Week 1 Day 7

Community-Fuse Service

Last night we went to FUSE service. The message was centered on Community and why we desire community in our lives. A couple of important points:

• In the beginning ...God is  God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit.
• God created us ..."in our image"   God is in relationship and community a the trinity
• When mankind experienced the "Fall" in the Garden of Eden our intimate, perfect relationship with God was severed.  We have an inner desire for that type of relationship and will try to fill it in various ways. The only real way to fill that void is to have the relationship with God.
• I believe when God created us to desire community...it is what prompts us to share the Gospel...to care about others and want them to be with us in eternity. If I didn't care, was self focused and content to be alone, then I wouldn't build relationships that would afford me the opportunity to share Christ. Relational collateral, I believe, is huge in evangelism and discipleship.

Father,
Help us to see the importance of community and being with others...not just for our fun but for your purposes also.  Help me not to so busy that I miss this important piece of how you created me.
Amen

Week 1 Day 5

Luke 2: 1-52

I love this peek into Jesus' life. He is a boy, age 12. His family has traveled to Jerusalem for festival and are returning home. We have to remember that men traveled in the front together and women with the children in the back. Jesus was in-between age so it would have been ok for him to be either place. 

Three things stand out to me as read this passage this time:

• v51  The second time that it is mentioned..."But his mother treasured all these things in her heart."  As a mother I need to capture and treasure moments in my heart that involve our children. I don't know the future of their lives. Every moment and experience with them is a gift.
• v 52. Jesus grew just like children today grow...in wisdom (intellectually) and stature (physically) in favor with God (spiritually) and man (socially).  
• Jesus was at the temple. It was a safe place. 

Lord,
Help us to know what you would have us to do as cross-cultural workers to make the churches safe-zones for children and to meet their developing needs. Children you know but we have yet to meet.  Give us your eyes and wisdom, Father.  As we begin our transition help me specifically to capture special moments and conversations with our own children in my heart. To have a place I can draw from in the hard moments once we arrive in country and I miss them terribly. Mary didn't know what was coming for her son. She treasured moments that as a mother I am sure were priceless.
Amen

Week 1 Day 5

Luke 2:25-40

Simeon and Anna. Old. Faithful. Waiting. What stands out in this scripture to me? They were faithful and never gave up. They trusted the Lord's faithfulness and God honored them. They saw the Messiah and blessed his parents. 

Also,

• vv. 37-37   "and then was a widow until she was eighty-four.  She never left the temple but worshipped night and day, fasting and praying. Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem."

Anna never remarried. Instead she committed her life to prayer and fasting. It's been such a long time since I've seriously fasted. Not seriously as in length...but in focus and purpose.  That's what I'm going to think about today... the spiritual discipline of fasting and how God would have me implement that into my life again. So that like Anna, I will be ready when God has a task before me...at that very moment.

Lord, help me to grow in my spiritual disciplines...not out of desire for pure habit but out of desire to be closer to your heartbeat...so that I won't miss your moments for me. In our retirement we are going to serve you. We are not as old as Simeon and Anna...but we are older and wiser then we were. Help us to grow in our wisdom and knowledge of you through our time together in prayer and worship.  Use us for your moments.  Amen

Week 1 Day 4

Luke 2:1-14

I can't count the number of times I've read the account of Jesus' birth. Believing, however, that the Lord's word is alive, real, and always teaching through the Holy Spirit's leading I was anticipating what I would "underline" this day.  The Lord never fails.

• In v. 7 "..., because there was no room for them in the inn."
• Is this me? Is there no room for the Messiah in my life because I am too busy filling it up with other things...some good things?  As Joseph knocked on doors does the Lord knock on my heart only to hear me say, "I don't have room for you in my life today."  Sadly, I do say that. I allow my calendar to fill up with good things, people, events, responsibilities...so that when the opportunity arises for me help someone...I don't have time.  Sometimes I don't even see the need I've become so busy.
• God had Joseph and 9 month pregnant Mary travel by donkey for 70 miles so that Jesus birth would be in the location fore told.
•  Seriously God, you could have had them go earlier and just stay there...talk about just in the nick of time. Poor Mary...words that would come to my mind, "It's not fair"..."It's not suppose to be this way."   God, even here the circumstances were not important to you...all things are according to your time...not ours.  

Lord, even in the birth of your Son you were not so much concerned about our physical comfort and peace of mind.  Mary had to be uncomfortable in the journey on a donkey, birthing in a barn with animals and all that go with them.  Help me to accept the plans and timing you have for our lives.  You chose this time for Mary and  the place for Jesus' birth. A sign of humble beginnings...a servant's heart. It all had eternal purpose.  Help me to remember this when I begin to fret and complain about my circumstances. May I repeat as Mary did, "I am the Lord's Servant." Help me to remember this even with our children. The challenges  I see them endure. I trust you Lord that you are working all things for their good.  Amen

Week 1 Day 3

Luke 1:46-80

Mary praises God for her pregnancy, Zechariah praises the Lord, and John the Baptist is born.

Mary says:

• v 50. His mercy extends to those who fear him from generation to generation
• v 53. he has filled the hungry with good things.

Zechariah prays:

• v. 74. "...and to enable us to serve him without fear..."

Lord, help us to impact the generations, children, that will teach their children about you. May their hungry souls be filled with the goodness of you. May their physical stomachs be filled with food. Help us to meet their physical, emotional, and spiritual needs. As Zechariah prayed for his son John, I also ask that I am able to serve you  with out fear. Without fear of the unknown:  how will we live, will we have enough support, what will we do, will we be accepted by the Pastors, what will we actually do to impact the lives of children, can I emotionally handle seeing the hurt, pain, death?  Father, enable us to move in your will without fear.  Amen.

Luke: Week 1-Days 1 & 2

Starting a study of Luke with Coastal. Each day we will read a section of Luke and respond. This will take us through January.  I will record each day what stands out to me in the passage, what I hear God saying to me through the passage, and my prayer response.

Week 1 Day 1
Luke 1:1-25
What struck me was the fact that Zachariah, a Priest serving in the temple, sees an angle that tells him his prayer has been heard and will be answered. The circumstances, life circumstances, seem to make his prayer request impossible to answer, so Zachariah asks in verse 18 "How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years."

The Priest in the presence of the angle Gabriel still had difficulty grasping the divine and miraculous in his finite human mind. 

Lord, help my wavering faith when it comes to our ability to go to South Africa to serve you. We know the call and we see you at work. Yet, I still struggle with the practicality of all the pieces coming together.  I am trusting in you Father and I know you will deliver us. Amen


Week 1 Day 2
Luke 1:26-45

Gabriel visits Mary to tell her she will give birth to Jesus.  Mary's reactions went from

• v.29 " Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be."

to

• v. 38 "I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said." Then the angel left her.

to other's seeing something in her belief

• v. 45 "Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!"

Lord, there are times I'm troubled with what you say to me...but my prayer is that I will always respond as Mary did..."I am your servant"  and that others will see in me my faith and confidence in you.  May my life be a testimony of your faithfulness.  It will be accomplished in our lives as you have ordained!  Amen

Day 147: One Step Changed My World

It was the end of July...the last Thursday to be exact. After a great day of VBS I was taking the trash to the dumpster, then in a moment found myself on the pavement looking at ankles that didn't look "normal."  I had tripped off the curb,dislocated my ankle, broke my leg-ankle-foot and seriously sprained the "good one."  It's been a long recovery with surgery, plates, screws, wheel chairs, crutches, braces, and therapy. Being non-weight bearing for 7 weeks was humbling and a challenge.

People ask, "Do you think God did this to get you to slow down?"  I have to chuckle inside.

I don't think that is what my major reminders and  learning have been over the past months. My life lessons have been:

• Lonnie is the living example of "in sickness" as he cared for me without one single grumble for weeks on end.
• Your life can change in a flash.
• It didn't take much to derail my spiritual routine.
• There are times you must depend on others.  Independence is not an option.
• Prayer is vital.
• Conversations with the Lord are continual throughout the day.
• The "church" comes in human form. It is a living, breathing, loving organism.
• Handicap restrooms aren't as accessible as some may assume.
• Mission work can go on...with the help of lifelong friends and determined heart.

Could this have been a spiritual attack? Yes, it absolutely could have been. However, with the Lord always there, and my desire to lean in even closer to his heartbeat, we made it through the long and busy networking month of August. We were able to visit churches and associations to share with them the passion God has placed in our hearts to tell the "least of these", children living alone in squatter camps and townships as orphans, about the love of Jesus.

Here I am, Lord, send me...wheelchair, crutches, braces...send me.

And He did!