Multitude Monday; Psalm 100

Psalm 100

Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.

Worship the Lord with gladness;

come before him with joyful songs.

Know that the Lord is God. 

It is he who made us, and we are his;

we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving 
and his courts with praise;

give thanks to him and praise his name. 
For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; 
his faithfulness continues through all generations.

Giving Thanks: 

~ smiles on the train ride

~ Paul and Mary picked for the magic show at "A Day Out With Thomas"

~ hearing "I had a really good time."

~ for those who gave it all, so I can live in freedom

~ playing basketball with my three-year-old at the picnic

~ her giggles

~ husband's hard work in the garden (no fancy garden tools)

~ most of the planting done

~ grilled meat and sweet corn for the holiday

~ strawberry shortcake

~ husband's steadfast love and patience

~ no temper tantrums today

~ 32 like-new girls' garments made by Old Navy, The Children's Place, Oshkosh, Jumping Beans, Sonoma, and others, all for $64 at Goodwill

~ Tesha wrote in the comments section a couple weeks ago that she prays I can find the feminine clothes I desire, and praise God, I did find three pretty skirts and two dresses, like new! Thank you, sweet friend. Tesha has one of the biggest hearts in blog world.

~ the heat wave is over (tomorrow)

~ Peter's love of gardening; he did 3/4 of the planting and some of the tilling

~ two more oriole sightings

~ a bunny eating the apple Peter set out for the squirrel

~ Peter excited about his praying mantis egg sac, which will hatch sometime in the next month or maybe two

~ Paul having a great time playing football at the picnic

~ a delicious pasta salad someone made

~ they liked my brownies

~ Tuesdays and Thursdays off from school this summer

~ our two computers are very old and slow, with annoyingly slow Internet speed, but at least we own computers at all

~ daily frustrations that send me to the Lord for comfort

~ going through hard things, and then being able to minister to others

~ the formerly on-the-verge-of-divorce couple happy together at the picnic

~ a clean refrigerator

~ the happy wonder of seeds becoming something big and beautiful, or something tasty

~ our very own, albeit small, strawberry patch producing delicious fruit

~ kids grabbing strawberries as fast as I can wash and cut them

~ mint chip ice cream

~ though Mary's arm got alarmingly fat from a honey bee sting, she didn't need medical care

~ listening to children pray

 What are you thankful for today? 

photos taken summer, 2011 at a local nature park

Zephaniah's Ministry

Background:

The Book of Zephaniah, a prophecy, was written around 640-620 B.C., during King Josiah's rule: 640-609 B.C.

King Josiah of Judah sought to reverse the evil trends brought by the two previous kings of Judah--Manasseh and Amon. There was no world super power at the time, so Josiah had influence among the nations. He was able to institute religious reforms. Zephaniah's prophecy may have motivated those reforms.

Zephaniah 1:2-3
"I will sweep away everything from the face of the earth", declares the Lord. 
"I will sweep away both men and animals; 
I will sweep away the birds of the air and the fish of the sea. 
The wicked will have only heaps of rubble 
when I cut off man from the face of the earth", declares the Lord.


If we only read the New Testament, and if we skip the Book of Revelation, we don't get an accurate picture of God's nature. He is Holy and he cannot tolerate sin. His wrath and anger are as awesome as his mercy and love. If our picture of his character is a warm and fuzzy New Testament one only, we're in trouble, because we won't fear him. We won't obey.


And idols? Oh, how they ignite his anger. Don't think just Baal and Molech. Think power, prestige, image, careers, sports, money, possessions...anything that takes our time away from God. Our God? He is jealous, indeed. Think you don't have time for Him? Think again. God's jealous heart desires that we make time.

Zephaniah 1:4-6
⁴ “I will stretch out my hand against Judah
and against all who live in Jerusalem.
I will destroy every remnant of Baal worship in this place,
the very names of the idolatrous priests —
those who bow down on the roofs
to worship the starry host,
those who bow down and swear by the Lord
and who also swear by Molech,
those who turn back from following the Lord
and neither seek the Lord nor inquire of him.”

Josiah's reforms changed things a bit, but not for long. The people were too far from God to heed any correction. Their hearts had hardened and judgement did come, via the Babylonians, within twenty years of Zephaniah's ministry.

Zephaniah 2:1-3 (emphasis mine)

2 Gather together, gather yourselves together,
you shameful nation,
before the decree takes effect
and that day passes like windblown chaff,
before the Lord’s fierce anger
comes upon you,
before the day of the Lord’s wrath
comes upon you.
Seek the Lord, all you humble of the land,
you who do what he commands.
Seek righteousness, seek humility;
perhaps you will be sheltered
on the day of the Lord’s anger.

Judgement is coming to us, too. We will be judged for our sins, for any indifference to God. But if we remain faithful to God, he will show us mercy. 

From these verses, we hear again how much the Lord loves humility. He sent his Son as a babe, who grew into a humble man, who died a humble death. "Seek the Lord, all you humble of the land. Seek righteousness, seek humility." 

If we get nothing else from Zephaniah, we will hopefully get this: The Lord loves a humble heart.

More on the hate God has for haughtiness in these next verses (emphasis mine):

Zephaniah 3:1-5

Woe to the city of oppressors,
rebellious and defiled!
She obeys no one,
she accepts no correction.
She does not trust in the Lord,
she does not draw near to her God.
Her officials within her
are roaring lions;
her rulers are evening wolves,
who leave nothing for the morning.
Her prophets are unprincipled;
they are treacherous people.
Her priests profane the sanctuary
and do violence to the law.
The Lord within her is righteous;
he does no wrong.
Morning by morning he dispenses his justice,
and every new day he does not fail,
yet the unrighteous know no shame.

Do we accept correction from the Lord? Do we confess our sins, humbling ourselves enough to do so even among loved ones? Do we pray and read the Word regularly, knowing that this makes our own hearts known to us? The Word of God exposes us for who we really are. We become haughty when we fail to understand our position before God. The more we crowd God out of our lives, the haughtier we become. Then our hearts? They harden, making it more difficult to see our own sin.

Zephaniah ends with hope, speaking of the Lord's faithfulness to the remnant. It's hard to read this without tears...it's so full of hope.

Zephaniah 3:9-17 (emphasis mine)

9 “Then I will purify the lips of the peoples,
that all of them may call on the name of the Lord
and serve him shoulder to shoulder.
10 From beyond the rivers of Cush
my worshipers, my scattered people,
will bring me offerings.
11 On that day you, Jerusalem, will not be put to shame
for all the wrongs you have done to me,
because I will remove from you
your arrogant boasters.
Never again will you be haughty
on my holy hill.
12 But I will leave within you
the meek and humble.
The remnant of Israel
will trust in the name of the Lord.
13 They will do no wrong;
they will tell no lies.
A deceitful tongue
will not be found in their mouths.
They will eat and lie down
and no one will make them afraid. ”


14 Sing, Daughter Zion;
shout aloud, Israel!
Be glad and rejoice with all your heart,
Daughter Jerusalem!
15 The Lord has taken away your punishment,
he has turned back your enemy.
The Lord, the King of Israel, is with you;
never again will you fear any harm.
16 On that day
they will say to Jerusalem,
“Do not fear, Zion;
do not let your hands hang limp.
17 The Lord your God is with you,
the Mighty Warrior who saves.
He will take great delight in you;
in his love he will no longer rebuke you,
but will rejoice over you with singing.”

Conclusions:

The reforms in Judah were merely outward--not from the heart. They were simply going through the motions of faith. Their hearts remained far from God.

Since the day of our own salvation, what has happened in our hearts and lives? Is there real change, or do we still live for ourselves and pursue other Gods? 

The steps to true heart change? Humility, Faithfulness, Prayer 

If we are faithful to spend time with God, he will humble us; and as we continue in Him, we will remain humble. 

Zephaniah 3:17

The Lord your God is with you,

he is mighty to save.

He will take delight in you,

he will quiet you with his love,

he will rejoice over you with singing

Prayer Time: Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for Zephaniah's ministry. Thank you for your Word, for the way it washes us clean. May we remain faithful to spend time with you. Humble us, Lord. May we receive your correction with glad hearts. May nothing take your place in our hearts and lives. May we live for you, replacing our will with yours.

In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.

photo credit

The Day the Water Ran Dry

The Pinch of Poverty, 1891
Thomas Benjamin Kennington

I awake to a trickle of running water and my world falls apart. It feels so desperate, not flushing toilets, not taking off my bathrobe to enjoy my shower ritual. Within ninety minutes, feeling dirty, looking disheveled, I'm holding back frustrated tears.

Checking the Internet, I insert our zip code and find that a water main broke at 2 AM and should be fixed by 9:00 AM. The clock says 9:45 AM...and still just a trickle.

I wander the house aimlessly, thinking of the things I can't do. Laundry, dishes, flushing, showering, mopping, making lemonade.

The children? They can't go outside until I get my shower, but otherwise they're unaffected and probably not understanding their Mama's angst.

For four hours we go without water and I try to count blessings. We can wash our hands with a trickle. I think of that bright fact but nothing else comes to my spoiled mind.

Shame fills me as I realize how my Compassion children wake up every day. How long do they go without being immersed in water to clean their whole bodies? Can they ever shower or bathe, or is it just sponge baths or contaminated river baths? And their mothers, how do they stay clean after childbirth and what do they do with the stench of their own bodies?

The thoughts haunt me, until I remember Jesus. He's all they have and He is more than enough. Every person who goes on Compassion trips mentions the hope in Jesus in these impoverished but saved families. The joy evident in the children.

Who needs rescuing really? Me from my plenty...or them from their lack? If Jesus is enough for them, but I need Jesus plus running water and a daily shower and three meals a day plus snacks, who is richer? What does blessed even mean?

The ache of love for them overwhelms me and I need to see them. I pray again that we can meet them someday. Then I copy drawing lesson pages for Raphael, Divya, and Nelson and prepare letters to mail out, while I wait for the water.

In this work I find peace. Vertical love from God, turned into horizontal love for these children, it heals my self-centered heart. Love heals.

People ask...why does God allow such poverty? What do some go hungry and look like bones, while others get fat on steak, salad, and baked potatoes with butter and sour cream?

And on this day, I know the answer. He allows it so we can rescue each other. For when poor and rich love each other, it's earthly love perfected...as good as it gets here on earth. It's the heart of God, realized. Act justly, love mercy, walk humbly.

Micah 6:8
He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.

80% of people live in poverty. 20% live in plenty. The 20% can never get enough. There's always something bigger, better, newer. New idols form so easily, even as we read our Bibles and go to church and pray.

The 80%, with nothing, can't get enough of Him. He's there for both sides, but they feel him more. They love him more. They worship him more.

They need us to help fill their bellies. We need them to help fill our souls.

Won't you sponsor a child today and take advantage of a relationship God deeply wants for you? A relationship you desperately need?

At 11:40 AM I get my shower, desperately taken in a heavy trickle of water pressure. To be squeaky clean again? It felt glorious, but by then I knew the truth.

Love washes us clean.

Water? It's just an outward sign of an inner change.

Painting found here

Solomon's Wisdom and Multitude Monday

In the middle of the night it starts. A nasty cold in my little one; germs gathered from the physical therapy gym. Knowing I will miss church in the morning, I rise early to read Scripture. Ecclesiastes, the whole 12 chapters, because I'm mesmerized and I can't put it down. I want more wisdom to match these wrinkles, I suppose?



This Solomon, he did it all and felt it all and watched it all...everything under the sun.

He starts thus (Ecc 1:2):


"Meaningless! Meaningless!"
says the Teacher.
"Utterly meaningless!
Everything is meaningless."


And twelve chapters later, he concludes (Ecc12:13-14):

Now all has been heard;
here is the conclusion of the matter;
Fear God and keep his commandments,
for this is the whole duty of man.
For God will bring every deed into judgment,
including every hidden thing,
whether it is good or evil.


Solomon fell away from God during his life, but at the end he repented of his foolishness. He wants us to learn from his mistakes. Stop scurrying around, chasing after the wind, pursuing this and that. Remember God now, right now.

Ecc. 12:10
Remember your Creator
in the days of your youth,
before the days of trouble come
and the years approach when you will say,
"I find no pleasure in them"--

If we're constantly chasing after something--success, money, recognition, possessions, power, pleasure--we don't put God first. We make idols of the things we chase. Later, when we're old and our years are wasted, we'll grieve that we didn't remember God. We will be judged for how we spend our time. Each day is a gift and it matters what we do with it.

So...what is worthwhile? How should we spend our time?

So I commend the enjoyment of life, because nothing is better for a man under the sun that to eat and drink and be glad. Then joy will accompany him in his work all the days of the life God has given him under the sun. Ecc. 8:15


Ecc. 9:7-12
Go, eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine with a joyful heart, for it is now that God favors what you do. Always be clothed in white, and always anoint your head with oil (signs of happiness and celebration). Enjoy life with your wife, whom you love, all the days of this meaningless life that God has given you under the sun--all your meaningless days. For this is the lot in life and in your toilsome labor under the sun. Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the grave, where you are going, there is neither working nor planing nor knowledge nor wisdom. 


I have seen something else under the sun:


The race is not to the swift
or the battle to the strong,
nor does the food come to the wise
or wealth to the brilliant
or favor to the learned;
but time and chance happen to them all.


Moreover, no man knows when his hour will come:


As fish are caught in a cruel net,
or birds are taken in a snare,
so men are trapped by evil times
that fall unexpectedly upon them.


We should live with joy! In celebration with the ones we love. "Time and chance happen to them all." We do not control our own destiny, though it's tempting to believe we do. We won't have a better destiny by toiling too much.

Whatever God has given you--whether much or little--give thanks and enjoy. Not pursuing pleasure only, or work only. But in the right measure--which God will show you as you walk with Him--work hard with a glad heart

And because Solomon testifies that how we spend our time matters, here is a link about crafting a family mission statement (same one I shared yesterday). And here is an online inventory to discover your spiritual gifts...another tool to discover what God wants from you.

My joy list, because Solomon says joy is worthwhile:

~ Cuddling with four sick kids.

~ Holding a coughing three-year-old against my chest at 4:00 in the morning, smelling her sweetness and living the blessing, as she slept more soundly in the upright position

~ Having an unbelieving relative tell me "Perhaps you shouldn't be giving Compassion International $38 a month (for Nelson in El Salvador) because doesn't your own family need that money? Doesn't charity begin at home?" By the grace of God, I was able to tell her that He always gives that money back to us and more, each month. Just two days before her advice, we were given six tickets to go to "A Day Out With Thomas". It's an expensive Thomas the Train event in which you get a twenty-five minute ride on a train coupled with Thomas the Train. At each train stop there are Thomas-related activities to choose from. We were given six tickets by the hospital Beth goes to for her arthritis-related needs. In addition, the same hospital gave us free tickets to the local zoo, along with lunch and fellowship (and education) with other families who receive services from the pediatric rheumatology department. All patients and their families were invited. You can never out give God! And we should never fear that if we give, we won't have enough. Enough doesn't come from us, but from God.

~ A loving and loyal husband to spend my days with. One who lets me take his picture with a pink toy teacup in his hand.

~ Roses blooming and the girls all excited.

~ Watching the sparrows gather grass for nests.

~ Veggie Tales to watch on sick days.

~ Making cookies for sick ones, including Husband, and hearing their thankful hearts.

~ So far, no arthritis flare from Beth's nasty cold. I am praying hard!

~ An e-mail invite to a wiener roast on Sunday, right after Peter asked, "when can we go to a bonfire and make smores?"

~ The temperamental lawn mower, which works one time in fifteen, worked this weekend, long enough to do the whole lawn! God provides, just not always in our timing.

~ Extra time to fold clothes, since the kids are too sick for school.

Jesus Came to Dinner

The invitations, handmade. The event? Saturday night pizza and watermelon at our house, followed by a tea party. With a honey pot, of course. Okay...that part I made up...just an excuse to put our good friend Pooh up there.

The guest of honor? Our new neighborhood friend, that Lexi girl--also known as Pipi Longstocking. (Because she makes up her own rules, just like Pipi.)

What better way to tell someone about the reason for your hope than to invite them for a meal? Jesus dwells here and we love Him. Won't you meet him here, too? Won't you, too, experience His hope?

But alas, the guest didn't show. When she told me on Friday that her mom said yes, I sensed lying eyes, but we prepared everything anyway. She appeared to be gone the whole day, so there must have been prior plans.

But anyway..the handmade invitation melted her heart. She felt loved. "You guys are the best," she said upon reading it.

Guess who did show up? Jesus! He never misses a chance to dine with us.

You've heard this? The family that prays together stays together.

I say: The family that prays and dines together, stays together.  

Whatever you plan as the manager of your home, and possibly of your schedule, don't forget these two things: family prayer time; family dining time  Each is a like a gift to unwrap. Gifts that keep on giving.

We had a blast, each doing a silly toast with our play tea cups.

~ Peter toasted the birds.

~ Paul toasted football on the first round, and basketball on the second round.

~ Beth toasted chocolate chips on the first round--clearly a child after my own semi-sweet heart--and going to the park on the second.

~ Mary toasted the bunnies.

There are many ways to make dining more meaningful. We like to ask a question and go around the table, giving each person a chance to reflect and answer. "What are you most thankful for today?" "What was your favorite part of the day?" "Tell me one thing you learned today."

You'll laugh together...you'll marvel at your kids...you'll look adoringly into your husband's eyes, so glad you married him and created a family together.

This time spent leisurely together, rather than rushing from here to there in the evenings? It cements you as a family unit. Your children will remember the lessons taught at the table...the discipling that went on there. You'll build their trust as you take time to really listen to them.

A lot of things will compete for this time, the enemy will assure that. Some of them, like sports and other extracurricular activities, will seem so beneficial and fun. Everyone's doing them and you don't want to be the odd family out.

But what is your family's mission? What does HE want from you? Maybe right now it is sports.

But have you asked Him?

If you've never sat down and crafted a family mission statement, look first to the greatest two commandments, and then at your spiritual gifts. They will point to a mission for you.

Matthew 22:36-40
 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

Pooh found here