I overslept so we will plan to do chapter 3, "Stringing Pearls" in Sitting at the Feet of Rabbi Jesus: How the Jewishness of Jesus Can Transform Your Faith, by Ann Spangler and Lois Tverberg, next Wednesday. Read the chapter work through the questions following it. Like the book the chapter is most helpful for us to better understand what Scripture says.
When we feel weakness this can be a precursor to God's blessing. When we are weak we can identify better, and more closely with other fellow human beings, just as Hebrews points out about the priests in the old covenant, but even our Great High Priest in the new covenant, Jesus.
Feeling weakness in whatever way can also help us be more dependent on God and rightly interdependent on each other in Jesus. We know that we can't make it without him, so we cry out to him in faith, and look to him for the help that he alone can give to us. And we also look to others to pray for us, or offer any words of encouragement and insight they might have from God.
I have seen God's blessing come through either into my life, or through what I had to do into the lives of others, in the midst of my weakness. In answer to prayer the Lord makes his power known in our weaknesses.
This is part of our walk by faith and by the Spirit here. I find that I distrust myself more and more as I get older. Because I know God's blessing comes from God, not from me. And even when we not only are weak but look weak, God's power through Jesus by the Spirit can, and often will come forth.
What have you found about this in your own life?
Showing posts with label weakness. Show all posts
Showing posts with label weakness. Show all posts
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Monday, August 24, 2009
meltdowns
At times we can all fail. It's like we're cornered in our minds, with no way out; we feel trapped and think there is only one response. When that's not really the case at all!
When I say something I shouldn't, which normally happens with those one loves the most- sadly, then I not only want to get forgiveness immediately, or very soon. But I also want to learn from my sin and error. Sometimes that means I have to work through something, maybe with another, and maybe just with me and God.
Such times often bump us with the reminder of what we have been neglecting as of late. Quiet times in the word and in prayer before God. Seeking to draw near to God. Though we want to avoid meltdowns, they can work to our favor as we confess our sin to God, and to the offended party, and seek to start anew in our walk in Jesus in this world.
It's always good as well to be reminded of our weaknesses, so that in God through Christ and by the Spirit we can find his strength. And good for us to find our errors, so that we can find the truth as it is in Jesus.
What thoughts might you have on meltdowns?
When I say something I shouldn't, which normally happens with those one loves the most- sadly, then I not only want to get forgiveness immediately, or very soon. But I also want to learn from my sin and error. Sometimes that means I have to work through something, maybe with another, and maybe just with me and God.
Such times often bump us with the reminder of what we have been neglecting as of late. Quiet times in the word and in prayer before God. Seeking to draw near to God. Though we want to avoid meltdowns, they can work to our favor as we confess our sin to God, and to the offended party, and seek to start anew in our walk in Jesus in this world.
It's always good as well to be reminded of our weaknesses, so that in God through Christ and by the Spirit we can find his strength. And good for us to find our errors, so that we can find the truth as it is in Jesus.
What thoughts might you have on meltdowns?
Monday, June 29, 2009
God our Refuge and Strength
God's greatness, along with his goodness knows no bounds. God is infinite and limitless, but in a way that is beyond our finitude and limitations, in other words not infinite of what we are in our finitude, but beyond that.
We live in our limits; we are frail, weak and broken. Nothing about us has arrived, in fact the strongest aspect in us can become our undoing (example: Moses once angry, becoming the meekest man on the earth, and later lashing out in anger at Israel as he disobeyed God's command as to what he was to do).
In this psalm God is the Refuge and Strength of his people. We are surrounded by troubles on every side, and there's always more at stake than meets the eye. We are walking the path our Savior has blazed by his work for us, in his death and resurrection. Now we are both living in the old world, but explicitly said to be part of the new world that has come in in Christ. This means we have to embrace, take up our cross, and follow Jesus in this life, in the way he lived, somehow sharing in the fellowship of his sufferings here, so as to become like him in his death.
God is our Refuge. He will protect us to the end, that we may live well before him, and before the world, no matter what is happening around us. Is that going to be easy? No. But by faith we must stay in the protection of the Almighty.
God is our Strength. We are weak, but in our weakness his strength is revealed. His strength, not our own, but in his strength we too will find strength so we can mount up with wings like eagles, walk and not be weary, run and not faint.
Let's not succumb to our own weaknesses, to the voice suggesting to us that our end has come, that there is no hope for us, that we can't make it. Instead we need to remember the God who is near. We need to find our protection and all that we need in him.
10 "Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth."
11 The LORD Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
Psalm 46
What "amens" or thoughts would you like to add here?
We live in our limits; we are frail, weak and broken. Nothing about us has arrived, in fact the strongest aspect in us can become our undoing (example: Moses once angry, becoming the meekest man on the earth, and later lashing out in anger at Israel as he disobeyed God's command as to what he was to do).
In this psalm God is the Refuge and Strength of his people. We are surrounded by troubles on every side, and there's always more at stake than meets the eye. We are walking the path our Savior has blazed by his work for us, in his death and resurrection. Now we are both living in the old world, but explicitly said to be part of the new world that has come in in Christ. This means we have to embrace, take up our cross, and follow Jesus in this life, in the way he lived, somehow sharing in the fellowship of his sufferings here, so as to become like him in his death.
God is our Refuge. He will protect us to the end, that we may live well before him, and before the world, no matter what is happening around us. Is that going to be easy? No. But by faith we must stay in the protection of the Almighty.
God is our Strength. We are weak, but in our weakness his strength is revealed. His strength, not our own, but in his strength we too will find strength so we can mount up with wings like eagles, walk and not be weary, run and not faint.
Let's not succumb to our own weaknesses, to the voice suggesting to us that our end has come, that there is no hope for us, that we can't make it. Instead we need to remember the God who is near. We need to find our protection and all that we need in him.
10 "Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth."
11 The LORD Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
Psalm 46
What "amens" or thoughts would you like to add here?
Thursday, May 07, 2009
during difficult times
Yesterday was a difficult day for me, and really this week. Though Deb is a strong, good support, and we had a nice and fun time Tuesday evening. While good fellowship and working relationships remain, work has had its challenges for us. I have a couple friends who have cancer. And I've had challenges on a personal level.
I was thinking of these words from this psalm this morning:
That is important because we need to understand this prayer in context. We don't simply pray for a lifeline from God and then go on living our lives in our own ways, apart from God's will, in disobedience to him. And as we were reminded at my work in chapel yesterday, in our weaknesses we can find God's strength.
So it's important for us both to be those readily acknowledging our need to God, and committed to living in faithful obedience to God. We certainly will fail along the way, and that's where confession of sin and God's continued forgiveness to us in Christ comes in. But it is a mistake to believe that we can't live lives of faithful obedience to God. That can become a pattern of life for us, deviations from it being exceptions.
Does this make sense to you? What would you like to say here?
I was thinking of these words from this psalm this morning:
From the ends of the earth I call to you,In seeking to honor the newness of the new covenant, while acknowledging differences between the Old and New Testaments, I believe we sometimes draw false lines between the two. In this psalm is the fear of the Lord, and vows made to God. The former is just an intrinsic part of knowing God. God is a father, and a god of all grace, but he is not a god to be trifled with. His name and person (in three persons) should be held in reverence and awe. And vows today are replaced with our simple words. We should make commitments and carry them out.
I call as my heart grows faint;
lead me to the rock that is higher than I.
That is important because we need to understand this prayer in context. We don't simply pray for a lifeline from God and then go on living our lives in our own ways, apart from God's will, in disobedience to him. And as we were reminded at my work in chapel yesterday, in our weaknesses we can find God's strength.
So it's important for us both to be those readily acknowledging our need to God, and committed to living in faithful obedience to God. We certainly will fail along the way, and that's where confession of sin and God's continued forgiveness to us in Christ comes in. But it is a mistake to believe that we can't live lives of faithful obedience to God. That can become a pattern of life for us, deviations from it being exceptions.
Does this make sense to you? What would you like to say here?
Saturday, April 04, 2009
cast on God
At work when I can I've been meditating on Psalm 22 from which Jesus quotes on the cross in his sense of abandonment by God. It is wonderful to slowly work one's way through a passage, and specifically this passage, pondering as one goes along.
Yesterday, among other things, I seemed especially struck with this phrase: "From birth I was cast on you..." (note these two interesting renderings of this).
For the psalmist this began at birth. But it's ongoing through all of life for God's people. I believe it includes all of humanity, but we need the eyes of faith to see and believe it.
To be cast on God for us is ongoing; we never outgrow this need. I think we readily see our need of this through the inevitable troubles we face in life. Some of them are problems we're used to, and up to a point we think we can handle. Though we should learn that our every breath and action is to be done in dependence on God and interdependence on others, particulary others in God.
I think especially of those troubling times and trials which hit us. They can be personal attacks against us. Scripture is filled with examples of that; Psalm 22 is a good example. They can be fears that hit and beset us at times. Anger in reaction to perceived injustice that we know we need to keep in check and deal with, while appropriately acting on it, primarily if not solely through prayer. I'm just trying to think of examples here, in which we are reminded anew of how we need to be cast on God.
It's a blessing to be cast on God, but also a necessity in this life in following Jesus. As we learn to cast ourselves and our cares on God, then we will find God's help and consolations. But this is ongoing for us in Jesus in this life. Part of being weak in Jesus so that we can be strong by God's Spirit to live out God's will for us.
What would you like to add to this?
Yesterday, among other things, I seemed especially struck with this phrase: "From birth I was cast on you..." (note these two interesting renderings of this).
For the psalmist this began at birth. But it's ongoing through all of life for God's people. I believe it includes all of humanity, but we need the eyes of faith to see and believe it.
To be cast on God for us is ongoing; we never outgrow this need. I think we readily see our need of this through the inevitable troubles we face in life. Some of them are problems we're used to, and up to a point we think we can handle. Though we should learn that our every breath and action is to be done in dependence on God and interdependence on others, particulary others in God.
I think especially of those troubling times and trials which hit us. They can be personal attacks against us. Scripture is filled with examples of that; Psalm 22 is a good example. They can be fears that hit and beset us at times. Anger in reaction to perceived injustice that we know we need to keep in check and deal with, while appropriately acting on it, primarily if not solely through prayer. I'm just trying to think of examples here, in which we are reminded anew of how we need to be cast on God.
It's a blessing to be cast on God, but also a necessity in this life in following Jesus. As we learn to cast ourselves and our cares on God, then we will find God's help and consolations. But this is ongoing for us in Jesus in this life. Part of being weak in Jesus so that we can be strong by God's Spirit to live out God's will for us.
What would you like to add to this?
Thursday, October 09, 2008
one's Achilles' heel
I recall an important spiritual leader and exemplar of my past, saying something like, "Everyone has their Achilles' heel." In my case I'm wondering if I have two Achilles' heels, not more being possible only because I have just two heels!
Back to the desert post of yesterday, which for me may become an important theme in days to come. It seems like the working out of all the confusion and struggle in our lives, while done with us and God, is also to be done in the midst of others. And not apart from others, or in what constitutes real life for most of us, and actually to remain in relationship with others is a part of real life.
I find this over and over in my life. When I awaken feeling like an Achilles' heel has either taken me down, or is making me limp with pain, I go through what I must do, including posting for the blog, go to work doing what needs to be done with others. And ordinarily, however it happens, the Lord gives me a sense of renewed vision and strength. Part of the desert for me may be partly in what can be seen as the daily mundane routine. Yet in that, as I seek God in his word, and in the midst of seeking to love God and love others, I find some sort of equilibrium as in balance, and some healing and renewing of spirit.
But our Achilles' heel can help us look to God, and keep looking to God. What if we really had no perceived Achilles' heel? Would God let us get away with that in this world? I think not. We remember Jacob wrestling with a strange man, and in that wrestling- related to Jacob praying I take it, yet as in a real hand to hand struggle- Jacob prevails so that the man has to touch the socket of Jacob's hip to end the struggle. Jacob then went through the rest of his life with a limp, always a reminder of his prevailing with God, yet at the same time surely a reminder of his ongoing need for God. And perhaps of rising above one's own weaknesses in prayer to God so as to find God's answer to every need.
Yet with Jacob as Israel, this became a way of life. He walked through life with a limp. An Achilles' heel? I'm not sure. But the limp would remind him anew and afresh everyday just where his help really came from. Not himself, but the Lord. We are so prone to forget, so that a renewed sense of weakness can strengthen our sense of dependence on God. That is the blessing of an Achilles' heel. We need such to keep us humble and teachable as well as dependent on God.
What thought might you like to add about one's Achilles' heel?
Back to the desert post of yesterday, which for me may become an important theme in days to come. It seems like the working out of all the confusion and struggle in our lives, while done with us and God, is also to be done in the midst of others. And not apart from others, or in what constitutes real life for most of us, and actually to remain in relationship with others is a part of real life.
I find this over and over in my life. When I awaken feeling like an Achilles' heel has either taken me down, or is making me limp with pain, I go through what I must do, including posting for the blog, go to work doing what needs to be done with others. And ordinarily, however it happens, the Lord gives me a sense of renewed vision and strength. Part of the desert for me may be partly in what can be seen as the daily mundane routine. Yet in that, as I seek God in his word, and in the midst of seeking to love God and love others, I find some sort of equilibrium as in balance, and some healing and renewing of spirit.
But our Achilles' heel can help us look to God, and keep looking to God. What if we really had no perceived Achilles' heel? Would God let us get away with that in this world? I think not. We remember Jacob wrestling with a strange man, and in that wrestling- related to Jacob praying I take it, yet as in a real hand to hand struggle- Jacob prevails so that the man has to touch the socket of Jacob's hip to end the struggle. Jacob then went through the rest of his life with a limp, always a reminder of his prevailing with God, yet at the same time surely a reminder of his ongoing need for God. And perhaps of rising above one's own weaknesses in prayer to God so as to find God's answer to every need.
Yet with Jacob as Israel, this became a way of life. He walked through life with a limp. An Achilles' heel? I'm not sure. But the limp would remind him anew and afresh everyday just where his help really came from. Not himself, but the Lord. We are so prone to forget, so that a renewed sense of weakness can strengthen our sense of dependence on God. That is the blessing of an Achilles' heel. We need such to keep us humble and teachable as well as dependent on God.
What thought might you like to add about one's Achilles' heel?
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