Stillness and Action

 Exodus 3:14 God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM. This is what You are to say to the Israelites: 'I AM has sent me to you.'"

I love this verse. God tells Moses His "name." It's fantastic. It's stillness and action simultaneously. I AM. It encapsulates the presence and power of God. Today, I'm struck by the depth of such a seemingly simple "name." I really have no words, for my thoughts are too immense and too near. God feels enormous and vast, while at the same time incredibly personal. I need to be with I AM. No words needed.

Lion with the Lamb

 Genesis 48:2 When Jacob was told, "Your son Joseph has come to you," Israel rallied his strength and sat up on the bed.

This moment hits pretty close to home for me. I'm stilled in spirit to think about what it means to be an elder. How do we navigate the waters of life as the years come on us? What does it look like to follow God through the ages? In this case, I mean literal ages, 40s, 50s, 60s, and so on. There is something that a true elder brings. If I'm going to focus on who I'm becoming in Jesus, then I better pay attention to what I see in those true elders. Jacob was a true elder. My mom was a true elder. I see a calm in their presence. I see no need for façades or masks. I see no need for an explanation or an argument. It is simply a confidence, an assurance, of what they know soul deep to be truth. Their words are few, but I think their thoughts are many. Their presence is a deep stillness of grace, hope, love, and peace. They are not swayed by the world or its ridiculousness. They are settled in who they are. No need for pretenses or striving. Israel rallied his strength, but it was a calm "lion with the lamb" kind of strength. Beautiful. Am I becoming that person? Am I allowing the work of Christ in me so that He can live through me? It is a process, to be sure.

Wherever He Leads

 Genesis 45:8 "So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God. He made me father to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household and ruler of all Egypt."

Oh my, so many thoughts on this. The first part of this verse is actually underlined in my Bible. This is Joseph talking to his brothers just after he has told them who he is. They sold him into slavery, and this is where he ended up. This verse is Joseph's understanding of what had happened to him and how he is able to have compassion on his brothers. It is the work of God in him. Joseph is not the same person he was when his brothers sold him. He was a bit of a brat at that time, to be honest. A true youngest, if I do say so myself as a youngest. 😉 God grew Joseph into this compassionate being and positioned him where he would be able to help his family in this time of need. The brothers were not right to sell him, but God's plan to get Joseph into this position could not be thwarted. Joseph simply followed where he was led. When we look beyond our circumstance and follow God wherever He leads, we will grasp the deeper meaning in our walk with God. This is what changes us.

It Is That Way

 Genesis 31:3 Then the Lord said to Jacob, "Go back to the land of your fathers and to your relatives, and I will be with you."

For me today this is a simple reminder that God is always for me. There are going to be times that we feel overlooked, mistreated, misunderstood, etc. It is good for me to remember that the world doesn't care about me. It doesn't care about my thoughts, my feelings, or my well-being. Hopefully there will be individuals who will always be on my side, but with the way the world is, I can't count on that. The one constant and steady piece of truth is that God is always on my side. He is always for me. He is working all things for my good. It may not feel that way, or appear that way, but it is that way. God is good. Not sometimes, all the time. If I believe this truth, then it has to be so toward me as well. He is good to me all the time. 

Not Unaware

 Genesis 28:19 He called that place Bethel, though the city used to be called Luz.

Jacob has a dream of Heaven, which gave him the understanding that God was present in the place he rested. He is surprised saying, "Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware of it." Been there before. This is when I have to step in and evaluate myself. I get so wrapped up in what I'm doing and how I'm doing it, that I forget to take a step back and "be" in the space where God is. Yes, there are times when it is important to strive and build. I have done and continue to do this. But there are also times when we need to lie down, rest our head and dream. I'm reminded to make time for resting in who God has made me; make time for being in the presence of the One who forms and transforms me. All I am is of God. I have done nothing to create this life I live. I was formed in my mother's womb, not because I manifested myself there, but because God spoke me into being there. I walk the planet and take care of this flesh I have been given, but it is only the vessel for the being God created. My goal is to simply be with my Lord, in all things, at all times, in all ways (mentally, emotionally, physically, spiritually). No simple task without help from my Creator. I'm still growing.

Justice Served Through Mercy

 Genesis 18:32 Then he said, "May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak just once more. What if only ten can be found there?"

He answered, "For the sake of ten, I will not destroy it."

I'm working my way from the beginning of the Bible for this blog experience, if you haven't noticed yet. As I read this story regarding Sodom and Gomorrah, along with what follows with Lot and his daughters after the fact, I am struck at the mess of the world then. We think things are so horrible now, but the Bible is very clear, and explicit at times, about the horrific deeds of humans from the beginning. Today I simply thought, there cannot possibly be anyone on earth who has ever done a single horrific act that God would not redeem. And also, there cannot possibly be anyone on earth who has ever done so many horrible things that God would not redeem them. I cannot possibly remove God's love for me, if what I read in the Bible is true. God loves people through the messiest and most awful moments. Don't get me wrong, He is a judge too, and there is a price to pay for our wrong. Even more amazing than I cannot possibly remove God's love is that Jesus took the penalty to satisfy the Judge. Justice served through Mercy is beyond me. That is love. That is God. I'll accept that Gift.  

Visible in 2522

 Genesis 12:1 The Lord said to Abram, "Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you."

Abram was 75 when he received this word from God. It amazes me that the calling was not clear other than to leave. There was not a specific place for Abram to go. It was simply, "go to the land I will show you." Abram had to wait a long time to receive the call in the first place. And then he had to wait even longer for the promise of Isaac and the many nations, of which he wasn't even on earth to see. This is why I want to focus on who I'm becoming and not on what I'm doing. Our work feels vain at times. It seems as though many of the fruits of our callings don't come until years later and sometimes not even until we are gone from the earth. What kind of a heart loves someone and waits 50-100 years for its fruition? Whose heart willingly gives up everything and waits 2000 years for the outcome? Jesus' heart. Christ's heart loved me on the cross over 2000 years ago, so my life could be changed now. That's a new way to think about "the land I will show you." That's the heart I'm seeking. I desire to live my life today so that the fruit of who I am in Jesus is visible in 2522. 

It's As Simple As That.

 Genesis 3:4-5 "You will not surely die," the serpent said to the woman. "For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil."

We often think of this moment as the failure of Adam and Eve to obey God's command in action. While there is truth in that, this was more than just a simple obedience test. It was Satan's first step in putting distance between God and man. However, this leads to the beautiful path of redemption. We see the first step in redemption comes quickly when the guilty pair respond with blame to God's question of "have you eaten of the tree." That's right, the first step of redemption was responding to the truth with blame. What do I mean? We are able to recognize our need for God when we have done something wrong. Whether we take the blame or not, the very fact that we are blaming someone means we know we messed up. But the blame game isn't really about the action. Oh, we may not want to experience the consequences, but it's more than that. The heart that blames is the heart that is convicted. What does that action say about who I am deep down. We look for anyone anywhere to avert the attention from ourselves and take the fall on our behalf. Strangely enough, when Jesus offers Himself we are often quick to reject Him and try desperately to do it on our own. Think about that! Our hearts need to change so our actions will change, but this type of heart change can only come from the Creator. He knows who He created you to be. Let Him show you who you are. He'll do the work in you. It's as simple as that.

It's Time to Write

Well friends, I've got the itch again. It's time to do some writing. I'm in another transition in life, so it only seems fitting that I should be inclined to write. If you have a copy of my daily devotional book, A Deeper Presence, know that I will do my best to not be redundant. 

This blog was inspired by words from my sister, Liz, who probably read them in a book somewhere. 😉 She made a statement multiple times in regards to different situations with different people, including me, and it has reverberated in my mind. I want to fuss with it here. Her statement went something like, God is not interested in the work you do, so much as He is interested in who you are becoming. This "Simple Truth" has been rolling around in my mind for the last month or so, and it's time I start writing it out of my head. 

So, if you're interested, you can come along on this journey with me. I'll do this devotional blog like I've done the rest of them. A short biblical passage followed by my thoughts in a quick 2-4 minute read. My hope is always that as I walk with God, you join me on the path and receive something from Him too.