"The Call" by Regina Spektor

"We are far too easily pleased."

“Indeed, if we consider the unblushing promises of rewards and the staggering nature of the rewards promised in the Gospels, it would seem that Our Lord finds our desires, not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea….We are far too easily pleased.” A Mind Awake, p 168, C.S. Lewis

As a younger woman, I was always fascinated by this quote. I loved the image of a little child playing in the mud with the sea sparkling in the distance.

Now that I am an older woman (not much, but it counts for something, right), I am able to see the real meaning in this quote. Our desires as humans, finite beings, are so weak compared to the reality that God wishes to share with us. Everything is better in Him. Everything. 

I started to really apply this to my life and am now learning that the desires I have are so much better in my Lord. He has things planned for me that I could not even imagine. And they will be infinitely better than the things I have now. I seek pleasure in things, but I have no idea the joys and pleasure that He will supply me. The greatest of all being in Him. He show me how weak my desires truly are when the time comes. 

So look for that offer for the holiday by the sea. Ask God to make your desires His desires. How much more joyful and beautiful will our lives be if this is the case? 

"But take heart; I have overcome the world."

This week I was thinking about suffering for Christ's sake, and how the first century disciples rejoiced in their persecution. Why don't we do that now? 

I feel as though we as Christians in this world, we tend to strive for complacency and being comfortable. I don't think we really strive to put our faith out there. But why not? We talk about it all the time. Oh how we can't wait to graduate from this school or that, to be in the work-place where we can really live out our faith. But why not now?  

I really struggle with being comfortable. It's not right. I think that God wants us to have sufferings. Actually I know He does. Paul says in Romans: 

...and if children, then heirs--heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. (Romans 8:17)

 And also in his letter to the Corinthians:

So we do not lose heart. Though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed day by day. For this slight momentary affliction is prepared for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

As Christians, we tend to think that we are here to be here. To remember that we are going to have a home someday that will dwarf this world is hard. But we need to live out our faith in a way that does not make us comfortable.

Get dirty.

Peter says in his first letter:

Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it come upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christians, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name. For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? And “If the righteous is scarcely saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?” Therefore let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good. (1 Peter 4:12-19)

We must rejoice in our sufferings! If we suffer, we need to remember that it isn’t weird. Do not be surprised. The first century Christians did it. Why can’t we? I know we like to be comfortable, but dang it, I’d rather rejoice in sufferings than sit around so that I may share in the glory of God as Paul says.

…and when they called in the apostles, they beat them and charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name. And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ. (Acts 5:40-42)

Are we worthy to suffer dishonor for His name? Do we desire to be?

I want to suffer for his name because honestly, that is what we are called to do. And yeah, it’s scary, but remember:

For everyone who is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that had overcome the world—our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? (1 John 5:4-5)

And:

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Corinthians 12:9-10)

I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world. (Jesus quoted in John 16:33)

 

Bursting at the Seams

So over the past four weeks, I have spent my Tuesday and Thursday mornings at a middle school for placement. This supposedly consists of me observing a teacher in my area teaching a class of unruly middle school kiddos. When I was first placed in a middle school, I was very hesitant because if you know me at all, you'll know I want to teach high school kids. I went into the classroom with a little experience, my summer job putting me in a classroom setting four days a week. I learned how the class worked and after the first week, I was in love.

I am at the middle school for two class periods of Language Arts.

Oh man. I love it.

I get to walk around and chat with the kids about their projects and reactions to certain topics. For the first couple weeks, the kids were really hesitant to think anything of me, or at least outwardly. But they are middle schoolers.

Now, my placement is quickly coming to a close, and they like me. I don't want to leave. Some of the girls asked me why I don't come every day. I melted. One followed me around while we were in the library. She was disappointed when she had to go back to class with the real teacher. They really like me. I'm attached. I don't want to ever leave.

I'm really amazed at these students as well. I noticed this in summer school as well, but it seems more apparent in the middle school setting: though I discipline, the students still like me. They respect me and want my attention. I'm absolutely baffled by this. If I tell them what they are doing is wrong, why would they like me? I don't fully understand. Is it the way I go about it? I'm not sure I will ever understand.

My excitement to be a teacher is magnified in these days that I spend with these students. I feel God's love for them as I walk through the halls and watch them interact. The desire of my heart is to be a teacher. How great is our God that He fills our hearts, our measly pitiful little hearts, with His awe-some incredible desires.

I can't contain myself. Literally.

God is good, my friends. God is so good.

Reality is Calling

So over the past few weeks, I haven’t been very good about striving towards the Lord. I have been thinking that I could do it all myself and was consistently humbled. Every few days, I would get a swift kick in the pants to remember that I, the ultimate control freak, have absolutely no control.

Suddenly, I changed the course for the next semester. Granted, it's only three months or so, but still, it has a big impact on what will happen in my future.

I dropped a class I need for my major and picked up a class that will not be beneficial to me credit wise.

This does not seem super important, but it is. With this class that is important to me graduating, I was not able to spend time in the Word in my mornings. The time I would have spent would have been cramped and rushed.

But as I dropped this course, I found myself desiring to be in the Word even more. Everyday. I can't get enough of its truths. It's all I desire.

I immediately dug into Acts. I had been slowly making my way through this book, but now, I had a passion to really know it. As I read it, I can across this passage (Acts 16:6-10):

And they went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia. And when they had come up to Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them. So, passing by Mysia, they went down to Troas. And a vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia was standing there, urging him and saying, "Come over to Macedonia and help us." And when Paul had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go on into Macedonia, concluding that God has called us to preach the gospel to them.

This passage really spoke to me because I had been seeing the Holy Spirit working in ways that seem contrary to what He would want. But then I remembered that God has a plan in everything. Even when we are striving to do God's will, we might not be listening. We must listen to our men of Macedonia and go where God is calling, listening to Him and Him alone.

He calls us to the places we least likely expect to go to preach the gospel and witness for Him.

I also began to read 1 John, and God began to speak to me through it. One of the many passages that stuck out to me was 1 John 4: 4:

Little children, you are from God and have overcome them [evil spirits], for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.

And 1 John 5: 4-5:

For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world--our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

This passage really reminded me that I am of God, and even as I live in the world, I have a God that I am called by. He loves me and with Him I can overcome every temptation, crude comment, slander, fear, violence, or hate that is thrown at me.

God is good, my friends. Through a trivial change in my schedule, I have become more solid in my decision to transfer. God is calling me out, as Pastor Jason said today at Grace Church of Roseville. He talked about knowing God and following His voice. Pastor Jason stated that we were not meant to live life in a pen, or a bubble. God is calling me out.

This might be the first time some of you have heard me speak of transferring. If you want to know more about my decision, drop me a line. I'd love to tell you about what God is doing in my life and has been doing in the past few months.

It all comes back to my Father. He is my sustainer, and without Him, these decisions would never come to be.

So, I will be following God’s voice in this transition. His Word has become fuel for the fire within me. I’m intoxicated by it.

One thought to leave you with. Do not let yourselves be distracted from the Maker of heaven and earth. Do not listen to the voices of the world, for they are all corrupt. Even mine, if my words and my intent are not the Lord’s. Stay away from those things that would draw you to evil.

Little children, keep yourselves from idols. (1 John 5: 21)

Psalm 27:14

There are so many things happening in my life right now, so many transitions. They are all exciting in their own way, but they are all also hard. Throughout my thought-processes and rants, I have had a few good friends call to my attention the fact that God is in control.

Nothing is up to me. I really realized it the other day when I finally got on campus. So many emotions, thoughts, worries, excitements, came rushing back. It was almost frightening the intensity of it all.

The over-arching feeling I was blessed with was peace. I had been so concerned with the future and not being able to see it. But God set upon me a cloud of peace. Such an amazing God I serve, or attempt to serve. He is my Maker.

The verse that really influenced me was Psalm 27:14. It spelled out what I needed to hear, and what I plan on focusing on while these transitions come to be.

"Wait for the Lord;
be strong, and let your heart take
courage;
wait for the Lord!"
--Psalm 27:14

God is good. He is in charge of all I feel and do. He is sovereign. Truly sovereign.

In Christ Alone

In Christ alone my hope is found;
He is my light, my strength, my song;
This cornerstone, this solid ground,
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love, what depths of peace,
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease!
My comforter, my all in all—
Here in the love of Christ I stand.

In Christ alone, Who took on flesh,
Fullness of God in helpless babe!
This gift of love and righteousness,
Scorned by the ones He came to save.
Till on that cross as Jesus died,
The wrath of God was satisfied;
For ev'ry sin on Him was laid—
Here in the death of Christ I live.

There in the ground His body lay,
Light of the world by darkness slain;
Then bursting forth in glorious day,
Up from the grave He rose again!
And as He stands in victory,
Sin's curse has lost its grip on me;
For I am His and He is mine—
Bought with the precious blood of Christ.

No guilt in life, no fear in death—
This is the pow'r of Christ in me;
From life's first cry to final breath,
Jesus commands my destiny.
No pow'r of hell, no scheme of man,
Can ever pluck me from His hand;
Till He returns or calls me home—
Here in the pow'r of Christ I'll stand.

2 Corinthians 2:7-10

So my brother and his wife came home from their honeymoon last night. They are definitely two of the most amazing people I have ever known.

I was reading through my Bible the other day, and I fell upon this passage, 2 Corinthians 12: 7-10:

"So to keep me from being too elated by the surpassing greatness of revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messanger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from being too elated. Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong."

Christ makes His strength perfect in my weakness. Such a statement. I don't have to be perfect to be a Christian. I should strive towards Christ in everything I do, not settling for my failures, but in those places that I do fall short, His strength is made perfect. Wow. What an amazing God. Even when I screw up, people will see Christ in me. Even though I'm this little girl who isn't always satisfied to look to Christ to fill my voids, He uses me. His power is made perfect in weakness, and His grace is sufficient for me.

The being content part is hard for me to grasp too. I need to be content in Christ when things aren't going the way I think they should. "For when I am weak, then I am strong." Darn that's hard. What a prayer to pray, "Make me weak, so that Your strength will be made perfect." Something to ponder.

Weekend Findings

Some things I learned this weekend:

1. Making up elaborate stories about feedworms and convincing four year olds that they are real is extremely funny.

2. Family is awesome, even mine. I've been really blessed.

3. Friends are stinking amazing. Especially ones that ride with you for four hours to take your newlywed brother and sister-in-law to their hotel. :-)

4. God is good all the time. He grant the desires of the hearts of those who fervently seek after Him. Psalm 37

The One Where the Sheep Actually Becomes a Sheep

I know my title is long, but that is what has been happening in my life lately. I know that I claim to be a sheep, but honestly, I've been one of those sheep that follows one day and runs away the next. I was a sheep with thorns and stickers (you know those sharp things in the weeds that you can never get off things?) always stuck in my wool, and I just didn't want my Shepherd to get them out. I fought Him, and I fought Him.

Last night, this sheep with all the thorns and issues was finally sheared. The sickness of those thorns finally caught up with me, but now I am new again. My wool and my heart are clean, and I intend keeping it that way. Yeah, I know I am a sheep that will fall a lot for I am fairly clumsy, but I want to always been in reach of my Shepherd. I never want to stray from Him again.

I am One Clean and Delighted Sheep. I am in the presence of my Shepherd and Savior.

Faithful God Taking Care of Pesky Boys...

I know that God is faithful in words. I always have. But now as I come home from school, I really see His faithfulness at work in my life.

There have been prayers of mine that have been repeated over and over. There was a young man that caught my fancy and was the only young man that I really liked for about three years. I knew that it would never work in my favor, so I often prayed that God would take those feelings from me. And He did. I was walking across campus one day, thinking about this young man, and I knew at that moment that I was done with him. He could still be my friend but not the only man I placed my affections on.

There was another young man that actually indulged my affections and dated me, and proceeded to hurt me terribly. I was bitter for a very long time. It was hard to talk to him and see him with my other friends. But God is faithful, and He has healed my heart.

What a great God He is! Thank the Lord for His faithfulness!

The Theology of Delight by Scott Cairns

Imagine a world, this ridiculous,
tentative bud blooming
in your hand. There in your hand, a world
opening up, stretching, after the image
of your hand. Imagine
a field of sheep grazing, or a single sheep
grazing and wandering in delight
of grass, of wildflowers
lifting themselves, after their fashion,
to be flowers. Or a woman, lifting her hand
to touch her brow, and the intricacy
of the motion that frees her
to set the flat part of her hand carelessly
to her brow. Once, while walking, I happened
across a woman whose walking had brought her
to a shaded spot near a field. Enjoying
that cool place together, we sat watching sheep
and the wind moving the wildflowers in the field.
As we rose to set out again, our movement
startled the flock into running; they ran
only a little way before settling again
to their blank consideration of the grass.
But one of them continued, its prancing
taking it far into the field where,
free of the others, it leapt for no clear reason,
and set out walking through a gathering
of flowers, parting that grip of flowers with its face.

The Stairs of Rememberance

I fell down the stairs this morning. Wet, rubber shoes do not have very good traction on plastic floors. The stairs bit into my hip and stretched out my left shoulder. It was not a fun moment. At least there was only one person with me, and I know her pretty well.

I was sitting in class after this happened, thinking about the pain that was running through my body. As I was reveling in self-pity and over-diagnosis, I remembered that there are people around the world that are suffering much more than I am. Falling down the stairs is just ridiculous compared to the torture people are enduring for the sake of Christ. It's really interesting to remember those people and to pray for them. This put my pain in perspective.

Thank you, God, for the reminders you give your people!

Hebrews 10:36

There are some days that I don't handle difficulties well. I end up being selfish and not wanting to be hurt in the situation, or something to that extent. Or I get mad because I feel like people are being stupid, even though I would probably react in some of the same ways.

I was struggling with stuff like this today when the ARD for Hartill pushed the verse for this week under the door.

Hebrews 10:36:
"Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God's will. Then you will receive all that he has promised."

I hope that I will be able to apply this verse to my life. I think it was exactly what I needed to hear as I cursed down the hallway. Reading it convicted me. Praise be to the Lord Almighty who was, and is, and is to come!! He is faithful, even when we are not and are stuck in our mud puddles.

Romans 8:38-39

For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.