A New Creation

For those that know me well, there has been evidence in my life this year that indicates a serious spiritual struggle.  And it's true that I have struggled a lot.  I didn't always understand why, but the pain and the ups and downs were definitely there.  I knew that God was working on my heart, my spirit, my everything.  I know that such a process can be painful and exhausting.  I don't live in a vacuum where there are no external elements that can take me down.  I live in this world and there is plenty that can work against what God is establishing.  

But in the last month, something significant has shifted in me.  I feel like a new creation.  I have friends that are in constant prayer on my behalf and on behalf of my church and for the Kingdom of God. Those individuals have noticed the change and have commented on it, praising God that I don't look like a sad, little, oarless row boat being tossed around by the angry seas.  

I am different.  

I am finally at peace.  

I have never experienced such peace in Jesus in my entire life.  I have experienced glimpses of this peace over the last year.  But to experience it daily, minute-by-minute, that is certainly a new occurrence. It is a steady peace, like the sound of the wave crashing on the shore, one after another after another.  Jesus is my constant peace.

I have joy.  

I have longing in my heart and I miss individuals who are not in my life at this time.  Yet I have joy.  Jesus is the joy in my heart.  Elements of this world come at me with the purpose of wearing me out and I do get tired, yet I have a joy that cannot be compared.  I have a perpetual smile in my spirit.  That is definitely different. 

I have faith.  

I know that God is faithful and that He is leading.  I know that no matter what happens to me or to the world around me, He is still sovereign and He is already victorious.  I do not seek to work ahead of God. That, too, is unusual for me.  But I have faith.  I have faith in Jesus' faithfulness. And that, too, gives me peace.

I have patience.

I am content to wait on God.  I know that Jesus is the beginning and the end, and that the in-between is not nearly as important as what He’s already done.  Having this knowledge puts my agitation and unrestrained ambition to rest. Finally!  I have patience!  I have waited for this one for a long time.  I have had others comment on this change as well.  Many know me as a hopelessly impatient person.  For them to recognize and remark on this change is very encouraging to me too.  My focus on Jesus actually gives me recognizable patience.  Well hallelujah for that one!

I am more gentle.

I am not as easily agitated with my children.  I can see their struggles with more clarity.  Instead of disciplining the kids when they're fighting, I have an immediate glimpse into the pain of their hearts and I can approach the situation with instruction and guidance.  That is definitely different.  Obviously I still have much to learn but I'm surprised at the understandings that God has given me about their hearts and it definitely produces more gentleness.  I want to continue to emulate the gentleness that Jesus had when he blessed children and held them in His arms.  Oh man!  To have Jesus' arms would be amazing!  I've heard the song about having Jesus' eyes; I love that one too.  But Jesus' arms!  Yes, please.  

I have more love.

I have committed to praying, daily for a large group of individuals.  And the love that is poured into my heart on behalf of those people, is nothing short of a miracle of God.   Some of those individuals have done hurtful things to others and might not necessarily "deserve" this outpouring of love.  But they do, because they are children of God and if the enemy is using them to harm others, they will feel the pain of it as well.  I can see what Jesus sees in these people and my frustration toward them has dissipated immensely.  This, too, is definitely a new thing in my life. Sure, I had glimpses of this before, but the current overreaching effect of this love is giving me a so much more joy and peace right now.  Jesus IS love.  And I want more of that. A lot more!

I have wisdom.

I can see with more clarity the relationships that harm people.  I understand that even if someone professes to love me, I don't have to continue engaging in the relationship if their actions produce painfully destructive amounts of agony.  A man can claim to love his wife and bring her extravagant gifts every time he beats her and leaves her with bruises while the children watch.  He can cry on his knees and beg her to stay; he can go to his friends with tears pouring down his face and say, "I just love her so much."  And he might even be able to convince his friends that it's true.  But no one sees him when the door is closed and when he raises his fist to her head.  I know now, with absolute clarity, that claiming to love someone, and then beating them down, is not love at all.  And there is no reason to submit yourself to such abuse just because the person claims love or is related to you.  Is the abuse always done with a physical fist?  Of course not. The fist is just the obvious one.  And I would venture to say that the man who physically hits his wife has a greater chance of being saved then the one who does it in disguise.  Blatant sins are easier to address.  The most destructive ones are the ones that have stayed hidden for so long that even the abuser doesn't recognize the sin.  I have clarity on this matter.  I didn't have it before.  That is a new development in my spirit as well.  All wisdom comes from God and so I praise Him for it.  Proverbs 2:6 says, For the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding.  James 3:13 says, True wisdom comes from God.

I have action. 

James 2:17 says, Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.  Faith without action is dead.  I claim to have faith in God and yet if I do not move in His direction, follow His lead, obey His commands, then my faith is pretty much food for the worms. My actions are deliberate and in direct obedience to what God is showing me and guiding me into.  This is relatively new.  I had a smattering of these kinds of deliberate actions before, but they were more just submission to God and my heart wasn't totally on board.  Now I choose to follow Him, with resolve.  I move deliberately and with clarity.  Does everyone see it like that?  No.  Many people don't trust my actions.  But then again, many people haven't been asking me to open up my spiritual walk with them either.  They have not sought me with an open heart and with prayer.  They like to make judgements from the outside and that, of course, is a wasted effort since their judgments will amount to nothing more than strained relationships.  But, yes, many others, have dug deep into my life, with their armor on and with the word of God opened before them.  Those are the ones who accept my deliberate movements and trust that God is leading.  Does it mean they understand it and agree with everything?  Of course not, but they trust that God is the Light of my life because they know me.  Deliberate movement is definitely a new thing for me and it brings me so much peace because all I have to do is choose Jesus.  

I suppose I could go on and on.  It's been kind of fun to reflect on these differences.  I know God is working and I am so grateful for His constant presence and love.  I have incredible peace and resolve and joy and love and focus.  I don't know how else to say it.  But, it's true.  I am a different person.  I am God's creation and I praise Him for it.  

Ephesians 4 talks about developing maturity in Christ.  When that finally takes place (and it's not a crazy, in-the-future kind of thing, it is available now) then we will be solid.  I pray for that solidity in myself and every, single human being that desires to stand for God and for His Kingdom.  

Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming.  Instead, speaking the truth in love (now that's something I'm still working on), we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.  From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.  

Rainbow Bubbles

Several days ago, I had 6 kids at my house playing with bubbles.  They quickly ran out of bubble juice and I had to pull out the ½ gallon jug of extra stuff.  My 5-year-old isn't so good with the pouring of the ½ gallon into the smaller containers and she made a mess all over the toy box.  I reminded her to ask for help because it was wasteful to pour out the liquid like that, plus it made a mess all over the box and deck where the kids stepped in it and then stepped into my house.

I intended to clean up the mess, and every time I looked out my back window I could see the sticky juice splattered across the lid of the toy box.  But I never found the time...

Today the rain woke me up early.  It was a thunderous downpour that lasted for most of the day.  The downpour impacted many of my friends that were out and about or waiting in the rain.  One friend was rather aggravated with the situation and I was tempted to offer a consolation that sounded like, "But remember, the rainbow of promise is sent only after the rain."  But I never got around to that either...

The rainbow of promise after the rain.  The rain can be the cleansing that comes down on us as a downpour or an obnoxious never-ending drizzle.  But there is always a rainbow of promise afterwards, right?

I'll be honest, though.  This purifying rain; it never seems to stop; it never seems to end. And in the process, I keep messing up and wonder when it will ever be finished.  When will my little world be cleansed to the point where I can start fresh?

I stared out the back window at the downpour and thought, Oh good, at least it will wash off the bubble juice now.  But as I looked at the mess on the toy chest, I noticed it was dotted with large rainbow-reflecting bubbles.  Rainbows.  God sent the rainbows even while it was still raining.

What?  Is He allowed to do that?

Isn't that just like Him, though?  I'm sitting here, in the downpour, wondering when He's going to send His promise and He's laughing as He sprinkles more cleansing raindrops on the earth.  Because from His vantage point, up in the glorious heavens, He can see every rainbow that is sparkling down on us.  He's laughing because He's so happy that He has the authority to make and keep promises on such an active level.

I'm not saying that it was a good thing that my daughter spilled the bubble juice all over the toy chest.  She made a mess and should have sought assistance from an adult.  But Jesus used the opportunity of that mess to create a beautiful piece of art, something so simple and beautiful that it made me smile for a good portion of the morning.  Something so lovely that I waded out in the downpour to capture a photo of the moment and the promise.

There are probably more insights that I can glean from this little object lesson but I'm too tired to ponder them at this time.  I'm just still so happy about the rainbow in the rain from the mess.

The rainbow in the rain from the mess...

God is so good to us.

A Quick Return

I heard a “sermon” a couple of weeks ago where the guest speaker made a comment about Jesus’ words: I am coming quickly.  The speaker asked, “Was it just a sick joke?”  

The question was left unresolved and the rest of his sermon seemed unrelated to this question.  But it suddenly struck me that many people have made similar statements about Jesus’ promise.  

But I think this statement has been quite misunderstood by so many.  Jesus didn't say he was coming "right away."  He said He would come "quickly."  In other words, when it is time for Him to return, it will be a swift arrival.  

Here's the evidence to substantiate such a claim:

ἀντιδίκῳ σου ταχὺ ἕως ὅτου

I rest my case.  See you tomorrow.  

I know.  I know.  That just looks Greek to you, doesn’t it?  

It’s because it is Greek.  

The original Greek word for “quickly” is ταχὺ.  

That same word is used only 12 times in the New Testament.  And every time it’s used, it implies swift action that takes place all at once; right away.  

Matthew 5:25.  Make friends ταχὺ [quickly] with your opponent.  

Matthew 28:7  Go ταχὺ [quickly] and tell His disciples…

Luke 15:22  He said to his servant, go ταχὺ [quickly] and bring him a robe.

Every one of these verses gives me the visual that a command is issued and then it must be followed through very quickly.  Like, no more delay. 

Isn’t Jesus waiting for His father to command these words?  It’s time.  Go and bring my children home.

But about the day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.  Matthew 24:36; Mark 13:32

When God the Father utters the command, Jesus will NOT delay.  He will move swiftly!  There is no need for delay.  Why dilly-dally at this point?  Do it fast!  Move!  Bring them home!

THAT is what Jesus was saying!  And John knew it.  That’s why He wrote it down over and over and over.  

Revelation 2:16.  I am coming to you ταχὺ…

Revelation 3:11.  I am coming ταχὺ…

Revelation 11:14.  Woe is coming ταχὺ…

Revelation 22:7.  I am coming ταχὺ…

Revelation 22:20.  I am coming ταχὺ.  Amen.  (2nd to last verse in the Bible, by the way.)

If you were waiting for your bride, would you delay?  When God, the Father, says, Go!  Go get your bride!  Would you dawdle?  No!  You wouldn’t.  

Jesus is awaiting His Father’s word to come back and restore His bride to Him.  And He will do it VERY swiftly.  Rapidly.  Suddenly.  Hastily.  Hurriedly.  He can hardly wait!

When the time comes for Him to return, we won’t have time to think about whether we will defend Him or stand for Him or whether our relationship with Him is sufficient.  There will be no more time to make decisions.  We are rapidly coming into that time when there will be no more time. 

I promise that those who have accepted His promise of a relationship with Him will see that promise as the most promising promise that we could possibly imagine!  Wow, that's a lot of promises.

Even so, come, Lord Jesus.  (Rev. 22:20)

where are you staying?

The day after Jesus' baptism, John the Baptist pointed Him out to his own disciples and said, "Look!  The Lamb of God!" John 1:36 NIV

The two disciples began to follow Him immediately and Jesus stopped, turned around and asked them, "What do you want?"  

But instead of answering Jesus' question, the men responded with another question.  "Rabbi, where are you staying?"  

Then Jesus invited them to join Him and said, "Come and you will see."

When I read this chapter this morning, I was struck by the words, "Where are you staying?"  They intrigued me and I wanted to know more.  It would seem disrespectful for the disciples to ignore Jesus' question, especially since they had just used a term of respect when addressing Him.  Who are they, to ignore Him and ask Him their own question, instead?  

But check this out.  They couldn't answer His question because of where they were.  They were on the banks of the Jordan river, a passageway for travelers.  It was a hubbub of activity there and the question that Jesus asked had so much depth and breadth.  "What do you want?"  Several other version say, "What are you seeking?"  

Wow, well, what a loaded question.  How could that possibly be answered in the moment?  

If Jesus asked me that question, while I was standing in the middle of a busy New York street, I would probably not be able to answer it either.  My heart would cry out, "I seek everything that is not in this moment, except for your presence."  

I seek Jesus.  I seek His peace.  I seek solitude with Him.  I seek moments away from the crazy and the busy and the go-go-go.  I seek truth; His truth.  I seek His light.  I seek to learn how to shine His light.  I seek lessons of love and faith and beauty in His nature.  I seek understanding for His ways.  I seek wisdom.  I seek reverence in approaching His throne.  I seek direction.  I seek to follow Him. I seek to draw others to Him.  I seek His Spirit.  I seek Him.  

I could probably go on forever with the things that I seek.  And luckily, I will have forever to explore all the things I am seeking.  But for now, just like with the disciples, Jesus invites me to "come and you will see."  Almost every, single version has the exact same words in that verse: come and see.  

Jesus didn't say, Come and "find out."  He didn't say, "Let me tell you."  He said they would SEE.  Yes, I know that He was talking about seeing the place He was staying, but I'm talking about seeing the answers to what they seek.  

Jesus promised that we would find what we seek.  We would find it.  There is something we will see.  It's not just a feeling or an emotion or an idea; it is something we will SEE.

Matthew 7:7 says, Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find.

Luke 11:19 says, Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find.

Even Deuteronomy says it in 4:29:  If from there you seek the Lord your God, you will find him if you seek him with all your heart and with all your soul."

And Jeremiah 29:13: You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

David says to his son, Solomon, If you seek him, he will be found by you,  1 Chronicles 28:9

So that question that Jesus asked, "What are you seeking?" That's an invitation from the dawn of time.  And it still echoes in our hearts today.  "What are you seeking?"  If you don't know what you're looking for, how will you find it?  Some people say, "I'll know it when I see it." But Jesus invites us to know Him now.  And then He will show us.  He will SHOW us.  There are things to see!  

A few moments after He invites the disciples to "come and see," Philip tells Nathaniel about Him and Nathaniel scoffs at the idea of anything good coming out of Nazareth.  Philip answers with, "Come and see."  Cool.  Those were the same words that Jesus used.  When Jesus meets Nathaniel and sees how impressed he is with Jesus' vision of him under the fig tree, He says, "You will SEE greater things than that."  

We will see.  It is a promise and an assurance of our faithfulness.  

We WILL see.  

-- For sure.

WE will see.  

--  Us; unworthy us.

We will SEE.  

--  With our eyes; not just our hearts.

Anyway that you look at it, it's just awesome.  

I want to see...

You are

You are.
You are worthy.
You are praise-worthy.


You have surrounded me with Your inexhaustible love.
You have picked me up and set me on Your rock.
You have cleansed me and told me I sparkle.
You have washed my feet with my own tears, mingled with Yours.

You have called me new.
You have called me worthy.
You have called me Your love.
You have called me beautiful.

You have crowned my thoughts with Your peace.
You have filled my mind with Your beauty.
You have covered my head with Your glory.
You have restored my soul with hope.

You have given me Your body.
You have poured out Your blood.
You have reminded me of my value.
You have promised me restoration.

Your promises are true.
You will not fail me.
Your words are like fire.
You cleanse when You speak.

You have set my feet to the rhythm of your faithful song.
You have placed a joyful tune in my heart.
You have moved my fingers to play melodies for You.
You have given me the words to sing.

You are faithful, loyal, true, devoted.
You are steadfast, dedicated, committed.
You are dependable, reliable, trustworthy.
You are firm, determined, persistent, insistent.


You are.
You are worthy.
You are worthy of my praise.
You are worthy of my eternal praise.