Lent Day 22: An eye for an eye

A repost from Lent 2010: 
One bumper sticker on the van ahead of me in traffic reads, "What would Jesus bomb?" and the one right beside it says, "An eye for an eye, and the whole world is blind."

The driver misses the point twice. Jesus indicated no political leanings besides, "Do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God." 

The second saying did not originate as revenge. Expressing God's desire for protection within an uncivilized slave culture, the "eye for an eye" law acted as a limiter of revenge. You could not take more from your adversary than was taken from you, JUST an eye for an eye. No more. You couldn't kill someone for making you lame or knocking out your tooth. Judging from current Middle Eastern temperaments, taking an eye for an eye or a tooth for a tooth and calling it "justice, done, finito!" would be a big improvement.

Jesus went a step further and said, "If your enemy demands you walk a mile with them (probably carrying their heavy pack), offer to carry it a second mile. Turn another cheek to be struck, rather than hitting back." And hardest of all to swallow: "God your Father will forgive you in the same measure you forgive those who have offended you."

Who bugs you or did you harm? Can you place them into God's care with a prayer for blessing rather than cursing, and entrust yourself to the merciful hand of God for your own sins?

Read more:
*But you, O LORD, are a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head. Psalm 3:3 NLT

*Now, our God, hear the prayers and petitions of your servant. For your sake, O Lord, look with favor on your desolate sanctuary. Give ear, O God, and hear; open your eyes and see the desolation of the city that bears your Name. We do not make requests of you because we are righteous, but because of your great mercy.

O Lord, listen! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, hear and act! For your sake, O my God, do not delay, because your city and your people bear your Name." Daniel 9:17-19 NIV 

*Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.

For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in sinful man, in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit. Romans 8:1-4 NIV

31 Days in December #28: Month in review

When I wake in the early hours, I think about three meditation I've focused on this month from John 15 and conversations with my brother:

1. We are called to abide in the love of God

2. Followers connected to Jesus - as branches connect to a vine - who do not bear fruit, will be taken away by our heavenly Father.

3. Forgiveness enables us to pray to God with the expectation that he will answer our prayers.

My mom and her great-grandson

I'm so grateful for God's interaction with us. What have you learned this month about God?

The things we hear

How has the past startled you? Have you looked at photos and wondered who you were? Heard a story from a different point of view that changed how you look at things?

I'm 18 years old. I've just spent three hours listening to someone I consider a friend. And Nora has told me how awful my family is: too snobby, too smart, too willful, we think we're too good for others, and our worst crime of all? We're willing to think and do things other families don't try. She says she likes the safety of limits, and she hates that we don't recognize those constraints or stay within them.

I tell Nora she's probably misunderstood us, wave goodbye, and go inside the house. Of course, I write it all down so I can think about it.

Nearly 40 years later, I find that journal entry. (Be careful what you tell a writer.) It's several pages long because the conversation went into great detail about our family's inadequacies. I winced - and shrugged - when I wrote it. And I winced - and shrugged - again when I read it yesterday. It made me sad in some parts and made me laugh aloud in others. The things our family loves - learning, tackling new things, and finding creative solutions - were the very things she resented and disliked in us.

People rarely say what they think to our faces, so then and now I pondered Nora's frank appraisal. I summed up the conversation as "pure poison without a point." But I internalized the fears I heard, Nora's worries of not being enough, of not trusting, and of wishing she was someone else.

I pulled back from her, of course. But I also saw others differently. Nora had named those in our circle in years of interactions that I didn't remember. I'd hurt them and they'd talked behind my back.

Who's talking about you behind your back? Does it influence your behavior? Do you care? There's often a grain of truth in we overhear about ourselves, no matter how strangely the "facts" are presented.

An interesting observation

Nora had a chip on her shoulder and deep insecurities. If others had confronted me, would I have been more serious about my surroundings and been kinder and more careful in my friendships? Probably. That might have meant being less open. Taking fewer risks in exploring what was possible. Not going as many places with as many people. I doubt that was possible, judging from who we all were back then.

As I read the rest of the diary, my shortcomings and imperfections are obvious. Compared to most of my peers, I was a wild-thinking teenager. Modern parents might put me on ADD meds. On the plus side, I was endlessly curious. I easily acquired languages and information. I didn't mind swimming a long way or jumping off cliffs into unknown waters (literally and figuratively. Remember Harrison Lake, you guys?) I might scream while my heart pounded in fear, but I'd try anything once if it wasn't immoral or illegal. I never intended harm even when I felt the least patient with others. (Going to college probably saved my mind.)

Do pacesetters and visionaries take this to heart?

I'm wondering about how we'd redo our lives. Are there things you would change? Do you have regrets about things you've done (or not done?)

Living in the past doesn't serve us. I long ago forgave Nora her attack. I hope she found security and recognizes her value as a person - just as she is, beyond comparison to others. We are who we are. If God is pleased with how he made us, shouldn't we be happy with ourselves?

In heading toward a new culture, reading my diary is helpful. We don't know the signals for caution or avoiding faux pas in Indonesia. We can only trust God, do our best, and ask friends to let us know when we miss the mark or overstep the boundaries.

"Lord have mercy," she says sincerely, shaking her head and closing the journal.

Read more:

*Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever. Give thanks to the God of heaven, for his steadfast love endures forever. Psalm 136:1, 26 ESV

*Put my tears in your bottle. Are they not in your record? Psalm 56:8

*Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh. Luke 6:21 ESV 

*But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed. Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness. 2 Peter 3:10-11 ESV

Moravian Prayer: Heavenly Creator, many lives are filled with grief and sadness. Through your generous grace and lifting spirit, help dry the tears of those who weep and bring comfort and laughter to those who despair. Amen.

CS Lewis in Mere Christianity: And now we begin to see what it is that the New Testament is always talking about. It talks about Christians ‘being born again’; it talks about them ‘putting on Christ’; about Christ ‘being formed in us’; about our coming to ‘have the mind of Christ’.

Put right out of your head the idea that these are only fancy ways of saying that Christians are to read what Christ said and try to carry it out—as a man may read what Plato or Marx said and try to carry it out. They mean something much more than that. They mean that a real Person, Christ, here and now, in that very room where you are saying your prayers, is doing things to you. It is not a question of a good man who died two thousand years ago. It is a living Man, still as much a man as you, and still as much God as He was when He created the world, really coming and interfering with your very self; killing the old natural self in you and replacing it with the kind of self He has. At first, only for moments. Then for longer periods. Finally, if all goes well, turning you permanently into a different sort of thing; into a new little Christ, a being which, in its own small way, has the same kind of life as God; which shares in His power, joy, knowledge and eternity.

Lent Day 30: When worst fears come true

"I'd be the last one who'd run away," he promised. "I'd never say anything bad about you. Never leave you in the lurch."

He was in my trusted inner circle. I took him and two others with me when the rest of the group stayed behind. I'd shown those three the real me; they'd seen my highs and lows. They knew me better than anyone else. And he was the outstanding spokesman among them. The one I was counting on to galvanize my plan into action when I left.

I knew he was telling the biggest lies of his lifetime. He would be the one who would deny that he had anything to do with me. He would swear to be a stranger. He'd insist - THREE times! - that he didn't even know me.

I warned him in advance but he couldn't see what was coming. Though I tried to put him on guard, he didn't catch on. He walked right into the trap. And when he realized what he'd done, he broke down and cried.

***

The gospel writer Mark tells us how Jesus thus forewarned Peter that he would deny Jesus three times ... before the morning rooster crowed twice. Peter couldn't imagine that he's abandon his trusted friend and companion. After all, Jesus was the Messiah. The King. The problem-solver. The one Peter had believed in and all Israel had waited for. All that Jesus needed was the right moment to shine - and Peter planned to be there.

Instead, things went horribly wrong. Jesus was arrested, betrayed by one of their group. He was taken away, beaten, spit on, and a mob screamed for his crucifixion. This was trouble. And Peter didn't want to risk the same thing happening to him.

So he did the unthinkable. He lied. Three times. And Jesus, bruised and bleeding, had known he would do it. Jesus looked Peter in the eye. Forgave Peter as he was led away.

Have you ever lied or cheated to get yourself out of harm's way? If so, you can relate to Peter. You've BEEN Peter.

We excuse our un-truths as self-defense, as getting ahead, and as "What-I-Had-To-Do-To-Save-Myself." Except that we feel broken and crushed by our betrayal. Maybe we're not the one who pointed out the person who gets axed. Maybe we stayed quiet or denied our part in an affair to protect ourselves, letting someone else take the punishment. Maybe we joined the wrong crowd to guard our interests.

Just like Peter, we look into the eyes of Jesus to find only love and forgiveness. Why not accept what God knows about you and me? We fail. Our worst fears about ourselves are true. We're not who we hoped we'd be when the pressure hit. Thankfully, God - through His son Jesus - suffered our penalty so we can live free and forgiven.

Had Peter not accepted Jesus' assignment to nurture those around him, who knows how Christian faith would have spread? What if Peter had said, "No! I'm too broken and I can't be trusted" when Jesus asked him to, "Feed my sheep and my lambs?" We would never have heard Peter's thrilling speech of Pentecost in Acts 2. We could never have read about his untiring zeal to spread Good News. The early Church would never have had Peter's strong and courageous leadership.

What is God asking of you today? 
Will you accept that God chose you to do this, knowing exactly who you are (and who you were)?

Read more:
*I am the Lord who heals you. Exodus 15:26 NLT

*So the LORD sent Nathan the prophet to tell David this story: "There were two men in a certain town. One was rich, and one was poor. The rich man owned a great many sheep and cattle. The poor man owned nothing but one little lamb he had bought. He raised that little lamb, and it grew up with his children. It ate from the man's own plate and drank from his cup. He cuddled it in his arms like a baby daughter. One day a guest arrived at the home of the rich man. But instead of killing an animal from his own flock or herd, he took the poor man's lamb and killed it and prepared it for his guest."

David was furious. "As surely as the LORD lives,' he vowed, 'any man who would do such a thing deserves to die! He must repay four lambs to the poor man for the one he stole and for having no pity."

Then Nathan said to David, "You are that man!"…

Then David confessed to Nathan, "I have sinned against the LORD." 2 Samuel 12:1–7, 13 NLT

*Lord, let me know my end, and what is the measure of my days; let me know how fleeting my life is. Psalm 39:4 NLT

*The woman declared in the presence of all the people why she had touched Jesus, and how she had been immediately healed. He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.” Luke 8:47-48 NLT

*Our citizenship is in heaven, and it is from there that we are expecting a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. Philippians 3:20 NLT

Moravian Prayer: Holy One, what a gift life is! How precious is our time here on earth! May we move through this day with gentleness and unrestrained gratitude. Today, especially, we give thanks for life in Christ Jesus.

Restoring God, thank you for the healing waters of your grace. Grant us the courage and faith to reach out in love to those most in need of healing and hope – especially those who are “the least of these”. Amen.

Lent Day 7: Life in test mode

 I failed a test this week. I prepped for it, stepped up to the plate, and fell flat over my sneaker laces. Maybe you've been there:

• When you miss a deadline, do you beat yourself up for it? 
• If someone comes in the door and your entry is a mess, do you fret for days? 
• If a deadline seems out of reach, do you give up instead of pressing on for one more try?
• You had a great opportunity and it flopped. Now you are scared to try again.

 One of the hardest tasks for goal-setters and high achievers is self-forgiveness. Letting go of failure. Looking beyond the obvious miss to a possible future win.

"Always Hopeful" by Toni Grote

We sometimes find it easier to forgive others than to forgive ourselves. Is there something in your past (or in the day) that you need to release in order to move forward?

God has completely forgiven us through Jesus Christ. That means he does not remember our sins against us. He knows we have messed up (there's no God-amnesia, after all!) but he doesn't hold our past against our future.

Consider doing the same for yourself today. Learn from the past. Let it go. Then look to the future with hope and a sense of possibility.

Read more:
 *The Lord says, "I will not continually accuse, nor will I always be angry." Isaiah 57:16

*Jesus said to the paralyzed man, “Friend, your sins are forgiven you.” Luke 5:20

*Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. James 1:12 NIV

Moravian Prayer: Forgiving Savior, as we journey through this season of Lent, our hearts are overwhelmed with awe and gratitude for the patience and love you show us. Bless us always thus, we pray. Amen.

First responses

All photos from BBC Day in Pictures, January 2

I woke this morning with a to-do list and a song in my head. The to-do list whirled around with possible outcomes:

• Did I understand that email correctly? Was I supposed to extend an invitation or is the meeting host making the arrangements. Check in with the leader before moving ahead.
• When I ask the store for this item, the response might be a) ... or b) ... or c)...
• The list from last week's team meeting: pull it out and get moving on it.
• Write a thank-you to ...

And so on.

The song conducting my waking toe movements is a happy one: (Click here to listen.)
Chorus:
You have been so good to me
You have been so good to me
I came here broken, You made me whole
You have been so good, You have been so good
You have been so good to me (repeat)

Verse:
How can I thank You, there is just no way
How can I thank You, Lord, how could I repay
For Your kindness, for Your tenderness
For Your constant Presence here with me

Before I roll out of bed, I grab the IPad on my nightstand to listen to a daily coaching moment with Dr. Dave Martin. This morning he talks about the consequences of humanity's fall. God asks Adam and Eve two questions: 1) Where are you? 2) What have you done?

In a coaching setting, what great questions to evaluate the past before doing the next thing.

As usual, my mind churns in a direction not necessarily intended by Coach Dave. My question is: What would have happened if Adam had been honest and repentant? What if, instead of trying to stay hidden, the first people had confessed: "We both messed up. We did what you forbade. How can we make it right?"

From everything I read in scripture, God responds to sincere grief over wrongdoing. An entire wicked city was spared from judgment when they mourned their sins. (Read about it here.) Would God have reacted differently to Adam and Eve, had they fallen on their faces with a heartfelt "Help us! Forgive! We are sorry!"?

Instead, Adam and Eve go into the world, raise children, and die at an old age. We can't prove that Adam and Eve were good people among sinners, as many of us assume. Adam died in the generation before the flood of Noah, when Noah's father Lamech was an adult and wickedness was rampant on the earth. Adam may have been the model of awfulness that his kids and grandkids followed, though the Redeemer was promised in his lineage. (Crazy to think about, isn't it?)

How faithful God is to his promise. How can it be that I fall among those chosen to believe? Unfathomable. Amazing.

By the time I eat breakfast, my head fills with theological possibilities, my heart's singing about God's faithfulness and "Barmherzigkeit" (lovingkindness and mercy coming from the heart), and I'm eager to see what the day holds.

What a wonderful way to start the week! How was your Monday awakening? What was your first responses to God's "Good morning, dear one?"

Read more:
*Then Solomon and all Israel celebrated the Festival of Shelters in the presence of the LORD our God. A large congregation had gathered from as far away as Lebo-hamath in the north and the Brook of Egypt in the south. The celebration went on for fourteen days in all—seven days for the dedication of the altar and seven days for the Festival of Shelters. After the festival was over, Solomon sent the people home. They blessed the king and went to their homes joyful and glad because the LORD had been good to his servant David and to his people Israel. 1 Kings 8:65–66

*Psalm 18:7-15; 1 Chronicles 26; Acts 16:30-17:3

*The Lord put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Psalm 40:3

*Jesus said to the blind man, “Receive your sight; your faith has saved you.” Immediately he regained his sight and followed him, glorifying God. Luke 18:42-43

Moravian Prayer: Compassionate Savior, we praise you this day. Keep your praises on our lips and in our hearts. Touch our spiritual eyes that we may see you more clearly and worship you faithfully as you created us to do. Amen.

It's my fault. Really.

Check out more cartoons at
Cathy Thorne's site.
http://www.everydaypeoplecartoons.com

"Rosemarie, you are not a victim. It's your choice how you live." Sitting on the piano bench next to me, Dr. Jack Rozell undercut my excuses for a habitual indulgence that made me feel trapped and awful.

I remembered Pastor Jack's comments, listening to an excellent presentation on taking responsibility for our actions. (Click to watch the 2 minute video by Dave Martin). Martin ties the judgement of God to personal accountability. In other words, God could not judge us if he hasn't given us the ability to make choices about how we live and think. The fact that we can make decisions means we're not mere victims of circumstances.

Check out more cartoons at
Cathy Thorne's site.
http://www.everydaypeoplecartoons.com

Bad things happen to us but WE choose our responses. Evil is all around but we can live in God's goodness. Shall we forgive and release our souls to freedom? Do we move forward or live in the past? Will we choose others' good over selfishness? Are we replacing unhealthy habits with healthy ones? It's up to us.

Of course, we must depend on God for the strength to accomplish our goals. We seek His wisdom to make decisions. And we are grateful for every day where he covers us with his provision of new life.

Remember, if you're living in the past or choked up by a bad decision, you get to decide whether to stay frozen by fear or regrets ... or move forward. Choose well!

“The problem that we have with a victim mentality
is that we forget to see the blessings of the day.
Because of this, our spirit is poisoned instead of nourished. ...

"Your complaints, your drama, your victim mentality,
your whining, your blaming, and all of your excuses have
NEVER gotten you even a single step closer to your
goals or dreams. Let go of your nonsense.
Let go of the delusion that you DESERVE better
and go EARN it! Today is a new day!”
― Steve Maraboli, Life, the Truth, and Being Free

Read more:
*(Thanks, Tillie!) I lift up my eyes to the hills—where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.
 
He will not let your foot slip—he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord watches over you—the Lord is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord will keep you from all harm—he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore. Psalm 121 NIV

*As a face is reflected in water, so the heart reflects the real person" Proverbs 27:19 NLT

*Isaiah said, “Woe is me! I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips.” Isaiah 6:5

*Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer everyone. Colossians 4:6

Moravian Prayer: Holy Father, thank you for another day in your vineyard. Anoint our lips to speak words that are pleasing to your ears and uplifting to all those we encounter this day. Amen.

Changed by the Spirit ... temporaily

One of the most encouraging (yet saddest) Bible verses has to be this one: "At that time the Spirit of the LORD will come powerfully upon you, and you will prophesy with them. You will be changed into a different person. After these signs take place, do what must be done, for God is with you." (1 Samuel 10:6–7)

Samuel is blessing Saul and predicting his spiritual awakening and opportunity. Reading the wonderful start of Saul's kingship, we are amazed as this shy and insecure young man leads a group of shepherd and farming tribes into a new era of statehood. Continuing the story however, Saul regresses to jealousy, defensiveness, and fear.

That happens to a lot of us. We make a great beginning in the faith. We experience God's presence, devote ourselves to serve him, and are empowered by His Spirit. Some of us see miraculous interventions of God's hand. Our worship is fervent and heartfelt. We can't wait for time to read the Bible and ponder about God's goodness and the mystery of a relationship with Him.

And then the troubles of life ensnare us. We see others thriving beyond our gifting or coming up on our heels to claim the work we love to do. We get upset with the behavior of fellow believers and label everyone as hypocritical (ourselves excepted, of course. Our bad behavior is "only a response" to others?) We're disappointed when our prayers are answered differently than hoped. We change our focus from life with Jesus to life around us.

Slowly we drift from our first love of Christ. We depend on Sunday services and a "verse of the day" to feed us. And we focus more and more on the shallowness of others, even as our toes become pointed from spiritual depths of living water to the worldly shores of self-indulgence and pleasures. Or, like Peter, we find our eyes on the impossibility of walking on the waves instead of on Jesus and sink out of sight.

How can we prevent our precious faith from becoming mere religion?

1. Approach life with Jesus as just that: Life With God. Salvation is a walk beside God, listening to what he says, loving what he loves, and enjoying his presence in good days and bad.
2. Meditate on God's goodness. Be thankful. Marvel at the privilege of knowing a Good God. He's not a demanding idol like the gods of other world religions, who insists on more and harder and "never enough" to satisfy the gods. Our God paid the price in full for our salvation. And he gives us a day of rest in which to enjoy him ... every week. Imagine such a joyful approach to his creatures!
3. Affirm God's nature. Have a sense of wonder as you explore how God reveals himself in scripture. For example, the 10 Commandments list qualities God values, such as holiness (recognition that God is above all and separate from His creation); truth and honesty (don't bear false witness); faithfulness (don't cheat on your spouse and family); honor and respect (of parents, who represent the various authorities we submit to); and of contentment (not envying others).
4. Turn quickly from failures and sins. God forgives us. After confessing sin and making it right with God and others, we should move on to live life to the fullest. Constantly groveling and talking about how lousy we are only causes more damage.
5. Trust that God will accomplish his purposes in us and others. Relax and face up to it: you're not a god and never will be in control. But our Good God can do anything and His strong arm holds us safe in sunshine and storms.
6. Look forward to the day with God. Approach each morning with the anticipation of partnering with God. Who knows how wonderfully you will be His hands extended.
7. Include others in your journey. Studies show that the unchurched are surprised that their Christian friends don't talk about their faith. They see how shy and embarrassed we are and wonder if Christ is worth following. Most would attend church with us if we asked a few times.

 Read more: 
*Know then in your heart that as a parent disciplines a child so the Lord your God disciplines you. Deuteronomy 8:5

*Don't envy sinners but always continue to fear the LORD. You will be rewarded for this; your hope will not be disappointed." Proverbs 23:17–18

*While the son was still far off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion; he ran and put his arms around him and kissed him. Luke 15:20

Moravian Prayer: Parent God, our teacher and protector, let us learn from our mistakes. Help us be open to correction as we receive your forgiveness. Amen. 

At just the right time... the happy toppling of strongholds

Got an unrecognizable spiritual block? In a funk and stuck? Yeah, me too.

God responds to our prayers and requests, often surprising us with unexpected grace. Sunday was one of those mornings for me.

I almost skipped church. Our granddaughter, on a sleepover overnight, had a cold and probably should stay in. However, I had promised to volunteer before the first service so my husband stayed home with Kinsey. Off I went.

I'd puzzled over a blockage in my spiritual progress during the past few years: what was keeping me from wholeheartedly pursuing God? Was I wearing out from studies? At an impasse because that sometimes "just happens?" Or could there be some root cause I hadn't thought of? When I prayed, I remained frustrated at the lack of clarity about moving forward in my spiritual journey.

Don Ross, our lead pastor at Creekside, alternates topical and expository (exploring a book of the Bible) preaching. We're currently in the middle of four weeks about Dealing with your own Worst Enemy: how to leave behind the past to freely embrace faith and practice. Last week, he talked about confessing our sin and sins as a release from guilt. Very cool and interesting. I thought about the talk for a few days.

Cain and Abel: Durer woodcut

This week, Don poured scriptures over our heads again. Using Genesis 4, the story of the first death--premeditated murder, he examined the  anger that can result from being hurt by others. He talked about bitterness which provides a stronghold for undermining spiritual health. Don spotlighted the power of anger, the choice of forgiveness, and the resulting freedom from hostility, fatigue, and depression. Hmmm. The symptoms sounded like my internal churning at times.

Was I harboring unforgiveness? Had someone hurt me, whom I was "holding to account?" Immediately, I scribbled four names on my note sheet as God brought four events to mind. My writer's hand captured them: 1, 2, 3, 4. What?! That required no effort at all.

Don offered his listeners three practical responses: 1) forgive and move on; 2) consider forgiveness but hold expectations of others (hope they'd admit to hurting us); or 3) hang on to deep hurts.

OUT! GO! GOODBYE! "I'm ready to move on," my heart shouted as my body sat quietly on the back bench.

Happiness and relief flooded me as I drove home. "I almost missed it!" I said aloud in the confines of the car. "I almost stayed home today." Oh, thank God!!! for a word spoken in a season of openness and inquiry.

This morning, the music inside my body plays happy worship. God reminded me how he has continually refreshed my life by taking away such barriers to freedom and ministry:

• As young adults, one of the guys from youth group apologized for his hurtful words, spoken years earlier. I didn't remember at all. His words had fallen to the ground unarmed and he had suffered alone. After I gladly forgave, his joyful demeanor remained in my memory.
• One morning, driving home from an errand, God spoke "forgive, forgive" into my heart. Nothing more, just "forgive." I began considering what that strong urging meant. Later that day I found out one family member's treachery to another. My heart had been prepared. 
• More recently, two of us mutually admitted our lack of cooperation. Since then, we've become friends and I look forward to seeing him rather than avoiding our meetings.

Is a spiritual stronghold taping you to the spot though your feet long to run and dance? Here's what I learned about moving forward:

1. Open your heart to God. Pray. Acknowledge your inability to do life without God's help. Ask him to make the path clear.
2. Participate in a community of faith where God is speaking, ready to hear what God says. I got to church that day because I was "working" that morning.
3. Trust God to approach you when the time is right. He rarely forces his children to obey but provides ongoing opportunities to follow him.
4. Do what God asks. When your heart starts to pound (or your spirit resists) at confrontation with a biblical truth, you get to decide: yes or no? Obey or rebel? The choice is yours each time. If what's right seems too hard or your will stubbornly refuses, ask God's help. He'll strengthen you so you can thrive rather than exist.

Happily removing things that strangle us

Are you ready to release a stranglehold on your soul and walk in freedom? It may take a while to unwind the cords wrapped around you. The God of grace and lovingkindness invites us to become willing to travel with him, step by careful step. He protects us as we walk toward him in newness of life.

Read more:

*The LORD is God, shining upon us. Psalm 118:27

*(God says) "Just like the clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand." Jeremiah 18:6 (NASB)  

*It is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for his good pleasure. Philippians 2:13

Moravian Prayer: Work in us, dear Lord. Shape us into the vessel of your will as we do your works of grace. Bend us into your likeness, Lord Jesus and may the Holy Spirit complete in us all your gifts. Amen.