A Mother's Day Prayer

Father God, I am thankful that we set one day apart every year to honor and pay tribute to the work and great sacrifices moms make to raise their children. I want to pray blessings for them this morning. I pray for moms of little ones from infants and toddlers to school aged kids. I pray for blessings of patience and extra hours of sleep. I pray for wisdom to know when to show discipline and when to show mercy and somehow find the balance that teaches love and forgiveness. And when they get old enough to sen off to bed b y themselves let us still sneak in and take advantage of a precious moment of time between turning off the light and leaving the room, ehn they wan us to linger at the door for one more minute, this is when they sometimes share their inmost thoughts with us. Even when we are tired and exhausted give us the ability to treasure these moments when our children's hearts are open to us. I pray for moms of teenagers – a season when our presence is most needed and sometimes least desired. When they push the boundaries give us wisdom to know when to stand firm and when to loosen the reins. Help us to listen more and talk less, to allow freedom to explore feelings and ideas even when they don’t fall in line with our own. Help us make home a safe haven, a place to bring their friends and a place where feelings are respected and love and grace abound. I pray for moms of young adults and grown children –Give us wisdom to know when to help and when to step back, when to offer advice and when to be silent. May we appreciate this season of life when discipline and training have been exchanged for a time when we get to enjoy our children and invest in them in a much different way. This is a season when support and understanding becomes the greatest gift we can bestow on them. Help us to give it in abundance. I pray a very special prayer for the woman who desires deeply to become a mom – I pray for blessings of patience and perfect timing. For you O Father, know the day and the hour it will happen whether it be through the natural way or through extraordinary measures. Your word says that you knew us in the dark place when we were knit together in our mother’s womb, may she know and believe that you have not forgotten her and that you will satisfy her needs. I pray for those who have lost a mom or mother figure or a grandma this year – I pray that blessings of treasured memories will be real and vivid. That we will look back with great joy at a life that brought guidance and wisdom and help us to appreciate that her memory lives on through us as we apply her teachings and pass on her wisdom to our children. And before I close, I want to remember the moms who have lost a child this year, I ask for comfort beyond measure and assurance that you are not unaware of her sorrow. And when the time is right, Father, you will give her a crown of beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing instead of mourning. May this year, Lord Jesus, be full of milestones and may joy and peace abound as we look to you for wisdom and strength in this amazing journey called motherhood. In your sweet name we pray, Lord Jesus, Amen

Who Is Unclean?

Acts 10:28 "Peter told them, 'You know it is against our laws for a Jewish man to enter a Gentile home like this or to associate with you, but God has shown me that I should no longer think of anyone as impure or unclean.'

"Don't drink, smoke or chew or go with boys/girls who do." Some of us who were brought up in the safety of church walls were taught these things. While this might sound like good advice for youngsters it also bred some judgmental attitudes that have taken decades to shed.

Many of my church going generation who are now middle-aged adults, have walked through life passing judgement and in our wake have caused many to feel unworthy or maybe worse shunned by God.

I have deliberately avoided close association with people whom I've judged unclean. Maybe they lived with addiction, or were unfaithful in relationships or had an abortion. Only in these older years has my heart been broken and I've become aware that in my mis-attempt to live a righteous life I have lived more like a Pharisee than a Christ follower.

Somehow I felt my sins were more forgivable than theirs. Somehow self-righteousness seemed appropriate to me. I was the white washed religious leader who thanked God he wasn't like the sinner who was praying for forgiveness next to him. No, actually I was worse than that, because I know Christ and have called Him my Savior. Maybe I hung around the church most of my life, but I am just as unclean and unholy as the worst sinner.

Jesus Christ entered some of the most despicable venues of His time to bring light and love and acceptance to those who had been shunned and avoided for generations. I am greatly humbled and eternally grateful that Christ has loved me enough to forgive my dispicable heart which has been so unforgiving and self-righteous.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, I have less than half my lifetime left to love the way you intend for me to love. Let it make a difference for your kingdom. Help me love the way you love which brings hope and healing not judegment and condemnation. I ask forgiveness and pray for those whom I have pushed away from you and ask a special request that they will see and feel your real love. Please bring them to a correct understanding of who you are, not who I portrayed you to be

To Live Free!

Numbers 33:2
At the LORD’S direction, Moses kept a written record of their progress. These are the stages of their march, identified by the different places where they stopped along the way.

The scripture’ following this verse is a diary of every stop the Israelites’ made while they were in the desert for 40 years. Sometimes we hear people say that the Israelites ‘wandered’ in the desert. This thought leads one to suspect an aimless venture. While it is true they were destined to remain in the desert until the first generation died the extended journey was not aimless wandering. A new mindset had to be born before they would really be free.

I’m intrigued by the process that took place in this prolonged desert journey and amazed at how similar I am to their plight.

This exodus generation didn’t know how to live free and longed for the structure of slavery. They represented generations of wards of the state and still had the mindset of captives even though they were physically free. Having never experienced autonomy they were incapable of understanding how valuable they were to God, nor could they understand the strength of spirit He had given them. God wanted them to shake off the bonds of minimalistic provision and slave labor and move to a land flowing with milk and honey. They had a love/hate relationship with the thought of freedom and often disobeyed and complained because they just couldn’t believe such a wonderful promise to be true.

I’ve often thought what a waste of time, all those years of desert living when they could have walked over the border of the Promise Land within the first months of the exodus. How is it that they couldn’t see the amazing plans they were a part of? All they needed to do was to believe God was going to do what He said He was going to do. But considering their length of history in Egypt it took a considerable amount of time to change a way of life; an ingrained way of thinking. In this case it took forty years and a new generation.

If I honestly look at my life I can draw some pretty similar parallels. How often God has set me on a marvelous journey, but all I can see is the fear of a task larger than myself, or the obstacles in way. It’s easy to focus on my perceived lack of experience or to entertain the thought of going back to what I knew befor because it’s so much safer and easier. But this thinking paralyzes and destines me to remain where I am. And if it is not where God wants me to be then I’ve chosen the desert over the final destination.

His destiny for me is not where I am. He will constantly prod me forward journey after journey, task after task. The land of milk and honey is a large territory and takes mindful moving forward. But this very sweet spot is where I land when I’ve done all that I know to do and have obeyed to the final step. It’s the peace of knowing that I pushed forward even when battles were involved and fear had to be conquered.

Dear Lord,
I so want to live free. I don't want to be captive to fear or a slave to the familiar. I want the adventure of the journey. Let not fear or doubt conquer me, but let freedom reign in my heart and mind.

Heaven is Alive, Active and for Real

I've not spent much time thinking about heaven or what transpires there. I mostly focus on the here and now. But what happens in heaven is precisely why we do what we do here on earth. It is our hope of Jesus' power realized immediately, His will being done on earth as it is in heaven. Heaven is what makes today vital and important.

Sometimes I feel I have missed something by being so earthly minded that I have not a clue as to what God is doing from his throne room each day. I treat heaven as a far off distant place that I will get to go to, as if it were a vacation spot that I'm dreaming about and I'll get to eventually. But, heaven and being in the presence of Jesus face to face is the precise reason why I open my Bible, say a prayer or sing a song of praise to God - my hope for being there one day.

Heaven is alive and real and vital to me now, this moment. This is where Jesus is and where His plan unfolds first. It is where He dispatches His angels to do their work here on earth. It is where his will is given the breath of life and is carried on angel's wings directly into my path. He gives instructions and mediates on my behalf from the right hand of the Father.

I've recently read an account of a little boy who experienced heaven while he was undergoing surgery for a burst appendix. The story unfolds as he innocently brings up his experience over a year period of time. It is amazing to see heaven through the innocent eyes of a four year old. I felt as if I was allowed a peek into the pearly gates and caught a glimpse of not only what awaits us there, but also what transpires on a daily, moment by moment, need by need basis. It got my full attention and made me think about the super natural happenings that are taking place all around me without my awareness.

The Bible gives me plenty of reason to think on such things. Jesus mentions heaven over 400 times in the New Testament. In Matthew 18:10 referring to a child, Jesus says "Their angels are always in the presence my Heavenly Father."

Not only do His angles carry out his heavenly business Jesus also says in Matthew 16:19, "And I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. Whatever you forbid on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven."

This amazes me! I can move heaven and earth with a mere breath of prayer and the belief that Jesus can do what He says He can do!

I know that "He makes ALL things work together for my good." It says so in Romans 8:28. And in Matthew 6:10 it says, "May your kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth as it is in heaven" His will, His good and perfect will gets delivered right to my doorstep each day at His command.

There are many, many more references to explore, but my main point is this; I've always thought of earth as the place where I live and heaven as my destiny. Although I may only see dimly now, the two places directly interact with each other and as a child of God I get to be a part of this amazing Kingdom that crosses the barrier between what we see and what we can't see.

Dear Heavenly Father,

Continue to give me a better understanding about how you operate in this universe. Help me to see more clearly the whole picture. You have set advanced directives in heaven that are too amazing for me to wrap my mind around. Your angels zoom around delivering your grace and mercy and not a thing happens here without your knowledge or direction or angels in full battle gear waging war on my behalf. All of these things originate in your throne room. Open my eyes, like you did with Elisha's servant and let me see angles sitting on chariots of fire. Let me abound in the mystery of your holiness at work all around me.

Servant Leadership

Mark 10:41-45

Jesus called them together and said, "You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever want to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

This statement turns the role of leadership on its ear. In our day, as well as in the days of Jesus, those in authority hold it over those who have lesser rolls.
But look at what Jesus said, "Whoever wants to become great must be a servant."

What? Whoever has heard of such a thing, the master serving his servant, the employer serving his employee? Jesus, himself, the granddaddy leader of all times, came to save the world, but how interesting that He chose the role of servant to accomplish this task.

This is astounding! But not only did the CEO of all creation serve those who followed Him, He even stood in for them when it came to suffering the consequences of their failures.

This example of leadership is radical and amazing! It creates loyalty and devotion, is without animosity and devoid of stepping on others to get ahead, grants acceptance and affirmation, and trains the servant to be a servant leader as well.

"Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever
wants to be first must be slave of all." Jesus, Mark 10:43

I don't know if I lead well, but I know that I can serve and it appears that this is the requirement.

Christianity in the Trenches

Does the world only see my public Christianity? Do they only see a woman who looks like she has it all together, greeting and chatting like all is well with the world complete a Sunday smile pasted her my face? Do they only see the crisply pressed, buttoned up Bible toting image I portray on Sunday mornings?

What about the Christianity that goes into the trenches with me? The person I am when I'm on the floor pleading with Jesus for strength to put the cookie back in the jar, when I need to turn the television channel but am having a difficult time looking away. What about my Christianity in arguments and disagreements, disappointment and sorrow? Does the world ever see this side of my faith?

It is nothing to be ashamed of. It is the nuts and bolts of why Jesus came. When I hide the guts of Christianity I am hiding the most powerful testimony of all. I have joy because Christ navigates me and helps me out of the rough places. This is praise worthy and should be very public.

If I hide my struggles and the help that comes I'm not reflecting Jesus at all. I'm giving a false impression of who Christ is and why he had to go to the cross.

Let me open the book cover of my life and allow the world to see chapter after chapter the struggles of my humanity and how Christ has come along side and comforted, and admonished, and helped and pruned, and cleansed, and strengthened.

This is the light that shines brightest. This is the light that illuminates the way for the next weary traveler who doesn't feel they can go another step. Encouragement does not come from someone who has never fallen. True encouragement comes from the one who has fallen and has found Jesus at the bottom of the pit. Brokenness and the experience of Jesus' forgiveness is the ladder that enables me the freedom to climb out of the trench. This should not be kept a secret.

Dear Heavenly Father,
I've known you the most and the best when I've been in the trenches. This is when your sweet hand of strength and forgiveness greets me and lifts me up. May I never shy away from sharing the most powerful part of my faith.

This little light of mine, I'm going let it shine. This little light of mine, I'm going to let it shine. This little light of mine, I'm going to let it shine, let it shine, let shine, let it shine!

Let it shine til Jesus comes, I'm going to let it shine!

"If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness." II Corinthians 11:30

"…My power is made perfect in weakness" 2 Corinthians 12:9

"…a broken spirit and a contrite heart, you will not despise." Psalm 51:17

Do I have to be pre-qualified for this job?

In my quiet time this morning I read from a reading plan that started on January 1 and will take me through the Bible this year if I stick to it. (It is my intention to do so, but I also know that from past experience that when February rolls around I may be finding it hard to sick to my guns when it comes to the books of Leviticus and Deuteronomy). As most plans do, it started in Genesis. Today I read the story of Noah and was particularly inspired by what I observed about him.

"Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked with God." Gen 6:9

Noah was one man among many who walked on the earth at this time in history, yet we see that he was the only one who is recognized as being righteous. The Bible implies that he had an intimate relationship with the Father for it says that he walked with God. I can imagine that this walking also included some talking and praying.

We learn in this passage that God also confided in Noah, for God told Noah that he was going to destroy the earth and all the people in it for "the earth is filled with violence."

Then God gave specific instructions to Noah to build an ark to save his family and a remnant of God's creation from destruction.

Obviously, a trusting relationship existed between them for how else would Noah possibly believe and say yes to such preposterous plans? We don't know that he was a ship builder. We don't know that he was a veterinarian, or a rancher, or even a lover of animals, and here he is saying, "Okay Lord, I will do this thing that no one has ever done before to save my life and my family and all these critters from something that has never happened before."

Building the ark had to be a monumental task and what about collecting all those animals? That must have been harder still. Yet "Noah did everything just as God commanded him." Gen. 6:22

Before this assignment was given to him, Noah was just as obscure in the world as I am. The only thing that singled him out was that he knew the Father intimately. He did not have to be prequalified as a zoologist or a sea captain, or shipbuilder. The only attribute that we see that qualified him for this job was that he walked with God.

What assignment has God given you that you feel unqualified to do? If God is the same today, yesterday and forever, what he required from Noah is the same thing that he requires from you, which is to walk with Him, the other qualifications will follow.

Dear Jesus,

Continue to make this true in my life. I will walk with you daily and you will qualify me for the rest.