Do you know Him?

 Do you know Him?  I wanna know.  Do you know Him? 

I heard this song as a child growing up.  I didn't understand the significance of the question then, but now I have a much better understanding.  These are questions that people who call themselves followers of God should be asking themselves.  Do I really know Him?  I'm not speaking of an intellectual knowledge here.  Yes, I know there is a sovereign creator of the universe who is omnipresent, omnipotent, all wise,  perfect, holy, righteous...  The question is: Do you know Him?  I don't want to know what you know about Him.  I don't want to know what you've read about Him or heard about Him.  I don't want to have a theological discussion about his invisible qualities.  What I really want to know is:  Do you have an intimate relationship with the King of the Universe?

Do you know Him?

I love being a momma.  I've been blessed with 4 children that I know very intimately.  From the moment they were conceived, they've been near me.  I've cared for almost  every need.  I heard just about every cry.  I've celebrated the joys, and tried to kiss away their pain.  I've watched them discover the world around them, and I've answered their questions, questions, questions.   I know these children.  I have intimately experienced their weaknesses and strengths.  I've listened to their dreams.  And we've simply spent time together simply enjoying life--looking at the clouds, laughing at something funny their dad has said, or ballroom dancing in the kitchen.  I've taught them most of what they know.  From the word "mama", to how to read, to the first law of thermodynamics, to the word of God.  I know these kids, and they know me.  It's taken time.  It's taken commitment.  It's taken love.  It's taken perseverance.  It's hard work! Intimacy doesn't come to the faint of heart.  It doesn't come for free. We've had to walk through disappointment, discouragement, struggles, pain and lots and lots and lots of tears.

And I'll be honest, pain makes you want to close off your heart to others.  You want to protect yourself from the pain.  But when you protect your heart from pain, you also keep yourself from receiving love.

So what does any of this have to do with knowing Him?  Well, everything--mostly.  Have you taken time to know God's heart?  Have you listened to His dreams, His vision, His purpose for you and all of mankind?  Have you spent time with Him enjoying life--taking in this world He's made, laughing at His jokes (He made jokes, you know), or simply dancing with Him?  Have you let Him teach you?  He knows everything there is to know, and He says that He gives wisdom freely to those who ask.  He's been near you from the moment you were conceived, and even planned every one of your days before you existed.  He's heard your every cry and met your every need.  He knows you--through and through, and He loves you--completely.

Do you know Him?

So you've chattered away, telling Him every thing you want.  Telling Him what you want Him to do.  Sometimes, telling Him what you think He wants you to say.  You know. (clearing throat here) Noble prayers. Godly prayers.  Beautiful prayers.  Have you stopped your soliloquy long enough to listen to Him?  It's hard to know someone you've never listened to.  Listen.  That means  you may have to endure some silence.  It'll feel awkward at first.  You may not even be able to silence your own thoughts.  You'll want to give up, but if you will persevere , you will be rewarded with a faint whisper.And as you continue to listen intently, that faint whisper will become louder and louder until you begin to hear a beautiful symphony.  It's been playing since the beginning of time--and even before that.

The more you know Him, the more you'll know yourself.  You'll discover treasures that He's placed inside of you.   You'll discover that  you've been given everything that you need to live life victoriously, purposefully, productively, and joyfully.  You'll discover that you don't have to be held down by chains of fear, depression, past failures, guilt, shame or anything else.  You've been given a tremendous gift.  It's there.  Actually, I should say, He's there.  The gift is the Holy Spirit.  (Of course you have this gift only if you've accepted the love of Jesus Christ.)  It is through the Holy Spirit that we can know Him.  And it is by knowing Him that we are able to be more like Him.

Do you know Him?

I pray that God would give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. Amen.

  Ephesians1:17 I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.

COL 1:9 For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. [10] And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God,

Lady Wisdom

Today I thought I'd share from my husband's blog.  I hope you enjoy what he has to say.  I love this man!

 click the following link to read:
Lady Wisdom --the meaning behind the lyrics

Up Close and Personal

Have you ever gotten up close and personal with yourself?

Looked in the mirror, with the intent to know yourself.

To really "see" yourself

To see God's image in you

To see His beauty shining through

face completely naked, hair unstraighten or uncurled...uncombed

Have you thanked Him for your eyes?

Your lips?

No really, thank Him for your lips.

 

And for the unreachable, unspeakable parts of you that you hope no one sees...

If you really look...Maybe your fingers will tell you the condition of your heart...

Maybe you'll stop hiding your flaws from everyone...

Delighting in revealing your flaws with others, so that your Creator may be exalted.  His beauty shines more radiantly through our flaws--when we admit them. 

He's just that Brilliant and Beautiful!!!!!!!!!!!!!
                                   He LOVES revealing Himself through you.
                                                         Yes, you.
                                             The one with the flaws.


Get up Close and Personal with yourself.

I pray that you would today.

Are You Smarter than a Rock?

Our God is so Great, so Majestic, so powerful, so beautiful, so Holy, so good, so righteous, so exalted, that if we stubbornly refuse to acknowledge Him, to praise Him and to speak of who He is, the most lifeless object will praise Him in our place.  Rocks will rise up in their disgust and indignation of humanity.  They will turn to one another saying, 

"Do you not see the Ones the King made in His image, the ones He died for?  Do you see how they carry on as if their own hands made themselves, as if they sustain this universe?  Those foolish people!  If they won't praise the King, then we shall!  They were made with mouths to shout and sing praises.  They were made with arms and hands to lift them up in adoration to the Most High God.  They were made with feet to jump and dance with all of their might before the Creator.  They were made with minds to create beautiful gifts, to meditate on Him and to learn of Him.  But what are we?  We are only rocks.  Yet if they will not praise our King, we shall have to find a way to praise Him for our King MUST be praised!"

Are we dumber than rocks?  Why are we so unaware that the King of the Universe is Greatly Exalted?  Why do we not humble ourselves to Him.  Why do we think our knowledge, our technology, our wealth, and our sophistication is greater than He?  Why do we not have the sense of a rock?  Think about it.  A rock.

If rocks will shout the praises of the Mighty One, why not I?

^{Luke 19:37} When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen:

 ³⁸ “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!”^[b]

   “Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”

 ³⁹ Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!”

   ⁴⁰ “I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”

Press Through

I am amazed at the many lessons that can be learned from one story.  God continually shows me that He has so many layers of truth.  We'll spend an eternity discovering newer and newer layers.

Recently, the Holy Spirit brought to mind the story of the woman with the blood disease.  I've written about her before in "More than a Hem".  If you haven't read it, check out my sept. 2009 posting.  Anyway, the Spirit showed me another dimension of this story.  As you may or may not know, this woman with the blood disease approached Jesus in the midst of a crowd.  In fact the crowd followed him and pressed him in.  Luke says that the crowds almost crushed him.  Sounds like a mob--huh?  Everyone wanted to see what he was going to do for the  ruler's daughter who was sick.  He was on his way to the ruler's home.

While on his way, Jesus stopped.  He questioned the crowd, "Who touched me?"  The question seemed a bit absurd given the crushing crowd around him.  Interestingly, everyone denied touching him.  (Sort of like what happens in my house when I'm trying to find out who did something wrong. ) Even his disciples were a bit sarcastic in there response.  "Um...Jesus, the crowd is pressing around  you. Pretty much everyone is touching you." (my modern paraphrase) Jesus continued, "Someone touched me.  I felt power leave my body."  Well, as the story goes on, the woman with the bleeding problem reveals herself. 

So here's the powerful revelation:  Many people seemed to be followers of Jesus.  Many seemed near him, but only one set out to intentionally touch him. Only one experienced his healing power in her life.  Only one pressed through the crowd believing that Jesus would set her free.  This lady pressed through.  She risked everything to get to Jesus.  And not only was she immediately healed, but she was blessed with an intimate, face-to-face conversation with Jesus.  Jesus stopped everything, to talk with this woman.  See many seemed near Jesus, but none of them experienced a personal interaction with him. Interestingly, the crowd that seemed to be followers of Jesus, were actually a hindrance to those who truly sought Jesus.  Yet, the woman didn't let them stop her.

I've observed the same thing happening in our churches today.  Many seem to be touching Jesus.  Many seem near him.  Many go to church.  Many read and study their Bible--even memorize scripture.  Many go to christian schools, listen to christian music, buy christian stuff, but few have actually touched Jesus.  Few people have experienced His power in their lives.  Most are content to see him work in other people's lives, to hear about him, or to study about him.  Very few are willing to press through the christian culture, press through their preconceived notions about Jesus, press through what they've been taught about Jesus, press through their pain, press through their insecurities, press through their comfort, press through their fears ... press through to get to Jesus.  Understand that pressing through isn't easy.  It makes other people uncomfortable when you press through to get to Jesus.  Imagine how many people were annoyed with the woman as she pressed through the crowd.  I'm sure she was apologetic, but she was on a mission.  Are you? 

How desperate are you to experience His power?  How desperate are you to experience freedom, and healing?  How desperate are you to see His beauty?  How desperate are you to experience abundant life?

Those who choose to press through walk a narrow, narrow path.  Some think this path is reserved for the spiritually elite, the prayer warriors,  pastors, or missionaries.  No.  It is the path that all who follow Jesus should be walking.  It is the only way to life.

^{Matt 7:14} But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

 On the flip side, are we hindrances to others getting to Jesus.  Has our religiosity, our programs, our christian conservatism, our political beliefs, our judgementalism, our christian bubbles, or our limited views of God kept people from connecting with Jesus? Quite convicting, I must admit.  We must be willing to ponder this question--especially when we seem to be swimming with the culture--the crowd.  If we will ask the Holy Spirit the question, you can be sure that He is ready and willing to give you the answer.

I leave you with this encouragement:  Press through to intimately connect with the King of the Universe.  Press through with an expectation that He will heal, save, free, and give you life and power.  

Do not stop until you touch  Him.

From one pressing through the crowd. 

It's too late! There's no hope for me.

Waiting is hard.

I know God is taking me to a new place, but right now I'm waiting.  And it seems to be God's way to keep us in the waiting room until it seems all hope is gone.  The Holy Spirit took me to Lazarus's death this morning.  Jesus waited until Lazarus had been dead 4 days before he arrived.  Lazarus, Mary and Martha were his good friends.  Why didn't he come right away when the messengers told him that Lazarus was sick?  Mary and Martha expressed their disappointment to Jesus.  "Lord, if you had been here, my brother wouldn't have died"  Even bystanders made the same observation.  "Couldn't this man who opened the eyes of the blind have kept Lazarus from dying?"

Do we not often feel the same way?  Lord, why didn't you answer me when I ask for .....?  Lord, why did you let ________ happen?  Lord, why did you delay in coming to my aid?  Where are you God?  Why are you taking so long?  We're not alone in feeling this way.  David expressed the same frustrations. 

PS 13:1 How long, O LORD? 
Will you forget me forever?  
How long will you hide your face from me? 

So did Jeremiah.

LA 5:20 Why do you always forget us?   
Why do you forsake us so long?

So, you understand how Mary and Martha felt.  When Jesus commanded the stone to be removed from Lazarus' tomb, Martha expressed her hopelessness.  It was too late now.  His body was already decaying.  There was nothing Jesus could do.  At least, that's what she thought.

But then Jesus says, "Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?"

And if you know the story, you know that Lazarus was brought back to life.  It wasn't too late!

Do you find yourself in that place today?  Is it too late for hope?  Do you feel disappointed or abandoned by God?  Is your situation too far gone to be turned around? Do you see NO LIGHT at the end of the tunnel?

Jesus says to you today, "Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?"  God still has amazing plans for your life.  He hasn't forgotten you. 

Expect Him to do something unexpected in your life.  Expect Him to astound you.  Expect Him to do the impossible.  That's His specialty!  In the meantime, keep your eyes on the Hope-giver.  Keep seeking Him.  Keep obeying Him.  Keep yourself open to you, that you might receive His lavish blessings.  They will come when you least expect it, and in ways that are beyond your imagination.

It's not too late.  There is hope.

Leaving

I don't know where you find yourself at this time in your life, but for the past few months I've been in the process of leaving a position that I've loved for three years.  When I first knew that I'd no longer be directing for Classical Conversations, my heart was filled with sorrow and disappointment.  Then I was filled with excitement and anticipation:  "What does God have for me now!"  Now that the final reality is here, there is an emptiness that I feel.  It's almost like losing a loved one.  I'm struggling to find my identity and significance.  I'm feeling restless.  Don't get me wrong, there is MUCH to do in managing a  home with 6 people, and homeschooling.  But if I'm totally honest with myself, there not much excitement in sweeping floors, washing dishes, or giving handwriting lessons.  Ok, I said it!  Directing, encouraging, and being in a position of influence was exciting and I loved being used by God in that way.  So now to go back to a life of quietness, behind the scenes seems so empty.  I know it's not.  But it feels that way, right now.
     I pray that God will help me to be content with this place that He has put me.  I pray that He will help me to rest in the quietness of this place.  May I glorify and honor Him as I go about the mundane tasks of life, pouring out myself.  May I cherish every opportunity to experience Him through His creation.  May I take time to rest in His presence and listen.

Leaving is hard.

Yet it's necessary to leave a place in order to go some place new.  But whether you're leaving or arriving, I encourage you to enjoy the journey.  No matter where you are, God is with you, and that makes the journey a beautiful one.  Losing someone or something you love is hard.  But we can be sure that God will fill every empty place with Himself.  He will satisfy us with His unending love and grace.  It's good to be empty, for emptiness can be filled.

My year began with loss.   Loss of 2 family members.  Loss of our dog.  Loss of some opportunities.  I grieve those losses.

Father fill my cup.  My mouth is opened wide that you may fill me.  My cup is held out before your flowing fountain that it may be filled.  Teach me how to take that cup to the thirsty that they may be filled as well.  Oh, and teach me how to drink until I am first satisfied.  Amen.