The Lord is my shepherd. Psalm 23:1
The metaphor of a sheep is really so perfect for mankind. David was a minstrel, a warrior, and an ambassador for God, but when he searched for an illustration of God, he remembered his days as a shepherd. We are dirty, dumb, and need a shepherd to constantly protect and look over us. Isn't it amazing how often we rely on ourselves to do everything? I often try to muster up some energy somehow before asking for God to fill me with His. I catch myself trying to figure out how to figure out financial woes rather than trusting God to take care of them. I rely on myself far too often. I almost always want to do things my way. That's actually a stressful thing. What a relief it would be to just give that all up to God. So I'm gonna try. Worth a shot isn't it?
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
The Burden of a Lesser God
The Lord... Psalm 23:1
I've often treated God like my genie in a bottle. "God please make this old guy drive faster. I'm already late." As if my God who created the universe should come and go at my command.
"Yahweh, then seems to mean 'I AM' and 'I cause.' God is the 'One who is' and the One who causes.' Why is that important? Because we need a big God. And if God is the 'One who is,' then he is an unchanging God. Think about it. Do you know anyone who goes around saying, 'I am'? Neither do I. When we say 'I am,' we always add another word. 'I am happy.' 'I am sad.' 'I am strong.' I am Max.' God, however, starkly states, 'I AM' and adds nothing else. God needs no descriptive word because he never changes. God is what he is. He is what he has always been. His immutability motivated the psalmist to declare, 'But thou art the same' (Ps. 102.27). The writer is saying, 'You are the One who is. You never change.' Yahweh is an unchanging God. He is also an uncaused God. Though he creates, God was never created. Though he makes, he was never made. Though he causes, he was never caused. Hence the psalmist's proclamation: "Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God' (Ps. 90:2). God is Yahweh - an unchanging God, an uncaused God, and an ungoverned God. You and I are governed. The weather determines what we wear, the terrain tells us how to travel. Gravity dictates our speed, and health determines our strength. We may challenge these forces and alter them slightly, but we never remove them. God - our Shepherd doesn't check the weather; he makes it. He doesn't defy gravity; he created it. He isn't affected by health; he has no body. Jesus said, "God is spirit" (John 4:24). Since he has no body, he has no limitations - equally active in Cambodia as he is in Connecticut. Unchanging. Uncaused. Ungoverned."
Max Lucado
Why do I so often go up against a God that is Unchanging, Uncaused, Ungoverned? My ridiculous human mind says "you treat God like a lesser God, and it's a burden." But I feel like I need to rid myself of this burden. After all, I can't burden God with my feelings about Him being my genie in a bottle? I must get rid of those myself..... right? But He is YAHWEH. I "need a God who, while so mind-numbingly mighty, can come in the soft of night and touch you with the tenderness of an April snow." (Lucado).
"The Lord..."
I've often treated God like my genie in a bottle. "God please make this old guy drive faster. I'm already late." As if my God who created the universe should come and go at my command.
"Yahweh, then seems to mean 'I AM' and 'I cause.' God is the 'One who is' and the One who causes.' Why is that important? Because we need a big God. And if God is the 'One who is,' then he is an unchanging God. Think about it. Do you know anyone who goes around saying, 'I am'? Neither do I. When we say 'I am,' we always add another word. 'I am happy.' 'I am sad.' 'I am strong.' I am Max.' God, however, starkly states, 'I AM' and adds nothing else. God needs no descriptive word because he never changes. God is what he is. He is what he has always been. His immutability motivated the psalmist to declare, 'But thou art the same' (Ps. 102.27). The writer is saying, 'You are the One who is. You never change.' Yahweh is an unchanging God. He is also an uncaused God. Though he creates, God was never created. Though he makes, he was never made. Though he causes, he was never caused. Hence the psalmist's proclamation: "Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God' (Ps. 90:2). God is Yahweh - an unchanging God, an uncaused God, and an ungoverned God. You and I are governed. The weather determines what we wear, the terrain tells us how to travel. Gravity dictates our speed, and health determines our strength. We may challenge these forces and alter them slightly, but we never remove them. God - our Shepherd doesn't check the weather; he makes it. He doesn't defy gravity; he created it. He isn't affected by health; he has no body. Jesus said, "God is spirit" (John 4:24). Since he has no body, he has no limitations - equally active in Cambodia as he is in Connecticut. Unchanging. Uncaused. Ungoverned."
Max Lucado
Why do I so often go up against a God that is Unchanging, Uncaused, Ungoverned? My ridiculous human mind says "you treat God like a lesser God, and it's a burden." But I feel like I need to rid myself of this burden. After all, I can't burden God with my feelings about Him being my genie in a bottle? I must get rid of those myself..... right? But He is YAHWEH. I "need a God who, while so mind-numbingly mighty, can come in the soft of night and touch you with the tenderness of an April snow." (Lucado).
"The Lord..."
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Gap
So I've left a significant amount of time in between starting a blog, and actually posting the first....post? Is that what it's called? I don't even know. This is not my strength...
But wow has so much happened since January 26th.
Jett has grown so much. We've gone on our first weekend away with him, first trip to Winnipeg without him. He's becoming so much fun and has such a distinct personality. I've become increasingly thankful for him and for my life and the blessings God has given us. I think the one wedding and the one funeral I've attended since that first blog day has given me enormous perspective. The fact that the wedding and funeral were for the same bride only deepens that perspective.
While grieving for Reba the same verses that are often on the minds of so many during a time of sorrow were also imparted on mine. "The Lord is my shepherd..."
I was then reminded of a book, Traveling Light by Max Lucado. Probably my most favorite author, I could read Max's books over and over again. So I picked this one up for the third time, but it's been years since I read it. Not only have I realized how willing the Shepherd is to lift our burdens, but how many burdens I have that I never realized I could give him.
So, in keeping with the theme of imperfection, I'll share the excerpts from the burdens that are impressed upon my giving a glimpse of my burdens and the God that takes them away.
But wow has so much happened since January 26th.
Jett has grown so much. We've gone on our first weekend away with him, first trip to Winnipeg without him. He's becoming so much fun and has such a distinct personality. I've become increasingly thankful for him and for my life and the blessings God has given us. I think the one wedding and the one funeral I've attended since that first blog day has given me enormous perspective. The fact that the wedding and funeral were for the same bride only deepens that perspective.
While grieving for Reba the same verses that are often on the minds of so many during a time of sorrow were also imparted on mine. "The Lord is my shepherd..."
I was then reminded of a book, Traveling Light by Max Lucado. Probably my most favorite author, I could read Max's books over and over again. So I picked this one up for the third time, but it's been years since I read it. Not only have I realized how willing the Shepherd is to lift our burdens, but how many burdens I have that I never realized I could give him.
So, in keeping with the theme of imperfection, I'll share the excerpts from the burdens that are impressed upon my giving a glimpse of my burdens and the God that takes them away.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
The beginning...
I am far from perfect, and as much as I think everyone realizes that about themselves, we continuously compare ourselves to each other and create standards that we cannot live up to, nor should we be living up to. With the world of facebook and blogs at our fingertips, we no longer compare ourselves to airbrushed celebrities, we are now comparing ourselves to photoshopped versions of each other, which I think is worse. As much as I hate blogs where people share some of their most intimate thoughts yet somehow assist in a perfect appearance, I kept thinking about starting one of my own, but to do the opposite. To present pieces of the real me. Real life as a cracked pot. Quite imperfect and not afraid to share my imperfect thoughts through imperfect days with an imperfect family. So feel free to compare yourself to me, only I hope through this comparison you'll realize that there are other people who are just as imperfect as you.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)