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Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Back from the Wilderness and I have a Word...

Wow! Has it really been that long? My last post was on March the 7th. For the past 10 weeks I have done my best to stay away from the computer, and the radio in my car. No radio is torture for a girl who scored a 10 on the extrovert test! Just me alone in the car... WITH MY THOUGHTS... ME, MYSELF, AND I just thinking and praying EVERYWHERE I went! Very little Facebook, just checking my email a few times a week with minimal surfing the web, and no writing! I was on a quest of sorts. I hate to admit this, but my 40 plus year mid life crisis did not come in the form of a little red sports car (although God, feel free to send the car). No, it came in a more powerful way; for me anyway. I was face to face with the biggest question of all. Who am I?

After all this time guess what, or should I say, guess who I am? GOD'S CHILD... always was. Not only am I God's child but he has me just where he wants me. My "fast" has been great. I needed to hear from God. Frankly I was in that pit. Do you know the one I am talking about? It is that Psalm 40:2 pit that says, "He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand." Life has had a lot going on, and God has been so good to answer me. I hope some of what God said to me helps you in your journey.

The largest thing that has changed is my outlook. I teach music at my son's MDO. My boss gave out to each preschool teacher a word that best described them. She gave me the word passionate. She attached the verse Job 8:21 that says, "God will yet fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy." I think she is onto something! I am a party! I get excited about something and as long as I know you love it too, I will climb a mountain in the snow while juggling fire for you. I lost my passion for a while. I have been in a "I've fallen and I can't get up" kind of mood. But these past months God has shown his grace over and over. He reminded me of something. HE TOLD ME to honor others even if you do not feel they are honoring you. Church life has its highs and lows. I felt forgotten. So God led me to 1 Samuel chapter 4.


"...a cave was there, and Saul went in to relieve himself. David and his men were far back in the cave. 4 The men said, “This is the day the LORD spoke of when he said[b] to you, ‘I will give your enemy into your hands for you to deal with as you wish.’” Then David crept up unnoticed and cut off a corner of Saul’s robe.
 5 Afterward, David was conscience-stricken for having cut off a corner of his robe. 6 He said to his men, “The LORD forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the LORD’s anointed, or lay my hand on him; for he is the anointed of the LORD.” 7 With these words David sharply rebuked his men and did not allow them to attack Saul. And Saul left the cave and went his way.
 8 Then David went out of the cave and called out to Saul, “My lord the king!” When Saul looked behind him, David bowed down and prostrated himself with his face to the ground. 9 He said to Saul, “Why do you listen when men say, ‘David is bent on harming you’? 10 This day you have seen with your own eyes how the LORD delivered you into my hands in the cave. Some urged me to kill you, but I spared you; I said, ‘I will not lay my hand on my lord, because he is the LORD’s anointed.’ 11 See, my father, look at this piece of your robe in my hand! I cut off the corner of your robe but did not kill you. See that there is nothing in my hand to indicate that I am guilty of wrongdoing or rebellion. I have not wronged you, but you are hunting me down to take my life. 12 May the LORD judge between you and me. And may the LORD avenge the wrongs you have done to me, but my hand will not touch you. 13 As the old saying goes, ‘From evildoers come evil deeds,’ so my hand will not touch you.
 14 “Against whom has the king of Israel come out? Who are you pursuing? A dead dog? A flea? 15 May the LORD be our judge and decide between us. May he consider my cause and uphold it; may he vindicate me by delivering me from your hand.”
 16 When David finished saying this, Saul asked, “Is that your voice, David my son?” And he wept aloud. 17 “You are more righteous than I,” he said. “You have treated me well, but I have treated you badly. 18 You have just now told me about the good you did to me; the LORD delivered me into your hands, but you did not kill me. 19 When a man finds his enemy, does he let him get away unharmed? May the LORD reward you well for the way you treated me today. 20 I know that you will surely be king and that the kingdom of Israel will be established in your hands. 21 Now swear to me by the LORD that you will not kill off my descendants or wipe out my name from my father’s family.”"

Honor allows God's goodness to shine through. Honor says, "hurt, you will not reign." I will live a life that honors not because someone does or does not deserve it, but because Christ honored me. Honor frees you because it places the judgment of right and wrong back into the hand of God and allows you to "love your neighbor as yourself."

Maybe you have been hurt by someone you never thought would hurt you, or someone didn't live out what they had promised. Live a life that honors God. This reminder has freed me. It reminded me that I live for the Lord, not man, and the Lord never lets you down. He always walks you beside the still waters.

Your children will thank you. They need a mom they can admire and see smile. You know, that Proverbs 31 woman is always making it tough for the rest of us with her rising early, and her making this or that. Although, I must say that I would love to have a housekeeper or two to buy fine linens for sometime. Read Proverbs 31 today. As you read it see it from the perspective of how she honored those around her. That was her greatest gift to those she loved.


How are you going to honor others today? How are you going to honor even those who have hurt you?











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