When I set out on this blogging journey, my goal was to chronicle my walk with Christ. I was at the tail end of a pretty dark season. Life had recently come crashing down around me, and everything I thought I believed came into question. (To read more, please check out My Journey.)
“Two things I’m certain about,” I confided in a friend. “The Bible is the Word of God, and I’m saved by the blood of Jesus. Beyond that, I just don’t know right now.” Specific Christian doctrine, practical Christian living…it all needed to be reexamined.
Thankfully, those two certain beliefs are the bedrock of our faith and our God is a Master Rebuilder.
For a time, I thought I needed to rebuild my faith through prayer and Bible study, but then I came across the following verse in Colossians 2:7: “Having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith…” All those verbs – they’re in the passive tense, meaning I’m not the one doing them. Rather, I’m receiving the actions of Another.
Maybe that seems trivial, like mere semantics, but it took a weight off my shoulders. I realized that, just as God rooted me in Him at salvation, so He Himself is building and establishing my faith. My role is to abide in Him and welcome His work in me. (See John 15.)
During the course of this rebuilding project, I’ve learned that “identity” is a core issue in the Christian faith – most importantly, an accurate knowledge of God is essential. Of secondary, but also vital, importance is knowing my own identity as a child of God. These two things are like lenses through which I view and interact with the world around me.
Looking at life through the lens of identity
God showed me that my understanding was flawed in both areas. So I’ve been taking notes as I read through Scripture of everything I see related to those two issues. My big, thick journal is almost full because, guess what? God has LOTS to say about identity. (And I’m not even half-way through the Bible yet!)
He longs to be known! And He wants us to know who we really are, too.
So I think it’s time to shift the focus here, or rather to “zoom in” on this aspect of our faith. I’d like to share with you what I’m learning, and I’d really love to learn from your journey, as well. Together, in the Body of Christ, we have the greatest treasure the world has ever known – friendship with God. Because He drew near, we can know Him and be secure in Him.
Good Friday…Seems a strange title for history’s darkest day.
The Righteous Judge condemned in a mock trial. Truth himself falsely accused. Love hated. The Savior rejected. The King stripped and despised.
Healer of the deaf heard “Crucify Him!” Creation’s Creator felt thorns on his brow. Hands that fed thousands took nails for those fed. Whips tore his flesh who created all flesh.
The Maker murdered by the work of his hands.
The Sinless One became sin, and the Father turned His back. All the shame and the pain, all the ugliness of hell taken by the Lamb who was slain.
Creation groaned as darkness seemed to extinguish the Light.
Sometimes good looks undeniably not good. But…
But – such a powerful word. It tells us there’s more to the story.
But darkness can never conquer Light.
But death cannot hold the Resurrection and the Life.
But grace is greater than all my sin.
Mercy triumphs over judgment. Forgiveness was purchased on Friday’s cruel cross.
Grace wins.
Good Friday is good because Sunday is coming. God has the final word. And all he does is good.
The cross was not an accident. Not a rescue plan gone awry. No kidnapped King. No victim of tragedy. No, the cross was the plan. From the creation of the world, this was God’s idea. He knew his beloved ones would rebel, and he knew the price he would pay for our redemption. He also knew death would not be the end.
So he willingly went to the cross. He poured out his love as He poured his blood. He paid the price for our sins–all of them, for every person who believes.
Then on Sunday morning he robbed death of its sting and the grave of its victory. With all the power that created life, he recreated life in his dead body. And he lives today, never to die again.
Because of the cross and the empty grave, this is our inheritance as followers of Jesus:
Our sins are forgiven, and all the righteousness of Jesus is credited to us.
We have peace with God. Closeness with our Creator is now possible.
We are dead to our old life– completely new creations.
Sin is no longer our master, and neither is the law.
We never have to fear God’s wrath because Jesus took it all for us.
We need not fear death.
We have an enduring hope.
A heavenly inheritance awaits.
This weekend, may the beauty of the cross and the love of our Savior captivate our hearts and minds. We are loved! We are treasured! We are redeemed!
What are your thoughts on “Good Friday”? How has the cross brought good to your life?
Sometimes I feel so on top of things. The days are going just as scheduled. Everything is flowing nicely. I’m checking things off that endless “to-do” list and loving the feeling of accomplishment.
And other days, it’s quite the opposite.
Like today.
I’m sitting here in my cozy, quiet-time chair, not because the house is quiet, but because it’s not – and neither is my heart. It’s been a day of playing catch-up with my schedule, of telling little people to calm down, to read that sentence again, to pay attention, to do your chores, to wait just a minute while I finish helping your sister…It’s been that kind of day. That kind of week, actually.
So I’m asking God to quiet my restless heart.
Across the room, my old guitar catches my eye. It sits like a tribute to yesteryear, to days gone by when I actually had time to play. As I stare at it, I think to myself, I feel like one of those tightly-wound strings – stretched taut against the fretboard. I hate feeling this way.
But then I realize…that tension is precisely what makes the sound of the guitar beautiful. Each string is pulled just right, bringing the entire instrument into tune. It would never make music without the tension.
Music in general is full of mounting tension and then release, of chaotic dissonance and then resolve. These contrasts bring interest and beauty to the piece. They are marks of a good composer.
How very like life.
Though I long for peaceful days absent of struggle, I often find God composing beauty in the chaos. He is writing the song of my life through each and every season, each and every day. In the problems I face, He is crafting loveliness where there would otherwise be none.
“The name of the LORD is a strong tower. The righteous runs into it and is safe” (Prov 18:10).
For every struggle, there is Jesus.
– When I need to problem-solve – ”All the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden in [Christ]” (Col 2:3).
– When chaos and instability threaten to engulf me – “And He will be the stability of your times, a wealth of salvation, wisdom and knowledge…” (Is 33:6).
– When my heart hurts – “Blessed be…the Father of mercies and God of all comfort” (2 Cor 1:3).
– When I feel the sting of rejection – “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are Mine. (Is 43:1). “…I have loved you with an everlasting love, therefore I have drawn you with lovingkindness” (Jer 31:3).
– When I am in need – “And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus” (Phil 4:19).
– When I sin – “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 Jn 1:9). “He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west” (Ps 103:12).
– When I am weary – “Come to Me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matt 11:28).
What a comfort to know that God is always there, always working to bring about good for His children (Rom 8:28). May we daily press closer to this God who meets our every need. And may we learn to hear the music He is creating in our lives.
What needs has Jesus met for you this week? How do you see Him orchestrating beauty in your life?
Don’t you just love a good sunrise? Pink, purple and orange streak across the sky like colors on an artist’s canvas. Birds join the parade of beauty in heralding the rising sun. Hope and anticipation fill the air.
Now, lest you get a false impression, I must admit that seeing the sunrise is not a common occurrence for me. I actually think I might be allergic to early mornings. But today I was awake well before dawn. I just returned from a mission trip on the other side of the world, so my internal clock is still trying to readjust to the current time zone.
But oh, how thankful I am for these quiet moments before the house comes alive. In fact, it seems that it was a divine set-up for what I would read in the Word this morning.
“…The Sunrise from on high (Jesus) will visit us” (Luke 1:78b). What a fitting intro to the Christmas season!
Jesus, the Sunrise from on high. That name fascinates me. A sunrise, in all its glorious beauty, carries with it the promise of a new day, a brighter day. It bursts with hope – a fresh start, a new beginning.
What an apt description of the Christ-child. We celebrate hope, joy and peace at Christmastime, because that is what our Savior represents.
In the verses following the one above, Luke goes on to explain what the Sunrise will do. He will visit us with tender mercies, to give light to those walking in darkness and living under death’s shadow. With the first glimmer of light, the first ray of sunshine, a message of hope is born – “Down with darkness!” The reign of sin, and all the misery that accompanies it – its end has come! The Light of the World, “the Sun of righteousness, will rise with healing in its rays” (Mal 4:2).
The Resurrection and the Life is here to kill death and rob it of its sting (1 Cor 15:55). No longer must we lie under condemnation and fear of death. Hope, forgiveness and healing are here.
In a world longing for peace, the Prince of Peace is born. We look for rulers and armies, but He comes as a homeless Baby. Small beginnings – like the first glimmer of dawn. As He grows and teaches and heals, the light grows brighter.
But then, in one last effort, darkness strikes a deathblow to this Light. And the Sunrise seems to stop before full light.
But as it is with nature, so it is with nature’s Creator.
Darkness can never extinguish light.
Bursting forth in full brilliance of day, Jesus rises from the grave and forever breaks the chains of death and darkness.
Because the Sunrise from on high has visited us.
Our world is still shrouded in darkness. But darkness has lost its power, because Light has come and shone into our hearts. War and death still fill the earth. But it will not always be so, because the Prince of Peace has won. Suffering and sickness strike us all. But the Sunrise from on high gives hope and “guides our feet into the way of peace” (Is 59:8).
Our God is with us. He walked among us to set all things right. He lives within the hearts of His own, giving hope, light and peace to those who once walked in darkness.
May your Christmas season be filled with the light of this Sunrise from on high!
How does His light affect your Christmastime festivities? Any creative ways you’ve found for shining His light during the holidays? I’d love to hear!
Do you ever feel like a plastic cup in a garbage truck?
You know, those days when the pressures and demands of daily life are so overwhelming you feel like you will be crushed by them? Like you just want to run away? Or go back to bed and then try to start the day over? Well, today was one of those days.
It’s a bit crazy over here.
Our dishwasher stopped working a few weeks ago. Not an essential appliance. But such a handy one. Then our washing machine broke. A bit more important. So this weekend we replaced them both. We found some good deals on Craigslist, but later realized they needed a bit of work before they were really “good deals.”
Yesterday I went to do my first load of laundry in the new washing machine. Why on earth does this front-load washing machine stink, I wondered? And what’s that black stuff I hadn’t noticed before...yep, mildew. Not cool. After a few cycles of bleach water, still no improvement. This may take a while to get clean.
Then last night, as hubby was installing the new dishwasher, he realized it needed a different supply line. And…the stores were closing in five minutes. That’s okay, I thought, staying calm. The water was turned off to the house, thanks to a defective shut-off valve spewing water all over the kitchen. But we don’t really need water through the night.
Everything’s fine. This is an adventure we will laugh about later.
So this morning, we faced the day with two dishwashers laying sideways on the dirty kitchen floor, a smelly washing machine and lots of nasty towels. Sweet hubby got up at 5:30 am to be at Lowes when they opened. He got the supply line, came home and installed the new dishwasher. (I love having a handy husband!)
Then the toilet, the one we couldn’t flush through the night, that toilet – it overflowed. And I was still trying to figure out how to clean the washing machine so I could wash all these dirty towels. Guess we’ll be going to the laundromat today. And the kids will just have to use yesterday’s towels for swimming lessons.
Oh, and did I mention that I thought yesterday would be a good day to start stripping wallpaper from the dining room wall? Of course, it’s not coming down without a fight. We are switching rooms up over here, a move that involves five different spaces. But before it can be completed, the dining room wallpaper must come down and the walls must be painted. So on top of the appliances adventure, furniture is out of place and clutter is winning the battle for order.
So, it was just one of those days…when I feel like a plastic cup being crushed in a garbage truck.
One of those days when I need God to be my refuge.
“O Lord my God, in You do I take refuge…” (Ps 7:1a). I read that verse a few days ago, and pondered the idea of “taking refuge.” It means to flee, to trust, to hope in. It involves “precipitate action.”* Google defines precipitate as, “acting suddenly or without careful consideration.”
I like that. Because on days like today, I don’t have any eloquent prayers or well-planned petitions. I just need help – suddenly, quickly, right now. I need more strength than I have. I need a guard over my tongue so I don’t hurt my little people who aren’t responsible for the craziness. I need Jesus – I need Him to produce His fruit in me (Gal 5:22-23). I certainly can’t produce it myself.
“…In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and confidence shall be your strength…” (Is 30:15).
Quiet confidence. Settle that in my heart today, Lord.
Life is chaotic. But You are undisturbed. I am uptight and stressed out. But You are my unchanging God of peace. Carry me through the craziness, and let Your love control my words and actions. Let the people around me see a very active, very present God alive in me. One who cares about the details of life and gives strength in weakness. Make this mess beautiful, Lord.
How have you seen God be your refuge? What do you do when you feel like a plastic cup in a garbage truck?
*Lexical Aids to the Old Testament, Key Word Study Bible
