I have not been absent from the word in the previous days but absent from the computer. The Psalms continue up until 8 with David seeking God's protection from Enemies. Then in verse 8 there is song of praise for God's majesty, creation, for the fact that humanity is under God's watchful eye of protection. David acknowledges his own unworthiness throught the question of "Who am I that He is mindful of me?" Isn't it wonderful that our God is mindful of all of creation in spite of our downfalls, betrayals and weaknesses.
Proverbs continue to call the reader to seek out wisdom and understanding.....5-7 are strong warnings against participating in prostitution or in adultry of any kind. The y0ung man is warned not to give into his lusts and passions and is warned to stay away from the temptation of women who would lure him away from his wife. The writer warns the path leading to that woman is the same path that will lead to ones demise. I wonder what other paths lead us away from the family that God has given us.
Proverbs 8 continues to call for a search of wisdom and understanding. Pride and Arrogance are the sins that are called out in this chapter.
I have maintained my readings this week but not my bloggings. I have been enjoying time with my son and anticiapte the time when he can rejoin our family on a full time basis. I am tired and weary but happy none the less....
The previous days have also been an undercurrent of sadness and sorrow in the midst of the beauty of the season. News of death has continued and it saddens me.
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Friday, December 25, 2009
December 25, 2009
I awaken early on this the Birthday of Jesus. I'm awakened not of my own accord but by discomfort brought on by an animal that shares a bed with me but is getting old and losing control of her faculties. My knee is aching prompting me to not got back to sleep which actually affords me time to be in the Word this morning before anyone else awakens and before the hussle and bussel of this busy day begins. In the quietness of a still house I sit with Thanksgiving in my heart for this, the greatest gift of all......Christ!
Psalm 4 and Proverbs 4:
The psalm today continues with David's theme of God's presence and protection in the midst of stressful times when he is under attack. A nugget is found in this psalm and that is one that says: "In your anger do not sin...." and "When you are in your beds search your heart and be silent......" When we go to bed with anger on our hearts and unconfessed stuff stirring around our sleep is sure to be disturbed. David tells us something important here......It's part of the whole theme of keeping God with us all the time. In a previous psalm David tells us to write the Words of God on our heart....memorize it, have it with us all the time to be able to recall it and let it guide us. Here he is saying, even as you go to sleep have contact with the One who can shine on our hearts and bring us joy even in the worst of circumstances. David in essence is saying no matter how bad it gets, even if I have nothing to eat, God is there with a hedge of protection and that gives him greateer joy then if the harvests abound....At the end of the day when we have walked with God all day and then searched our hearts before we go to sleep and give it all to Him then we will sleep peacefully knowing God is in control.....
In Proverbs today Solomon continues to instruct on the importance of gaining wisdom and understanding. It seems as though in each chapter thus far he hammars at the importance of soaking up all the instruction that you can and then he reveals one nugget of instruction. Today's nugget continues to be an admonishment that we walk on the straight path and do not even put our big toe on the path of "evil and wickeness" Again Violence is the example given of evil and wickedness. He also instructs that perverse and corrupt speech leads down that path of unrighteousness. May my words and my heart be pure and may I continue to fill my brain so that I may achieve this all important wisdom.
Psalm 4 and Proverbs 4:
The psalm today continues with David's theme of God's presence and protection in the midst of stressful times when he is under attack. A nugget is found in this psalm and that is one that says: "In your anger do not sin...." and "When you are in your beds search your heart and be silent......" When we go to bed with anger on our hearts and unconfessed stuff stirring around our sleep is sure to be disturbed. David tells us something important here......It's part of the whole theme of keeping God with us all the time. In a previous psalm David tells us to write the Words of God on our heart....memorize it, have it with us all the time to be able to recall it and let it guide us. Here he is saying, even as you go to sleep have contact with the One who can shine on our hearts and bring us joy even in the worst of circumstances. David in essence is saying no matter how bad it gets, even if I have nothing to eat, God is there with a hedge of protection and that gives him greateer joy then if the harvests abound....At the end of the day when we have walked with God all day and then searched our hearts before we go to sleep and give it all to Him then we will sleep peacefully knowing God is in control.....
In Proverbs today Solomon continues to instruct on the importance of gaining wisdom and understanding. It seems as though in each chapter thus far he hammars at the importance of soaking up all the instruction that you can and then he reveals one nugget of instruction. Today's nugget continues to be an admonishment that we walk on the straight path and do not even put our big toe on the path of "evil and wickeness" Again Violence is the example given of evil and wickedness. He also instructs that perverse and corrupt speech leads down that path of unrighteousness. May my words and my heart be pure and may I continue to fill my brain so that I may achieve this all important wisdom.
Thursday, December 24, 2009
December 24, 2009
Psalm 3 and Proverbs 3.
More talk of enemies and wisdom. As I finished wrapping the Christmas presents last night I was abruptly transported to the dark place of realization that one present was not wrapped. My little nephew Jax was supposed to be sharing his first Christmas with us this year. He would have been the center of all of this season's festivities I'm sure, being only a couple of weeks old. We don't have the enemies that David spoke of. Not here in the safety of the USA. We don't have to worry about stepping into snares or being ambushed. Not to be mistake surely there are Americans, our soldiers who fight to protect our freedoms for whom these words ring very literal but for me they don't. Yet we all have our enemies. Those things that present obstacles to our relationship with our creator and prevent us from going forth with the tasks for which we are called to do. Jax's death could have quite easily become one of those enemies for me. It took me to dark places of sorrow like none I've ever experienced. I grieved not only the loss of my nephew but I grieved the piece of my brother that experience was ripping away. Yet David reminds me that God is always there and that we can sleep without worry......
Solomon advises us to always seek wisdom: Lessons from 3:
More talk of enemies and wisdom. As I finished wrapping the Christmas presents last night I was abruptly transported to the dark place of realization that one present was not wrapped. My little nephew Jax was supposed to be sharing his first Christmas with us this year. He would have been the center of all of this season's festivities I'm sure, being only a couple of weeks old. We don't have the enemies that David spoke of. Not here in the safety of the USA. We don't have to worry about stepping into snares or being ambushed. Not to be mistake surely there are Americans, our soldiers who fight to protect our freedoms for whom these words ring very literal but for me they don't. Yet we all have our enemies. Those things that present obstacles to our relationship with our creator and prevent us from going forth with the tasks for which we are called to do. Jax's death could have quite easily become one of those enemies for me. It took me to dark places of sorrow like none I've ever experienced. I grieved not only the loss of my nephew but I grieved the piece of my brother that experience was ripping away. Yet David reminds me that God is always there and that we can sleep without worry......
Solomon advises us to always seek wisdom: Lessons from 3:
- Stay in the Word....Meditate on it, keep it in your heart.
- Trust God with everything (PRAY)
- Give of your first fruits
- Study Study Study........Read Read Read.......Gain Knowledge, Gain Knowledge, Gain Knowledge.
- Do not be violent, Do not condone violence.
- In all you do seek the peaceful path.
May I continually be mindful of these things and not slip away from them again!
Rest in Peaceful arms of your Heavenly Father and in the sweet memories of your parents and the rest of us......I Love you.....
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
December 23, 2009
I like December 23. It brings back memories of a childhood that I thought was complicated at times but that really was quite simple. It was December 23, 1983. The Boys (aka the love interests of me and my best friend) were coming over to her house and we were having our Christmas get together. The excitement that night brought is like none other I have experienced as they walked in the door with gifts in hand. We had bought them each a Great Big Hershey's Kiss. We openend the gifts in excited anticipation. They had bought us Charlie perfume but you would have thought that they had wrapped the keys to the kingdom in those small boxes of perfume. Gifts of perfume had to mean that the love interest was two ways. We must have embarassed ourselves, hugging each other in glee all the while squealing and running into her mom's bedroom to tell her if this treasure we have found. No just the treasure of the perfume but more importanty the treasue of a girls first love........Ahhhh memories.
So, today I sit in the comfort of my own home, my son entering those same years of first loves, broken hearts and I am all grown up. Yet life is not complete as I continue to seek God's direction and will. Psalm 2 reminds me this morning that there are obstacles in my way but that God is in charge and that the opposition will not be permanent because what God has ordained and willed will happen. Proverbs 2 reminds me that I must stay on the journey, that I must not slip into dark paths, and that I must coninuely remain in the word and God's wisdom will fill me.
So, today I sit in the comfort of my own home, my son entering those same years of first loves, broken hearts and I am all grown up. Yet life is not complete as I continue to seek God's direction and will. Psalm 2 reminds me this morning that there are obstacles in my way but that God is in charge and that the opposition will not be permanent because what God has ordained and willed will happen. Proverbs 2 reminds me that I must stay on the journey, that I must not slip into dark paths, and that I must coninuely remain in the word and God's wisdom will fill me.
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
For years, the same struggle faces me. The fight of time and priority. The desire of my heart: to be fully emersed into the will and journey a pilgramage with God; The desire of my flesh: to waste time, to put other things first, to sleep in, to pursue my other interests. Yet all the time the desire of my heart calls me back. I begin anew like a babe taking that first walk that is prompted by the thump of the heart beat when an invitation speaks directly to you. God sends that invitation to me often and often the thump of the heart leads to me to the altar at His mighty feet and again the God of Peace, Love, Comfort and Grace hears my promises, hears my laments, hears whatever I bring and assures me it is not God that left but I who have become distant. So here I am again. Realizing much too much time has passed since I have acknowledged God as a part of my everyday, since I have tithed my time, given of my first fruits. May this time be different then the times of past. May this time last for eternity and may in my seeking I find the ultimate plan God has for me. This time my path: Psalms and Proverbs and an intentional daily reading and studying of the lectionary and routine sermon prepartion for my own edification. Perhaps listening to some sermons, always listening to some music. This morning I begin with Psalm 1 and Proverbs 1. God may I seek wisdom always. Thought that came to me as I read: I really need to instill daily contact with the WORD and with God in my son. I feel good that I have not stolen from people and I look for the places where I might have tried to gain material things in an illgotten way. I am reminded that revenge is God's and the ultimate price for those who take advantage of others, who gain things in the wrong way, the ultimate price they pay is their lives. The path always leads to destruction and is not a path to envy. Things I read anew in foot note and such: Fool: Is not somene without mental facalties but someone who rejects communion with God. I wonder if I have not by omission been guilty of that.
Dear God, thank you for always being steadfast no matter how far away from you I may travel. Thank you for always being right there drawing me back to you. Open my heart, my mind and my eyes to what you have planned for me. May I live a day today with you in front of me......
Dear God, thank you for always being steadfast no matter how far away from you I may travel. Thank you for always being right there drawing me back to you. Open my heart, my mind and my eyes to what you have planned for me. May I live a day today with you in front of me......
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