Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Mom Tools
I went to the grocery store tonight. It was great only having the baby with me. Anyways, as I was packing my groceries, one particular bag caught my attention. I looked in and chuckled to myself when I saw what I had put together- diapers, espresso, and carpet cleaner. Yes, I'm a mom. Those are the tools of my trade. What essentials do you have for your life as a mom?
Monday, August 2, 2010
I Miss Ice Cream
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I miss eating other people's food without having to ask, "what's in this?"
I miss ice cream.
I miss cheese on my pizza.
I miss chocolate.
I miss eating bread without reading the labels to find out which one is dairy-free.
I miss ice cream.
I miss butter.
I miss eating fancy food at weddings. (I had to trade my garlic/bacon mashed potatoes for my kids' french fries)
I miss ice cream.
I miss cheesecake.
I miss eating all the egg casseroles that are brought to MOPS.
I miss frosting. Wedding cake just isn't the same without it.
I miss using cream of mushroom soup- the soy substitute just isn't the same.
I miss ice cream.
I miss cream in my coffee.
I miss ice cream.
Eleanor started handling dairy better around nine months. Roselyn is currently seven months. I'm counting down. My hope is that I can eat whatever I want by Thanksgiving. Just in time to pack on a bunch of weight with the cheesy party potatoes, the french silk pie, the pink fluff, the artichoke spinach dip, before heading into Christmas season and eating all the fudge I want. I figure I deserve it after giving up ice cream for the summer.
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
What Are You Switched To?
It was after dinner. The worst time in my house. For some reason, all the kids feel that this is the perfect time to run around screaming. There are dishes and food everywhere. I'm hot and tired. We often have somewhere to be. And not enough time to get everything cleaned up and everyone presentable. Tonight was no different. My insides were all tight with tension and anger. So I did what almost every mother does in the face of difficult circumstances. I lost my temper. I shouted at the kids.
Thankfully, I realized that's not what I wanted to be doing. I sought out my husband and asked him why I get like this, and how could I stop it? He just looked at me and said, "Are you switched to evil?" I paused... He clarified, "Do you have your switch set to evil?" It was such an absurd thing to say, that I didn't even want to throw anything at him. :) It turned my sense of despair around and I made it through the after dinner rush with a little more control over myself.
But oh, how I longed for it to be that simple. "Hey, these are negative thoughts and attitudes. It looks like I'm switched to 'evil,' I should switch that to cheerful/joyful." Wouldn't that be great? I've been pondering it all evening. And I wonder why it can't be that simple.
In particular, I've been thinking about Galatians 5. Most people who have been around church and the Bible for any length of time are familiar with the last verses of this chapter- the fruit of the Spirit. (My kids even have a fun, stick-in-your-head all day song about the fruit of the Spirit.) And that's what I desire to be lived out in my life. What I've been struck by tonight is verse 1 "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by the yoke of slavery."
I have let myself be caught in this trap. I have become enslaved to my frustration and anger. Christ has set me free and given me freedom. Freedom to do what? Well, all those things that are listed as the fruit of the Spirit! "Against such things there is no law."(vs 23b) If I truly believe God, this passage means that I can let go of my sin and allow things like gentleness and patience pour out of me.
So, I'm making the conscious choice to flip my switch. I'm choosing love instead of hate. I'm choosing joy instead of despair. I'm choosing patience instead of being set off. I'm choosing kindness instead of meanness. I'm choosing goodness instead of greediness. I'm choosing faithfulness instead of wishy-washy. I'm choosing gentleness instead of vanity. I'm choosing self-control instead of a life without restraint. I'm choosing life and godliness instead of death and destruction. I'm choosing virtuous instead of evil.
What are you switched to?
"For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace." Romans 6:14
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| angry eyes |
But oh, how I longed for it to be that simple. "Hey, these are negative thoughts and attitudes. It looks like I'm switched to 'evil,' I should switch that to cheerful/joyful." Wouldn't that be great? I've been pondering it all evening. And I wonder why it can't be that simple.
In particular, I've been thinking about Galatians 5. Most people who have been around church and the Bible for any length of time are familiar with the last verses of this chapter- the fruit of the Spirit. (My kids even have a fun, stick-in-your-head all day song about the fruit of the Spirit.) And that's what I desire to be lived out in my life. What I've been struck by tonight is verse 1 "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by the yoke of slavery."
I have let myself be caught in this trap. I have become enslaved to my frustration and anger. Christ has set me free and given me freedom. Freedom to do what? Well, all those things that are listed as the fruit of the Spirit! "Against such things there is no law."(vs 23b) If I truly believe God, this passage means that I can let go of my sin and allow things like gentleness and patience pour out of me.
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| cheerful smile |
What are you switched to?
"For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace." Romans 6:14
Friday, May 28, 2010
LOST in Thought
After Sunday night's finale, so many people are confused, upset, or both. I thought they did a great job with the ending- that certainly wasn't what anybody was expecting! And I must admit that it has caused me to really be thinking about things this week. Given the final outcome, there are a number aspects to this final season that are making me ponder my own life and how I'm living it.
Now, if you don't watch LOST, and don't have any idea about what happened in that world...well...I'm sorry for you. The past six years have been a wild ride for those of us who immersed themselves in the show. I actually had to stop watching because of how much time I devoted to watching and reading about the show and all of it's intricacies! I caught up this season, though, so I could watch the finale with the rest of the world. I'm not going to explain the whole show, but I do need to explain the final reveal in order to share my thoughts with you.
One of the great things about LOST was the way in which they told the story. The basic timeline of the story is intermingled with scenes from one of the character's lives from a different point in their life. At the start of the show we had flashbacks, which was an awesome way to reveal character backgrounds. Then we had flashforwards, which showed us that some characters DID indeed make it off the island, and the two finally intersected. Then there was some time travel, which was hard for me to follow, since that was during my "break" from LOST. And this final season was what the world called "flashsideways" which depicted how the character's lives could have been if they had never crash landed on the island. Most of this season's discussion has been about how the two timelines would converge and which one would be real.
Well, as it turns out the flashsideways timeline was actually the afterlife. A place that they created to reconnect before crossing over into the true afterlife together. Each person had to remember their life and death before being able to cross over. And after that reveal, a couple of key things struck me. Now I'm sure these are not the messages that the writers intended, but it's what I've been thinking about anyways.
Charlie- "None of this matters." The first person to start seeing the flasbacks saw them as so real and so much more than what his current life was. This phrase is repeated by Desmond before jumping into the light cave. Because of these thoughts Charlie drinks himself into a stupor, and Desmond does something extremely dangerous. There was no value given to the life they were living.
Life as a Christian looks forward to the hope that is in heaven. Consider these words written by Paul "For to me, living is for Christ, and dying is even better." (Phil 1:21) That expresses not necessarily the meaninglessness of this much so much as how great heaven is. There is no fear in death. Charlie destroyed himself from the inside out because he saw that the things he had been valuing were meaningless.
Jack- "It's all real and it all matters." (or something like that) He says this as Desmond is preparing to jump in the light cave. He has found a meaning and a purpose to his life.
I'm still not exactly sure what Jack became when he drank that stuff. But he had been searching for meaning. He had been searching for value. I HAVE IT! I have meaning and value in Christ! My relationship with Christ is one thing that will be taken with me to heaven. A wise man once said, "Here is my final conclusion: Fear God and obey his commands, for this is the duty of every person." (Ecc 12:13) It's true that this life doesn't matter given the all-surpassing glory of what's to come. But what's also true is that there is value in the living of my life and the knowing of my God.
Jin and Sun- "We are safe" How much at peace were they once they remembered! When Sawyer came in and said he was there to protect them, Sun just smiled. They had no fears of a murderer coming after them- what could he do to them?!?
This is exactly as I should be living "If God is for us, who can be against us?" (Rom 8:31b) I have the eternal hope that is found in Christ Jesus. What matters is what God thinks of me. What matters is that God is taking care of me. What matters is that God and I are on the same side and nothing can stand against Him. If I believe this, then I should have no fears, anxieties, or worries in this life.
Desmond- "I have to show them something." Desmond was the first to come to a full realization of where he was and what was happening. It became his goal to show his friends the truth. He didn't want to "leave" without them. He risked everything in order to do this. He used everything to his advantage because he was aware of the truth. He used his money to make it happen. He even had himself imprisoned to make it happen. His mission was clear and that was all that mattered.
As a Christian, I know the truth. Jesus Christ lived, died, and rose again. He took the punishment for my sin. He did this so I could enter into a relationship with the Father. Eternal life in all it's glory awaits me. Fine and dandy. But that's not all. It becomes my RESPONSIBILITY to share it with the people I'm close to. In fact, Jesus told me to, as well: "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations..." (Matt 28:18) Expending my time and energy towards this goal is what Jesus is asking of me.
At first I got stuck on the "None of this matters" part. Most of my life is spent doing things that don't seem to matter- washing dishes, folding laundry, bathing children, vacuuming, etc. Even the things I do for various ministries were not stacking up under the weight of this thought. But my wise husband shared with me that God thinks they have value because he created us to do them. If God asks me to wipe a runny nose or make dinner, there is value in that. "So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." (1 Cor 10:31) The mundane tasks of daily life are given meaning. My relationships with others have eternal value. I have absolutely nothing to fear. And I have something to show you.
Thursday, May 13, 2010
My Boycott
I'm boycotting "quiet times." You know, that thing that Christians are supposed to do. When you sit down with a Bible and read and pray. This is supposed to be about developing my personal relationship with the Lord, but that's not what it has become. It's become a test. Have you done it? What did you read? Check and check, let's move on to the other things on my list.
I have my idea of a perfect quiet time. I would spend some time praying and worshipping, then moving on to reading the Word. Of course, I would devote several pages in my journal for meditations, and I might even pick a verse to start memorizing. It takes time! At least an hour....and I don't have an hour.
What?!? Everybody has an hour! No, really, I don't. You see, I have five kids. Two of which don't take naps, and the other three don't always sleep at the same time as each other. When am I supposed to find this hour of "quiet." Well, it doesn't have to be quiet, you suggest. Ahem. Have you ever been in the same house as my kids? I love them, but they're loud, they make messes, and they fight a lot. Intentionally leaving them alone for an hour so I can focus on something else is not usually a good idea. They're awfully close to twenty minutes of quietly reading their own Bibles, but pretty soon I'll have to start training Roselyn to do that, and then it won't be about me and God, any more.
And if I can't have my quiet time the way that I want it. The way that I did it back in college when I was single and had lots of blocks of free time. Well, then, I just don't see the point in doing it at all. And I tend to believe that this is where most people who struggle with consistency tend to fall. If I can't do it "right" I just won't do anything. (great plan)
So, what's it all about, anyways? It's not about checking something off of my list. It's not about how much time I do it. It's not even about reading the Bible. What is it all about? It's about connecting with the Lord. 2 Peter 3:18 encourages us to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ. Get to know Christ. Now we do that through prayer and the Word, but prayer and Bible reading is not the end goal. The idea is getting to know Christ so I can become more like Him (Phil 3:10) And that just brings it up to a whole other level.
I was thinking about what people did before they had Bibles. The printing press was inventing in like the 1500's and even after that not everyone could read. Surely people were still growing in their knowledge of Christ without a Bible in their homes. And what about countries where there isn't a Bible in their language, or it's illegal to own one. What do those people do? What would I do to connect with the Lord if my right to a Bible was taken away from me?
And I was thinking about what my other relationships look like. Good girlfriends, former roommates, current mom friends, my husband. How do I connect with them? I don't spend an hour a day on any of those relationships. What sorts of hints could I glean from them to apply to my relationship with Christ? I thought primarily of the concept of "couch time" that time of day after Daddy comes home, the fifteen minutes that are spent catching up and chatting before continuing on. I thought about our dates where we go out together- sometimes for serious discussions, and other times just for the fun of being together. It could look like that would God!
Living life with God is first about recognizing Him and acknowledging Him. This could be a five minute prayer as I get dressed (because we all know moms don't get in the shower every day!) or even spending a couple of minutes looking over a verse as the coffee percolates. I can have Christian radio playing in my home. I can talk about Him with my kids (Deut 6:4-9). Couch time is ten or fifteen minutes reconnecting with Him. It could be something as simple as taking a walk down to the mail box and purposing to lift up a prayer while I do it. I could brew a cup of tea after the kids are in bed and just meditate while I sip it in the semi-quiet. And date nights- getting away for a couple of hours to restore a connection getting lost in daily life. I could spend my time on deeper thoughts or Bible study. I could go to the bookstore and listen to the latest worship cd. I could go take a nap in the park :)
It's also about avoiding distractions. The lure of facebook, the mindless novel, even cleaning can become a distraction. It's also important to remember that other people's relationship's look different. It's the same God, yet He relates to me differently than He does to my friends.
So, I'm giving up quiet times. Instead, I choose to have a vibrant relationship with my Lord that lives outside of a one hour box. I purpose to live my life so that each and every day is about true intimacy with Jesus. I want to be friends with Him. And the next step is to teach that to my children.
I have my idea of a perfect quiet time. I would spend some time praying and worshipping, then moving on to reading the Word. Of course, I would devote several pages in my journal for meditations, and I might even pick a verse to start memorizing. It takes time! At least an hour....and I don't have an hour.
What?!? Everybody has an hour! No, really, I don't. You see, I have five kids. Two of which don't take naps, and the other three don't always sleep at the same time as each other. When am I supposed to find this hour of "quiet." Well, it doesn't have to be quiet, you suggest. Ahem. Have you ever been in the same house as my kids? I love them, but they're loud, they make messes, and they fight a lot. Intentionally leaving them alone for an hour so I can focus on something else is not usually a good idea. They're awfully close to twenty minutes of quietly reading their own Bibles, but pretty soon I'll have to start training Roselyn to do that, and then it won't be about me and God, any more.
And if I can't have my quiet time the way that I want it. The way that I did it back in college when I was single and had lots of blocks of free time. Well, then, I just don't see the point in doing it at all. And I tend to believe that this is where most people who struggle with consistency tend to fall. If I can't do it "right" I just won't do anything. (great plan)
So, what's it all about, anyways? It's not about checking something off of my list. It's not about how much time I do it. It's not even about reading the Bible. What is it all about? It's about connecting with the Lord. 2 Peter 3:18 encourages us to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ. Get to know Christ. Now we do that through prayer and the Word, but prayer and Bible reading is not the end goal. The idea is getting to know Christ so I can become more like Him (Phil 3:10) And that just brings it up to a whole other level.
I was thinking about what people did before they had Bibles. The printing press was inventing in like the 1500's and even after that not everyone could read. Surely people were still growing in their knowledge of Christ without a Bible in their homes. And what about countries where there isn't a Bible in their language, or it's illegal to own one. What do those people do? What would I do to connect with the Lord if my right to a Bible was taken away from me?
And I was thinking about what my other relationships look like. Good girlfriends, former roommates, current mom friends, my husband. How do I connect with them? I don't spend an hour a day on any of those relationships. What sorts of hints could I glean from them to apply to my relationship with Christ? I thought primarily of the concept of "couch time" that time of day after Daddy comes home, the fifteen minutes that are spent catching up and chatting before continuing on. I thought about our dates where we go out together- sometimes for serious discussions, and other times just for the fun of being together. It could look like that would God!
Living life with God is first about recognizing Him and acknowledging Him. This could be a five minute prayer as I get dressed (because we all know moms don't get in the shower every day!) or even spending a couple of minutes looking over a verse as the coffee percolates. I can have Christian radio playing in my home. I can talk about Him with my kids (Deut 6:4-9). Couch time is ten or fifteen minutes reconnecting with Him. It could be something as simple as taking a walk down to the mail box and purposing to lift up a prayer while I do it. I could brew a cup of tea after the kids are in bed and just meditate while I sip it in the semi-quiet. And date nights- getting away for a couple of hours to restore a connection getting lost in daily life. I could spend my time on deeper thoughts or Bible study. I could go to the bookstore and listen to the latest worship cd. I could go take a nap in the park :)
It's also about avoiding distractions. The lure of facebook, the mindless novel, even cleaning can become a distraction. It's also important to remember that other people's relationship's look different. It's the same God, yet He relates to me differently than He does to my friends.
So, I'm giving up quiet times. Instead, I choose to have a vibrant relationship with my Lord that lives outside of a one hour box. I purpose to live my life so that each and every day is about true intimacy with Jesus. I want to be friends with Him. And the next step is to teach that to my children.
Friday, April 30, 2010
Nap Time
My almost-two-year-old does not like being putting down for her naps. Now that she's getting more verbal she has also grown more sophisticated in her manipulation of me during our nap time routine. I stand by the crib and pat her back for a minute or two before lying her down. She used to point at the rocking chair, then progressed to verbalizing "rock me, rock me" Probably because once I sit down, the rocking and patting lasts a little bit longer. :)
Her language skills have continued to grow, and now she has enough skill to be able to ask for a song. A few minutes ago, I was rocking her before nap time and she was so tired that she was already falling asleep in my arms. I shifted so I could stand and move her to her bed and she opened her eyes and mumbled "Jesus Loves Me" in an obvious attempt to delay nap time (even though she was already asleep).
Yes, baby doll, Jesus does love you. I pray that each and every day you will grow in your understanding of just how much He loves you. I pray that as parents, we can model His love in way that is real and significant to your little life. I pray that His love will carry you through your teens and into adult hood. I pray that you will always find your love and satisfaction in Him and Him alone. Yes, Jesus loves you.
Yes, baby doll, Jesus does love you. I pray that each and every day you will grow in your understanding of just how much He loves you. I pray that as parents, we can model His love in way that is real and significant to your little life. I pray that His love will carry you through your teens and into adult hood. I pray that you will always find your love and satisfaction in Him and Him alone. Yes, Jesus loves you.
Thursday, April 15, 2010
My Own Brain
My kids are hitting the age where they say amazingly funny and insightful things. This morning we had a great example of that. Here's the situation: Veronica was chewing with her mouth open and making loud smacking noises. This bothered Quinlan who was sitting opposite of her. First, he told me she was doing that. I told him to stop tattling and to talk to his sister about doing the right thing before he tells me about it. Here's what he said to her, "Veronica, you should obey Mama instead of your own brain."
Wow... how many times in my life do I follow my own brain? My own wishes and thoughts and desires. God has a good and perfect plan for my life. Sometimes it's exactly what my heart desires, and sometimes my heart has to trust and obey anyways and sometimes I plug my ears and try to ignore Him. This reminds me of a passage in Romans 7. It's hard to follow Paul's reasoning. Today, I looked it up in "The Message" and was floored by this passage. I just want to soak it up and get this into my life. If I can understand this passage and live it out in my life- wow, I would be a radically different person than I am today!
14-16I can anticipate the response that is coming: "I know that all God's commands are spiritual, but I'm not. Isn't this also your experience?" Yes. I'm full of myself—after all, I've spent a long time in sin's prison. What I don't understand about myself is that I decide one way, but then I act another, doing things I absolutely despise. So if I can't be trusted to figure out what is best for myself and then do it, it becomes obvious that God's command is necessary.
17-20But I need something more! For if I know the law but still can't keep it, and if the power of sin within me keeps sabotaging my best intentions, I obviously need help! I realize that I don't have what it takes. I can will it, but I can't do it. I decide to do good, but I don't really do it; I decide not to do bad, but then I do it anyway. My decisions, such as they are, don't result in actions. Something has gone wrong deep within me and gets the better of me every time.
21-23It happens so regularly that it's predictable. The moment I decide to do good, sin is there to trip me up. I truly delight in God's commands, but it's pretty obvious that not all of me joins in that delight. Parts of me covertly rebel, and just when I least expect it, they take charge.
17-20But I need something more! For if I know the law but still can't keep it, and if the power of sin within me keeps sabotaging my best intentions, I obviously need help! I realize that I don't have what it takes. I can will it, but I can't do it. I decide to do good, but I don't really do it; I decide not to do bad, but then I do it anyway. My decisions, such as they are, don't result in actions. Something has gone wrong deep within me and gets the better of me every time.
21-23It happens so regularly that it's predictable. The moment I decide to do good, sin is there to trip me up. I truly delight in God's commands, but it's pretty obvious that not all of me joins in that delight. Parts of me covertly rebel, and just when I least expect it, they take charge.
Sin is a struggle for Paul, too! It's not just me! Sin has a way of entangling itself into my life and drawing me within it's web. There's nothing I desire more than to do good- to keep a welcoming home, to train my children well. And yet, what all too often comes out in my life is the struggle to stay on top of daily chores, yelling at my children, and arguing with my husband. That's not what I want to do! Yet I do it anyways. Regularly. Predictably. And I am disgusted by it.
24I've tried everything and nothing helps. I'm at the end of my rope. Is there no one who can do anything for me? Isn't that the real question?
YES! This is me! I've read book after book about home maintenance and child-rearing. I've asked other mothers what they do. I've prayed and cried and lamented the state of my home, my children, my self. I'm at the end of my rope. What should I do? There HAS to be an answer. And right here in this passage, Paul gives one.
25The answer, thank God, is that Jesus Christ can and does. He acted to set things right in this life of contradictions where I want to serve God with all my heart and mind, but am pulled by the influence of sin to do something totally different.
The answer is found in Christ. He has set things right. I do not need to live a life given over to sin and temptation. Chapter eight continues on in this way. We read about what His death and resurrection truly mean for those who accept Him. I think the title of this section says it all: "Life on God's Terms."
1-2With the arrival of Jesus, the Messiah, that fateful dilemma is resolved. Those who enter into Christ's being-here-for-us no longer have to live under a continuous, low-lying black cloud. A new power is in operation. The Spirit of life in Christ, like a strong wind, has magnificently cleared the air, freeing you from a fated lifetime of brutal tyranny at the hands of sin and death.
There is something new! I don't have to live my life under a black cloud. He has cleared the air and freed me from a life of sin and death. Life with Him does not bring anxiety, fear, or depression. Life with Him means there's a way out of those ways of thinking and acting.
3-4God went for the jugular when he sent his own Son. He didn't deal with the problem as something remote and unimportant. In his Son, Jesus, he personally took on the human condition, entered the disordered mess of struggling humanity in order to set it right once and for all. The law code, weakened as it always was by fractured human nature, could never have done that.
The law always ended up being used as a Band-Aid on sin instead of a deep healing of it. And now what the law code asked for but we couldn't deliver is accomplished as we, instead of redoubling our own efforts, simply embrace what the Spirit is doing in us.
What God did by sending Christ was absolutely amazing! All of creation is changed for good. We can rip that band-aid right off, because there is true healing in Christ. It is done, it is finished. My sin has been taken care of.
5-8Those who think they can do it on their own end up obsessed with measuring their own moral muscle but never get around to exercising it in real life. Those who trust God's action in them find that God's Spirit is in them—living and breathing God! Obsession with self in these matters is a dead end; attention to God leads us out into the open, into a spacious, free life. Focusing on the self is the opposite of focusing on God. Anyone completely absorbed in self ignores God, ends up thinking more about self than God. That person ignores who God is and what he is doing. And God isn't pleased at being ignored.
God isn't pleased at being ignored. He created us to be in relationship with Him. He has been saddened since that first sin tore us away from His presence. His whole mission since has been to restore that. But it's up to me. I can choose to live my own life on my own terms. But, oh, how much better it is to live with He who created me! His Spirit is living inside of me!
9-11But if God himself has taken up residence in your life, you can hardly be thinking more of yourself than of him. Anyone, of course, who has not welcomed this invisible but clearly present God, the Spirit of Christ, won't know what we're talking about. But for you who welcome him, in whom he dwells—even though you still experience all the limitations of sin—you yourself experience life on God's terms. It stands to reason, doesn't it, that if the alive-and-present God who raised Jesus from the dead moves into your life, he'll do the same thing in you that he did in Jesus, bringing you alive to himself? When God lives and breathes in you (and he does, as surely as he did in Jesus), you are delivered from that dead life. With his Spirit living in you, your body will be as alive as Christ's!
Sin is still here. It still calls out to me. But there is something different, now- the Spirit lives inside of me! God's power (the same power that raised Jesus from the dead) is in my life! there is nothing that I can't do, so long as I call upon that power. To have patience with my children seems a trifling compared to the amazing well of power I have to draw upon. I am delivered from the pain and death and have a new life. And it is alive and life-giving.
12-14So don't you see that we don't owe this old do-it-yourself life one red cent. There's nothing in it for us, nothing at all. The best thing to do is give it a decent burial and get on with your new life. God's Spirit beckons. There are things to do and places to go!
Oh the places you'll go! There's no need to look back upon and dwell upon where I've been. I can set it aside and turn away from it. I owe it nothing. God is calling to me. Passionately. Tenderly. He is right there, with His hands held out. He is waiting for me to place my hand in His. He will take me on an incredible journey!
15-17This resurrection life you received from God is not a timid, grave-tending life. It's adventurously expectant, greeting God with a childlike "What's next, Papa?" God's Spirit touches our spirits and confirms who we really are. We know who he is, and we know who we are: Father and children. And we know we are going to get what's coming to us—an unbelievable inheritance! We go through exactly what Christ goes through. If we go through the hard times with him, then we're certainly going to go through the good times with him!
A life of following after Christ is not easy. He suffered many things! But if I'm willing to go through the hard times with Him, there is a hope and a blessing- getting to share in His eternal rewards. So, I simply say, "What's next, Papa?"
YES! This is me! I've read book after book about home maintenance and child-rearing. I've asked other mothers what they do. I've prayed and cried and lamented the state of my home, my children, my self. I'm at the end of my rope. What should I do? There HAS to be an answer. And right here in this passage, Paul gives one.
25The answer, thank God, is that Jesus Christ can and does. He acted to set things right in this life of contradictions where I want to serve God with all my heart and mind, but am pulled by the influence of sin to do something totally different.
The answer is found in Christ. He has set things right. I do not need to live a life given over to sin and temptation. Chapter eight continues on in this way. We read about what His death and resurrection truly mean for those who accept Him. I think the title of this section says it all: "Life on God's Terms."
1-2With the arrival of Jesus, the Messiah, that fateful dilemma is resolved. Those who enter into Christ's being-here-for-us no longer have to live under a continuous, low-lying black cloud. A new power is in operation. The Spirit of life in Christ, like a strong wind, has magnificently cleared the air, freeing you from a fated lifetime of brutal tyranny at the hands of sin and death.
There is something new! I don't have to live my life under a black cloud. He has cleared the air and freed me from a life of sin and death. Life with Him does not bring anxiety, fear, or depression. Life with Him means there's a way out of those ways of thinking and acting.
3-4God went for the jugular when he sent his own Son. He didn't deal with the problem as something remote and unimportant. In his Son, Jesus, he personally took on the human condition, entered the disordered mess of struggling humanity in order to set it right once and for all. The law code, weakened as it always was by fractured human nature, could never have done that.
The law always ended up being used as a Band-Aid on sin instead of a deep healing of it. And now what the law code asked for but we couldn't deliver is accomplished as we, instead of redoubling our own efforts, simply embrace what the Spirit is doing in us.
What God did by sending Christ was absolutely amazing! All of creation is changed for good. We can rip that band-aid right off, because there is true healing in Christ. It is done, it is finished. My sin has been taken care of.
5-8Those who think they can do it on their own end up obsessed with measuring their own moral muscle but never get around to exercising it in real life. Those who trust God's action in them find that God's Spirit is in them—living and breathing God! Obsession with self in these matters is a dead end; attention to God leads us out into the open, into a spacious, free life. Focusing on the self is the opposite of focusing on God. Anyone completely absorbed in self ignores God, ends up thinking more about self than God. That person ignores who God is and what he is doing. And God isn't pleased at being ignored.
God isn't pleased at being ignored. He created us to be in relationship with Him. He has been saddened since that first sin tore us away from His presence. His whole mission since has been to restore that. But it's up to me. I can choose to live my own life on my own terms. But, oh, how much better it is to live with He who created me! His Spirit is living inside of me!
9-11But if God himself has taken up residence in your life, you can hardly be thinking more of yourself than of him. Anyone, of course, who has not welcomed this invisible but clearly present God, the Spirit of Christ, won't know what we're talking about. But for you who welcome him, in whom he dwells—even though you still experience all the limitations of sin—you yourself experience life on God's terms. It stands to reason, doesn't it, that if the alive-and-present God who raised Jesus from the dead moves into your life, he'll do the same thing in you that he did in Jesus, bringing you alive to himself? When God lives and breathes in you (and he does, as surely as he did in Jesus), you are delivered from that dead life. With his Spirit living in you, your body will be as alive as Christ's!
Sin is still here. It still calls out to me. But there is something different, now- the Spirit lives inside of me! God's power (the same power that raised Jesus from the dead) is in my life! there is nothing that I can't do, so long as I call upon that power. To have patience with my children seems a trifling compared to the amazing well of power I have to draw upon. I am delivered from the pain and death and have a new life. And it is alive and life-giving.
12-14So don't you see that we don't owe this old do-it-yourself life one red cent. There's nothing in it for us, nothing at all. The best thing to do is give it a decent burial and get on with your new life. God's Spirit beckons. There are things to do and places to go!
Oh the places you'll go! There's no need to look back upon and dwell upon where I've been. I can set it aside and turn away from it. I owe it nothing. God is calling to me. Passionately. Tenderly. He is right there, with His hands held out. He is waiting for me to place my hand in His. He will take me on an incredible journey!
15-17This resurrection life you received from God is not a timid, grave-tending life. It's adventurously expectant, greeting God with a childlike "What's next, Papa?" God's Spirit touches our spirits and confirms who we really are. We know who he is, and we know who we are: Father and children. And we know we are going to get what's coming to us—an unbelievable inheritance! We go through exactly what Christ goes through. If we go through the hard times with him, then we're certainly going to go through the good times with him!
A life of following after Christ is not easy. He suffered many things! But if I'm willing to go through the hard times with Him, there is a hope and a blessing- getting to share in His eternal rewards. So, I simply say, "What's next, Papa?"
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