Tag: God

Ears That Hear

Used during WWII to locate bombers over London
Used during WWII to locate bombers over London

It intrigues me as I think of how much we need each other. For most of my life, it seems the opposite was true. I thought I needed my independence, to be entirely self-reliant and to be bolder and more assertive.

But much of my struggle, through health and mental crisis’, through the death of a child, really has broken a strong back of this resolve. The question I hear now from the Lord; isn’t how strong are you– but rather, how weak are you?

“The Sovereign Lord has given me his words of wisdom,
    so that I know how to comfort the weary.
Morning by morning he wakens me
    and opens my understanding to his will.
5 The Sovereign Lord has spoken to me,
    and I have listened.
    I have not rebelled or turned away.”

Isaiah 50:4-5, NLT

“The Lord God has given Me the tongue of disciples” is the NASB translation of verse 4. It is a serious mistake if we see ‘discipleship’ as a solitary endeavor. Instead, it is like the connective tissue that surrounds our muscles. The body needs to unite efforts, activities, ideas, and purposes through our combined discipleship.

Isaiah 50 advances this idea. The simple picture is of a person sleeping who is suddenly awake. Lying in bed, they start to listen. It’s not the birds singing. It is God speaking. And not only is there a gentle voice, but accompanying it is wisdom and grace to unleash what has been said. And that is an art that we must learn.

“The weary” are everywhere, but typically you share with just two or three. But the right words, at the right time, with a perfect wisdom can really rock. Lives can be turned with just a word.

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ybic, Bryan

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Velcrocity, My New Amazing Word

velcro-magnified
Velcro magnified

I like inventing new words, especially for words that have far too much mileage on them. A car runs great, but even the best autos start to have issues after the odometer goes over 200,000 miles.

So I’m purposing a new word even though I’m not quite ready to completely toss the old one yet. The new word is “Velcrocity”. I will define velcrocity as a mix of love, faithfulness and endurance. (Possible forms of this word– Walk in velcrocity, be velcroized more and more. Wasn’t that velcroful worship? And on and on.)

Just in case you’re wondering, Velcro is a fastener mostly used for clothing. It consists of two strips, one is covered in tiny loops and the other in tiny flexible hooks. The two strips ‘adhere’ when they are pressed together and separate when pulled apart.

“Velcro is strong enough that a two inch square piece is enough to support a 175-pound (79 kg) person. The strength of the bond depends on how well the hooks are embedded in the loops, how much surface area is in contact with the hooks, and the nature of the force pulling it apart.” –Wiki

Why velcrocity? Thinking about the Father God’s love for me (and others) made me start thinking about Velcro– and being “laid up” with my health sucking so poorly has helped me pray and think. And being way too curious I did a frontal assault on the internet of the sticky subject of Velcro.

The best info came from Wikipedia, of course. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Velcro

The more contact between the strips of Velcro will strengthen the bond. The tighter the hook part pushes into mesh part more effort required to pull them apart.  The negatives of this wonder are they have to stay clean. Lint, dirt of hair get between and can keep the strips from bonding.

As I write this, the imagery parallels what I’ve already learned from my Bible, prayer, fellowship and worship. Spiritual lessons quite often will come from what I see physically. But I need to be teachable and a whole lot more perceptive.

Focus on Jesus, and stick to the things of God. There is an adhesion needed in the Church today, and it truly starts with your heart. The covenant heart of God is that you would more and more cling to Him. He is truly tenacious, in the best use of the word.

“I will never leave you, or forsake you.”

“The Love of God endures forever.”

&

Kyrie eleison.

ybic, Bryan

(How about Velcrophobic? Velcroful? Velcrology? Velcrophobic? —and then maybe not,)

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Five Rings to Make Us

Oh, how He loves you and me.

“For the Lord your God is living among you.
He is a mighty savior.
He will take delight in you with gladness.
With his love, he will calm all your fears.
He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.”

Zephaniah 3:17, NLT

Five rings– they are listed from the very inside, outward in concentric circles– and each one is a profound truth.  We throw a rock in the lake, and we see the rings grow wider and wider.  We watch and listen to the rhythm of the water, and it does us much good. I love lakes, and a picnic at the beach is like a “dream come true.”

The first ring, the starting point is the phrase, “among you.”  The center point is the “the Lord your God.”  When the Lord is your center we just expect that there is something else just teetering, ready to happen.  His presence, active and decisive as it is, has boldly put things into motion. Salvation always starts at the top, and works its way down.

The second ring is “He is a mighty Savior.”  This is agape love sweating.  Really, the work of salvation can only come from him.  He initiates, and then goes on to complete this saving work.

The third ring is being rejoiced over with gladness . This seems outrageous to us who have been diminished and wrecked by sin.  It doesn’t seem possible, but the Father gets a real boost when he thinks of us.  He is very glad when he gazes on you.

The fourth ring is this–  “He calm us with his love.”  A toddler begins to unravel, and his mother meets him, and holds him closely.  The child sobs start to diminish, and mom begins to restore his broken heart.  He has been quieted. The presence of mom has turned everything around.

The fifth and final work is the Father’s singing.  It is done with a flair and deeply enthusiastic; He sings with a loud voice, He doesn’t seem to hum, and the angels do not do background vocals.  Singing at the top of his voice, it is said he “exults” in you.  He has a way about Him as He sings easily, reveling and boasting in your faith in Him.

“Your God is present among you,
    a strong Warrior there to save you.
Happy to have you back, he’ll calm you with his love
    and delight you with his songs.”

Zephaniah 3:17, MSG

*

ybic, Bryan

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Extraordinary Bread

“Give us this day our daily bread.”

Matthew 6:11, ESV

“Don’t bargain with God. Be direct. Ask for what you need. This isn’t a cat-and-mouse, hide-and-seek game we’re in. If your child asks for bread, do you trick him with sawdust? You’re at least decent to your own children. So don’t you think the God who conceived you in love will be even better?”

Matthew 7:9, 11, Message

His miracles for us often require some responsiveness on our part.  He truly supplies what we need–but from day-to-day.  He doesn’t just deliver a “pallet” of bread every 2 months.  He simply provides what we need, day by day, contingent on us asking.  If we don’t ask, he won’t provide.  But his ear is very attentive to our cry for provision.

The bread provided is a gift.  We are of the impression that we earn our bread, we work for it.  This verse simply and profoundly says that he gives it.  Bread is an issue of his grace and kindness.  It is something that is given.  You might say that our bread is grace in wheat form.

We must learn to trust him at this basic need.  We need food on a daily level.  We really should be aware of this essential need.  Your supper tonight is infused with His goodness.  He was the provider.  Someone else may have taken certain ingredients and enhanced your dining experience, but he made the provision to your table.

The definitive issue is the “day-by-day” factor.  We must learn that this is the way our Father operates.  We are compelled into His daily care.  Grace comes to us with a day-by-day submission.  That is not a bad thing.  We simply surrender our wills to our Lord.  We must keep coming to him, and asking.

A day’s portion, arriving a day at a time.  It is a profound deception if we believe we can move beyond this.  We accrue wealth and anticipate “protection” from the vagaries of a deity we can’t see.  We want safety and security that is definite and solid.  We feel that if we have worked long enough, and sweated enough, then we will eat well.  It is our privilege.

And we have gone the extra mile, and have developed a “doctrine” that fits our decision-making process.  Theology is important to us, and we try to develop something that will cover us and soothe us, and provide a maximum amount of coverage. However being his disciple is not like buying good car insurance.  But we can’t shake a deep conviction that we have “adjusted” what is real and lasting.

The Father intends that we are to be reliant on him, exclusively.  But that, to be perfectly honest, frightens us. (That maybe why it is done so rarely.)

Being a believer is something quite radical.  It should affect us at the deepest of levels.  We must insist on a way of thinking that propels us into the place of a simple faith.  Our faith in our Father will always be day-to-day.  We can’t think otherwise.  If we try to make it otherwise, we end up in a deep confusion.  The Father has insisted that we depend on Him.

Exodus 16 is the Manna Chapter. To always rely on God daily was for many to be an issue.  When they attempted to get ahead, that extra would become rotten.  If I remember right, the surplus manna produced maggots.

We come to Him hungry.  That is the way he insists.  Our stomachs may growl, but He will always provide all that we need.  Always–our hunger for a day’s provision should move us into a place of grace.  You could say we have a substantial need for His grace.  He will always provide for his children.  And we really do trust Him. (Or do we?)

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ybic, Bryan