I read the One Year Chronological Bible in the morning. The subtitle is 'The entire text of the NIV in 365 daily readings arranged in the order the events actually occurred.' I prefer this because it combines the repetition of OT portions with a historical overview.
This morning Deuteronomy has the children of Israel poised to occupy God's promised land. Moses, their elder leader, is recounting all that God has done since they fled Egypt, wandered 40 years in the desert and tasted initial victory over two kings east of the Jordan.
In the first chapters, Moses warns them of the consequences of disobedience as they move west. The jealousy of God and following idolatry speaks volumes for them and us. The warning is clear in the first of the Ten Commandments; "You shall have no other gods before (besides) me." Dt 5:7
At the heart of each of us lies the urge to set up our own kingdom and our own idols which we worship. Just when I think I am doing great in my personal relationships and am about to give myself the proverbial pat on the back, my idol rears its ugly head. You have a problem, I can fix it for you. It's a very ugly idol.
First, because only God knows the heart of a person, I misjudge their motives. As I move in to fix them, I am helping on the basis of bad intel...because I really don't know. God knows them completely.
Second, trying to fix another person attempts to set myself up as God in their life. Bad idea because God is God and I am not.
I mean well. I genuinely care about my friends. Yet God cares more to stop me and to correct my belief about Who really knows how to fix people. Not me! Only God!
I demolish that fix-it idol by turning to God, His Word and the power of the Holy Spirit for wisdom from on high. And I keep my mouth shut, love my friend and pray that they would encounter God in their trials.
What's your idol of choice?
Grateful for you dear reader,
Nancy B
Wednesday, March 27, 2019
Monday, March 11, 2019
Walks, Talks & Sniffing
Two years ago, we got a dog. What a lovely walking companion as walking is an exercise I enjoy. She is a Corgi that is short in the legs, broad in the back and cute in face, so she doesn't go fast and pull on her lease. Good for her neck and good for my back.
Now I walk and talk to the Lord. It's all good except... my stubborn-by-breed herder Corgi gets in these moods when she is not super engaged with our walking and wants to stop and sniff every 10 yards. Patience comes on my part to allow some sniffing and some encouragement to walk with me, not in spite of me. She gets it in her mind that she will walk as fast or slow as she wills and stops at every doggy smell in the neighborhood. Everyone knows me and my dog because I am the one out front walking and she trails behind. Humorous.
As she and I were stopped for a sniff the other day (I was cold and inpatient, since I don't find sniffing that appealing), I started thinking about walking with God. How many times when He is trying to take me by the Spirit to new places as we walk, then I 'stop and sniff'. Can you see it, feel it? a slight tug on my spiritual leash and then His voice encouraging me to walk on. I can get so distracted by the 'smells' of life. Can you? Sure you do.
Following Jesus is essential to any Christian life. Focus on the practices of faith are life-giving and keep us in step with our training. Prayer, Bible study, meditation, fellowship and service in balance maintain a healthy relationship with God, along with walking well. I admire dogs that are trained by command who walk by their master off-leash. Impressive but is that me and God? There are times when I sense I am off-leash and just enjoying the freedom of His presence. Sometimes I am not.
This blog is wandering a bit but to end, I am very interested in your thoughts on walking by the Spirit.
"By this we may know that we are in him (God); whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked." 1 John 2:5, 6 ESV
Keep walking and talking but listening more, and if you are a doggy, sniff around some.
Nancy B
Now I walk and talk to the Lord. It's all good except... my stubborn-by-breed herder Corgi gets in these moods when she is not super engaged with our walking and wants to stop and sniff every 10 yards. Patience comes on my part to allow some sniffing and some encouragement to walk with me, not in spite of me. She gets it in her mind that she will walk as fast or slow as she wills and stops at every doggy smell in the neighborhood. Everyone knows me and my dog because I am the one out front walking and she trails behind. Humorous.
As she and I were stopped for a sniff the other day (I was cold and inpatient, since I don't find sniffing that appealing), I started thinking about walking with God. How many times when He is trying to take me by the Spirit to new places as we walk, then I 'stop and sniff'. Can you see it, feel it? a slight tug on my spiritual leash and then His voice encouraging me to walk on. I can get so distracted by the 'smells' of life. Can you? Sure you do.
Following Jesus is essential to any Christian life. Focus on the practices of faith are life-giving and keep us in step with our training. Prayer, Bible study, meditation, fellowship and service in balance maintain a healthy relationship with God, along with walking well. I admire dogs that are trained by command who walk by their master off-leash. Impressive but is that me and God? There are times when I sense I am off-leash and just enjoying the freedom of His presence. Sometimes I am not.
This blog is wandering a bit but to end, I am very interested in your thoughts on walking by the Spirit.
"By this we may know that we are in him (God); whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked." 1 John 2:5, 6 ESV
Keep walking and talking but listening more, and if you are a doggy, sniff around some.
Nancy B
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)