Give Glory to God

Original date: 10/24/10

God you've been awesome through the last few years. Despite my unhappiness -- I know o uwere there. You watched, you took care of me, despite my sin, my rebellion.

Despite my anger, jealousy, bitterness, slefishness, you were good. My pride and ignorance; you were gracious. Your hand is strong but gentle.

Help me separate my reality from my skewed perspective, that I may see things true -- and even if I cannot. When I am blind, as I often am -- may you lead with your wisdom and your eyes, that I may see the next step you have chosen for me.

Help me to step, and strive to walk where you want me to walk.

Walk courageously. Walk faithfully. Walk diligently.

As Christ would...

love? forgive?

We studied anger today. But the common question... what about when you are hurt... hurt badly. Anger is still a choice. Bitterness, frustration... it's so "natural" to us.

How did Christ love those that spit in his face? How did he love those that placed him on the cross?

"Father, forgive them for they know not what they do..."

How did he forgive them while on the cross?

How did he forgive us for putting him on the cross?

How do we love as he love and forgive as he has? When we are hurt, when our sinful pride and selfishness want redemption and "justice"... how do we love? how do we forgive? how do we love as he loved? How do we forgive as he forgave? How do we surpass the limitations of our fleshly spirit?

Words are cheap. How do we do it?

A week of trials.

The question is whether they were out of my control or fully within my grasp of power. Perhaps both at the same time.

I think I was the cause of this week, or at least, I had the power to influence it. Though in the same path of reasoning, I was powerless to my own vices... this was inevitable. Did anything that happened this week surprise me... sadly no. The question is where to go from here? What is the path to change? There are small lessons learned but until these smaller lessons take root, find fertile ground and lead to fruit... it would have been all in vain.

How do we translate experience into growth? What makes learning coming to life? An ironic question coming from a teacher... but I guess that's a question teachers try answer as well. How do we get the lesson to sink in? What leads men to stop repeating their mistakes?

I gotta put more time into it... so not less this week just become "last week" or "just another week"... to think about it...evaluate it... digest it... process it... till it sinks in. That takes time... and effort... things I don't usually try to invest in the past. Like the spiel on Homework I preach to my classes... unless we spend the time trying to learn it... we're not gonna be prepared.

Time to spend some time learning.

New favorite verse.

Jeremiah 17:7-8

⁷ "But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD,
whose confidence is in him.

⁸ He will be like a tree planted by the water
that sends out its roots by the stream.
It does not fear when heat comes;
its leaves are always green.
It has no worries in a year of drought
and never fails to bear fruit."

I found this passage looking for a verse for a worship set...

Its relatively simple, self-explanatory, yet it speaks so much truth. Yet to obey it... Full confidence in the Lord, without fear, without worry. The ideal, in which we should live.

The verse that follows this passage is probably more well known... "the heart is deceitful above all things..." How interesting that it follows this passage. The entire passage from v 5 - 18 is filled with imagery and contrast.

Its so easy to see the good in the the truth of this passage, yet why is it such a struggle to obey? How strong is our belief in God's promises?

Mark 9:24 - Lord help us with our unbelief.