Colossians 3:2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
Don’t you just love ‘em? Kids, I mean, and their amazingly funny quirks. One evening I’m reading Emily a bedtime story, or at least I was trying to. She’s got this thing where she kisses things. I’m finishing up the book and ready to kiss her goodnight, so I ask her for a kiss. Here’s what she does. She sits up, turns around, and lays a big one on (guess where?) THE WALL! Seriously? The nasty ole’ wall. I just finished reading her a bedtime story and lovingly singing her favorite song, “twinkle star” as she calls it, and she would rather smooch the wall. I was reminded of a similar situation not too long ago. One evening at bedtime I said I would lay down with her while she fell asleep, so we got comfy and I told her to scoot close and snuggle up and she sticks her stinky little butt on me and says, “snuggle my butt!” in that lovely little singsong voice that kids use. Aren’t they lovely?
You know I am amazed how much we are like that with God. He has done so many wonderful things for us, the most important being salvation through Jesus. And what do we do? We kiss up to the world instead. We give our affection to the world and the things of the world instead of the One who created, saved, and sustains us. Or when we do give Him affection, we wanna give Him our backsides instead of the best we have to offer. Instead of faithfully spending time in His house and serving him we use God’s time for everything else but being with Him. We waste more time joking and talking about frivolous things instead of talking about the things of God, sharing our burdens, or sharing in someone else’s burdens. We fill our lives and our kids’ lives with ridiculous amounts of extra-curricular activities in attempts of feeling accomplished in lieu of finding and taking advantage of daily opportunities to serve God and spend time with Him. Seriously, if it’s God’s house take care of it (you would take care of your own right?), if it’s God’s men (the leadership God has given your church) take care of them (do not expect them to live by the same faith you will not), if it’s God’s money give it to Him and trust what He wants to accomplish with it, if YOU are God’s then act like it by living above the influences of the world instead of just blending in. He has done so much for you, show Him some love! And not just your backside.
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Protecting Your Borders
Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes. And ye shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. And thou shalt write them upon the door posts of thine house, and upon thy gates: That your days may be multiplied, and the days of your children, in the land which the LORD sware unto your fathers to give them, as the days of heaven upon the earth. For if ye shall diligently keep all these commandments which I command you, to do them, to love the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, and to cleave unto him; Then will the LORD drive out all these nations from before you, and ye shall possess greater nations and mightier than yourselves. Deuteronomy 11: 18-23
Emily and I were working in the garden this week. It has taken a couple of weeks and a lot of hard work, but my garden looks pretty good now. As I was working I was thinking about putting wood posts around the garden. The spare little weeds here and there in the otherwise bare soil are easier to pluck out. What is harder to clear is the weeds and grass creeping in from the outside. This is because they are an extension of a larger bigger plant, mostly the rest of my yard. And they are well grounded and tougher to dig out. So I began to think that these posts would serve as my protection, as borders to protect my garden soil from outside intruders. As I was thinking about these posts I began to see my garden as me and you. And the rest of my yard as the rest of the world. As a child of God I have found out the hard way the damage that can be done, and the consequences to be paid when I have let my guard down and let the world in. And it doesn't just happen right away, it's bit by bit. Just like in my garden, one root at a time, a blade here and a leaf there and then BAM my garden has been taken over. That's how it happens with us too, in our hearts and minds. One thought at a time, one unforgiveness at a time, one inappropriate action or word at a time. It starts little by little and as sin takes hold, it becomes easier, and we become more and more calloused. Sometimes it may not seem like we are doing anything wrong, maybe you don't think you are outright sinning. Maybe it's an attitude you hold, or something you allow to take place in your home. Or maybe it's something you aren't taking a stand on that you should.
In Deuteronomy 11 God was speaking to the children of Israel before they went in to possess the land of Canaan. He commands them to keep His commandments, to love Him and serve Him with all their heart and soul. He reminds them of all the good things He will bless them with if they do, and the consequences if they don't. He tells them to lay up His words in their hearts, to bind them upon their hands and as a frontlet between their eyes. A frontlet was an "ornament or band worn on the forehead as a phylactery." A phylactery was a small leather box worn on the forehead and left arm containing small parchments with quotes from Hebrew scriptures and were "traditionally worn by Jewish men during morning worship, except on the Sabbath and holidays." (from www.thefreedictionary.com) He also told them to teach them to their children, to speak His words when at home, when they were out and about, when they went to bed, and when they got up. To write them upon the door posts of their homes and upon their gates. He has them surround themselves with His words to remind them of Him, to protect them from the influence of the world they were about to enter, the one He would conquer for them. God was giving them valuable advice as to how to "protect their borders." The bottom line to put it simple as God does in verse 22, we are to cleave to Him.
As I tended my garden, clearing the border, I was reminded not only of the necessity of protecting the borders of my mind and heart, but of those of my children. I am responsible for them, what they see and hear, what they do, where they go, and who they spend time with. I was reminded this week of something I should always be mindful of, how important it is "protecting the borders" for myself and my family.
Emily and I were working in the garden this week. It has taken a couple of weeks and a lot of hard work, but my garden looks pretty good now. As I was working I was thinking about putting wood posts around the garden. The spare little weeds here and there in the otherwise bare soil are easier to pluck out. What is harder to clear is the weeds and grass creeping in from the outside. This is because they are an extension of a larger bigger plant, mostly the rest of my yard. And they are well grounded and tougher to dig out. So I began to think that these posts would serve as my protection, as borders to protect my garden soil from outside intruders. As I was thinking about these posts I began to see my garden as me and you. And the rest of my yard as the rest of the world. As a child of God I have found out the hard way the damage that can be done, and the consequences to be paid when I have let my guard down and let the world in. And it doesn't just happen right away, it's bit by bit. Just like in my garden, one root at a time, a blade here and a leaf there and then BAM my garden has been taken over. That's how it happens with us too, in our hearts and minds. One thought at a time, one unforgiveness at a time, one inappropriate action or word at a time. It starts little by little and as sin takes hold, it becomes easier, and we become more and more calloused. Sometimes it may not seem like we are doing anything wrong, maybe you don't think you are outright sinning. Maybe it's an attitude you hold, or something you allow to take place in your home. Or maybe it's something you aren't taking a stand on that you should.
In Deuteronomy 11 God was speaking to the children of Israel before they went in to possess the land of Canaan. He commands them to keep His commandments, to love Him and serve Him with all their heart and soul. He reminds them of all the good things He will bless them with if they do, and the consequences if they don't. He tells them to lay up His words in their hearts, to bind them upon their hands and as a frontlet between their eyes. A frontlet was an "ornament or band worn on the forehead as a phylactery." A phylactery was a small leather box worn on the forehead and left arm containing small parchments with quotes from Hebrew scriptures and were "traditionally worn by Jewish men during morning worship, except on the Sabbath and holidays." (from www.thefreedictionary.com) He also told them to teach them to their children, to speak His words when at home, when they were out and about, when they went to bed, and when they got up. To write them upon the door posts of their homes and upon their gates. He has them surround themselves with His words to remind them of Him, to protect them from the influence of the world they were about to enter, the one He would conquer for them. God was giving them valuable advice as to how to "protect their borders." The bottom line to put it simple as God does in verse 22, we are to cleave to Him.
As I tended my garden, clearing the border, I was reminded not only of the necessity of protecting the borders of my mind and heart, but of those of my children. I am responsible for them, what they see and hear, what they do, where they go, and who they spend time with. I was reminded this week of something I should always be mindful of, how important it is "protecting the borders" for myself and my family.
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Freedom's Fortunes
Romans 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
Our July 4th this year was fairly relaxed. I went grocery shopping, hubby grilled while the kids and I played in the pool. We took a nap. It was great. Nice and relaxing. That evening I was in the bedroom and I could just hear the kids out in the front room, playing around. It was the best sound. Four year old Emily and one year old Jsher were just laughing and giggling. And it went on for a good ten minutes or more. I love to hear that sound! Another thing I love, the freedom I have as a child of God. Freedom from sin's curse, and the resources God gives me to help me to live a better life, and to make my life better. Resources like His Word, and my church, brothers and sisters in Christ, parents and grandparents that faithfully attend AND serve in church (this is the best heritage I could ever hope to have), and good Christian music and radio stations to listen to. Freedom to love my kids with all I've got and to know that when I parent them His way we all will reap eternal rewards despite what the rest of the world tells me. I am thankful for the freedoms God has given me as a citizen of the United States of America. But I am even more thankful for my freedoms as a child of the King.
Our July 4th this year was fairly relaxed. I went grocery shopping, hubby grilled while the kids and I played in the pool. We took a nap. It was great. Nice and relaxing. That evening I was in the bedroom and I could just hear the kids out in the front room, playing around. It was the best sound. Four year old Emily and one year old Jsher were just laughing and giggling. And it went on for a good ten minutes or more. I love to hear that sound! Another thing I love, the freedom I have as a child of God. Freedom from sin's curse, and the resources God gives me to help me to live a better life, and to make my life better. Resources like His Word, and my church, brothers and sisters in Christ, parents and grandparents that faithfully attend AND serve in church (this is the best heritage I could ever hope to have), and good Christian music and radio stations to listen to. Freedom to love my kids with all I've got and to know that when I parent them His way we all will reap eternal rewards despite what the rest of the world tells me. I am thankful for the freedoms God has given me as a citizen of the United States of America. But I am even more thankful for my freedoms as a child of the King.
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