Imagine for just a moment, you can actually see the face of God. Is He…?
angry, seething with a vindictive hostility
rolling His eyes, amused, maybe a bit perplexed
disturbed, frustrated, ready to give up on you
not looking at all, bored, detached, not caring
smiling at you, like a proud Father?
Three simple verses for the God’s ‘face-seeking’ person.
13 “If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me.14I will be found by you,” says the Lord.”
Jeremiah 29:13-14
3 “Long ago the Lord said to Israel: “I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love. With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself.”
Jeremiah 31:3
32 “Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.”
Luke 12:32
There are many, many more like these three. (But I didn’t want to scare you.)
God’s love is not logical, or mechanical. and you can’t see His face based on your performance. You simply just can’t do enough. So we all must come to Him the same way— on our knees. God’s love is outrageously understood, it is completely undeserved and perhaps just a bit scandalous. So settle this now, you’ll never, ever be good enough, (but you can be bad enough).
I believe the face of God is smiling on us, and He ‘lights up’ when we come into His presence. He is incredibly gracious. You can thank Jesus— it was His cross and resurrection that made access to God possible. (O.K., just one more verse.)
19 “So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God.”
Ephesians 2:19
There is a freedom that comes when you quit struggling and simply believein ‘the smiles of God,’ and when you know deep-down that you belong. Everyone who comes to Him comes by the goodness (and sacrifice) of Someone else. And that is remarkably good news.
Women experience twice the rate of depression as men.
Women have twice the chances as men
Everyone experiences disappointment or sadness in life. When the “down” times last a long time or interfere with your ability to function, you may be suffering from a common medical illness called depression.
Major depression affects your mood, mind, body and behavior. Nearly 15 million Americans — one in 10 adults — experience depression each year, and about two-thirds don’t get the help they need.
Women experience twice the rate of depression as men, regardless of race or ethnic background. An estimated one in eight women will contend with a major depression in their lifetimes.
Researchers suspect that, rather than a single cause, many factors unique to women’s lives play a role in developing depression. These factors include: genetic and biological, reproductive, hormonal, abuse and oppression, interpersonal and certain psychological and personality characteristics.
Symptoms of depression include:
Little interest or pleasure in doing things
Feeling down, depressed or hopeless
Trouble falling or staying asleep or sleeping too much
Feeling tired or having little energy
Poor appetite or overeating
Feeling bad about yourself, that you are a failure or have let yourself or your family down
Trouble concentrating on things, such as reading the newspaper or watching television
Moving or speaking so slowly that other people could have noticed or the opposite in that you are so fidgety or restless that you have been moving around a lot more than usual
Thoughts that you would be better off dead or of hurting yourself in some way
Women may be more likely to report certain symptoms, such as…
anxiety
somatization (the physical expression of mental distress)
increases in weight and appetite
oversleeping
outwardly expressed anger and hostility
Stay close to your friend
Helping a Woman with Depression
People with depression aren’t the only ones who suffer. Their friends and loved ones may experience worry, fear, uncertainty, guilt, confusion or even be more likely to go through depression themselves.
The situation may be especially trying if your loved one doesn’t realize that she is depressed. You can help by recognizing the symptoms of depression and pointing out that she has changed.
Recognize even atypical signs of depression. Women may be more likely to report certain symptoms, such as anxiety, physical pain, increases in weight and appetite, oversleeping and outwardly expressed anger and hostility. Women are also more likely to have another mental illness-such as eating disorders or anxiety disorders-present with depression, so be alert for depression if you know a woman with a history of mental illness.
To point out these changes without seeming accusatory or judgmental, it helps to use “I” statements, or sentences that start with “I.” Saying “I’ve noticed you seem to be feeling down and sleeping more” sounds less accusatory than “you’ve changed.”
Talking to a Woman with Depression
If a friend or loved one has depression, you may be trying to figure out how you can talk to her in a comforting and helpful way. This may be difficult for many reasons. She is probably feeling isolated, emotionally withdrawn, angry or hostile and sees the world in a negative light.
Although you may feel your efforts are rebuffed or unwelcome, she needs your support. You can simply be someone she can talk to and let her share her feelings.
It’s important to remember that depression is a medical illness. Her symptoms are not a sign of laziness or of feeling sorry for herself. She can’t just “snap out of it” by taking a more positive outlook on life.
Helpful responses include, “I am sorry you’re in so much pain” or “I can’t imagine what it’s like for you. It must be very difficult and lonely.” Instead of simply disagreeing with feelings she conveys, it is more helpful to point out realities and hope.
A woman with depression often expects to be rejected. You can reassure her that you will be there for her and ask if there’s anything you can do to make her life easier.
If your loved one is not diagnosed or not in treatment, the most important thing you can do is encourage her to see a health care professional.
*Never ignore statements about suicide.* Even if you don’t believe your loved one is serious, these thoughts should be reported to your friend’s doctor. If this is an emergency, call 9-1-1.
As long as you live in your mortal body, you will be faulty in yourself. It is a soul-ruining error to believe anything else. Oh, if ye would be wise, be often looking beneath the robe of the Redeemer’s righteousness to see your own deformity. It will make you keep faster hold of his robe, and keep you washing in the fountain.
Now, when Christ brings you before the throne of God, he will clothe you with his own fine linen, and present you faultless. O it is sweet to me to think how soon you shall be the righteousness of God in him. What a glorious righteousness that can stand the light, of God’s face! Sometimes a garment appears white in dim light: when you bring it into the sunshine you see the spots. O prize, then the Divine righteousness, which is your covering.
My heart sometimes sickens when I think upon the defects of believers; when I think of one Christian being fond of company, another vain, another given to evil speaking. O aim to be holy Christians, bright, shining Christians. The heaven is more adorned by the large bright constellations than by many insignificant stars; so God may be more glorified by fine bright Christian than by many indifferent ones. Aim at being that one.
We shall be faultless. He that begun will perform it. We shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. When you lay down this body, you may say, Farewell lust for ever, farewell my hateful pride, farewell hateful selfishness, farewell strife and envying, farewell being ashamed of Christ. O this makes death sweet indeed. Let’s long to depart and to be with Christ.
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For more from this preacher, you may want to start with these links:
“Then he told the people to sit down on the grass. He took the five loaves and the two fish and, looking to heaven, he thanked God for the food. Jesus divided the bread and gave it to his followers, who gave it to the people.”
Matthew 14:19 (John 6:9)
The disciples of Jesus don’t always understand every spiritual thing. And we feel we should. We place a lot of importance on wisdom and maturity, and seeing a certain logic or routine on these things. We are of the opinion that being able to predict and then anticipate makes us quality Christians. But Jesus keeps surprising His disciples. (And He still does!)
What do you have? We make an inventory and find just a smidgen, not even worth talking about; just five small barley loaves, and two skinny fish. Laughable to be sure. A little boy’s sack lunch. They turn what they’ve found over to Jesus, but they have absolutely no idea what their Master is about to do.
Barley was the food fit for the poor and animals. Middle-class Israelites considered eating it to be beneath them. Barley was considered sub-standard. But Jesus chooses to use the worst.
The kingdom of God is made up of people of dubious quality. There are not many wise, or rich, or of a sterling reputation. Most of us are made of barley and we bring very little to Jesus’ hands.
Is it strange that Jesus would restrict Himself to what His disciples could scrounge up. He purposefully chooses to keep His activity confined to what they provide. There is no question that Jesus could manage quite well without a thing at all. After all, as the Creator, He made the Universe from nothing, “ex nihlo“.
That small boy’s lunch is enough for Jesus. Five thousand men, plus wives and children sit in anticipation of a promised meal. Their eyes are watching. The disciples are wondering. And Jesus is praying. No one has the slightest clue what will take place next.
We have the lesson of the barley loaves. But a parallel lesson is the edgy unpredictability of God. Even the wisest and most gifted disciple is pretty much clueless about what is going to happen next; this drives pastors and elders of churches crazy, (so cut them some slack.) We should be building up an atmosphere that anticipates surprise. Our faithful God is notoriously unpredictable.
Following Jesus is an amazing adventure of faith. We just need to do what we are told, and leave the rest up to Him. He seems to delight in using our barley and our fish. And the world is waiting, and they are very hungry for something that will satisfy.
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Broken Believers 