I have been reading the book of Job and pondering what it means to need only Jesus. It is a simple thing to state these words. We even have an old hymn that goes like this...
I’d rather have Jesus than silver or gold;
I’d rather be His than have riches untold;
I’d rather have Jesus than houses or lands;
I’d rather be led by His nail-pierced hand.
This sounds good on paper, but if we were placed in Job's shoes for half a day would we be so quick to sing this song earnestly?
One of my favorite authors, Joseph Stowell, devotes an entire book to this concept, entitled Simply Jesus and You. As followers of Christ we are aware of and deeply grateful for the fact that Jesus cancels hell and guarantees heaven through His death on the cross. We are aware that He desires fellowship and intimacy with us. He walked and talked on this earth, so that He could walk and talk with us, his beloved children. Yet if we have walked with Jesus for any amount of time we most likely already know these things.
Stowell says, sadly we tend to forget that Jesus is all we need. We are quick to assume we need Jesus AND a good job. Jesus AND a spouse. Jesus AND a nice wardrobe or a new car. Jesus and .....
Stowell preached a sermon at my church on Sunday, where he gave the account of Jesus telling the disciples to cast their nets on the other side of the boat, where they promptly caught more fish than they could've imagined. They came to shore where Jesus questioned Peter if he loved Jesus more "than these," referring to the fish. Peter was a fisherman by trade, so I imagine feeling a bit of pressure to deny his beloved profession, answered that he did indeed love Jesus more than the fish. Jesus instructed Peter to follow Him and become a fisher of men.
I was thinking about what would signify the "fish" in my life. What are the things that I hold so dearly to that if Jesus audibly asked me to give it/them up how would I respond? Of course I would verbally agree but would I have a willing heart? Would I think, of course I need Jesus, but I REALLY need Jesus AND a clean house? I need Jesus AND the job I love? Jesus AND cute clothes? Or would I easily assume the heart of Jesus and leave my "earthly fish" behind and fish after that which is eternal? Would I be willing to fish after the hearts of men and women? Then I got to thinking this isn't a hypothetical situation, it is one we must face every day. Every minute really.
Joseph Stowell gave this analogy- If Jesus came knocking on our door would he find us inside counting our fish? Hanging tightly to our temporary possessions? Or would He not find us at home because we are so greatly concerned for the things His heart beats for, that we only have time for things that are of eternal value? For what is this earth in the grand scheme of eternity? And of all the things I could accumulate on this earth, what can I bring throught the gates of heaven? Is there a status I can achieve on earth that would place me closer to the feet of Jesus in Heaven? Of course not, I cannot fathom the idea that Jesus loved us so much he came to this earth to "fish" for our souls and only asks in return that we love Him by fishing for others as well. I hope if He was to knock at my house, He would find a sign on my door that says, 'Gone Fishin.''
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Saturday, January 17, 2009
talking..and talking...and talking
"Frenchman speaks nonstop for 124 hours to set speech record." What in the world? This headline caught my attention and I proceeded to read how this Frenchman spoke for five straight days and four nights without stopping. I suppose I could understand this coming from a woman since we are more prone to ramble, but a man? Did he stop for a drink of water? Apparently he didn't take a bathroom break? If I was to choose a record to break, I would have to say the last thing on my list would be talking for 124 hours straight. Maybe because I value my sleep far more than I aspire to be in the Guinness Book of Records. Gee whiz, I can't even begin to think of what in the world I would even say for five days. And the poor people who had to listen to him for that long. They didn't get sleep either. And how did it end? Did he just say, okay I've run out of things to say? Hm. I'm very curious about that one.
Friday, January 9, 2009
you choose
Due to our recent election, the topic of abortion has been brought up and has been circulating in conversations among conservatives as well as liberals. It is not a pleasant topic, in fact it seems I rarely hear references to the subject except when we are electing politicians, then suddenly their stance on the issue becomes important. I came across this video on another blog and it touched me so deeply I decided to post it here. As you watch, I hope you are never the same.
Saturday, January 3, 2009
inauguration prayer
I need to blow off some steam. The final straw came a couple of days ago when I read the headline "After gay protests, Rick Warren may face criticism over praying in Jesus' name at inauguration." Keeping my opinion to myself for a few minutes, let me state some facts.
King James I of England gave these instructions to those who organized the Virginia Colony in 1606: "We, greatly commending, and graciously accepting of, their Desires for the Furtherance of so noble a Work, which may, by the Providence of Almighty God, hereafter tend to the Glory of his Divine Majesty, in propagating of Christian Religion to such People, as yet live in Darkness and miserable Ignorance of the true Knowledge and Worship of God…Lastly and chiefly the way to prosper and achieve good success is to make yourselves all of one mind for the good of your country and your own, and to serve and fear God the Giver of all Goodness, for every plantation which our Heavenly Father hath not planted shall be rooted out." I had to read those words twice in order to grasp the richness of this quote.
At every presidential inauguration since George Washington, a prayer has been given. In January 2005, an atheist claimed that a prayer at the inauguration would violate the Constitution by forcing him to accept unwanted religious beliefs.
This year, the Freedom from Religion group has filed a lawsuit trying to stop the U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice from using the phrase, "so help me God," in the presidential oath of office, because it is deemed "religious".
Lastly, gay rights advocates oppose President-Elect Barack Obama's choice of Pastor Rick Warren to deliver the inauguration prayer due to Warren's support of California's Proposition 8, which banned gay marriage. This article I read the other day stated that many groups have also opposed Warren offering the prayer in the name of Jesus. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion and right to freedom of speech. While I respect the views of even those in opposition to mine, my opinion holds strong.
Here it is.
Our country was built on a foundation of faith. The reason our country has prospered for so long is because glory and honor has been given to God in conjunction with a desperate pleading for His hand of mercy to cover our land. This is not my opinion, but rather it is fact.
To the athiest who felt that by watching the prayer at the inauguration this would force him to accept unwanted religious beliefs, my response is: Praise the Lord! If this athiest holds such a weak position in defiance to Christianity that by merely hearing a prayer he felt he would be compelled to accept our beliefs I am overjoyed. I have a feeling, however, that he is being used by the Enemy and so I would say to him, instead of raising a commotion, close your eyes and plug your ears if you cannot tolerate a prayer to God.
To the Freedom from Religion group, the oath "So help me God," is used in government venues all over America. I know I, for one, even if I was not a religious person would gladly appeal to any and all higher powers if I was accepting the role of President of a country.
To gay marriage advocates, I find it ironic that they seem to wholeheartedly associate themselves with the word "tolerance," when in reality it seems they are the least tolerant of most people. Tolerance used to mean treating one with respect despite a differing of opinion. Apparently somewhere along the way, tolerance lost its original meaning and, according to gay rights advocates, the word should be used interchangeably with the word acceptance.
When Rick Warren stands behind the podium on January 20, I am sure the last thing on his mind will be an attack on those whose lifestyle he does not agree with. Warren himself said he will simply offer the only kind of prayer he knows how to pray. I hope he will offer the prayer in the name of Jesus. He is the One on whom our country was founded and the One who has sustained us thus far. I fear greatly for our nation the day we become intolerant of the name Jesus, so help us God.
King James I of England gave these instructions to those who organized the Virginia Colony in 1606: "We, greatly commending, and graciously accepting of, their Desires for the Furtherance of so noble a Work, which may, by the Providence of Almighty God, hereafter tend to the Glory of his Divine Majesty, in propagating of Christian Religion to such People, as yet live in Darkness and miserable Ignorance of the true Knowledge and Worship of God…Lastly and chiefly the way to prosper and achieve good success is to make yourselves all of one mind for the good of your country and your own, and to serve and fear God the Giver of all Goodness, for every plantation which our Heavenly Father hath not planted shall be rooted out." I had to read those words twice in order to grasp the richness of this quote.
At every presidential inauguration since George Washington, a prayer has been given. In January 2005, an atheist claimed that a prayer at the inauguration would violate the Constitution by forcing him to accept unwanted religious beliefs.
This year, the Freedom from Religion group has filed a lawsuit trying to stop the U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice from using the phrase, "so help me God," in the presidential oath of office, because it is deemed "religious".
Lastly, gay rights advocates oppose President-Elect Barack Obama's choice of Pastor Rick Warren to deliver the inauguration prayer due to Warren's support of California's Proposition 8, which banned gay marriage. This article I read the other day stated that many groups have also opposed Warren offering the prayer in the name of Jesus. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion and right to freedom of speech. While I respect the views of even those in opposition to mine, my opinion holds strong.
Here it is.
Our country was built on a foundation of faith. The reason our country has prospered for so long is because glory and honor has been given to God in conjunction with a desperate pleading for His hand of mercy to cover our land. This is not my opinion, but rather it is fact.
To the athiest who felt that by watching the prayer at the inauguration this would force him to accept unwanted religious beliefs, my response is: Praise the Lord! If this athiest holds such a weak position in defiance to Christianity that by merely hearing a prayer he felt he would be compelled to accept our beliefs I am overjoyed. I have a feeling, however, that he is being used by the Enemy and so I would say to him, instead of raising a commotion, close your eyes and plug your ears if you cannot tolerate a prayer to God.
To the Freedom from Religion group, the oath "So help me God," is used in government venues all over America. I know I, for one, even if I was not a religious person would gladly appeal to any and all higher powers if I was accepting the role of President of a country.
To gay marriage advocates, I find it ironic that they seem to wholeheartedly associate themselves with the word "tolerance," when in reality it seems they are the least tolerant of most people. Tolerance used to mean treating one with respect despite a differing of opinion. Apparently somewhere along the way, tolerance lost its original meaning and, according to gay rights advocates, the word should be used interchangeably with the word acceptance.
When Rick Warren stands behind the podium on January 20, I am sure the last thing on his mind will be an attack on those whose lifestyle he does not agree with. Warren himself said he will simply offer the only kind of prayer he knows how to pray. I hope he will offer the prayer in the name of Jesus. He is the One on whom our country was founded and the One who has sustained us thus far. I fear greatly for our nation the day we become intolerant of the name Jesus, so help us God.
Sunday, December 28, 2008
new year
Looking back over the past year and looking foward to the year ahead stirs up a wide variety of emotions among people. Some cannot get rid of 2008 fast enough and look forward with great anticipation to what 2009 will hold. For others 2008 was a wonderful year, and they are somewhat anxious to experience what 2009 will offer. For some, January 1 may be just another date, except with a different year at the end. I am not usually one to make New Year's resolutions, in fact I find it somewhat annoying that people feel they must wait until the New Year before making big changes that should have been made sooner. Then they wake up January 2 and realize in the exhilarating moments of planning a new lifestyle, the goals they made were too lofty and they have already failed.
Before I become too critical of New Year's resolution makers, I must admit I did choose to make some goals for myself this year. I chose my resolutions carefully since I do not like to feel overwhelmed. I made simple choices such as learning to play the piano for example. I have pondered these resolutions for days and have become rather excited at the prospect of learning new things and becoming a more well rounded person. As I was thinking about what I can do to make myself a "better" person I realized my number one goal for this coming year. In fact it is not really a goal for this year but rather for my life. I have been learning that I need to become more like Jesus. This is not a profound observation but rather a constant, daily choice. Perhaps that is why it struck me. It is not that I do not want to be like Jesus, or that I choose to ignore him, I just sometimes forget. On the other hand sometimes I do something that is not Jesus-like and I wish I could forget. I am reading a book that says the more you pray for the Holy Spirit to guide your life and direct your conversations and interactions with others, the more adept you will become at discerning His nudging. I want to be in such close community with Jesus that I do not ever "forget" to be like Him or to allow him to use me.
"My life is in your hands, God. Use me to point someone toward you today-- I promise to cooperate in any way I can. If you want me to say a word for you today, I'll do that. If you want me to keep quiet but demonstrate love and servanthood, by your Spirit's power I will. I'm fully available to you today, so guide me by your Spirit." This prayer is taken from Bill Hybels book called Just Walk Across the Room. Imagine praying this every morning and meaning every word of it. Being completely open to whatever God prompts, no exceptions and no holding back. What a dangerous thing to pray, yet at the same time what an incredibly miraculous year we could have if we were open to and acted on the promptings of God himself.
Before I become too critical of New Year's resolution makers, I must admit I did choose to make some goals for myself this year. I chose my resolutions carefully since I do not like to feel overwhelmed. I made simple choices such as learning to play the piano for example. I have pondered these resolutions for days and have become rather excited at the prospect of learning new things and becoming a more well rounded person. As I was thinking about what I can do to make myself a "better" person I realized my number one goal for this coming year. In fact it is not really a goal for this year but rather for my life. I have been learning that I need to become more like Jesus. This is not a profound observation but rather a constant, daily choice. Perhaps that is why it struck me. It is not that I do not want to be like Jesus, or that I choose to ignore him, I just sometimes forget. On the other hand sometimes I do something that is not Jesus-like and I wish I could forget. I am reading a book that says the more you pray for the Holy Spirit to guide your life and direct your conversations and interactions with others, the more adept you will become at discerning His nudging. I want to be in such close community with Jesus that I do not ever "forget" to be like Him or to allow him to use me.
"My life is in your hands, God. Use me to point someone toward you today-- I promise to cooperate in any way I can. If you want me to say a word for you today, I'll do that. If you want me to keep quiet but demonstrate love and servanthood, by your Spirit's power I will. I'm fully available to you today, so guide me by your Spirit." This prayer is taken from Bill Hybels book called Just Walk Across the Room. Imagine praying this every morning and meaning every word of it. Being completely open to whatever God prompts, no exceptions and no holding back. What a dangerous thing to pray, yet at the same time what an incredibly miraculous year we could have if we were open to and acted on the promptings of God himself.
Thursday, December 18, 2008
babies and puppets
my job can be so interesting at times. we have a dear lady who is convinced that any object that resembles a baby is in fact a live baby. this includes dolls, santa clause figurines, stuffed rabbits and frogs, teddy bears, even pictures of dolls in magazines. no amount of convincing or rationalizing will persuade her that these objects are not alive. she sings to them, carries them around, and when she has kept them occupied for long enough, she frantically searches for the mother. this conveniently always happens to be a staff member who is thankful to her for returning their "lost baby." it is quite interesting to observe, she is so gentle and loving with them-it's just hard for me to imagine someone believing a stuffed animal is alive and well. although i guess i should know by now that rational thinking in the world of Alzheimer's is non-existent. today i was hanging a clown puppet from the ceiling and she spotted me. oh boy. she was hysterical. wondering why the child was hanging from strings. never a dull moment.
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