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The Sacrifice of Righteousness

  • Posted on February 11, 2009 at 12:20 pm

Thank you for your prayers and notes. Although I’ve been absent, I’m feeling better. Hopefully I’ll soon answer all my emails. I’ve been able to talk with Lee regularly, and that’s helpful. Most important, I’ve been able to sit down and spend time in God’s Word. I haven’t caught up in the chronological Bible reading, but I have been reading in Philippians and Psalms. Here’s what I’ve been reading and how God is using it to change me.

Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ; just as it is right for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart, inasmuch as both in my chains and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers with me of grace. For God is my witness, how greatly I long for you all with the affection of Jesus Christ.
And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God. Philippians 1:6-11

I love the reminder that the fruits of righteousness are through Jesus Christ. I love Paul’s prayer for both knowledge and discernment. I like the recognition that it’s not enough just to know; we must also approve what is excellent. It’s easy to rest in knowledge God has given us without the sometimes messy business of acting on that knowledge.  And finally, our purpose is the glory and praise of God, not so that we are recognized as being good Christians, or that we live trouble and trial free. These are all encouraging things for me to remember.

And Psalm 4:
Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness!
You have relieved me in my distress;
Have mercy on me, and hear my prayer.

How long, O you sons of men,
Will you turn my glory to shame?
How long will you love worthlessness
And seek falsehood? Selah
But know that the LORD has set apart for Himself him who is godly;
The LORD will hear when I call to Him.

Be angry, and do not sin.
Meditate within your heart on your bed, and be still. Selah
Offer the sacrifices of righteousness,
And put your trust in the LORD.

There are many who say,
“Who will show us any good?”
LORD, lift up the light of Your countenance upon us.
You have put gladness in my heart,
More than in the season that their grain and wine increased.
I will both lie down in peace, and sleep;

I love the phrase, “Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and put your trust in the Lord.” This has been encouraging to me. I must do right, and trust that God is working even if I don’t know what he’s doing. I need this truth as I wonder what God is doing in my children’s lives, through Lee’s deployment, and even through fundamentalism and Christianity as a whole.

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Praying for My Children

  • Posted on February 4, 2009 at 10:14 am

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At the beginning of the year, our pastor challenged our church to memorize the book of Philippians, one week at a time. That’s two verses a week, which most of the time I think I can manage, especially seeing as how many verses are so familiar.

This week I’ve been learning this:

And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God. Philippians 1:9-11

Hard not to pray it for everyone you know when you’re up early with sick children. It’s reminding me of how little I pray for my children, and that I need to do better.  It’s not a big change, but God has helped me to pray for my children more as a result of this verse.

How is God’s Word changing you?

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Serving with Gladness

  • Posted on January 7, 2009 at 5:00 am

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Last week and this week, the kids and I have talked several times about the phrase in Psalm 100: Serve the Lord with gladness.

Applications keep brimming over.

For the children, we’ve talked about it in context of a right response instead of complaining about chores. We discussed that sometimes, serving God can be inconvenient (like sharing a bedroom when company comes over, or giving the last of the sugar cereal to guests). Our responsibility is not just to serve God, but to find joy in doing so.

For me, I’m thinking in the context of Lee’s deployment. Can I really serve with gladness when I miss him dreadfully already? Yes, especially as I choose what and how to think. I can serve God with gladness as I watch his tender mercies: bringing to us a Christian Iraqi family with a DVD of their home church (no war) in Iraq, allowing our previous pastor to pick Lee up in Sacramento as he was enroute to the next leg of his journey, knowing that the dog I never wanted would be welcome as a mini-protector and companion.

If I choose to think about the misery of an uncomfortable condition, my desires of something different, the woe of repeated failure, and so on, I will serve with resentment.

But if instead I think about God’s provision and grace, if I remember that he is an all powerful and all loving God who is actively involved in every detail of my life, down to the hairs of my head, if I remember His sufficiency, I can serve Him with gladness.

That is my desire and prayer.

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Clothed with Humility

  • Posted on December 17, 2008 at 11:00 am

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I’m still feeling under the weather, but it’s been a good week nevertheless. I’ve had to adjust my expectations of some things I planned to do, and I feel like I haven’t said a coherent word to my husband all week, but it still has been a good week.

In our Bible study that meets at our house, we ladies have been attempting to memorize the key verses that go with each lesson. I’ve not been doing very well, and keep putting it off (I’ll work on it later). Of course, we’re half way through the book and I still haven’t memorized any of them. So a few weeks ago, I finally put the cards by my sink so I could see them when I work.

Not surprisingly, I’ve been doing much better keeping the dishes clean right away, and keeping up with my other responsibilities. Here is what I’m working on now.

Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.  I Peter 5:5b

God has been reminding me that any time I am selfish, I’m not clothed with humility. He’s been using this thought to motivate me to put aside my own desires for the good of my husband and children.  I have been tickled to see my actions and intentions adjusted as God works in my heart. He’s been doing this even though I’ve been feeling terrible.

I must be truthful that last night I went to bed without finishing cleaning the kitchen because I was tired and not feeling well. Being clothed with humility doesn’t make me superwoman!
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Missing Out on God’s Provision

  • Posted on November 5, 2008 at 10:38 am

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I recently reread Psalm 78 and realized that I haven’t talked with my children about what God has done in our family’s lives. We talk about Bible stories, but God is the God of Today, not just Yesterday.

We will not hide them from their children,
but tell to the coming generation
the glorious deeds of the LORD, and his might,
and the wonders that he has done.

He established a testimony in Jacob
and appointed a law in Israel,
which he commanded our fathers
to teach to their children,
that the next generation might know them,
the children yet unborn,
and arise and tell them to their children,
so that they should set their hope in God
and not forget the works of God,
but keep his commandments;
and that they should not be like their fathers,
a stubborn and rebellious generation,
a generation whose heart was not steadfast,
whose spirit was not faithful to God. Psalm 78:3-8

So at breakfast (which is still my favorite time to talk about God at our house) this week several times, we’ve gone over our family history. We’ve talked about how God brought mommy and daddy together. We’ve talked about how God led us to California, where we were close to the Pryde cousins. We talked about how God led us to New Mexico, even though we had no idea why or what He had in mind. We talked about daddy’s deployment.

What has been interesting to me is how the military has been a major part of seeing God’s provision in our familiy. Realisticly, some miraculous provisions haven’t been a large part of our family’s story, like financial miracles. Lee has a good job from God, and good health from God, and good character to work from God (that should be a part of our narrative, I know). I’m interested to notice that in every family, there is something part of God’s care to talk about. I’ve felt a little cheated that my kids may not ever know the blessing of seeing God provide physical needs miraculously (like George Muller, et al). We’ve not seen miraculous physical healing in our family. Most of our family are believers and no miraculous conversions appear to be around the corner. But God is bigger than all that. There is plenty to show my children and point out God’s power and strength and mighty works in their lives.

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What is God doing in your life?

Three cheers for Chiao Chyi, who already has her Wisdom Wednesday post up. Who’s next?

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Deployments and Trusting God

  • Posted on October 15, 2008 at 9:38 am

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Lee received word last week that he is likely to go overseas for six months in January. God is in charge, and He loves me, so I know this is a good thing. This week, I’ve been thinking about this passage and it is giving me rest.

And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him,

And saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented.

7And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him.

8The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed.

9For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.

10When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel. Matthew 8:5-10

This passage is about authority and its scope. Normally, I should entrust my husband to God anyway, but how do you know if you have that kind of faith? Really, not until he’s farther away and the illusion of control is cast aside.

Just like the centurion acknowledged, God’s authority is not bound by physical proximity. And God is all-powerful, all-knowing, and all-present.  My husband may appear more vulnerable in Iraq than here in New Mexico, but he will be just as much in God’s care regardless of his physical location. I can trust God.

Now, it is true, that being physically separated from church and family offers unique dangers. But God is no less in control, and I’m certain that he will continue to use this experience to make my husband and myself more like Christ. That’s a good thing. When I think of these things, I have rest.

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Hope and Challenge

  • Posted on September 24, 2008 at 8:22 am

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And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified. Romans 8:28-30

Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure. I John 3:1-3

One of the biggest surprises of this blog has been that, while I intended to write about how I am learning to teach my children about God, God so frequently turns my burden backward and shows me the needs of my own heart. It delights me that God is using my children in this way. God is still working in my life!

I’ve been thinking on these passages this week. We know that all of our experiences (even the children who may not yet be blessings of ease) are designed for a purpose. We will be like Christ! Right now, my laundry has piled up. I can be overwhelmed and sorry for myself. (Wouldn’t it be nice to be a lady of old with several maids to take care of peripheral tasks such as laundry? Yes, I know we have washing machines. ;) A better response would be to recognize that even the pile of laundry points to my need for Christ.

Now John gives us hope, we will someday be like Christ, but he also gives us a responsibility. Even though our eventual Christlikeness is pre-established, we still have a responsibility to wrestle with the sin in our lives. We purify ourselves, even as Christ is pure. Christlikeness is a future certainty for a believer, but it’s also a present goal. I love the juxtaposition of hope and challenge of Christlikeness.

May I set my eyes on Christ the pure one, as I renew my mind each day this week. And get the laundry done.
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Irritibility and Secular Thinking

  • Posted on August 20, 2008 at 7:54 am

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Jay Younts, who blogs here, posted this comment yesterday morning, and it’s been a blessing to me. Maybe I needed the extra push to fix my mind on Christ.

I don’t always think about my children’s childishness as temptation and my irritability as a weakness. It seems just “regular life” that I must deal with, not a spiritual battle. I smile as I write this, because those statements reveal my need to renew my mind. I wasn’t thinking about life from God’s perspective. It was secular thinking that needed to be challenged and changed.

Thanks, Jay.

Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham’s descendants. For this reason he had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted. Heb 2:14-18

Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. Heb 4:14-16

Michelle,
I find that when I get irritated it is usually because I have lost sight of Christ and how he suffered specifically so that he could help me when I am irritated and short with those whom I love. As my appreciation for Christ grows smaller, my irritation with others tends to grow. These passages along with Psalm 46, 73 and I Peter 2:18-25 help me regain my focus and deep gratitude for the sufficient love of Christ in my life. They help remind me that Christ has to “put up” with a lot more from me daily than I whatever it is that I think have to “endure” from my children and others in my life. Jay

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Has God recently used others to challenge you from His word?

Kelly’s post is somewhat related, even though it’s not on a Wednesday. This was a blessing to me, Kelly.

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The Strange Woman and a Preschooler

  • Posted on August 6, 2008 at 7:28 am

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Yesterday was August 5, so at breakfast I opened up to Proverbs 5. I must not have read this chapter out loud with my children before, because I was struck with wondering about the appropriateness of discussing the immoral woman with my young children.

My son, pay attention to my wisdom;
Lend your ear to my understanding,
That you may preserve discretion,
And your lips may keep knowledge.

For the lips of an immoral woman drip honey,
And her mouth is smoother than oil;
But in the end she is bitter as wormwood,
Sharp as a two-edged sword.

Her feet go down to death,
Her steps lay hold of hell.
Lest you ponder her path of life—
Her ways are unstable;
You do not know them.

Proverbs 5:1-6

Actually, I started talking about these verses because verse two talks about honey, and Grandma Brock just gave us a honey pot from when Daddy was a boy. As a result, right now they love honey.

I opted to read the whole chapter, even the part of a wife being like the playful doe and hart (among other things). I omitted nothing. *

I tried to explain flattery and honey. I told them that the immoral woman looks like a nice person, but is not. She tells people how wonderful they are so they will think she’s a nice person, but then she causes them to sin.

I asked them if they thought a person should tell the immoral woman that she was wrong, or get away from her quickly. They thought running away was bad. I showed them that the Bible tells us to run away from the immoral woman.

About verses 18-20 (including how good it is to be intoxicated with a wife’s body and love), I read out loud. I told them that King Solomon reminds us that being married is a wonderful part of God’s plan for us. That’s why mommy and daddy like to spend time together, and that’s why mommy and daddy like to be close to each other and sleep close together. I want to emphasize that God’s way is better, and I decided that this is a good beginning to teaching them about physical intimacy God’s way.

That foolish man (at the beginning of the chapter) thought that he would be happy being close to someone who was not his wife. But King Solomon says that the foolish man is choosing the way of death.

I decided that Proverbs 5 was a very good chapter to read with a preschooler.

* Note: By the way, I hope to hereby preempt the comment that Hebrew youngsters were not allowed to read Song of Solomon until they were adults. I’ve yet to see documentation of this assertion, but I would welcome it if you have it.

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Fear of Being Rejected

  • Posted on July 23, 2008 at 7:44 am

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God’s been using three passages in my life this week that have helped me make some deliberate choices.

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. II Timothy 1:7

And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved. II Corinthians 12:!5

The fear of man brings a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD shall be safe. Proverbs 29:25

It’s been a challenge to remember that sometimes the choice to love my children is going to have negative results. Because the fear of man brings a snare, if I make a decision based on fear instead of love, I’m not confident it’s going to be the right decision. Biblically, love replaces fear (I John 4:18). When my baby is wanting something, I regularly feel an impulse to give her what she wants solely because I think she’ll wail if she doesn’t get it. Loving her will give her what is good for her. I might be tempted make a decision because I don’t want my children to think I’m being unfair. Truthfully, the fear of man often prevents me from loving my children as I ought. I regularly struggle with dismay when my children do not respond to my clumsy attempts to share God’s Word with them. I should remember that it is my responsibility to obey God’s Word to the best of my ability, and that my children’s response is in God’s hands. I must trust Him with those results.

My fear of being rejected is evidence that I am forgetting the eternal weight of glory. Doing right might bring negative results from a human vantage point, but God promises that his word will not return void. I have little way of knowing what God is doing in someone else’s heart. They may respond bitterly, but God’s Word promises that it is effectual.

So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. Isaiah 55:11

For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Hebrews 4:12

This week, with some prompting from my husband, I’ve had to make some choices to overcome my fear because I desired God’s glory more than being loved. God’s Word helped me to do this.

In one situation, I was able to share with my children how God gave me boldness when I was afraid. I told them that I was tempted to ignore God’s prompting, and when I was reminded that the spirit of fear was not from God, I [rather reluctantly] did what was right. Afterwards, that incident gave me further joy and courage because I recognized I was walking in the spirit.

Recognizing God’s Providence in my life and the lives of others banishes fear. This is a topic I’d like to think about much more.

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