All in Relationship with God
Bishop Wahome of Kenya’s African Inland Church smiled while describing his newly adopted son. He learned of fostering and adoption through his time visiting in Texas. His joy and love for his newly adopted son reflects the joy God experienced when He adopted me as an eight-year-old little girl.
A biblical passage in the Old Testament triggers a somber memory: The Lord your God will circumcise your heart and the hearts of your descendants…. (Deuteronomy 30:6a). I wince as I recall holding my newborn sons during their circumcisions. Those mental images confirm that circumcision of my heart will involve pain as God removes anything that prevents Him from claiming first place.
I occasionally wear my father’s WWII ID bracelet. He wore it as a pilot and, tragically, as a prisoner of war. When reading Paul’s words of Christians being “in” Christ, I glanced at the I.D. bracelet and reflected on Dad’s time “in” a guarded compound—a very different experience from being “in Christ.”
Biscuit, our dog, looks for a lap when we sit down. He is on the floor beside our feet when a lap is unavailable. He anticipates a ride in the car when he hears keys jingling. He follows us outdoors. He barks and spins in circles of excitement when invited to go for a walk. While in bed, he snuggles as close between us as he can. He cuddles with me in the sunroom every morning for quiet time with God.
The Yorkie terrier mix was two-and-a-half years old when we rescued him from the pet adoption center. His previous owners had surrendered him a week earlier due to neglect. The reason given was that they did not have time for him. The Center caretaker confirmed this by observing the long, matted fur coat and his insecure behaviors. He carried the dog like a twelve-pound infant child and referred to the pup as “Shiloh.”
I admit, when I was young, I had a rebellious side within me, and I knew it.
There were two sides within me that fought each other.
The good side knew the right things God wanted me to do, and the rebellious side knew too, but ignored God.
If Jesus took the time he needed to get on board and ready for the day, how much more do we need to do the same thing. Spiritual readiness does not happen by accident, we must be intentional about it.
Realizing that I have never had good control over my thoughts and feelings was a turning point. A biblical counselor once told me that my feelings were my idol. It was a tough truth to swallow.
The scent of Pine stirred childhood memories of visiting my father’s “office,” a portable building beside the railroad tracks. Mondays through Fridays he loaded freshly cut Pine timber for shipping to a paper mill miles away. The scents and sounds of that busy spot returned as I watched a storm-damaged Pine tree transform into piles of sawdust and debris.
“Mommie, my heart hurts. I think it’s Jesus kicking it because He wants in!” my granddaughter announced on the way to school. Did she feel preschool anxiety or had God created an opportunity for a spiritual conversation?
Is there any issue or situation that is keeping you in bondage? Pray and sing to Jesus;
there is power in His name! He can pull you out of the darkness.
It could be trying a new recipe or dabbling in a new craft. Enjoy reading a new book or traveling to new places. There is excitement wrapped up in the idea of doing something new. However, becoming a new creation in Christ is listed as one of the most extraordinary experiences of my life.
“Mommy, hold you,” or “Mommy, I want you.” Sweet. precious words from my little girls when they wanted me to pick them up and hold them. I would immediately stop what I was doing, pick them up, and keep them close to me.
Paul persecuted Christians: his ultimate goal was to wipe them out. So, when he came to the disciples claiming to be a changed man, they were skeptical.
My girls were attending a party which had a playground. The kids could play while the adults worked on getting the activities organized and set up. The kids had a wonderful time at the party, playing games, making crafts, and eating delicious snacks.
Just a normal day in Texas. A tornado warning hung in the air, but we rarely have a tornado this far South so why heed the warning? I went about my normal day.
Sometimes when you first meet someone, you are not sure how this relationship will go.
When I consider my relationship with God, I am shocked by what Scripture reveals about how He first perceived me.
Being a people-pleaser is not something to be proud of. It is based on fear of rejection, punishment, or abandonment. Not until recently did I realize that I work to please people more than I want to please God. Ouch! That’s a hard reality to face.
Purifying. Refining.
These are godly words that sound good and they are good… in the end.
But have you been through it?
I have.
Refining can… hurt.
God’s purpose or ours. Which do we most want?
Christ rescued us and invited us to live set apart for His sake—not because of anything we could do for Him. He accomplished this because of what He set forth before us by His matchless favor. This is true at all stages of life.
