Sunday Morning Prayer
February 25, 2007 | Leave a Comment
“41 And he withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed, 42 saying, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” 43 And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him. 44 And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.” (Luke 22:41-44).
O Father, help us to learn from our Savior how to pray. Whatever trials we may walk through, they cannot compare with the agony that Christ bore in the Gethsemane. Help us to pray with His fervor, and with His submission. “Being in agony, He prayed more earnestly…” In the midst of the storms of our soul, help us to run to You, and not run away from You. Grant us to pray with earnestness, Lord. Enliven our prayers from being mechanical and lifeless to being full of passion and intensity. And help us to always pray in reverent submission to You, “Now my will, but Yours be done.” Grant us to trust in Your perfect wisdom and in Your omnipotent power. You will withold nothing good from those who walk uprightly. So help us to offer everything to You in prayer.
Larry
Don’t Waste Your Life Podcast
February 24, 2007 | Leave a Comment
Lar,
I’m thinking you may have seen this, but it looks great--a ‘Don’t Waste Your Life Podcast.’ I have already viewed the first 5 episodes and have been blessed. Each episode is only a few minutes long, but they do stir your heart!
Laboring to make my life count,
Joe
The Need for Power
February 24, 2007 | 2 Comments
Lar,
It’s been awhile (for me at least) since I posted a Tozer quote. I received this one today in my email and was stirred. This is nothing fancy from him, but it speaks volumes about us even today. As you know, I long to see a day in the Church when quality is emphasized over quantity. It’s harder for sure, but that is exactly why it is more significant. In particular, to cultivate fellowship with the Holy Spirit takes a great deal of discipline. And sadly, we as a Church aren’t willing to practice such discipline. What might happen if we took much of our working and made it a waiting? How might God move? What mighty works might He (not we) do among us? Let us pray for the grace to become such quality men and faithfully call others to the same.
That being said, here is Tozer.
To please God, a person must be just an instrument for God to use. For a few seconds, picture in your mind the variety of wonderful and useful appliances we have in our homes. They have been engineered and built to perform tasks of all kinds. But without the inflow of electrical power they are just lumps of metal and plastic, unable to function and serve. They cannot do their work until power is applied from a dynamic outside source.
So it is in the work of God in the church. Many people preach and teach. Many take part in the music. Certain ones try to administer God’s work. But if the power of God’s Spirit does not have freedom to energize all they do, these workers might just as well stay home.
Natural gifts are not enough in God’s work. The mighty Spirit of God must have freedom to animate and quicken with His overtones of creativity and blessing.
Let’s labor to give the Spirit that freedom brother!
Seeking Him with you,
Joe
Saturday Morning Prayer
February 24, 2007 | Leave a Comment
28 Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. 29 For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me. (Colossians 1:28-29)
Father, the world around us toils and labors for so many things: money, popularity, possessions, sexual pleasure, and the list could go on forever. Help us to be laborers also, but to labor only for that which endures to eternity. Help us to struggle with all the energy within us to present others mature in Christ. Help us to proclaim Christ, to teach and encourage and rebuke others in the service of love. And we praise You that the energy within us is not our own; we struggle with Your energy, that You powerfully work within us. Energize our hearts today, Lord, for the joyful labor of seeing others conformed more to Your image and likeness.
Larry
Joyful Mourning
February 23, 2007 | Leave a Comment
Joe,
Here’s my semi-regular hymn reflection. I can’t think of a more glorious truth to ponder that our Lord Jesus has been crucified. There is a mourning here, since it was our sin that nailed Christ to the Cross. Yet it is a joyful mourning, since His Cross bought our freedom from sin so that we could enjoy the riches of His glory forever.
O come and mourn with me awhile;
And tarry here the cross beside;
O come, together let us mourn;
Jesus, our Lord, is crucified.
Have we no tears to shed for Him,
While soldiers scoff and foes deride?
Ah! look how patiently He hangs;
Jesus, our Lord, is crucified.
How fast His hands and feet are nailed;
His blessed tongue with thirst is tied,
His failing eyes are blind with blood:
Jesus, our Lord, is crucified.
Seven times He spoke, seven words of love;
And all three hours His silence cried
For mercy on the souls of men;
Jesus, our Lord, is crucified.
Come, let us stand beneath the cross;
So may the blood from out His side
Fall gently on us drop by drop;
Jesus, our Lord, is crucified.
O break, O break, hard heart of mine!
Thy weak self-love and guilty pride
His Pilate and His Judas were:
Jesus, our Lord, is crucified.
A broken heart, a fount of tears,
Ask, and they will not be denied;
A broken heart love’s cradle is:
Jesus, our Lord, is crucified.
O love of God! O sin of man!
In this dread act Your strength is tried;
And victory remains with love;
For Thou our Lord, art crucified!
Larry
Love That Looks Like Waste
February 23, 2007 | Leave a Comment
Joe,
Since you won’t be around for a couple of days, I won’t bother to respond to your last post. Perhaps we’ll wrap that up another time, but I know if was profitable for me to think about some of that stuff. Anyway, I’m not sure if you saw this one, but in the recent Desiring God newsletter, Jon Bloom has written some challenging words on Mary’s extravagant worship in John 12:1-8:
Judas simply could not understand Mary’s ridiculous decision. During dinner she had just taken a jar of expensive perfume and dumped it on Jesus’ feet! That perfume was worth almost a year’s wages. What a waste! Just think what could have been done with that money.
“Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?”
But helping the poor wasn’t really Judas’ concern. “He said this not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief and being in charge of the moneybag he used to help himself to what was put into it” (John 12:6). Judas was Judas’ concern.
John 12 shows Mary and Judas in stark contrast. One “wasted” her costly perfume on Jesus’ feet. The other stole from Jesus’ moneybag.
What was motivating them? Gain. They both pursued the treasure they believed would make them happy. To Mary, Jesus was the Pearl of Great Price, far more precious than money. To Judas, thirty pieces of silver was a fair price for the Pearl.
Once again the Bible beautifully illustrates Christian Hedonism. We pour out our love, our time, our energy, our money—in other words, our worship—on what we treasure most. And when we see others worshiping what we consider less valuable, we view it as a waste.
In Judas’ criticism of Mary we hear what the world thinks of those who give something precious to Jesus. Why this waste? Couldn’t your time or money or mind have been better spent?
To follow Jesus means sometimes choosing to lose what the world sees as gain. Jesus said, “Whoever loves his life loses it. And whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life” (John 12:25). “Hating your life in this world” means foregoing worldly gain to have eternal gain.
The truth is that this kind of life is worship, not waste. Like Mary pouring out her perfume, a life of sacrificial love for Jesus shows how precious he really is. And it preaches to a bewildered world that Christ is gain and the real waste is gaining the world while losing your soul.
So who is telling you that you are wasting your life? The world? Or Jesus? You eventually hear it from one or the other. Whose opinion influences you the most?
Let us strive, brother, to hear the world tell us that we are wasting our lives, not Jesus. By God’s grace, I have heard that rebuke from people in this world. And I long to never hear it come from the lips of Jesus.
Larry
More Musings on Laughter
February 23, 2007 | Leave a Comment
Lar,
Good stuff as always hermano. That quote you put up yesterday was phenomenal. As I was reading it I couldn’t help but pray, “Lord, make me that kind of man!” I’m praying that He would answer.
As for your musings on laughter, I enjoyed them as I normally do. As I have said before, the discussion aspect of this blog is an awesome encouragement to me. I pray it serves others as well, but if nothing else, it stirs my soul! In response, I would first have to say that my post yesterday probably didn’t make clear enough the fact that I am by no means concerned about you! I think you know this, so maybe you blogged for the betterment of others. Either way, I think I would have to tell you straight up brother that I want to see and hear you laughing more! And I am dead serious about that. That’s right, I’m dead serious about seeing more laughter!
Of course, I suppose you already know this, considering you are well aware of my joy in making you laugh with stupid jokes of all sorts, but I thought it would be beneficial to make that clear up front. Not so much to clear the air or something (as if I would have to), but to honestly exhort you to more laughter. It’s a healthy thing no doubt and should probably be very evident in every Christian fellowship. After all, we should be the happiest people in the world. And if we are the happiest people in the world, we will probably be laughing a lot!
The thing I would like to convey and emphasize again, however, is that we should also be the most burdened people in the world. As I have heard Piper say, godly joy is a very serious joy. I believe that. And like I said, my concern with the link is not that you linked to it. Link away brother. Link away! My concern is not even your (or my or any other individual’s really) response to it. At least not ultimately. My concern is primarily what I think such a video reveals or points to about our current state in evangelicalism (or at least on one side of evangelicalism).
The problem as I see it is not that we need less laughter. No. In fact, I would say that we could always use a lot more. Instead, we just need more mourning. I hope that makes sense. What I am trying to say is that we don’t have to decrease one to get the other. In fact, I would dare say that the bearing of godly burdens for the lost, the church, the poor, the aborted, etc. actually brings more laughter into one’s life. The bearing of burdens serves to bring more joy.
This is paradoxical, but that is exactly why it fits into the Christian life, and why it fits into life at all. It’s weird isn’t it? I mean, we can know about world hunger and abortion and even weep over it for a time. But not all the time. Some time. Even at times a long time. Yes. We should. We need more of it I believe. But if we spend our entire lives there, our mourning won’t be worth much. I think it can be more or less faithfully said that our laughter is only as good as our mourning and our mourning only as good as our laughter.
This should make sense, because if we don’t know what it means to mourn, how can we trust our laughter? I don’t think we can. Isn’t that why those who are dead in their trangressions and sins laugh at so much that definitely is not funny? I think so. They don’t know God and therefore, cannot see clearly enough to mourn over what they ought and laugh at what they ought. We are only safe in laughter when we know what it means to mourn.
I believe Christian experience testifies to this, but I would like your thoughts. Take some time to think about that if you will and give me your musings. As usual, I am thinking ‘on the fly’ (0r not thinking depending upon your perspective!).
Alright brother. Thanks so much for the discussion. It really serves to increase my joy!
Mourning and Laughing with you,
Joe
p.s. I’m headed out of town on a road trip today, so I might not be available on saturday (or later today for that matter). Just a heads up. Usually the weekends are slow blogging days anyhow, so if this conversation isn’t finished, let’s pick it up Monday! Also, our road trip is 7 hours and I’m preaching on Sunday, so your (and anyone else’s) prayers for grace are much appreciated! Alright, peace.
Friday Morning Prayer
February 23, 2007 | Leave a Comment
“Remember, O my soul, it is thy duty and privilege to rejoice in God: He requires it of thee for all his favours of grace. Rejoice then in the Giver and his goodness, be happy in Him, O my heart, and in nothing but God. For whatever a man trusts in, from that he expects happiness.” Valley of Vision
Give us grace, O God, to seek our happiness in You. For with You is the fountain of life, and in Your light do we see light.
Larry
Timely Word
February 22, 2007 | Leave a Comment
Joe,
I think that in light of our present discussion, this quote that I saw over at JT’s blog was timely. It’s from John Piper in his new book on William Wilberforce:
There was in this child-like love of children and joyful freedom from care a deeply healthy self-forgetfulness. Richard Wellesley, Duke of Wellington, wrote after a meeting with Wilberforce, “You have made me so entirely forget you are a great man by seeming to forget it yourself in all our intercourse.” The effect of this self-forgetting joy was another mark of mental and spiritual health, namely, a joyful ability to see all the good in the world instead of being consumed by one’s own problems (even when those problems are huge). James Stephen recalled after Wilberforce’s death, “Being himself amused and interested by everything, whatever he said became amusing or interesting. . . . His presence was as fatal to dullness as to immorality. His mirth was as irresistible as the first laughter of childhood.”
Larry
More Musing on Humor
February 22, 2007 | Leave a Comment
Joe,
I am actually not too shocked by your last post, and especially the questions that the video I posted raised. In fact, when I first titled the post I called it, ‘Funny, and Sad’ but then I changed it because I thought such a title would warrant a longer explanation than I felt like giving yesterday. You offered much of that explanation in your post!
All that to say that I understand your feeling as if the video was not really something that ought to amuse us. The truth behind it — that many millions of people will suffer eternally for bowing only before the altar of self — is certainly not funny. So why did I post it?
Well, you suggested that maybe it was a defense mechanism. Maybe, though I don’t know. What I do know is that much of my life is entrenched in controversy and quarreling. That is how it is in ministry. My soul is constantly wearied by quarreling, misunderstandings, disagreements, etc. Do I weep over all those things as I ought to, as I would like to? No, I don’t. But I also think that if I have no outlet at all, if I was unable to step back for a couple of minutes during the day to laugh or smile, that I would probably not last in the work of ministry through the end of this week.
Perhaps the video was a defense mechanism, but perhaps it was just a way to take 85 seconds off from the daily grind and take a breath. Perhaps the way I took that breath was a poor use of 85 seconds, I don’t know. I do not think that it trivialized or belittled the burden I have to see people rescued from bondage to self to treasure and esteem the glory of the Savior. If it was a communication to others that the worship of self is essentially a funny thing to be laughed at, then I would certainly feel bad about that. You know, as do our readers who know me, that’s not how I feel. But there are also people who check our blog who have never met us and don’t know our hearts. So I am thankful for your challenge and the opportunity it allows me to clarify and qualify my thinking.
On a semi-related note, I wonder if Jesus got a laugh out of people when He said, “Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?” (Matthew 7:3). The context is certainly not a funny one, but that is a funny image. I am inclined to think that people laughed, and perhaps even that Jesus intended people to laugh at it; to laugh them into shame. Is it possible that a video like this one might do the same?
Does that mean we should just laugh at anything and everything? No, certainly it doesn’t. But it may mean (and I stress it may, because I don’t want to abuse or stretch texts like Matthew 7:3 beyond what is clear, but I am just trying to use my imagination like you want me to!!) that even in dealing with and confronting sin — such as American absorption with self — there may be a time when a pause for laughter is not inappropriate.
These are just some random musings, brother. Your post certainly made me think. I agree with much of what you wrote, and yet still found the clip to be mildly humorous and don’t really feel as though my amusement was dishonoring to God. But it definitely gives us all an opportunity to think, as you suggested, about what we laugh at and why we laugh at it. I would think that we should all take close examination of our own hearts for the answer to that question.
Larry
Some Thoughts on Humor
February 22, 2007 | Leave a Comment
Lar,
Good stuff on the imagination yesterday. I really enjoyed that topic. I’m sure we will come back to it at some point–and I would, in fact, like to do so. If only as a simple reminder, I think it would be helpful for us both and everyone else listening. It definitely helps us to not only enjoy our reading of the Scriptures, but specifically and I believe, most importantly, it helps stir our affects for the Lord. Using our imaginations we realize that He is the God of history. In particular, I think it helps us to remember that we are reading about actual occurrences in Scripture. So often, I think we tend to read the Word and somehow come to think that everything that took place happened in some historical vacuum! This is real stuff with read people. It’s real historical fact. And that is important to know for sure.
Anyhow….that is for another post one day, like I said. I wanted to offer a few reflections and questions in relationship to your link yesterday to that video. I’m just going to give you my initial thoughts and feelings when I viewed it.
First, I thought the guy singing was funny. Kind of goofy, but he stood out immediately. But as he sung and I saw the various words, I wasn’t too amused. The question just keep confronting me, “Is this funny?” I mean think about it. Though I know he is referring to the state of much of current evangelicalism, I think the video might have revealed another weakness of ours. Self-centered theology is surely at the forefront, but might we also be greatly lacking a burdened, grieving heart? I think so.
I think we need to ask ourselves: Where are our tears? Self-centeredness surrounds us inside and outside the Church, but rather than weep in prayer, we tend to laugh or criticize. Maybe it is a self-defense mechanism of some sort. Lord knows, we resist godly burdens. But whatever it is, the tendency seems quite clear. There are many I respect in the theological realm that see the errors of today’s church. And I am with most of their criticism, but I think we really need to beware of becoming distanced from it. The burden needs to be real. Criticisms must come with tears. And I’m not seeing a lot of them, from myself or many others.
Now, I’m not saying that there is no time for laughter. You know full well how much I enjoy laughing myself and trying to make others laugh. What I am saying is that when it comes to anything revolving around the central self-centered sinfulness of the human heart, can it really be funny? Is the Lord laughing? Is He who rode into Jerusalem on a colt and with tears laughing at such things? I tend to think not.
Of course, all this is not to criticize you. I just kind of assumed you knew that up front. But I’ll just make that plain here. My point is simply that we as a Church lack tears. I lack tears. Maybe I laugh too much. No doubt, I believe there will be much laughter in heaven, but now is probably the time to sow in tears. And what I laugh it, is it really funny?
We mentioned a little bit ago on this blog that what we laugh it reveals a great deal about who we are. I think it is true. That being said, I think another question should be asked. Maybe we can try to give some sort of answer. The question(s)?
What is funny? Is there some sort of criteria we can come up with? Or what should we as Christians find funny? And what should we not find funny?
Of course, these questions aren’t meant to be asked and answered in a legalistic way, but in a way that looks at our hearts and exposes the various sins that we can cover up with laughter. Sins like a clear resistance to the burden of the Spirit, in particular for this case, a burdened for a lukewarm self-centered Church. I want to be burdened brother. And I know you do too. I don’t want to run from bearing the burden for an outpouring of the Spirit. It’s not comfortable for sure, but we’ll be comfortable in heaven. For now, we must embrace a life of longing. We must follow Christ.
Let me know your thoughts. I look forward to them. Until then, let’s seek the Lord and pray for the grace to become burdened men. For only then can we walk in the power of the Spirit to the glory of our God!
Seeking to live with longing,
Joe
Thursday Morning Prayer
February 22, 2007 | Leave a Comment
“9And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.” (Colossians 1:9-10)
Father, help us to walk in a manner that is worthy of You today. We want to bear fruit in every good work, and to do that we must grow in the knowledge of You. By beholding the glory of Your Son, we are ever being conformed into His image, from one degree of glory to another (2 Corinthians 3:18). So do not allow us to ignore a deep, passionate, soul-satisfying study of Your glorious attributes. Help us to stand in awe of You as we strive to know You more perfectly, and make the knowledge that we have of You manifest itself in words and deeds of love that would lead others into Your presence.
Larry
Humor Interlude
February 21, 2007 | Leave a Comment
Hey Joe,
Again, there have been some long posts today, so here is a short recommendation. I’m guessing you haven’t seen this commercial for an exciting new worship CD. I’m thinking about getting this CD for some of our worship leaders at JCF so they can incorporate these on Sunday mornings.
Let me know what you think,
Larry
Who I’d Like to Meet in Heaven, Part 2
February 21, 2007 | Leave a Comment
Joe,
Thanks for your reflections on some of the people you are eager to talk to in heaven, and the questions you’d like to ask them. Your words toward the end about using our imagination as we read the stories of the Bible were especially meaningful to me because I have just been thinking about that in relation to the story of Abraham.
I had actually intended to write about how I would like to meet Joseph in heaven and talk to him about his extraordinary faith and confidence in a sovereign God despite the hatred and injustice he experienced at the hands of his brothers. I believe it was thirteen years that went by from the time he was sold into slavery to the time that he was made ‘vice president’ to Pharaoh and put in charge of the distribution of crops, the position that would eventually enable him to preserve his kinsmen. Thirteen years! I can’t imagine the feeling of abandonment — from his family and from his God — in those thirteen years.
But to go through all that and then say to the brothers who sold you into slavery with the utmost confidence, “God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors. 8So it was not you who sent me here, but God.” (Genesis 45:7-8). What remarkable faith and trust in God’s good and merciful designs in the pain that other people inflict upon us. I’d just love to sit down with him and talk about those thirteen years, and how he fought for faith in an omnipotent God, despite circumstances that seemed to be screaming otherwise.
Actually this post was supposed to be about Abraham! He has been on my mind lately because I am reading through Genesis and his story is just amazing. Your last couple of posts have prompted me to think more about how little we use our minds to think about the details that are often left out of the biblical records. We need to be careful to not let our imagination dictate the meaning of texts and not allow speculations to become facts in our minds, but I think that using the mind as you have been talking about is very helpful in reminding us that these were real people in real circumstances that we’re reading about.
I tend to read a verse like, “When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built the altar there and laid the wood in order and bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood,” (Genesis 22:9), and if I am not thinking, I just pass right over it! My lack of thought detaches me from the fact that this was a real father getting ready to slaughter his precious son in the service of God! Don’t you just want to know some more of the details?!
In fact, I find myself almost getting frustrated at times as I move through Genesis. I can’t imagine Isaac just laid there thinking, ‘Hm, this is a little odd; it appears that dad is offering me as a sacrifice.’ Was there a struggle between them? What else was said? What about when Abraham told Sarah to pretend she was his sister, so he wouldn’t be killed? Was she just cool with that? And how in the world, after doing that once, could he do the same thing a second time? But then I am reminded of how often I, having seen the folly of my own ways, continue to walk in pride and selfishness so often.
All that to say two things. First, I heartily agree with you that a healthy use of the imagination can enliven our reading of Scripture. Second, I can’t wait to sit down with these great men like Abraham and Joseph and asked them how they did what they did. But if we do not think deeply about their stories, it is unlikely that we will be stirred with much passion about the accomplishments of people like them or of the great God whom they (and we!) served.
Seeking Him with you,
Larry
Childlike Trust?
February 21, 2007 | Leave a Comment
First a short note about the set-up for this blog. Erin and I have decided to make this blog something of an on-line conversation. This is what I do with Larry on the Seeking Him Blog (more or less) and I like the format. It gives us the opportunity to linger on a topic for a season if we wish. I think that will be helpful here. Of course, unlike Larry and I, Erin and I live in the same house and share our every detail of life together. We are joyfully one flesh. Yet I still think an on-line conversation can work. Maybe it can even work better actually, considering the fact that we can help one another with our various posts! With that be said….
Erin,
So I was thinking about your post from yesterday as I read through Exodus 4 this morning. As I mentioned to you before you made the post, I enjoyed your thoughts in relationship to parenting. But I definitely was surprised when I started to think about parenting this moring while reading Exodus 4! What is happening to me here? Oh, that’s right, we started a blog! It’s working already isn’t it? Lessons are being learned. Anyhow….
I was thinking about Moses and all his various doubts. I could easily get down on him until I remind myself of my own weakness and especially, the little exposure that Moses had to the glory of God. He had no face of Christ to look at. He had no New Covenant revelation which we so freely enjoy (and often take for granted). In that vein, it struck me that one of the reasons why Moses clearly had his doubts was because he hadn’t had ample opportunity to see the Lord in action. Of course, I think the primary reason he doubted was because he was too focused on himself and too little on the Lord, but that reason doesn’t negate what I just said. In fact, it might support it. For maybe the reason why he was so focused on himself is because he knew so little about the Lord. We have to remember that at this point in human history, the Lord had not yet revealed too much of His Person and glory. After all, He was soon to use Moses to do so!
That being said, I drifted to thoughts of parenthood and the way in which children, as they grow older, seem to lose their childlike trust. For Elijah, well, he can’t help but trust us (except when it is dinner time and you leave the room), but as Abby grows older, it’s as if the fall sets in and she begins to doubt all authority, just as our forebearers, Adam and Eve, did the Lord in the Garden. As it relates to us, she doubts that we are striving for her good and in fact, that we know better than she what her good really is. We tell her everyday that she needs to take a nap, but every day is still a fight. She really doesn’t trust that we know and want to do what is best for her. What is the deal?
Well, sin is the deal. That comes first of course. Our kids emerge (just as we did) from the womb foolish as can be! The parents who don’t see this must, in all honesty, be fools themselves, because it seems quite obvious. Kids aren’t simply ignorant, they are foolish and they will remain foolish and in fact, grow more foolish if we don’t help them see their need for the grace to change their foolishness.
That is all very true, yes, but there is still more I believe. As it relates to my thinking this morning, the more has to do with our children’s need to see more of us in consistent, trustworthy action. For just as Moses failed to trust that the Lord knew what was best for him because he had yet to see His trustworthiness, so too might it be that Abigail needs to see us prove ourselves wise and trustworthy? I think so. Though she has seen a good deal already (imperfectly of course!), we have to remember that she has a hard time consistently recalling what happened two days ago. And she doesn’t have the luxury of sitting herself down in quiet to reflect on our trustworthiness and love. Instead, she is always on the go.
That being said, I think it is a good lesson for us: we need to make it our aim to prove ourselves trustworthy day in and day out for the rest of our lives. And this is true not only to our children, but before our children. That is to say that they will take notice of all our interactions with each other and others and they will know whether or not we are really reliable and faithful people. They will know whether or not we are for real. And the older they grow, the more memories they will have of our being loving and wise and faithful. Then, say, when they are teenagers, they will actually come to us for advice! Yes, it really can happen folks!
One more thing: It struck me while writing this out how this really does parallel the way we relate to the Lord. Don’t we struggle with the same trust issues? The difficulties of today come and somehow we think that the Lord won’t come through. Though He has promised us mercies that are new every morning, we aren’t so sure. What is our deal? Well, sin of course. But the lesson I believe for us is that we must fight against this sinful tendency of unbelief by filling our hearts up with Bible truth—every single day. We need to be reminded each morning of the faithfulness and trustworthiness of God. For only then will we become the faithful and trustworthy and wise ourselves. Only as we behold His glory will we grow into His likeness and lead our children well.
Alright, that’s more than enough for now–as usual love. I suppose it is nice for you that I can get my ramblings out on this blog instead of in our living room to you each day! You are a good listener of course, but as a mother of two, I think this blog has more time to do so!
Seeking to be a trustworthy parent with you,
Joe
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