Reflections

The Bible is full of kings, palaces and thrones. We, as Christians, know that today God sits on His heavenly throne (Psalm 11:4) with Jesus at His right hand (Luke 22:69).

The throne room in Heaven must be a glorious sight. In the books of Ezekiel and Revelation, we are given glimpses of what God’s throne room looks like, and honestly, it is something that my mind cannot wrap itself around. I think it is beyond anything that we can imagine or even process in our limited human minds. But one day, yes, one day, we will get to see that throne room and the One who sits on it, and we will fall flat on our face in awe of what we see.

I’m one of those folks who believe without a shadow of a doubt that God’s throne is a very real and literal throne. It is where He pronounces judgement and administers justice. It is where He reigns over all creation; where all creatures bow before Him to hear His commands and to give Him praise; where He bestows mercy and grace in times of need.

Back around Memorial Day of last year, God called me into women’s ministry. This website is part of that ministry (meaning that it’s the part that He’s allowing me to actually do right now).

Now being completely honest, I’ve never wanted to be in ministry. Frankly, it never even crossed my mind, but God has slowly but surely confirmed for me that somewhere down the line, I’ll be in women’s ministry.

God recently divinely orchestrated a meeting (seriously, it was crazy the way we met) with a sweet lady who also happens to be called into an oddly similar ministry. We didn’t know each other, but it is evident that God has put us in each other’s lives for a reason. So, we are partnering together at some point in the near future, and I hope you’ll get to meet her soon. Neither of us knows exactly what all of this ministry-talk means, but we know that we’ve been called and that our answer is “yes” to whatever and where ever He leads. So, will you pray with us? Will you pray that God will direct our next steps and provide us with opportunities to minister to you as well as other women out there?

Did you know that you are God’s masterpiece?  Check out this sketch written by The Skit Guys, and performed recently at Valleydale Church.

 

 

Untitled from Valleydale Church on Vimeo.

“About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everybody’s chains came loose.” – Acts 16:25-26

Is there anything in your life that you feel is keeping you prisoner? Perhaps there is a sin that you feel powerless to overcome. It doesn’t have to be what we consider a “bad” sin. Maybe you overeat, or TV has become your idol. Maybe you spend more time at work than you do in the Word, or maybe you are struggling with simply being obedient to something God has called you to do (or not do).

As humans we have a tendency to make a hierarchy for sin. Murderers and child molesters at the top followed by people who rape and steal. Then maybe we’ll put in those who commit adultery next. You get my drift.

We want to believe that the sin in our lives isn’t as bad as the sin of others. It makes us feel better. But the harsh reality is…it’s all sin. As much as we hate to admit it, those little white lies we tell are the same in God’s eyes as someone who steals or kills. But praise God for His amazing grace!

I have this “little” sin that keeps popping up in my life. I found myself last night doing the very thing I prayed I wouldn’t do that morning. I’m completely in touch with Paul in Romans 7 when he says, “I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do” (v. 15). So. Very. Frustrating.

This morning, I bowed before the LORD ashamed that I had failed Him once again. That’s when God gave me an idea.

In Acts 16, Paul and Silas were imprisoned. There they sat shackled in the midst of robbers and murderers and child molesters. Did they complain? Oh, no. They prayed and sang praises to God.

I love what happens next. “Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everybody’s chains came loose (Acts 16:26).”

Could it be that singing praises and praying are the keys to breaking the chains of sin in our lives? What would happen if, instead of visiting that website you shouldn’t be going to, you sang praises and prayed? What if the second you wanted something sweet to eat, you praised God and asked Him to send his sweet presence to you instead?

It’s just a theory. I don’t know if it will work, but I’m willing to give it a try. What about you?

As I write this, I’m sprawled out on the bed that belongs to my sixteen year old cousin, Lauren.

Looking around her room, I see photos of her and me in various stages of her life. There is one of us sticking our tongues out when she is around two years old. Another one at a wedding when she is about four or five.  There’s even a photo of her with my dad when she was a little bitty baby.  Mixed in with these photos are trinkets that I’ve given to her over the years – a hat, a scarf, and hand-painted ceramics.

These knick knacks and photographs not only bring back a rush of memories, but they bring with them a humbling reminder that she carries me in her heart even though we only get to see each other a few times a year.

It makes me wonder.  Does God have photos of us scattered around His Heavenly Home?   Is there a mantel in the New Jerusalem littered with moments in our life that He holds dear?   I wonder if He and Jesus take strolls down memory lane reflecting on where we’ve been and where we are going.

There’s a wedding snapshot in a silver frame.  Only this snapshot is not of your earthly wedding but is a photograph snapped at the very moment you kneeled before your Savior and became the bride of Christ.

There is another of your first baby steps of faith.  Can you see Him, the proud Father, smiling in the background?

There is another photograph in a shiny red frame.  It’s a snapshot of when you fell off your bicycle of belief.  That’s Jesus bending next to you with his nail-scarred hands firmly under your arms lifting you up and encouraging you to try again.

Photo after photo lines the mantel top documenting each struggle, victory and milestone.  In the center of all these precious moments, there is one bigger than the others.  One photo more prominently placed.

You barely recognize yourself standing on a cliff with one foot on solid ground and the other in mid-air.  Tears are streaming down your fright-filled face and briefly you remember the prayer of hope that was on your lips.  “I’m trusting you, Lord.  Don’t let me fall.”   This is the moment you stepped out in obedience to Him; the moment you took your first leap of faith.  And just like the others, Jesus is in the photo.  He’s standing right beside you.  You remember His reassuring words:  “Don’t worry, Child, I will catch you.”  Glancing into the lower right hand corner, you see a righteous right hand, strong and steady, waiting to catch you.

And don’t you know that when God glances at the photo, He smiles, nudges Jesus and says, “Remember that day?  I was so proud of her!”

In Christian circles, there are some clichés that are like punches to my gut.

“Let go and let God!” is at the top of my Please Don’t Say That List.  I’d rather hear you quote the worry verses (Matthew 6:27) before “Let go and let God” crosses your lips.

Another tired expression that is borderline annoying, but probably more biblically grounded, is “God won’t give you more than you can handle.”  People who say that usually don’t know what else to say, and I’d bet their intentions are generally good.  So although not my favorite, I can stomach this one far better than “Let go…”  (I can’t even bring myself to put it in black and white again).

So does God operate within boundaries, keeping a pile of she-can’t-handle-that scenarios over in the corner?

The Bible is clear that our God has the right to govern our universe as He pleases (Psalm 115:3).  He stirs hearts and moves people to action (Ezra 1:1).  He institutes our earthly authorities (Romans 13:1-2).  He makes possible what humans consider impossible (Matthew 19:26).

That doesn’t seem like a God of boundaries.

But over in the book of Job, God is approached by Satan after he’s been roaming the earth (scary, isn’t he?), and gives him permission to test Job.  God is very clear, however, on what the adversary is allowed to do, and what he may not do, in his approach.  “Everything he has is in your hands,” God says, “but on the man himself don’t lay a finger” (Job 1:12).

Restrictions.  God is giving Satan his limitations on how he can deal with Job.  He sees the opportunity for Job to have his faith strengthened, but He will authorize the test only under the condition of protection.  His boundaries are protective of His children.

God expects us to operate within boundaries, too.  Unfortunately to a lot of people, those limitations are perceived as a never-ending list of “do nots” that make a believer’s life boring, and well, restricted.

I don’t know about you, but I’m willing to embrace God’s boundaries for me, knowing He’s simultaneously confining the devil for my protection.

Let’s be glad that the devil is operating within God’s boundaries, and not the other way around!

RLF