Who Me?

My Bible study this morning about Gideon highlights what all of us have said at one time or another, "Who me?" or "Why me?"

Gideon, when asked by God to lead the charge and kill some enemies, asked those questions. He was so mistrustful that he put out a "fleece", tested God twice. He said, "If you do this, then I'll do that."

A bargaining sort Gideon was not initially ready to drop it all to help out God. Sound familiar?

What do you think God wants you to do that seems odd, or different, or scary, or something you have never done before, or bold? Do you test God, do you bargain, quibble, and negotiate with the "If then" scenario?

Today is your day. Today is the day you can stop that and start to lead the charge.

What is it?
- Saying grace at a meal when others are around,
- reading God's love story every day, even if no one else you live with does it,
- eating the way God tells you to eat, even in public settings
- dressing modestly in a world of fashion lasciviousness
- using language to bless and not to curse
- exercising when no one else does
- picking up trash that others mindlessly throw around, even in public restrooms
- saying "no" when you used to say "yes"
- saying "yes" when you used to say "no"

Who me? Who you?

You know deep inside when you are being "called" to step out and do something. Please conquer your objections and begin. Today is the day.

A Prayer For You

I am praying this prayer for you, anyone who reads this blog, anyone who I know, and anyone who wants to know more about God. I wish that were the whole world.

"In my prayers I keep asking the God of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah (Jesus), the glorious father, to give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you will have full knowledge of Him. I pray that He will give light to the eyes of your hearts, so that you will understand the hope to which he has called you, what rich glories there are in the inheritance he has promised his people, and how surpassingly great is His power working in us who trust Him."
Ephesians 1:16-19

Hope

"For what (I) am proclaiming is not( myself), but the Messiah Yeshua as Lord..."
4 Cor:5

"We have all kinds of troubles, but we are not crushed; we are perplexed, yet not in despair; persecuted, yet not abandoned; knocked down, yet not destroyed."
4 Cor 8-9

"I trust and therefore I speak."

"This is why (I) don't lose courage. Though (my) outer self (like yours) is heading for decay, (my) inner self is being renewed daily." 4 Cor 13, 16

So if anyone wants to know why I speak out, have 6 blogs, am working, writing a book, learning about eating and preparing food in a new way, this is why. Not because I have to, but because I get to. I must.

Please pray that I finish the task.

I Seek Beauty All My Days

One of my favorite novelists, Catherine Cookson, has an autobiography called Our Kate. In it she wrote,
"I will seek beauty all my days.
Within the dark chaos of a troubled world I will
seek and find some Beauteous Thing.

From eyes grown dim with weeping will shine a Light
to guide me, and in Sorrow's Hour
I shall behold a great High Courage.

I shall find the wonder of an infinite Patience,
and a quiet Faith in coming Joy and Peace.

And Love will I seek in the midst of Discord and
find swift eager hands out and stretched in welcome.

I will seek Beauty all my days, and in my quiet
I shall not be dismayed.

I shall find God."

This reminds me of the old rag picker in The Mad Woman of Chaillot by Jean Giradoux whose famous line is, "I hate ugliness. I love beauty."

What about you? Will you seek the ugliness everywhere or will you, like me try to find beauty and what is worthy all the days of your life?

Did you know that you could choose which one you will seek?

Do You Believe In God?

Do you believe in God? Many people say they do, but there is little agreement among most as to what that should look like in their lives.

Rereading the New Testament book of Galatians, I have been struck by how many times two words are repeated: trust and faithfulness. Therefore, if I believe in God, I will trust Him in all things and I will be faithful in all things.

Move over to Thessalonians and the word trust is there everywhere.

It's not easy but the directions are simple, from 1 Thessalonians:
"...make it your ambition to live quietly, to mind your own business and to earn your living by your own efforts...Live at peace among yourselves...confront those who are lazy...help them change..encourage the timid...assist the weak...be patient with everyone...always try to do good to each other...always be joyful...pray regularly, in everything give thanks..don't quench the Spirit...hold onto what is good, but keep away from every form of evil."

This is the job description for everyone who believes in God and wants to trust Him in all things and be faithful in all things.

Let me know how it's going.