They're so distracting. They're beautiful, messy, distracting little beings. The ones I watch are completely adorable. They have these little voices and little feelings. They're in everything and nothing all the time. They make me laugh constantly. The little boy is a terror but he's so terribly cute that its hard to be mad. And when he gets hurt, doing something you told him not to do, he turns into the biggest baby. When he hit his head yesterday, he came walking right up to me tears in his eyes and I picked him up and he turned into a 6 month old: head wedged under mine, legs wrapped around. When he was done crying he popped his head up and said "I'm not crying anymore." I put him down and he went running off to his next adventure.
He leaned back a little and found out I'm quite soft and recline all the way during Mickey's Clubhouse :-)
I wonder if this is how we look to God? Us and our little personalities. All the things that are so important to us making us busy. We might be cute but Lord knows, I'm not always the nicest person. But that thing he did when he got hurt? That's me all day. When I get hurt, I crawl right into my worship music, right into my Bible, right into my writing and reflecting and I cry.
A lot.
And God's right there.
When I come to Him, He's right there to receive me and my tears.
Me and my heartache.
Me and my pain, my anger, my disappointment, and my "I need a nap but I don't realize I'm tired"-ness.
Thankfully, He gives me more than just comfort. He actually heals me. He actually changes my situation or my perspective. He actually moves. He's actually God.
And if I stay 30 minutes or 30 days, He'll hold me until I'm ready to go out on my next adventure. He is my redeemer, my restorer, my fount that won't run dry, my breakthrough, my way out, my elevation, my rest, my peace, my companion, my love, and my advocate.
God is.
I Corinthians 10:6
Now these things occurred as examples for us, so that we might not desire evil as they did.
The context for this verse is interesting. Paul is talking to the church about how the people of Israel behaved badly in the wilderness. The people of Israel, descendants of Abraham, had been promised Canaan....a while ago. They endured 400 years of slavery and 40 years in the wilderness before they were able to take what God had promised them. They were to some degree weary and in their weariness they turned away from God.
I've been in the space. I hadn't turned completely away but I'd definitely strayed. I definitely felt or thought that the waiting was a sign, not that God wasn't faithful, but that I wasn't worthy of His faithfulness. Truth be told, I'm not worthy, but what I'm worthy of is not how God behaves towards me. There's an old testament verse that talks about how God treated them from His nature, not based on what they deserved. That's how God is today. Remember...He's the same God yesterday, today, and tomorrow. God is consistently consistent.
In my lack of worthiness, I made some less than stellar decisions. I've got the scars to prove it. Can I tell you that your waiting isn't God's lack of faithfulness but part of His faithfulness? There are things you might not be able to walk into appropriately without the waiting. I know I'd have been an ass had I actually gotten into medical school when I wanted to because I wouldn't see it as a gift. I'd see it as something I was entitled to. My mentor says "revision to your dissertation keep you humble" <----FACT! Having to revise my dissertation taught me about what it actually means to be a PhD. Yes, I'd studied for 5 years but the act of writing a dissertation, a good one, is a process everyone who wrote one knows and one that can't be explained. You are literally explaining something no one has ever understood to the depth that you do. Its an incredible outpouring of mental energy.
When I think about the example God made of His people, I'm struck by one thing: They got what He promised them. It may have taken a whole lot longer than they anticipated but eventually they walked right into what God had for them. God's word never returns void. Now that....that's something I can bet my life on.
I Corinthians 10:13
For no temptation (no trial regarded as enticing to sin), [no matter how it comes or where it leads] has overtaken you and laid hold on you that is not common to man [that is, no temptation or trial has come to you that is beyond human resistance and that is not adjusted and adapted and belonging to human experience, and such as man can bear]. But God is faithful [to His Word and to His compassionate nature], and He [can be trusted] not to let you be tempted and tried and assayed beyond your ability and strength of resistance and power to endure, but with the temptation He will [always] also provide the way out (the means of escape to a landing place), that you may be capable andstrong and powerful to bear up under it patiently.
I've been mistaken in thinking that I'm the only one who goes through some of the things I've gone through. No I don't think of myself as a terribly self centered person but I am the kind of person that doesn't really have an extended squad. I just don't like hanging with lots of folks like that. I'm more of a depth person and if I can't go there with you....it probably won't work.
Paul is saying here that no temptation you have is unique. People are tempted all the time. What He's also saying is that, God is faithful to help you to resist that which tempts you. The thing about His faithfulness in what tempts you, is you've got to seek Him. God can do all things but He won't bully you. God needs an invitation into your life and what I've found is that I've got to give deeper and deeper invitations. I've often told God "You can handle this but I'll handle this." <---NOPE! Learning to surrender in all things is a journey but the more I surrender, the better my life gets. The more I surrender, the more peace I have. Central to my prayer life is one phrase: "If it be thy Will."
That's the catch: Its going to be God's way out...trust in God required.
I Corinthians 10:15
I speak as to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say
One of the things I so love about me and God doing our thing is that He makes it plain for me. I'm a cerebral person. I'm a data girl. I need the data. I need evidence. God has been and continues to be so faithful in my life that I can't really justify walking away. The other thing I love is that things that feel true on the inside are often written in my Bible. I find so many instances where I feel a certain way about something and I open my Bible and God's like "Yup...confirmation." I love that the closer I get to Him the more that happens. There's something amazing about opening your Bible looking for confirmation, getting a glossary word and a reference to a verse that takes you to where a man after God's own heart, David, talks about his love for Jonathan when you're looking for validation of your sexuality. That's nothing but God.
I Corinthians 10:23-24
“All things are lawful,” but not all things are beneficial. “All things are lawful,” but not all things build up. 24 Do not seek your own advantage, but that of the other.
I know some people who love these verses because they are oh so true. We live under grace and grace covers all. The Blood Christ shed on the cross covers all transgressions. If you're wrong and you're repentant for your wrongdoing, its covered. The Blood will speak through all of eternity on our behalf. You can't out-sin the cross. If you could, that would mean your sin is more powerful than God's love and that's a fallacy that I hope no one believes. Paul says something I think we all need to get though. Just because you CAN do something, that doesn't mean you SHOULD do something. Consider it like this:
Is it good for you?
Is it good for me?
Does it build for God's kingdom?
I find that if I can't answer all those questions affirmatively, I might need to check out what I'm doing a little more thoroughly. You know, I asked God why was she His will for me and I also asked Him why was I His will for her. God's will has to be mutually beneficial to all parties: me, you, and God. The answer I got for why I'm His will for her...blew my mind. I ask God questions about her all the time, but this one...this right here was more than I expected and nothing I expected.
I hope that in my own prayer life, I continue to seek God not only for what He'd have me to do but also how it benefits others. Its amazing to hear from God why. Ask Him sometime.
I Corinthians 10:31
So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God.
Can you say this is true? I can't however, I strive to be able to. I know in the big things, I do do everything for His glory. He's working with me on the small things because the verse says "whatever you do" not whatever you do that people see. Oh Father, help me in the times when character and integrity depend solely on what me and you are doing and not on anyone watching.
I Corinthians 10:32
Do not let yourselves be [hindrances by giving] an offense to the Jews or to the Greeks or to the church of God [do not lead others into sin by your mode of life
Lord, let my life be pleasing unto you. Let the things I do, say, and believe reflect our relationship. Let not my human frailty be a hinderance to your will and plan. Allow the purpose in and on my life to edify me and others and glorify you. If anyone is offended, let me have the grace to bless them out of my life, as I walk out what you have for me knowing you'll supply all my needs. Give me peace and quiet my spirit that I may hear your whispers to my heart. Let me never forget who I am and what you think of me. I'm so grateful to know you and be known by you. Amen.
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