For the Surpassing Worth of Knowing Christ
Tomorrow is Thanksgiving and there are so many beautiful, biblical reminders of gratitude and contentment being tossed in my direction. Yet, I have one question still resting on my heart as I prepare for the joyful celebrations and traditions that will take place tomorrow….
What would happen if Jesus showed up?
Several weeks ago, my family tested out having chickens and dogs in the same yard. Little did we know, we were turning our yard into war territory.
Like chickens and dogs, though, humans don’t often live in harmony with one another. We expect everyone else to be perfect and accept our imperfections: silly, huh? God sets a different standard.
God says: be patient with people.
The ugly truth of garden snails is the ugly truth of the human heart too: both are full of a parasite that kills them and anyone who encounters them.
The lovely grace about garden snails is that they can be cleansed from their parasites! But it requires a tedious work that involves their death.
This is the difficult, beautiful glory of God. It is full of grace and truth.
A letter on outsiders, to outsiders, from an outsider…
I almost never do guest posts on my blog, but today I am sharing a letter written by a disciple of Christ who I dearly admire and appreciate. These aren’t my words, but they are full of far more experience and lots of wisdom.
So, read this letter. Trust me. You will be blessed by the words.
He delights to grow beautiful things within our souls.
And so, He reaches out, with a Kingly sovereignty and a Fatherly heart, waiting, asking: will you follow the roads? Will you go where no one dares to go? You asked for my lamp to guide your feet…and I faithfully will.
But if the roads lead to graveyards…will you still walk them?
God’s blessing to us are the offerings of a sacred testimony – a fragrant sacrifice which declares the knowledge of Him to craving souls. Our response to these blessings reveals a great deal about our heart.
May my heart delight in rendering praise to His throne, from whence all blessings flow. May I know the utter Beauty of His testimony which He weaves into every gracious gift He bestows.
May my anthem be that I am filled to be emptied again.
If I really love those around me, their salvation should be ever on my mind. Because no matter how kind I am or how loving I am or how many people consider me a “safe place” …I can’t save them.
So I have to speak of the good.
I have to tell of the One who came to redeem and restore.
In a world where hell keeps laughing…I must speak life.
The world isn’t only changing through people with powerful voices and sharp minds. The world is changing by people, genuinely disturbed by the lack of hope and the world’s craving to be seen, known, and loved.
There is beauty in disturbance when it draws us nearer to God’s heart.
What do I know of Calvary love? Oh, how precious little I know. What small and selfish lenses of love I am prone to see through!
I pray that He would teach me to love the way He does. Just as He sees my brokenness, my doubts, my messes…and loves anyway. Just as He knows I’ll be faithless a thousand times and more…and loves anyway.
Lord, help me love anyway.
Have you ever had a day or week where it feels like you can’t do anything right? I certainly have. In fact, the past couple have weeks have been full of my feeling like, no matter how hard I try, I keep making the same old mistakes over and over again. Sometimes I feel like… Continue reading Choosing to be Thankful for Spiritual Growing Pains