessary when it comes to the business end of running a church.

  I am not discounting or disqualifying the importance of ritual as a way to connect with Jesus. This is a very important part of my own faith. It’s when ritual becomes ritual for the sake of itself that something is missing. I am also not going to negate the importance of sitting at the feet of Jesus for our spiritual growth. It is important to learn and keep on learning!

  (Smile.) It would appear I am back at love again and I can’t resist doing this…

  The love of every man is Christ, the love of woman is man, and the love of Christ is God. God is love.

  Responsibility without love becomes duty. Duty without love becomes obligation. Obligation without love becomes servitude. Servitude without love becomes slavery. Slavery cannot exist without oppression. There is no love in oppression.

  Lord, I know there are places that oppression still exists in my heart, in the church and in society. Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. AMEN!