Eat, Pray, Love

I entirely agree with the title of this movie; but in drastically different measures than intended by the author. The woman here, who sets out to find what she 'really' wants in life, finds that thorough enjoyment of giving into every indulgence her heart desires, leads her onto the road of true happiness; or so she thinks. While leaving the 'love of her life' as we've seen oh too many times before, she sets out to pursue religion, seclusion, and flat out pure hedonism at it's heighth. A natural tendancy, sure, many have. To 'listen to your heart' as the popular 80's sing star Roxette puts it, brings you to what YOU really want in life, disregarding all the broken relationships of those you've committed to, now severed on your behalf. Something I think we've actually been warned against, if we actually take heed.

The Bible says it best, in that true love, everlasting love "endures all things, hopes, forgives, believes,"...and so on. We are so susceptable to pursuing things that don't last, to love the things which produce yes happiness, but inevitably fade. Our God is to be worshipped first of all, and then enjoyed THROUGH the world which He created. As in Romans it says that "What may be known of Him is manifest in us, for God shows it to us. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are seen, even His eternal power and Godhead; so we are without excuse...but although many know God, we often do not glorify Him as such, are not thankful, but are futile in thought. Our foolish hearts can be so dark, and as the world claims to be wise, foolishness is the actual state. Then while changing the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man...we exchange the truth of God for a lie, worshipping and serving creature rather than Creator; who is (or SHOULD be) blessed through our lives forever." (Romans 1)

Our worldy love and worship is so contrary to what I've come to know through the words of our Lord and Savior from whom perfect love is given. He's given us life through Himself, which was ordained before time, from God the Father from whom also proceeds every perfect gift. (Hebrews and Matthew)

So then "to be carnally minded is death. But to be spiritually minded is life and peace." (Romans) So to think upon ourselves and our ever pressing urgent needs, desires, and wants leads only to a life of narcissism. We get trapped within ourselves to believe this way of life, yet we so long for peace. So where does this peace come from?

One source, a true source. A reliable source; not some figment of our imaginations, serenity through quiet, or chanting to a god who is dead. We have hope in God, THE God whose Holy Word says He created heaven and earth, us, calls us as His own, and "desires that none should perish, but come to repentance." We seek fulfillment in life, and He says "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the fullest." He also says that "you shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free." (John)

So when we set out to 'find ourselves,' our source of life, and purpose therein, where do we find it but outside of ourselves of course. Serving and loving others surely produces joy, regardless of your reasons for it. But where does this service come from? Emptying of self is a gift from God who Himself was "emptied and poured out as an offering" for us, but for HIS glory. He humbled Himself through Jesus' life, whose live's we are to emulate, doing "nothing out of selfish ambition, but considering 'others better than ourselves,'" as He did. (Philippians).

So go out into all the world; travel, eat, enjoy new people, places, cultures, and nations. But give thanks to God our Father who created it all, and to whom all should give glory to and for. And then also set out to pray, that the eyes of your understanding be enlightened; to know the hope of His calling, the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints; the exceeding greatness of His power to us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all power and dominion, and every name that is named forever."
And finally love, and pray that He will grant you such according to His glory, to be strengthened with might though His Spirit in the inner man, that He may dwell in your heart through faith; being rooted and grounded in this love, able to comprehend with all the saints what the width and lenghth and depth and heigth is, that is the love of Christ which passes all knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God."
If we live this, we will be able to eat of His gifts, pray to Him Him for all things, and love as He loves; which proves no selfish thing, but endures forever. This is the greatest of all, and what truely brings about the peace and hope in life we are all searching for.

AMEN

Have you ever had a dream you felt was so real?

I know you have, because I think we all do. We wake up in a stupor as though we just got through an intense movie, and our life was as the main character!

In this case, I was held hostage for who knows what reason, but needless to say, it was a bit threatening. I began to ease in the situation while surrounded by people of evil intentions, as I found compassion within myself to ask them simply why they were doing what they were, and desiring also to share with them about Christ and give them hope beyond whatever or wherever their evil intentions were taking them.

I don't remember much else, but then this morning read on in Matthew where I've been studying for awhile, to refresh my memory of the verses where Jesus tells His disciples that we must not fear those who can kill the body but not the soul. Our soul belongs to God and noone out there can keep us from this eternal love and keeping. It was interesting as I had even awoke to thinking upon this verse, and was comforted by the fact that truely noone and nothing can keep us from our Lord-neither life nor death is to be feared with God on our side. Christ goes on to say that he brought the sword to divide and prove those who are worthy of Him- those who will deny, and follow Him.

As we are weak in flesh, He can be made stronger, and if we allow Him to be magnified in our lives and proven, He will then prove us true to His Father God in Heaven. Jesus is the way, the answer- the key to living this life with eternity in focus- as His life is life to us, and His death is also; so must be our lives- whether we live or die, to Him be all the glory.



I also thought on persecution recently as I read from a book full of stories of those who had undergone bouts of it. It brings questions to our minds as to why, etc. But we are then confirmed when and if we do go through this, just why and even beforehand, that it is inevitable in this life. From harsh to almost non existant as in these westernized countries it can be, we still have some answers even if not all fully explained. And so are my thoughts on the next blog.

blessed are those who are persecuted...

So we often wonder how it is that our lives will or should look as followers of Christ; a paradox for sure, as we die to ourselves to live to Christ. In our weakness He is made stronger in us, we are to put others first, while in the kingdom of heaven those who were first shall be last, and the last first. We wonder if God will “bless us” as His word seems to intend. However our view of blessings can be skewed by the ways in which our narrow minds conceive.
Spiritual blessings are to be above all treasured, and material can also be nice, but if our real treasure is laid up in heaven as Matthew says it should be, we will have our minds so set there that temporal things don’t phase us quite so heavily. I have now come to understand that we do not deserve anything as sinners, and that every gracious gift given to us comes from our Father in heaven, regardless of whether we deserve it. We don’t have answers for everything; for pain, for blessings per se, or cursings, for God no longer works consistently has the God of the ‘big stick’ in order to beat us to submission. He works as a compassionate one who gave us free life through His Son Christ Jesus the heir of all things as is reiterated all throughout the Bible. So there we have it at first hand, the riches of Christ and blessings eternally laid up in heaven for us. We shall not want for more; and yet we do. We are here on earth and we desire the temporal. The temporal, though beautiful as it may be in the short term, is nothing to be compared with the beauty of Christ and the blessings to be poured out when we enter His presence in eternity. We live for now all to often, and see the pain this world so easily bestows when our hopes are here. We are given such good lives, in some terms, and yet not all of us do.
We see fellow believers of Christ being persecuted for their faith, yet this is a God honoring thing in this world for it is written in His Word, blessed are those who suffer for His sake. We can take this to heart, and rejoice in the Hope and faith His gives us through the knowledge of His Son, knowing that as He says, “the genuineness of our faith, being more precious than gold, though tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 1)
God gives us a huge manual to tell us of the short comings of many men, His hand in their lives, and how to avoid wrong doing. He tells us His righteousness has been GIVEN to us, so we need not work for salvation, but we must live in light of this glorious lot in our lives.

Psalms says “the good mans steps are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; For the Lord upholds him with His hand. ..I am young, and now old; Yet have not seen the righteous forsaken, Nor his descendants begging bread. He is ever merciful, and lends; And his descendants are blessed.”

Well we know that none are actually good- except Christ, but that He has now laid on our account, His own righteousness. So then those who live according to His word, or even just those who are His may receive this blessing? Well there you see, material blessings in the way of provision, and I truly have seen this in my own life ONLY by grace MANY times. I know believers have perished for their faith- so there you wonder of safety provision, but ultimately their true valued treasure was not kept from them, and their lives are now an honor to the Lord even by their death. I read stories of those faithful to the Lord amidst rough family derission, yet through all the toil and pain they endured, God brought them through even the most unbelievable physical circumstances to prove their faith.

And so you have it, some who are spared and some who are not. We know not which we will be, if ever we even truly have to face trials such as these. But count it a blessing, if so, for then our faith will be given opportunity to prove Christ what honor is due. May we live in such light of His eternal blessings, that they far outweigh any menial life circumstances that beset us in this life. May we live in the light of His glory and grace, and be imitators of God in this world, being holy, that is ‘set apart’ as he called us to “be holy, for I am holy.”

HOPE drives

What drives you?

Rich told me today that he has to wonder why I am the way I am. And I retorted that I also wonder the same of him. I think that is just the nature of marriage, and living with another human being. We all tic the way we do because of a number of things; our family, our genes, and our situations in life. Even two people growing up together may handle the very same situation completely different; in the same way that those who grow up completely opposite may also handle the same situation the very same. We all have heros, life changing events, moments; and these all occur at different times and places, based on what I believe, is God's sovereignty in putting them there to make you who you are.

So it is, with my busy personality, that he wonders why I never stop. I came to a concise conclusion during the sermon today which out of Romans 8, pointed us to the fact that we have a hope- which is obviously not seen, because what is hope in something that is already seen? It isn't hope at all.

And so I have this hope, not just in the spiritual sense which does of course trump all other hopes, but I have hope in life. I truely hold strong faith in many things and avenues of exciting potential for life that I simply cannot stand to waste my life not pursuing them, almost to the point of error.

I cannot watch much tv, I cannot spend too much time doing the same thing as there is too much else out there to not be a part of. I cannot have one best friend (besides Rich:), and I cannot stand to take the Bible as I know it, and not search for more great truths yet to be learned.

God's Word has given us so much to uncover, that we scarcely understand all that He intends. I hope also that my life will be worth something to those who it touches, in the way of impact and inspiration, and as I know that no one leads others by sitting around and staying stagnant; I also cannot do this.

I think we all can have faith and hope in life that true joy comes from knowing our God, and the ability He gives us to learn about and contribute to this world He's created to order.

Motives

So as we often discuss with people who are yet to be married, or now have been for sometime, the topic of 'motives' driving this union inevitably come up. We all have our grounds for 'why' we do the things that we do, and can argue quite reasonably (at least I'd hope so). But sometimes our reasoning sounds so good in our heads, while out loud really just stinks.

We just got through a sermon series at our church going through Ephesians, and of course then ending on the topic of spiritual warfare in chapter 6.

Well one of the tactics of spiritual warfare which I believe bids us much frustration in life, is that of our very own thought life and self talk. Ephesians 6 tells us that we must prepare for the battle we are fighting against the enemy; taking on faith, which quenches the fiery darts of the wicked one. And so we must drown out also, the ways of selfish talk that comes from every angle around us, predisposing us to a life of unhappiness while seeking self gratification 24/7.

How hard it is, for us to forget ourselves, and put others in front of our pressing desires so natural to strive for. Within reason, we of course must maintain what we must to live and be able to serve; but then as in most relationships, with marriage it is supposed to be about the 'giving,' and not so much the taking (although receiving on the other end does make for an easier time together).

We read books, including the Bible, influencing our ways of thought and helping us transform our innate pursuit of egotism, and slowly we realize that it is more blessed to give than to recieve, that encouragment indeed breeds reciprocal encouragment, doing to others often ends up in the same treament being directed back, and so on.

But behind the motives of anything can still creep in slightly selfishly hinted desires. Money, recognition, and of course love, are not bad things, but alone can drive us to stomp on those we love to receive them; which in turn does just exactly opposite of what was initially intended.

And so as in marriage, I often wonder how much of our minds are really ready to just lay down all we are, when at the marriage alter, to ensure that this person we share our vows with will enjoy their life to the best of their ability, and become better through it. As Christ followers we are to take up our cross and die to our own self while putting others first, as His love allows us to do. If we focus on His sacrifice and our purpose in this life, it is easiER, and much more then gratifying for all!

God help us remember that! If we don't, we will suffer, for noone is more miserable that those who are in a rutt to seek out the best life for theirself. Even the most moral of human beings regardless of spiritual beliefs knows this. And so as those who know the very God of heaven and earth who has given us a real purpose in life AND death, we must live in reflection of His sacrificial love and mercy to those both deserving and undeserving; for we ourselves, also are not deserving for such love. It is mercy we've been given, and so we must give it back!

Rejoicing like a strong man to run its race

I can't say that yesterday I ran what I did in Durham's annual 8k race, with complete rejoicing as in a strong man running his race. I do, however, give thanks to the Lord for strength to run, for a community of people who enjoy the same sport, for beautiful weather, and an opportunity to come together for an overall enjoyable event.

Again, I believe running points to SO many life analogies. I signed up for this race awhile back, with the great 'intention' of pushing myself to train hard, in hopes of some sort of prize. Now not knowing what the competition would be, nor having the experience of running an 8k length before, combined with lack of motivation to push myself against the wind which gives no frame of reference for competition, I fell a little short.

Again, an enjoyable experience, but this time I learned something that I already knew- if that's possible, that I simply cannot train alone.

And so out of it comes another sermon for thought- that even as a runner cannot train alone, (or at least not nearly as well as with others beside him), our Christian walk is the same; not meant to be walked alone. God did not intend for us to be lone rangers, and we hear this all the time.

We know we have weaknesses, but that when surrounded by others, we can together pull one another up when the others fall. Or even better, when we run against someone with more strength altogether, or whose already been past the mile marker we are running on, they can help explain just how it may go, and what helped them when they were there. They can explain obstacles in the way, or again just simply let competition's drive push them in their stride to compare, match, or outrun those next to them; in all actuality just making the one next to them work harder too, at becoming better than he was before.

We are to sharpen eachother in our skills, or lack thereof. We are to train, not just hope to train, and then think we will just somehow win.

We run for a prize in these life events sometimes, but ultimately our goal should be to honor Christ, and find joy in Him through all of life's races. We are to see that all this world has fades in comparison to the joy and satisfaction that knowing GOD brings, and therefore not continually fail or allow ourselves to be disappointed when we don't match up to the world's standards. This world is not our home, we are just passin' through..as an old hymn says, and we can keep that outlook if we sharpen each other to stride our best through this life, seeing everything that comes and goes as a sharpening tool.

So as the picture in the verse I read in Psalms 19 today states, "The heavens declare the glory of God;..In them He has set a tabernacle for the sun, (boasting almost), and rejoicing like a strong man to run its race." We are to be ready, prepared, strengthened, and embody the picture of strength on the race of life- as we take heed from the power of the Lord and His Word, allowing it to sharpen us along with others to run as a strong man would be after training hard. We have the tools, we must use them, and our race will be all the better for it.

Vergissmeinnicht!

SO I copied the below paragraph from Wikipedia instead of trying to rewrite what was unnecessary to do so. I thought it to be a fascinating little story, at least to those of us with a fondness in German folklore:) I had to research these flowers a bit before I planted them, after having been given a tiny packet as a going away gift from our German friends.

"In a German legend, God named all the plants when a tiny unnamed one cried out, "Forget-me-not, O Lord!" God replied, "That shall be your name."[2] In another legend, the little flower cried out, "Forget-me-not!" as Adam and Eve left the Garden of Eden.[2]
The Christ Child was sitting on Mary's lap one day and said that he wished that future generations could see her eyes. He touched her eyes and then waved his hand over the ground and blue forget-me-nots appeared, hence the name forget-me-not.
Henry IV adopted the flower as his symbol during his exile in 1398, and retained the symbol upon his return to England the following year.[2]
In 15th-century Germany, it was supposed that the wearers of the flower would not be forgotten by their lovers. Legend has it that in medieval times, a knight and his lady were walking along the side of a river. He picked a posy of flowers, but because of the weight of his armour he fell into the river. As he was drowning he threw the posy to his loved one and shouted "Forget-me-not". This is a flower connected with romance and tragic fate. It was often worn by ladies as a sign of faithfulness and enduring love."

So too, we should be!; faithful to God, and to the ones we've committed our lives to in love, whether that be a spouse or friend. Our friend Marion gave these to us, and Im thankful we have them now to remember our German friends by, as each time we walk past the will in their own little way cry out "Forget me not!"