I wrote this my sophomore year at Whitman, while living with Ben and Eric and falling for Zoey. What a great time, and hard time, in my life. But I just chanced upon this, and decided despite my distaste for poetry that doesn't rhyme, I liked it. Woot.
I long to see His face,
To ascertain things unseen,
The face of Him our Creator,
To comprehend who He is.
I long to see His heart,
To know His Plan for my life,
To understand my place,
To have faith in His will.
I long to see His hand,
The power of Almighty God,
The presence of the Holy Spirit,
The grace of Jesus in my life.
He lifts us up, from more than we can bear,
He loves us beyond our incessant sin,
We no longer need tear at our hair –
He overcomes the weakness of Men.
Praise God for His mercy and grace,
Who despite our debt does us adore,
Who removes our blemishes, leaving no trace,
Healing in us what we most abhor.
Lord, we want to love you more!
Saturday, December 15, 2007
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
the fear of the Lord
"In the fear of the Lord one has strong confidence."*
Just what does "the fear of the Lord" mean?
"The fear of the Lord is hatred of evil."
"The Lord loves those who hate evil [=fear the Lord]."
"The friendship of the Lord is for those who fear Him."
"Let all the earth fear the Lord, let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him!"
"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge."
In spite of my ludicrous unfaithfulness, God began speaking to me as soon as I came running to Him, the very moment I showed interest in seeking Him faithfully. What is this fear of the Lord bit? "You can be free, but there is a price to pay. If you want to experience inner healing and to know the Father's love, then you must choose the fear of the Lord" (Father Heart of God, 47). Moreover, "The Fear of the Lord does not come into our lives by accident. It indwells in us because we choose to seek it ... and make it top priority in our life. It comes because we get sick and tired of being manipulated and controlled by fear of man, of being dominated by our fears and insecurities. It comes because we cry for it, pursue it, and get desperate for it” (ibid.).
Well I do want wholeness, and to know the Father's love. So it becomes really important what the fear of the Lord is. Is it really a solution? I used to think fearing the Lord meant putting His priorities in place of my own and revering Him as my ultimate concern. I think the biggest gap in that notion is that God is also immediate, He is right here, desiring fellowship with us right now, and so “ultimate concern” must become “dearest friend” and “most beloved Father.” There is reverence [awe] also, but I think more than anything else that His friendship is for those who fear Him. It means to love what God loves and hate what God hates. The "fear of the Lord” means hatred of sin and friendship and intimacy with the Father. It is also the beginning of knowledge! Everything worth being anything begins with fearing God: begins with knowing Him intimately and loving Him dearly!
Fear of the Lord is simply intimacy, adoration, and submission to the Father, and everything from identity to wisdom to maturity flows from that simple perpetual choice. Fear the Lord, for in so doing you may have strong confidence!
*The Scriptures cited, in order of appearance:
Proverbs 14:26
Proverbs 8:13
Psalm 97:10
Psalm 25:14
Psalm 33:8
Proverbs 1:7
Just what does "the fear of the Lord" mean?
"The fear of the Lord is hatred of evil."
"The Lord loves those who hate evil [=fear the Lord]."
"The friendship of the Lord is for those who fear Him."
"Let all the earth fear the Lord, let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him!"
"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge."
In spite of my ludicrous unfaithfulness, God began speaking to me as soon as I came running to Him, the very moment I showed interest in seeking Him faithfully. What is this fear of the Lord bit? "You can be free, but there is a price to pay. If you want to experience inner healing and to know the Father's love, then you must choose the fear of the Lord" (Father Heart of God, 47). Moreover, "The Fear of the Lord does not come into our lives by accident. It indwells in us because we choose to seek it ... and make it top priority in our life. It comes because we get sick and tired of being manipulated and controlled by fear of man, of being dominated by our fears and insecurities. It comes because we cry for it, pursue it, and get desperate for it” (ibid.).
Well I do want wholeness, and to know the Father's love. So it becomes really important what the fear of the Lord is. Is it really a solution? I used to think fearing the Lord meant putting His priorities in place of my own and revering Him as my ultimate concern. I think the biggest gap in that notion is that God is also immediate, He is right here, desiring fellowship with us right now, and so “ultimate concern” must become “dearest friend” and “most beloved Father.” There is reverence [awe] also, but I think more than anything else that His friendship is for those who fear Him. It means to love what God loves and hate what God hates. The "fear of the Lord” means hatred of sin and friendship and intimacy with the Father. It is also the beginning of knowledge! Everything worth being anything begins with fearing God: begins with knowing Him intimately and loving Him dearly!
Fear of the Lord is simply intimacy, adoration, and submission to the Father, and everything from identity to wisdom to maturity flows from that simple perpetual choice. Fear the Lord, for in so doing you may have strong confidence!
*The Scriptures cited, in order of appearance:
Proverbs 14:26
Proverbs 8:13
Psalm 97:10
Psalm 25:14
Psalm 33:8
Proverbs 1:7
Monday, December 10, 2007
talk about "Jesus!"
I wasn't even calling Gary! I was just returning Lauren's call, to Lauren's cell phone! But Gary picks up, and I love the guy so I inquire how his crazy week in Portland with the Gospel Choir went. He explains a little bit and asks how I am. You understand for all that I love Andrew, for all that Gary has at various points intimidated me, I'll probably always just trust Gary implicitly. So, I was honest. I expressed my frustrations this week with breaking through, with sensing God's presence or direction. That's all I said! Now it is also true that I feel estranged and like I desperately want Him, but at the same time I perpetually avoid really spending time with just Him. It is true that I've just felt pressure without solution, that for all I recognize I need Him I do things that "need" done instead of hang with Him. Each day is loaded with items to do that I never get what's most important to me done. And Gary speaks from the Lord (my paraphrase):
I have two keys. One: relax. His Presence is based upon His will. There is nothing you can do to change or manipulate that. But, His will is that you would live in His Presence. Striving won't change His will. Just take a deep breathe, and relax. Two: Live in the moment. We want to be ready for the next moment, but we get too caught up in our "lists". That pressure of all that needs done, or all that has come before, keeps us from abiding now. Just say, "Lord, in this moment, right now, I want to abide". He loves you. He loves you with a crazy love like you have never experienced. He has created us to abide in His love. So relax, and choose this moment to get after it, without regard to before or all that must be done next. Relax, and live in this moment.
I have two keys. One: relax. His Presence is based upon His will. There is nothing you can do to change or manipulate that. But, His will is that you would live in His Presence. Striving won't change His will. Just take a deep breathe, and relax. Two: Live in the moment. We want to be ready for the next moment, but we get too caught up in our "lists". That pressure of all that needs done, or all that has come before, keeps us from abiding now. Just say, "Lord, in this moment, right now, I want to abide". He loves you. He loves you with a crazy love like you have never experienced. He has created us to abide in His love. So relax, and choose this moment to get after it, without regard to before or all that must be done next. Relax, and live in this moment.
forgiveness
FORGIVENESS IS DAILY
Forgiveness is not necessarily a feeling.
Forgiveness is a decision.
Forgiveness is releasing the person in question from the judgment you have [rightly or wrongly] against them.
Are you willing to forgive?
You need not say time and again, "God, I forgive them." Who are you trying to convince?
Try, "God, I am willing to be made willing. Do the work in me!"
Own your stuff, but don't deceive God, or yourself. If it's an impossible feat, ask the One who's business is the impossible.
How? Bless them!
You bless them with all that you want blessed with. You bless them with what they don't even deserve. Bless with the same measure with which you want blessed. Forgiveness is so very active!
Forgiveness is not once. Every time the monster rises within you, you go to God again, you repent again, you ask the God of the impossible to do the impossible in you again. You bless them perpetually, all the more if you relapse.
FORGIVENESS IS DAILY
"I thought I dealt with that. What do I do this time, what do I do now?"
Forgive them and bless them again.
FORGIVENESS IS DAILY
Forgiveness is not necessarily a feeling.
Forgiveness is a decision.
Forgiveness is releasing the person in question from the judgment you have [rightly or wrongly] against them.
Are you willing to forgive?
You need not say time and again, "God, I forgive them." Who are you trying to convince?
Try, "God, I am willing to be made willing. Do the work in me!"
Own your stuff, but don't deceive God, or yourself. If it's an impossible feat, ask the One who's business is the impossible.
How? Bless them!
You bless them with all that you want blessed with. You bless them with what they don't even deserve. Bless with the same measure with which you want blessed. Forgiveness is so very active!
Forgiveness is not once. Every time the monster rises within you, you go to God again, you repent again, you ask the God of the impossible to do the impossible in you again. You bless them perpetually, all the more if you relapse.
FORGIVENESS IS DAILY
"I thought I dealt with that. What do I do this time, what do I do now?"
Forgive them and bless them again.
FORGIVENESS IS DAILY
Sunday, December 02, 2007
"the way of the red bells"
Whether you personally view Wal-Mart as the sum of all evil and villainous nefarity, or as training grounds for spiritual growth, the one thing we can all agree on is that you don't want to go the way of the red bells. Mocked and scorned, dropped and beaten, crushed and obliterated - thus is the way of the red bells. Worse than kicking the bucket, more humiliating than pushing up daisies - thus is the way of the red bells. Walk in the way of righteousness, eat drink and be merry, guard your heart, and lean on the Lord and not on your own understanding. But add to your list of proverbs this day, to remember always: beware the night of four fools, lest ye go the way of the red bells...
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
