Less Like Scars
Today I am simply sharing the lyrics to a song written and performed by Sara Groves. I have no way to know what you are going through right now but God does. I hope these words touch your heart and give you hope as they have mine.
It’s been a hard year
But I’m climbing out of the rubble
These lessons are hard
Healing changes are subtle
But every day it’sLess like tearing, more like building
Less like captive, more like willing
Less like breakdown, more like surrender
Less like haunting, more like rememberAnd I feel You here
And You’re picking up the pieces
Forever faithful
It seemed out of my hands, a bad situation
But You are able
And in Your hands the pain and hurt
Look less like scars and more like
CharacterLess like a prison, more like my room
It’s less like a casket, more like a womb
Less like dying, more like transcending
Less like fear, less like an endingAnd I feel You here
And You’re picking up the pieces
Forever faithful
It seemed out of my hands, a bad situation
But You are able
And in Your hands the pain and hurt
Look less like scarsJust a little while ago
I couldn’t feel the power or the hope
I couldn’t cope, I couldn’t feel a thing
Just a little while back
I was desperate, broken, laid out, hoping
You would comeAnd I need You
And I want You here
And I feel YouAnd I know You’re here
And You’re picking up the pieces
Forever faithful
It seemed out of my hands, a bad, bad situation
But You are ableAnd in Your hands the pain and hurt
Look less like scarsAnd more like
Character
We don’t need to take Sara Groves word for it….check out this verse from the letter to the Romans:
“Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” Romans 5:1-5 ESV
Have a great day!
Filed under Monday Morning Musings | Comment (1)We Trust in You
In church yesterday we sang the following song:
God Moves
Music and additional lyrics by Bob Kauflin
Lyrics by William Cowper
God moves in a mysterious way
His wonders to perform
He plants His footsteps in the sea
And rides upon the storm
Deep in His dark and hidden mines
With never-failing skill
He fashions all His bright designs
And works His sovereign will
So God we trust in You
O God we trust in You
O fearful saints new courage take
The clouds that you now dread
Are big with mercy and will break
In blessings on your head
Judge not the Lord by feeble sense
But trust Him for His grace
Behind a frowning providence
He hides a smiling face
So God we trust in You
O God we trust in You
When tears are great
And comforts few
We hope in mercies ever new
We trust in You
God’s purposes will ripen fast
Unfolding every hour
The bud may have a bitter taste
But sweet will be the flower
Blind unbelief is sure to err
And scan His work in vain
God is His own interpreter
And He will make it plain
After we sang the song, the pastor came forward to explain something we often confuse about our trust in God. Many times our trust in God is based on the expected outcome—that He’ll work out everything according to what we want. Our faith is in the outcome.
However, that is not what it means. To trust God is to trust in who He is no matter the outcome, to have faith in Him. To trust that He is Good, Kind, Sovereign and Faithful—no matter what. Our circumstances change and we change but God never changes!
This was a good reminder to me and I hope it is to you as well.
Have a great day!
Filed under Monday Morning Musings | Comment (1)Bread and Butter
Last week I got a text from my husband saying that he had just stopped at our local bakery and bought a loaf of bread. It was still warm so he couldn’t resist. It was seven grain so I’m going to say it was healthy. There are few things more comforting to me than fresh bread. The smell alone is tempting. Then to cut a slice and slather it with real creamy butter (not the healthy, nasty tasting spread) is beyond compare. Is your mouth watering yet?
I mentioned to a friend recently that it is a shame there isn’t a diet plan that includes lots of bread. She said that there is—you just have to keep buying a bigger wardrobe! Very true. I guess moderation is the key.
However, I don’t think that it is any accident that bread is so satisfying to us. Bread is frequently mentioned in the Bible. It is certainly not the same preservative-filled, nutrient stripped, smooshie white bread we know. Naturally it was whole-grain and was usually unleavened. God provided manna for the Israelites when they were wandering in the desert and referred to it as the “bread from heaven.” God satisfied their physical needs every day for forty years. Of course they complained but it had to be good….God made it!
Jesus calls himself the Bread of Life. Those who eat of this bread will be eternally satisfied.
“Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.” John 6:35 ESV
If that is the case, why do we as Christians spend so much of our life being dissatisfied? Most likely because we have taken our eyes off the One who satisfies. We get caught in the traps of this life. There is no way you can watch the commercials on TV or drive down the road seeing billboards and not become at least a little dissatisfied. Otherwise, those who market to us would be out of a job! The promises to be richer, thinner, happier, prettier, stronger, healthier and smarter are all around us.
So, that’s what we spend our time doing—trying to achieve impossible goals. These pursuits are not in and of themselves bad—unless they keep us distracted and, therefore, leave us empty.
Paul had the right idea in his letter to Philippians.
“But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:13b-14 ESV
He had his mind focused on the goal of his calling. I almost picture it like having blinders on so that we can focus on what really matters. It’s so easy to say but so difficult to do. I equate being satisfied with contentment. I found this verse this morning:
“Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’” Hebrews 13:5 ESV
This verse had two valuable lessons for me:
· Be thankful for what I have
· I am never alone
Starting our prayers with thanking and praising God for what He has provided and who He is would be a great place to start. I frequently write in my journal a list of things for which I am thankful. It doesn’t have to be grand things—for instance a hot cup of coffee {hot cocoa, hot tea…you get the idea} on a snowy morning.
The next time you have a nice slice of bread and butter, don’t forgot who provided it and remember to be satisfied not only in the physical sustenance but also in the One who provides for all of our needs.
Have a great day!
Filed under Monday Morning Musings | Comment (0)Are You Hungry?
Many of us probably made some sort of New Year’s resolution around dieting, eating healthier or somehow improving ourselves. Perhaps by now you have adjusted to eating less after the indulgence of the holiday season—to be honest, it’s really Thanksgiving all the way through New Year’s Day! Once you get back to eating “normal” again you may find that you are starving until your body readjusts. At least that’s how it is for me.
Physical hunger is one thing—spiritual hunger is another. We are busy people and many times don’t take time to feed our souls. Perhaps that was your resolution—to somehow grow closer to God. One way is to read though the Bible in a year. That thought crossed my mind but I wasn’t ready on January 1st so I put the idea aside. However, it dawned on me that I could start any time! {There I go, thinking outside the box again!}
I function much better with a plan or a goal. I “happened” to read about a plan I hadn’t seen before which made a whole lot of sense. I’ve decided to start in February reading “The Message” by Eugene Peterson. “The Message” is the Bible written in today’s English so it reads more like a book/novel. The author even says that this paraphrase is not one you would study or dig deep into. In fact the original doesn’t even number the verses. But for me, it is something just a little different to get me into God’s Word. This is the “food” I need for my soul.
The plan I chose to follow is called “Bible Eater: A Plan for Feeding on Christ in the Whole Bible in One Year.” This plan can be downloaded at http://www.trenthunter.net/?page_id=1420. He opens with the following:
God has not told us when or how often we should read the Scriptures. He just told us we need them in order to live: “Man does not live by bread alone but by every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Deuteronomy 8:3, Matthew 4:4). God’s words are life to us because of the life that is available through faith in Jesus Christ, who says, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me shall not hunger.” (John 6:35).
Another passage that came to mind is Matthew 5:6:
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.”
I’m excited to begin this journey. I am admittedly far from satisfied at this point in my life which tells me that I am hungering for the wrong things. Maybe you can relate. I know the right answers and what to do but I don’t do them. This is not unique to me, though. Even Paul struggled with the same thing:
“For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.” Romans 7:15 ESV
Perhaps you aren’t ready to take on reading the whole Bible but will you commit to reading some portion of God’s Word every day for the rest of the year? A Psalm or Proverb each day would be a great place to start. Something is certainly better than nothing. Soon it will become a habit and something that you look forward to. And I guarantee it won’t be a waste of your time. Oh, and it’s time spent not snacking either so it’s a win/win for both kinds of hunger!
Have a great day!
Filed under Monday Morning Musings | Comment (0)Christmas Expectations
How many of you panic when you hear there are only 12 shopping days until Christmas? I hate to shop so those words always make me feel stressed. I love giving gifts to those I love and care about but sometimes it ends up being a huge stressor finding the right gift. Every year I say that I will buy gifts throughout the year and put them aside. Great idea but I never do it.
Many of us at Christmas get hot under the collar about keeping Christ in Christmas. However, I wonder how different our actions are than someone who could care less about the true meaning. We are just as broke and exhausted on December 26th as anyone else. Oh, but we did take a few minutes to go to church, maybe read the Christmas story and buy for a child in need.
I have been pondering Christmas a lot this year. I think that the down time from my surgery this year has made me more contemplative than normal. So much is expected and anticipated this time of year. If we are not careful we can be set up for a whole series of disappointments. I know for me that I have had a really difficult Christmas those years that I lost someone close to me. I knew that our traditions would be forever changed with their loss. That is understandably sad. But how about all the people that are still here or all the blessings I still have?
Another realization I had this year is the underlying reason why I don’t get jazzed up about the decorating and festivities. I think it is because I don’t have children to share it with or who will enjoy it. I think we have made it a time for the young and the young at heart. So when reality doesn’t measure up to our expectations we get sad.
My goal for next year is to start some new traditions that will bless others and make me smile as well. I want to figure out what exactly it is that would make this time joyful but also meaningful. The pressure of the season tends to paralyze me to inaction. I need to find a balance. What that looks like for me will be different for you. However, here are some of my ideas:
· Advent readings—I have ordered a couple of books to have on hand for next year to read with my husband throughout Advent season. I think a nice cup of coffee and a small piece of chocolate will enhance the experience.
· Helping others in need—this could be buying for children locally or sending aide to folks in other countries through an agency like World Vision.
· Borrowing kids while their parents shop—we could do a Christmas activity or make cookies. At the same time I can share with them parts of the Christmas story.
· Help my Mom decorate—since we spend Christmas with my family I don’t decorate a whole lot at my own home knowing I will enjoy what my Mom has done. Maybe I could go a weekend before Christmas and help her (I know she is agreeing with that right now!).
· Going to programs—I have already been blessed by two amazing programs this year which have helped me to focus my mind and prioritize my activities.
As I look over this list it dawns on me that these activities should not be limited to just one month a year. I heard a quote on the radio from a child who said on Christmas day that we should have Christmas every day. But then he paused and said “No…that would be exhausting!” Funny that a child would notice the stress that his parents (and maybe he) had faced for that one day! Many times we drive ourselves crazy “for the kids” when in actuality they don’t care. It’s like when you spend every nickel you have on the latest toy and they enjoy the box more!
So take a few minutes to reflect on your preparations for Christmas. I challenge you to do only those things that you truly enjoy. You can also think of ways to spread this joy throughout the year. Perhaps doing this will give you more time to read God’s Word, pray and spend time in His Presence—after all, His Presence is a true present indeed! What a gift!
“Oh come, let us sing to the LORD; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation! Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise! For the LORD is a great God, and a great King above all gods.” Psalm 95:1-3 (ESV)
Have a great day!
Filed under Monday Morning Musings | Comment (0)