...until I need to go get the girls from school. But I wanted to pop in and say hi.
It's gorgeous here in Denver today. In fact, I've been sitting on the back deck with my feet up, reading Jeremiah for my prophets class and Zepheniah for my hermeneutics class. Lovely!
Went to class today and learned about Isaiah. Such good stuff. This class (my prophets class) is rocking my world. I just finished an assignment that I'm thinking about posting here. We'll see if I can frame it in a way that makes sense.
Then I passed my mom while I was driving down the road and called her and she turned around and came and took me out to lunch. Very fun. Some of you know my mom and can attest that she pretty much rocks. It was a hard lesson for me, but I've learned to share. So if you need a mom, I'm willing to share and will even be nice about it. (Which is a whole other story for another day.)
I've been jamming out to some great music today. (Do people still say "jammin' out"? Probably not. Oh well. I'm clearly a child of the 80s.) You know, I've not really been listening to much music lately--and it shows. I've said before that listening to good music--praise music--helps set my heart. And I know it. And yet I haven't. Not too smart. Already my heart feels lighter and more full of joy.
Toben's in Phoenix--why I'm getting the girls from school. Somehow I have a hard time getting them to school on time in the morning. But we had minutes to spare this morning. It was so nice!
Do you ever read the Bible and look at the Israelites or the disciples and think, "They were so dumb!"? Or like Jesus says in The Message, "Are you being willfully stupid?" (Love that!) Often I feel so superior and like I so would have got it. But the truth is that I'm just as stupid as they were.
I'm not getting down on myself, but just stating a fact. I see myself more and more in their not getting it.
Take the Israelites. They'd just walked through the Red Sea on dry ground for crying out loud! And yet they doubted God's ability to give them a little drink. Here's God who's so clearly in control of water and they're afraid a desert might hold him back somehow.
But I do the same thing. God has done amazing miracles in our life. And yet I come up against something and doubt his ability to work. I've been spending quite a bit of time confessing my doubt and unbelief the past day or so and asking him to help me trust him more. To stand back and wait for him to act instead of making my own plans in case he doesn't come through.
Silly, but true.
God can do anything. There's nothing in your life too big or too hard or too overwhelming or too impossible for him to make right. In fact, maybe he's thinking, Great! Here's an opportunity to really show her what I can do!
Maybe we need to get out of the way and let him do it.
Yes, I totally realized that when I said, several months ago, "I'm having a crisis of Faith" that that is when He decided to increase my faith. Of course it pretty much stinks right now...watching one of my best friends in THIS world dying before my eyes; my daughter seeming to go off the deep end and TEST ME AT EVERY TURN; and just Life Things. But since those fateful words several months ago, I have yet to doubt. In fact, as He so knew I would, I have done more praying and talking to Him and listening to Him and FOR Him that I feel as if I can pretty much say I am praying unceasingly.
So I'm stepping out of the way and I'm watching what He IS doing, HAS done and IS GOING TO do.
And yeah...He would have called me stupid, too, cuz I never would have gotten it.
Posted by: Susan | April 08, 2009 at 02:22 PM
Wow...goes along with my post today! We definitely are "in tune" :-) Love ya.
Posted by: Melissa @ Breath of Life | April 08, 2009 at 04:57 PM
Preach it girl! I've always thought of myself as the queen of idiots (no crown included in this title)...since the Lord has to whack me so hard to get my heart to respond. You know...losing mom, housefire, 4 adopted kids through crisis parenting, a failed start up company, negotiating endless govt agencies and monumental debt (just to name the biggies!). Hmmm....maybe I am finally getting it!!! Faith...trust....have a teachable heart and not the stupid, prideful one that loves to C-O-N-T-R-O-L!!!! Open my eyes and see all He has done and will do. And yet, without His spirit, I'm just a stinkin' Israelite, on a good day. ;)
Posted by: Heidi | April 08, 2009 at 05:38 PM
Ha! I hear you about the Israelites and the disciples--I've thought the same thing!
It's way easier to see it all when you are reading about it after the fact. Which kind of makes me think I really need to write down all of the ways God has faithfully helped our family over the years. Wouldn't that be a great thing for my children to read when they are older?
Posted by: brenda | April 08, 2009 at 06:58 PM
Your words are almost word-for-word what I've said about the Israelites before about them not getting it...the miracles before Pharoah, God parting the Sea, then they had to wander in the desert and they were provided food and water for 40 years faithfully...and they still didn't get it.
And yet I have the written Bible, which people living in Jesus time didn't have right at their fingertips in multiple versions for handy reference with a concordance, and I can be soooo stupid. I do the same thing those Israelites did, just in different ways.
It's just plain sad.
Posted by: Kayren | April 08, 2009 at 08:06 PM
You can read my mind. :)
Posted by: Marla Taviano | April 08, 2009 at 08:40 PM
Sounds beautiful there (Denver sounds beautiful in general) - though down in the deep south, we have been having glorious weather as well.
I wish I were taking your classes - that is what I LOVE to study. But to make money in the future? Can't figure that one out - unless I was a writer like you, which though I would love to be, am not!
Posted by: Kristy | April 08, 2009 at 08:57 PM
Sadly, when I read about the Israelites I think, "Dangit. I am just like them." Ever since I read the bible from cover to cover a couple of years ago I realize every day how relevant the OT is...it is TOTALLY relevant to today. People just don't want to face that...
Isaiah is one of my favorites...Isaiah 43:1-2 has gotten me through many a dark place. Then recently I was led to Isa 61:1-3 when praying about ministry. It was total confirmation that I am on the right track and walking in God's will in this area in my life. In most areas really...I'm just in a place right now that is unsettled as far as "what's next?". I have some ideas...but do they match up with God's? We'll see..
Thank you for the reminder to "stand back and wait for Him to act." God is always on time....
Have a great day!
Posted by: Michelle | April 09, 2009 at 08:35 AM
So applicable to my life. My husband is unemployed and dealing with a major medical illness. God has provided for our every need in the last 8 months. Yet as my husband re-evaluates what he will do with his career and what God wants us to do with his career I need to pray and trust. Some of the potential options are exciting but yet create a great deal of fear. Trust and faith a daily muscles to flex and grow...
Posted by: Kimberly | April 09, 2009 at 10:12 AM
Excellent post! It's so true that we can sometimes doubt just like the Israelites did. Thanks for sharing your thoughts with us!
Hope you have a great weekend!
Karen
Posted by: Karen | April 09, 2009 at 04:52 PM