The Wisest Counselor

Psalm 119:99-100(MSG)
I've even become smarter than my teachers since I've pondered and absorbed Your counsel. I've become wiser than the wise old sages simply by doing what You tell me.

Hmmm...I definitely do NOT feel smarter than my teachers. 

However, I do know that the more I choose to be aware and responsive to the Lord's presence in my life, the more confident I am becoming in my role as a daughter of the most high King. I know that when I ponder the word of God and put it into action, I feel an indescribable strength coming from within. When I absorb verses like John 14:15-18 (NIV), I find a fresh resolve to listen and obey the "Spirit of truth." Read the following words slowly, as it is Christ, the Son of the living God, promising to help us forever!

"If you love me, you will obey what I command. And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Counselor to be with you forever--the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept Him, because it neither sees Him or knows Him. But you know Him, for He lives with you and will be in you.I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you."

My birds have given up on trying to chase this
big fella away. I guess they figure if he stays on
his side and they stay on their side nobody
will get hurt! Now that's what I call wisdom!!

Let's face it, in this day and age of technology, a person could feel very overwhelmed and unintelligent extremely quickly. I know this to be true...cuz...I'm living it. I did not grow up with cell phones and key pads. I just recently broke the habit of the "2 spaces" after a period, reducing it to only one space. If you don't know what I'm talking about, that's okay, I can explain. Apparently the current industry standard is to only use one space at the end of a period and before the next sentence. Many of us more, shall we say, mature folks...ahem...were taught to leave two spaces post period in "typing class". Now it's "digital computer class" and it's one space. How did I learn this? From my daughter as I was reading one of her research papers. Yep...I tried to "correct" her and she ended up correcting me. Oh dear. My most recent "learning adventure" involves working the Mac Book without a mouse! I don't know what's so wrong with the mouse. I suppose it is more efficient without it in certain circumstances, however, it's a whole new hand eye coordination game to tap, touch, slide, hold, two finger, one finger & swipe the touch pad to simply check your email or write a blog post. Must I really give up my mouse??!! Oops...I'm getting off topic here. 

So, you see, now you know why it is that I do NOT feel smarter than my teachers...and never will! I wasn't meant to. I need the wiser counsel of the Lord. I need the presence of His Spirit to guide me and continually teach me the will of the Father. Pressing on...

Lord,
You are so good to have left us with a close friend; One who lives within us and gives us the substantial amount of help that we need to navigate the waters of this fast paced world. May we be ever mindful and responsive to the voice of the Wisest Counselor. May Your name be praised today and forever.
In the powerful name of Christ,
Amen

I'm Hungry

Psalm 119:57 (MSG)

Because You satisfy me, God, I promise to do everything You say.

As I ponder this verse tonight, I am taken back by the conviction of this statement.  The Psalmist is basically pledging allegiance to God.  He is clearly and concisely proclaiming that whatever God tells him to do.....he will do.  Wow!  How did the writer get to a point where he could proclaim this kind of undivided devotion?



I watched these two as they searched for food right outside my
office window a few mornings ago. 
 

I think I have the answer to this question.  It's found in the words leading up to his pronouncement.  The words..."because you satisfy me, God".  When we are satisfied by God, we too will pledge our complete allegiance to Him.  The question then becomes:  How do I allow God to satisfy me?  

To be satisfied by Him, I first need to be hungry.  Matthew 5:6 (NKJV)  states, "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled."  So, therefore, to be able to commit our entire obedience to God, we have to first and foremost be hungry for Him!  We have to empty ourselves of everything and allow Him to fill us to overflowing with His spirit.  It is at that place, that we too shall be content and eager to take on everything that the Lord has assigned for our lives.  It is at that pivotal point that our words will become the Psalmist's words...."I promise to do everything You say, Oh God!"

Lord,
Thank You for this amazing time of year that allows us to come together and celebrate the gift of Your Son~Jesus Christ.  Please allow the trappings of this world to fall to the side, so that our focus can be found in You alone. 

In the Holy name of Christ,
Amen
 

Rotten Bananas

Psalm 119:53(MSG)
But when I see the wicked ignore Your directions, I'm beside myself with anger.

As I hurried out the door to whisk my daughter off to school, I grabbed my car keys in one hand and the coffee mug in the other.  Savoring the last few swallows of the steamy hot liquid, I strategically planned the next eight hours.  It would be one of those days with several commitments and not much lag time in between.  I know you can relate! 

As I left the kitchen, I could smell the lingering scent of ripe bananas from the few last lonely pieces of fruit that remained hanging from their metal tree on the counter.  At our house, it is a rare thing to find leftover bananas. We usually devour them before they have a chance to even hint at going bad.  They make excellent quick snacks for on the go.

Arriving at my daughter's school, where I have the privilege of volunteering on a regular basis, I set my purse down and headed off to tackle the various activities for the day.  Several hours later, when I returned to the office, I scooped up my purse and began the drive back home.  Throwing my satchel on the front seat next to me, I reviewed the plan in my mind for the night.  The two remaining events left on my plate, consisted of one more taxi trip across town for my daughter's swim practice, and a beautiful celebration banquet for the school, being held at a convention center.  Did I just smell bananas?   

It isn't often that I get to dress up, so tonight's event would be a real treat!  Most of my daily responsibilities do not require a formal dress code.  For example, laundry, playing taxi for kids, buying groceries, cooking meals, getting the dogs to the vet for their latest shots or to the groomer for a complete deskunking, does not warrant formal attire, right?  All that to say, when I have the opportunity to play "dress-up" and go out in something other than flip-flops and jeans, I get a little excited.  As the anticipation mounted for a fun filled evening, my mind was suddenly drawn back to the sweet smell of bananas.  Oh, I did miss my lunch today!  Perhaps a banana would taste yummy right about now. 

Arriving home, I snatched up one of the last bananas and dashed into the closet for a quick transformation into my "fancy clothes".  Glancing one more time in the mirror as I ran back out the door with my car keys and purse flung over my shoulder headed to chauffeur my daughter to practice, I smelled those delicious bananas once again.  I must be on a real fruit kick, I thought to myself, the smell of bananas just won't leave me!

I arrived safely at the swim practice and took my spot on the bleachers, so I could enjoy watching all of the talented athletes.  Perching on the narrow metal slates with a dress on was no small task, I might add!  After checking my watch for the fourth time, I decided it was about time to head out on my dinner date.  I reached in my purse to snatch the car keys, and upon retrieval of them, I noticed they were wet.  That seemed odd.  What could be in my purse that would have spilled?  Dismissively, I hurried out to the parking lot, confidently clicking my heels and feeling quite dignified.  In a few minutes I would finally be at the much anticipated main event of the day.  Sliding in the front seat, I turned on the car.  The air conditioner blew a cool banana breeze on my face.  Huh?

I arrived right on time.  Perfect!  It was going to be a fantastic night!  I turned off the car and reached for my purse.  I opened it to place the keys securely in and found myself overwhelmed with the smell of bananas again.  Wow, I must really be craving bananas, I thought.  Dropping the keys in, I reached inside to retrieve my nose powder for one last swipe, and my hand came out wet and sticky!  What in the world?!

I opened the purse wide and held it up to the light so I could peer deep inside.  As I carefully began digging and moving some items aside, I found the source.  There it was.... lying innocently at the bottom of my purse.....smeared in every corner and crevice available..... a rotten banana!!  Yes, my confident air of sophistication went right out the window!

Now, I know you are probably wondering what in the world a rotten banana could have to do with today's scripture.

Here's what I'm thinking.  Just like the forgotten banana in my purse sat there in the dark and changed into a rotten mess, a heart can change into a wicked snarl of confusion and rotten behavior when a child of God ignores His direction for their life.  The stench of our actions will follow us wherever we go.  We may not recognize the source right away (like the disintegrating banana in my purse), but it won't take long for the ugly scent of a disobedient heart to permeate every corner of our lives. 

Lord,
Thank you for bringing our need for a Savior to our most immediate attention through the words of this verse.  May our hearts and minds be open to hear and respond to Your Word of direction in every area of our lives today. 
In Christ's Name,
Amen

 

One Obedient Response

Psalm 119:34(MSG)
Give me insight so I can do what You tell me--
my whole life one long, obedient response.

They came in slowly.  As the sun shown bright across the sparkling clean floor, they trickled in one by one.  Some were walking easily without assistance, while others steadied themselves on the cold silver metal that rolled carefully in front of them.  There were also those who rode in on their scooters, navigating smoothly between tables and chairs to find their spot in the crowd.  Entering last were the more frail among them.  The victims of time and previous injury who now found themselves prisoners to the chairs with moving wheels.  Their escorts propelled them into the gaps and spaces that were left, so they could enjoy, if only for these few brief moments, a distraction from their daily routine. 

I stood quietly in the back watching the scene unfold.  After the room was filled to near capacity, in they walked.  In stark contrast to the previous entrants, they each walked with a quick and light step dressed in brilliant white collared shirts and smiles big enough to light up an entire stadium.  They unpacked their gear and quickly set up there props.  There was a confidence on each of their faces that was visible even from my vantage point quite a distance away. 

The band began to play the National Anthem.  One by one I watched these veterans stand.  Some of them were up within the first few notes, while others took nearly the entire song to rise, but those who were even remotely able to do it, stood and placed their hand over their heart.  It took my breath away to realize that these men had made a decision many years ago to serve their God and country with such allegiance that they would die for it and for one another if necessary.  The very sacrifices of these men were what had allowed me the freedom to travel to this place today and watch my son perform with his school's choir. 

Unable to stand, this gentleman tipped his hat.

I swallowed hard as I could feel the lump welling up within my throat.  I glanced over at my own father who had made the trip with me.  He, being a veteran of two wars himself, stood tall as the song continued.  I wondered how much my Dad had to give up throughout his lifetime to serve his country.  Each of these men gave an obedient response to a call.

Someone recently told me that we can learn a lot from history.  They said that history repeats itself and we are wise when we look back and gain insight from what has happened in the past, so that we don't repeat those mistakes in the future.  We have so much we can learn from these beautiful people that have a few more years of experience than we do.

I was honored and privileged to visit this Veteran's Home today.  As I left, I recognized that the building contains precious lives that have already spent most of their time in obedient service to their country and fellow men.  What a great legacy of love they will leave for us.

God,
Thank you for the gift of allowing me to visit the Veteran's Home today.  Continue to keep Your watchful eye  upon each person who lives there.  Grant each of us insight into Your plan for our life and pour out Your Spirit on us so that we can obediently respond to You our whole life!
In Christ's Name,
Amen

Insatiable Appetite

Psalm 119:20(MSG)
My soul is starved and hungry, ravenous-insatiable for Your nourishing commands.

Today in the Voice Bible, I am reading about Jesus as He was directed by the Spirit into the desert after His baptism.  (Matthew chapter 4.)  The Lord must have been "starved and hungry" as today's verse describes, because he had been fasting for forty days and forty nights before three huge temptations were presented to Him by Satan~the "tempter".  

When I think about fasting, the Bible is very clear that some things will only happen when we pray and fast.  I figure if Jesus needed to fast to be prepared for what the devil would attempt to tease Him with...how much more do I need it?!  I also can attest to the fact that as I have approached great obstacles in my life,  and I have committed a period of time to fasting and prayer for said trials, the results have always strengthened my walk with God. 

My daughter's love for animals is infinite.

The following are some of the things that I have learned during periods of fasting.  First of all, I have learned that I enjoy food!  Seriously, though, I do enjoy food and when I fast, I realize what a gift it is to have food available whenever I want it.  It gives me a grateful and appreciative heart.  Secondly, fasting gives me a peace and confidence to know that I am being obedient to what the Lord wants for me.  I can have a steadfast assurance in my mind and heart that I have presented my request to the Lord and He sees and hears my request.  At that point, a trust wells up within my heart that convinces me that I have done my part and He will work out His good and perfect will in my situation.  (Even if it means that things don't work out the way that I thought they should.) 

Thirdly, fasting has a way of clearing the clutter out of my head.  It helps me to sharpen my focus on, as this verse says, His "nourishing commands."  Put more succinctly, I literally have a higher awareness and sensitivity to the spiritual world as I deny myself some of the physical comforts that I have grown accustomed to.  Finally, fasting allows me to recognize God's sovereign hand upon my life and it increases my ability to recognize His active presence in my home.  As I reflect upon those times in the past when I have fasted, I can always see a clear picture of how He provided for some very specific needs.

Father,
It is my desire to have a constant hunger and insatiable appetite for Your Word.  It is my prayer that Your words will live richly within the fortress of my heart and within the hearts of those reading these words today.  May You be glorified in all that we do...including fasting. 
Amen

Don't Get Trapped

Ecclesiastes: 2:11(MSG)

Then I took a good look at everything I'd done, looked at all the sweat and hard work.  But when I looked, I saw nothing but smoke.  Smoke and spitting into the wind.  There was nothing to any of it.  Nothing.

The thing about taking a detour is that it allows you to see things that you wouldn't have seen if you had stayed on the usual route.  In addition the bypass will take you around an obstacle and deliver you to where you were wanting to go.  Now, having said that, I am definitely going back to Psalm 119, but before I return, I saw something this morning in my time in the Word, that I wanted to share.  It came from the book of Ecclesiastes.  It is understood that the writer of this book was King Solomon, the wisest ruler in the land.  It was penned toward the later part of his life.  In the past when I would finish reading this book, I would always feel a bit depressed.  Sort of like....well what's the point of life....we live and then we die, right?

WRONG! 

Today, my eyes were open in a whole new way.  Perhaps because of the post from two days ago or maybe because I am getting older and realizing that seasons come and seasons go, but as I began to read through this book, I finally understood what the writer is saying.  His huge point.....without God as the center of your life.... we may as well just spit into the wind! That uncomfortable void we all feel at some point in our life will NEVER be filled by anything or anyone but God!  The book of Ecclesiastes uncovers the basic premise that we need God revealed to us through His Son.  Once we have that revelation, all other meaningless, arrogant, and ignorant pursuits will be exposed and our energies can be spent on what matters to the one true King!  The book ends with these words:

Ecclesiastes 12:11-14 (MSG) 

The words of the wise prod us to live well.  They're like nails hammered home, holding life together.  They are given by God, the one Shepherd.  But regarding anything beyond this, dear friend, go easy.  There's no end to the publishing of books, and constant study wears you out so you're no good for anything else.

The last and final word is this:  Fear God.  Do what He tells you.

And that's it.  Eventually God will bring everything that we do out into the open and judge it according to its hidden intent, whether it's good or evil.

Yeap.... I so often view detours in my life as an inconvenience or a time of unplanned chaos....but every time I have had a literal detour on the road or a figurative detour in my life, I always see or learn something new.  I think I will start viewing detours from a different perspective from now on.  I sure don't want to spend the rest of my existence down here being tossed about in the wind and ending up entangled in the trappings of this world like this kite.  I am going to try to apply a little of this in my life today.  What else do you want me to see today, Lord? 

Father,

Help me to follow all of Your detour signs today and teach me to be aware of what is going on around me from Your angle....not mine.

In Your Name~Jesus,

Amen

Don't Ever Walk Off And Leave Me

Psalm 119:8(MSG)
I'm going to do what You tell me to do;  don't ever walk off and leave me.

I was probably about four years old, but I remember the fear that swept over me as if it happened just yesterday!  One minute I am standing in an aisle looking at a toy with my Mom next to me and the next minute I am still looking at the toy, but there is no Mom!  In my hyper focus on that single object, she had continued down the aisle and I didn't even notice she was gone.  Panic set in immediately.  Thankfully, she quickly realized I was not in tow and returned to retrieve her youngest charge.  

The statement, "Don't ever walk off and leave me", conjures up that very same sense of isolation and tangible  terror within my heart.  The very idea of the Lord walking off and leaving me behind without me even noticing He has departed, makes me shutter.  Could I become so distracted with something that I might miss Him moving and not follow? 

I never want to be alone in the spiritual sense.  Not ever.  The idea of attempting to walk down here without the leading of the Lord seems pointless at best and futile at the worst!  It's as if the psalmist is bargaining with God.  Something about the way he says, "I will do what you're telling me to do, just don't walk off and leave me", seems desperate to me. 

That made me wonder who the writer of this Psalm was?  Turns out most scholars agree that this Psalm was written by Ezra.  Ezra was considered an extremely Godly priest and scribe from way back in time....even before Christ. (BC)  He apparently had an unwavering passion for the Word of God.  I'm guessing from this information, that he knew without the strong hand of God upon His life, he was rendered helpless.  As such, he would be unable to accomplish much of anything. 

The New Living Translation Bible states it this way:  Psalm 119:8~"I will obey your principles.  Please don't give up on me!"

I'm thinking that the Psalmist is basically begging God to not give up on us.  It seems to me that Ezra is asking the Lord to continue His presence with man, even though we will mess up....again!!  The writer has declared that he will continue to walk on the path the Lord has sketched out for him, but he certainly will continue to fall short and won't be able to proceed unless God is right there by his side.  What a humble spirit within a very wise man!   

I am thankful today for a God who doesn't ever give up on me despite my inability to always be glorifying to His name through my actions and thoughts.  Even when I am not always in a spirit of worship, He remains close to me.  I need only to be listening and learning with a submissive heart.  Thankfully Christ has told us, that He will be with us always....to the very end...

Matthew 28:19-20(NIV)
Then Jesus came to them and said,  "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.  And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."  (Italics mine.)

Lord,
I know that I can become distracted quite easily.  When I was four, it was the toy.  Now that I am older, it is the ever growing list of things that I have on my "to do" list.  Help me to prioritize my life in such a way that You are always first and I am attentive to following close behind You.  Teach me, as Your Word taught Ezra, to live a life that is empowered by faith in You and spurred on by hope, revival, reform and restoration.
In You I trust,
Amen

Teaching Obedience

Proverbs 4:11 (ESV)
I have taught you the way of wisdom; I have led you in the paths of uprightness.

This verse is especially meaningful to me right now, as I have been thinking a great deal about the instruction that I have given to my children over the years.