There are times in anyone's life when energy is high. Purpose is clear and projects are being produced. God is being served. The speaker at the women's online retreat went through a sparse time recently. Instead of being at her pastor husband's side, counseling people in her church, she needed to stay at home. Her health and her children made it so. 

Just like so many of us when a change puts us at a stay, she felt her life had been cut off. Who was she now anyway? Was she still God's child? Logically she knew that she was, but since she wasn't actually doing anything in the area God had gifted her, she felt adrift. Not the same, somehow left out.

As she spoke of this I reminded myself that we all have seasons we go through. But....  I know the ache of  not feeling as worthy anymore.

I had started to draw trees to  illustrate the seasons and a  flash of insight caught my pen. Even though trees go through fall, winter, summer, spring, the tree itself remains the same. The tree is still a tree,  It is no less of a tree just because leaves have turned brown and fallen off. Nor was it somehow more of a tree when green leaves have sprouted and fruit grows on the branches.

We may feel jealous of the evergreen, who is always producing green. But that is who God made this tree to be.  And that is okay.

Whether you are in the fall, or spring right now, you are still what God has made you. Continue to talk with God, read His word, and rest your soul. You are His child. He loves you no matter what the season, because you are still the same tree. 

2020

2020

An angel laid it out for Mary. Here is what will happen. An angel told her what God had planned for her. Would Mary accept this way to serve? A young girl who didn't know fully know what it might entail?

With her own words she said it plain. "Let it be to me as you have said." Then in song she continues her praise of God.

2020 brings unknown events for the year and a new decade. What will God bring for me? I have no clue. The year ahead looks pretty blank. Will I still be needed at my church, or will I venture out into the world to serve, instead? Wish I could be like Mary and at least know what the challenges will be.

Or maybe I don't.

But with all my heart I wish to say, "Let it be to me as you have planned." Phew! That takes a lot of anxiety off my shoulders. I just need to be ready and willing to go and do, or sit and wait, as He guides me.

Welcome 2020! Let the adventures begin!!

Ready?

Ready?

Have you been here? Like this shepherd, staring into a fire, feeling like God's promise will never be fulfilled? When, o' Lord, when is the Messiah coming, cried the Jewish people. I have felt this way, too. Maybe even right now. How long Lord must I wait for you to act? Show me how to serve you.  

The sermon was about listening for God's inner voice, to move us into service or to be part of someone else's miracle. To make ourselves open to that inner nudge that says talk a neighbor. Make that call or be in prayer for this one. A well placed hug can change someone's whole day.  

It's important that we follow God and not just include Him. Or as my son Todd expressed, Jesus does not make a good sidekick. That means Jesus is not someone we ask to bless our plans but He makes the plans. We need to be ready, to listen, and to act. 

I remember a time when I attended a conference put on by my church's denomination. It was held at a ski lodge in Montana. So beautiful. Placed high up on a huge mountain with running streams and pines trees. I came from the deserts of Arizona so this seemed like a magical place. My room mate and I stayed in a small hostile type room, a short walk from the lodge.

 After a week of workshops and meetings, the last day came. I'd been privileged to be a part of seeing God work in so many ways that week. But on this last day I wanted to share a meaningful song with my morning care group. I took up my little 70's tape recorder and got ready to hike over to the lodge. 

Before I left I prayed. After seeing God work so much that week I said, "Dear Lord, if there is someone else you want me to speak to before I leave, allow that to happen. Even if it's not a person from the conference, but one who is just staying at the lodge."

When I arrived inside the hotel I realized I was very early for the morning meeting. So, I went to the fireside area and sat down on a cushy chair. Beside the me sat a huge, clear glass ash tray on the side table. And I mean it was the size of a  hubcap. I tried to push it over so I could rest my arm on the table, but it was too heavy.

While I waited I wanted to make sure the recorder was cued to the right spot. I pressed the button but nothing happened. I jabbed and jabbed at it. After letting out a frustrated sigh I heard a voice. "Can I help you with that?"

Looking up, I saw that a college age young man was standing beside me, smoking his cigarette. I thanked him and gave him the recorder. He put out his light, and sat down. He inspected the recorder, then jiggled it this way and that. But as he worked we talked. 

I explained why I was here, the church conference. This is when he told me he was an atheist. He believed we do not need anyone or anything. That if he could, he would just sit out in a field and just exist. I was able to tell him how much Jesus meant to me. We spent quite a while on this topic. I could see he liked to debate. At one point he said "What is so special about how Jesus died? A lot of people have suffered in death, even more that Jesus did." 

"Yes," I said. "But Jesus had the weight of all the world's sin placed on Him. He was a holy being, now covered with sin, guilt, and shame." He paused and did seem to take this thought in. After awhile of this back and forth he gave me the recorder and said, "I'm sorry I wasn't able to fix it. I need to get going now. Thanks for the talk." We smiled and he left.

I sat there thinking hard about our encounter. Then as if God spoke to me I thought, I should have said to him, if he ever does find himself needing help or comfort, to ask Jesus if He is real. 

"Lord if you want me to say this, give me another chance." I got up and went to the hearth to sit down. A moment later the young man was back. He said, "What are you doing? Carrying the ash tray around with you?" As he tapped off his ashes, I looked down and the tray was now next to me. I shot a glance over to side table. The glass cigarette tray was gone. 

How in the world did it get here? I'd just sat down! It was so heavy, surely I would have noticed someone lugging it over here. 

I decided not to waste time. I told him about asking Jesus if He is real. "If perhaps in the middle of the night you are alone and desperate, ask for Jesus' help. Just in case He is real."

I reached up to shake his hand as I said it. As our hands touched his face went from nonchalant debater, to a vulnerable softness. I held on tight. With a new seriousness in his eyes, he promised that he would. 

After he left I took up my recorder thinking how I would tell my group about this encounter. I poked at the start button as I thought. The recorder began to sing out the song, with no problem.

Hmm, the recorder wasn't broken after all. How about that?

Right now, I'm in the waiting time. Staring into the fire, depressed and tired of doing nothing but watch the sheep. It's hard to see others hustle around with purpose. But little did the shepherd in my sketch know the angels were right behind him, ready to send him into action to proclaim a king's birth to the world.  

Holy Moments

Holy Moment

A moment in time when the God of the universe sets in your soul a flick of needed hope, a message to serve, or a fire of inspiration, for me this is a Holy moment. And this is what Pastor Greg spoke on two Sunday's ago. He began with Mary, then worked back to Moses, and Samson's mother. 

He asked what would our angel look like? The one that brings you your moment. Mine is a bit disheveled but shines with golden designs of inspiration. Greg shared the holy moments in his life. His call to ministry, and times when Jesus spoke to his inner heart to reach out just at the right time.

I have had some as well. A time of comfort, for instance, when I felt lost among the throngs. Invisible even to God. I was at a concert for one of the leading Christian music artists at the time,  Randy Stonehill. At the end of his concert, as I sat with the thousand or so young people, he said good night, adding how much he loved each one of us. I looked around at the crowded theater.

Yeah, right. You don't even know me, I thought. For that matter how can God know me. I'm invisible in this sea of people. Obviously, I was not in a good mood. I began to talk to God. "Okay, Lord, if you really know who I am, this is what I'd like you to do. I want to personally meet Randy Stonehill. That's right, face to face." Then I thought again. "No, wait, that's too easy. I want to meet Randy Stonehill's wife. Yeah, his wife. Go ahead and make that happen if I'm visible to you."

A week or two later I was having breakfast across the table from his wife Sarah Stonehill. Did you know that was coming? I had decided uncharacteristically to fly, by myself, to California to take part in a worship workshop weekend at a camp called Mission Springs. I somehow was able to arrange for a perfect stranger to pick me up, stay at her house, and then have her drive me up to camp. There were only about eight of us that weekend, because it was the first one they'd offered and were trying it out. 

One of the speakers and teachers that weekend was another famous Christian artist at the time, Larry Norman. He was best friends with Randy and his then wife Sarah Stonehill. She'd come up to visit with Larry at the camp. Some day I may share the rest of what happened that weekend as well.

Have you had a Holy moment? I'd love to hear about it in the comments.  Thanks!

The Family Business

The Family Business

This post will seem like from a past holiday, but really it is a thought on Thanksgiving. You see my son, Pastor Todd Spieker, preached on generosity and how to finally be satisfied with what you have. Contentment. Even my church children at Mission Do caught the message very quickly. 

Todd explained that often no matter how much we have, all we can see is how much candy is in another's bag. Our hearts are never satisfied, never feeling full.  No matter how much you buy, or do, or create your belly is empty.  You can see from the sketch that none of the trick or treaters are happy. Even the clown at the top, with an overflowing pot of candy, does not have a look of joy. 

Old Testaments stories abounds with cases of people who are abundantly blessed but are filled with anxiety that it won't to be enough. They were afraid that their needs would not be met. They didn't trust God. 

But God gave His own son into the world to save it. We, too, can miss the abundance at the heart of God's love and only see the scarcity we fear. Jesus walked the earth giving everywhere He placed His feet. He  went about healing, feeding, caring, and blessing. 

One of Todd's last phrases hit me. Give to be satisfied. The Bible says Mathew in 5:38-45 if you have to two coats, give one away. If someone makes you walk one mile with them, go two. Do not turn away from one who wants to borrow from you. Put your talents to work in the lives of others, offer grace to those who sin against you again and again and again. So that we can be the children of our Father in heaven and we can be like Him.

Another illustration that I have heard is that it's like a balloon with a pinprick of a hole in it. No matter how much air that you try to cram into the balloon it will never truly be filled up. You can blow and blow and blow to no effect. It takes generosity and true gratitude to close up that hole. 

God is a God that gives and to be a part of the family business we must give and give and give.

Follow The Calling

Follow the Calling

Continuing with the sermon topic of doing your calling, this sermon gave practical moves to encourage you in the quest. First pray to find something that you want to make a difference with. Then climb in the boat. Head out, allowing the waves beneath you to be the things that you are gifted with. Have the swells become the incentives  that feed your soul, that you are passionate about. The dolphins along side are encouraging you to focus, to invest your time, and to not to quit. Beneath is the treasure chest that holds your mission statement. This treasure will anchor your heart to keep you heading true north and to do what God has planned for you. 

God's Call

God's Call

For Moses it was a burning bush that did not consume the branches. He answered his call with doubt and hesitation. "I can't do this, I stutter, I don't know what to say. Pick someone else." When God calls sometimes we become afraid and try to pass it by. There are others, like the shepherds God called to go to Bethlehem and see the baby Jesus that say, "Let's GO!"  You know what I mean, they  just do it.

But what does a call look like? How do you recognize His voice? Most things are not a matter of  waiting for a call. Those are what you already know He desires from you. Things like to seek holiness. Love the poor, seek out injustice, having mercy. 

But there are times when God has a special quest for you to go on. Pastor Greg outlined things to look for. I have placed them in the burning bush in my sketch. 

Here they are for you to think about. Do you have a sense of call, a feeling of a holy moment where you are drawn to the adventure? Does this thing nag at your heart? Is it something you love and have a passion for? Has there been an event that has brought your attention to it, either a loud or gentle push?

It is never too late, or too early to be moved by God into an new and amazing journey. 

Grace

All You Need is Grace

An older pastor preached his sermon on how all you need is God's grace to be forgiven. You don't need to DO anything but believe. He worried this new generation of Christians had put too much emphasis on doing good deeds. That helping the poor and needy had taken the place of God's mercy. Could they have forgotten there is nothing anyone can do to earn God's grace?

The younger pastor wanted to make sure that people knew the importance of serving God. That good deeds come out of faith. They are the breath and the heart beat of what faith is. For without works faith is dead. How do you stay live without breath and a beating heart? But he warned not to now run around finding things to do to fix yourself. 

Look, I just gave water to a thirsty person!

No. To revive dead faith, go to Jesus. Get as close to Him as you can by prayer, listening, and study in His word.  

Because Jesus is the resurrection of the dead. 

Unshakable Faith

Daring Faith

A little over a week ago our Covenant Women had a retreat at Glenn Eyrie. So fun to be in the castle to learn more about the King. We had three speakers. The first was Kate Martinez. This is the sketch I did of her sermon. She filled her talk with so many encouraging thoughts. Things I needed.

The first was to let go. Let go of fear, worry, control. God has it handled. He is for us and even the Holy Spirit prays for us. He is searching for our hearts. Friends are in prayer for us, too. We need to allow God to take our failures, trash, tragedies, and even good things, and work it all for the good.

We should drop our defenses and give them up with open hands. The acceptance is what I needed to hear. To accept where you are and not to struggle against the past. To accept what you cannot change over, and over, and over again.

Wonder Woman

This sermon by Julie Slayback was one many could relate to. We are Wonder Woman of the daily. Here is where we learned how deeply loved we are by God. How we don't need to be fighting in big wars or have great ministries. We can be used by God in our everyday life.  We can use our lasso of truth to speak His love to others. The bracelets are the gratitude we express that reflects self destructive thoughts and the words we say to ourselves that cause depression and fear. 

Oh, and don't forget your Wonder Women panties! lol

I especially loved the phrase we are human being, not human doings. Then the best for me was that we are set apart, cared for and loved by God. That every morning and night Julie says these words, "I am a child of God, Deeply loved."

We need each other

Elyse Thornburg spoke on how Christians need each other. When we stand alone in our Christian faith it is like a flamingo standing on one leg. Not as stable, easy to knock down. But two legs together make your stance more steady. This is why we need each other.

Acts 2:46-47 shows us how the early Christians depended on one another. They prayed together. They taught one another. They had fellowship and ate together. Elyse mentioned how small talk is the lubricant to connection. To reach out to those not apart and bring them in with hospitality and caring service.

To finish off she told a story of Casey Franklin that helped a family dealing with illness, and included the importance of sending out others into missions and evangelism.

I am looking forward to next years retreat. This one was smashing!

Rest!

Rest

The young black Lab wiggled with excitement. His whole body wagged along with his tail. His master took him to the center of the dog show ring. He was told to sit. After several commands he obeyed. However, his front feet tapped the ground and he whimpered with enthusiasm. Then the master told the pup to stay, and he walked away. 

The master stopped and turned to the dog, who was beside himself with eagerness. You could see it took everything he had to stay in place. He quivered with tension. The master took a breath and before the sound of  "Come" could be heard, the dog took off at a run. Half-way to the dog's goal the master said, "Down." The pup dropped down but in his great hurry he slid across the ground landing only a few feet from his master. The audience laughed with empathy at the dog who just couldn't contain his love to serve.

This was the story that I remembered when Pastor Greg preached on taking time to rest. How there are times when we refuse to take the time to recoup and be in the moment, because we are so enthusiastic to serve. God whispers for us to rest, but we weigh ourselves down with unneeded guilt about what has to be accomplished. Even when sickness, or a disabling accident forces us to sit still we quiver with anxiety that things aren't happening the way we would do it.

God tells us to sit. Stay. Rest. Get alone with Him. Listen to His quiet voice. Allow a time of rest to revive you and draw you closer to Jesus. Regain strength for the road ahead.

Mathew 11:28
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."

Wisdom

Wisdom

WISDOM. I know that sometimes we want others to listen to our wisdom. We want it so bad, and we're so sure we are right, we talk smack. We might even use ridicule or shout our wisdom at them to drive it into their heads. @#%#$%^# After a good argument on Facebook where we have called them liars and fakes, there's a thrill of satisfaction. 

At the close of Pastor Greg's sermon series, this is where Jonah found himself. Then when the Ninevites  repented in a big way, Jonah was maaaaad. "I told you so, God. I knew they would repent. They don't deserve your mercy. They should have been punished for being so dumb." But God had a better plan.

Here's a thought that came directly from a point from one of Pastor Todd's sermons:

True wisdom puts people first. In James it says if you are truly wise, show it by your life and your deeds done in humility that comes from wisdom. True wisdom is shown in love for others.

BECAUSE ACCORDING TO GOD PEOPLE ARE:

• worth losing an argument for
• worth letting a wrong person win.
• worth yielding when you are right
• worth making peace with

ACCORDING TO JESUS PEOPLE ARE WORTH DYING FOR!

No!

NO!

"Your doing it wrong!" "That's bad for you."  "No!" "Uh, uh." "Follow the rules."  "Don't do that."

Yeah, sure, that will change anyone's mind. 

When God first called Jonah, he told him to preach against Nineveh, When Jonah turned his running away into I will obey, God's command had been reworded. Now Jonah was to proclaim to Nineveh. 

Did God's change of wording have to do with His dealing with Jonah? I wonder? Perhaps, God knowing how Jonah would react to the redemption of the wicked, presented a harsher sermon to preach. 

When Jonah relented and followed his mission, God relented in how the news would be presented. God could have wanted Jonah to see the difference. 

There is a difference in how we present God to those who do not know Him yet. By charging ahead with condemnation over lifestyles and rules to follow we only show the law. What Jesus came to abolish. When we present God's love, compassion, and power to give hope we proclaim to others a lifeline. 

I'm not saying there is no sin to repent from. I'm not saying we can't guide new Christians in their journey closer to God. But when reaching out to people who are on the other side of a relationship with God, we can paint with colors of love, compassion, and a listening heart. 

Dark, Frantic, and Broken

Dark, Frantic, and Broken

"Seaweed was wrapped around my head." I don't remember this being a part of the story. For some reason this time it struck me with a clear picture of humiliation and being dragged into the depths of despair.  Of his being plunged to his darkest hours. How did Jonah get to this point?

Have we all, at some point, rebelled to the point of such despondency?

Jonah would not let go of his anger, resentment, and pride long enough to obey God. He needed to repent of his holier-than-thou attitude and simply give a group of people a chance to turn to God. It hurt so much to release these people of their guilt that he ran until he was swallowed by a fish. Even then, though he turned to God, he didn't say he would go. Not until later in the story did he make his way back to Nineveh. 

So easy to be judgmental of Jonah, isn't it. But I have been in this place where, until I really took in  the tumultuous waves and darkness around me, did I bring myself back to where God needed me to be.  A turn of thought or a change of perspective can rescue a heart from brokenness and frantic fear. When God allows us to go off on our own He reminds us how dark it can be without him. The struggle we find ourselves in is not the hard part, it's facing these  consequences without the help of God.

God needed Jonah to repent. He needed Nineveh to repent. When an archer aims their arrow at a target and misses, the term that is used to help them get back on target is to repent. Repent to one side or the other. Repent farther out or closer in. 

The story of Jonah is about repentance and of mercy. 

Who is Your Nineveh?

Who is Your Nineveh?

Bomb them all! Send them all back! One death deserves another. Don't take my money and give it to them. I'm not racist, you're a racist!  They don't deserve forgiveness. Why bother?

That is what Jonah would have said about Nineveh. You see these evil ones killed and tortured more people than ISIS. They sinned against God in more ways than a satanist cult. Nahum 3:2 says, "Woe to the city of blood, full of lies, full of plunder, never without victims!"

God told Jonah to go to Nineveh and preach repentance. He refused. He ran away from God. Tried to anyway. God loved Jonah and wanted to use him. He sent a fish to swallow him and bring him back to his senses.

Jonah could think of so many reasons why he should not go and preach repentance. The Ninevites  didn't deserve forgiveness, his time, or a second chance. He knew God would forgive them if they turned themselves around. To Jonah this did not seem fair to all the good people that had been hurt by these savages.

Jonah did finally preach to Nineveh. The biggest miracle here is not being swallowed by a big fish and living to tell about it, but that these people did repent. All of them, children, parents, they even put sack clothes on their livestock. 

Do you have a Nineveh? Someone that you've written off? Maybe a whole group of people you've heard bad things about and God whispers, "Drop the stone walls and open your heart." It could be someone on the other side of your politics, or a noisy neighbor you can't get along with. Can you let down your guard enough to share a conversation? 

Though this theme is not exactly where Pastor Greg lead us that day in his sermon, here is where I went with it. 

Love you enemies. Pray for those that persecute you. (disagree, or call you names.) Love your neighbor, like you love yourself. (Not just the kind ones, either. Or the ones that voted like you.) Press on in genuine love, mercy, and seek justice.  Yes, always, seek justice by being slow to judge and quick to listen when prejudices are uncovered or the hurt are crying for help. 

Downside up

Downside up

Have you ever felt like you're stepping over ceiling fans and tripping around chandeliers? The rest of the world is relaxing on couches and having dinner with table and chairs planted firmly on ground. Your drink tends to fall up as you sit by the crown molding.

Do you live upside down, or the downside up? Either way can make you disoriented. Christians live in this tumultuous world, led by our Messiah. Pastor Todd Spieker preached on this topic. He named ways Christ lived with gravity pulling up. Many of these I had never thought of before.  

I can see that we must step out from the crowd and choose helping the marginalized and poor instead of  being afraid of them. It makes more sense to be concerned they are taking advantage of us. "After all, how can we help anyone if we give too much away?" they say.  

Here are the ups and the downs Todd spoke of, and a few of mine. In case the words are hard to read on my sermon sketch. 

Crown of gold vs Crown of thorns

Lifted up on throne vs Lifted up on cross

About me vs Not about me

First best vs Last best

Love self vs Selfless

Greed and hate vs Generosity and love

Kingdom disciples make more disciples. Disciple apprentices teach us to love God and others.

Look for more of Todd's sermons on SoundCloud under BethelCov.

3=1

God is the Trinity

3=1? This is mind bending and difficult to understand. Finishing up on The Attributes of God series, Pastor Greg tackled the trinity.

The part of the sermon that struck me the most was that Jesus is the image of the invisible God. For some reason this hit me in a new way. It made so much sense in terms of understanding the trinity. In my sketch I tried to show Jesus coming out of the invisible God. The Holy Spirit, and God the Father billow behind Him as He steps out for us to see Him. 

Quotes from the Bible reveal Jesus has no beginning. He is the Word that was God and with God. All things were created by Him. 

Greg then talked about the old example about water. It can be ice, steam, and liquid. Three in one.

This gives us a bit of understanding but to me it does not reveal the full explanation. Because ice, steam, and liquid do not exist all at the same time. This is where God differs. It is as if you drew three circles but not beside each other, or even intertwined with one another. It would be more like if after you drew the first circle, you place your pencil right on top of the line you had just drawn. The molecules actually mingle together. The third line is drawn on top of the other two. All untied as one, but three circles at the same time. 

Below is the part of the picture that shows this for me. It is the names of God one on top of the other intertwined, three in one.

God is Our Shepherd

 

God is our Shepherd

"I just wanna to be a sheep." That's a funny camp song. Why would I want to be sheep? They're timid and fearful. Sheep will foolishly follow whoever is in front of them. They can be helpless and easily distracted. Oh, wait, maybe I am a sheep.

Jesus takes unworthy sheep and protects us. With a hook He pulls us from trouble. A rod is used to guide us along the right path. He leads by the quiet waters to give drink. A sheep's nose is just above his mouths and could drown at rough streams. Jesus gives us a place of peace to rest, green grass to eat. He anoints the scratches and wounds with healing oil. 

I guess if we have a shepherd that takes as good of us as Jesus, then . . . I want to be His sheep.   

God is our Refuge

God is our Refuge

Refuge. Not a place to live in, but a place to run to.  For King David this meant running from death threats and raging emotional turmoil. For Mary and Joseph it meant a humble cave where animals were kept. 

Here is what the thesaurus says for refuge: peace, safety, asylum, haven, hideaway, hideout, hiding place, protection,  resort, retreat, sanctuary, security, shelter, stronghold.

• 
  

When I think about those that need refuge I imagine war torn countries, and children in the midst of famine. But that is not all. I see mom's inundated with activities, schedules, and the strain of holding safe the hearts of their children. Also, men that struggle to be great dad's and be good at their jobs. Students navigating grades, social life and activities. 

Maybe the refuge is from worry and self-doubt. The effort to keep going in life when the road ahead seems blank and empty. 

Yes, we all need a refuge from time to time. Pastor Greg's sermon was on how God is our refuge. 

I immediately began to visualize what my refuge would look like if it was a real place. The strong walls contained the verses Greg mentioned in his sermon. The phrases written in the stones include strong tower, salvation, secret place, help in the time of trouble, a place of rest, hope, no fear, deliverer. 

This is where I go by prayer and meditation on verses. But often I find my refuge in things I love to do and God is with me there, too.

In my imaginary place of security I've drawn books, paint and canvas, comfy pillows, and even kids. I've drawn in my young friend that sits with me during the service. He loves to create along with me. Children's refreshing hearts and amazing capacity to love, give me joy. Nature comes through the window, because this brings me peace. Flicka and Zathras, my two labradoodles, bring comfort and laughter into my sanctuary.  

At the top of the walls scary worries try to crawl over. My young friend tells me to draw a snake, too. They are scary. God keeps them out with his sturdy rock castle, so I can rest.

As much as I would like to stay in this cozy cocoon, I have a calling to venture into the fray. Thanks for the refreshing stay, Lord. Now give me the vision and strength to serve you in the world.

Safe

Safe?

Safety. A place where nothing bad can happen. A sweet place with nothing bitter or sour. Can we stand without every falling? Taking away anything that could cause fear, so courage is never needed.

A part of who God is, is our protector. But does He do this by keeping us away from  anything that could hurt us?

In Greg Ralston's sermon he reminds us of what the Bible tells us about God as our protector. A protector made me think of a lion. In the lion's mane I've written quotes from the sermon. "God fights for us" "God fights when we align with Him." "God always has His people." Through scripture and personnel stories, Greg made his point. 

In my life God has stepped between myself and tragedy. True physical death could have been the result. But I have to remember that his protection is not about never facing giants. Sometimes His  protection is about helping us crawl through the mud, climb rugged towers, and fight in the storm.

It reminded me of the beaver's quote from Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. 

"Safe?" said Mr. Beaver. "Who said anything about safe? Of course he isn't safe. But he is good. He is king, I tell you." 

How do you see God?

The Look of God

Do you see God as an old man with a long white beard or do you see a familiar painting of Jesus? Maybe you imagine a swirl of colors in a cloud. I found that I don't see any kind of person when I pray or connect with God. 

I "experience" God. I've been filled with dark panic and fear then prayed, the complete peace that followed is how I see God.  Having a specific prayer being answered in a totally miraculous way is seeing God. He gives me rest, has protected me, directed me, and opened doors that no one would have thought could open. I feel His hand on my back and have been brought to tears over the love He has given me for others.  

How do you see God?

This first sketch is from a sermon series by Greg Ralston  about how you see God.