My oldest daughter leaves in five days for Berlin, Germany for six months. Lawren will be attending a discipleship training school with YWAM: Youth With A Mission. This adventure has been on her heart for the last three years and is finally coming to be.
It is with great joy that these final days together are days of celebration. Tomorrow night is a "First Supper Send Off" here in our home for those who have influenced Lawren in her decision to go and make disciples in all nations (Matthew28:19). Saturday night is our family gathering to celebrate Lawren's venture. Finally, Sunday, we end with a come and go after church here at the river for people to wish her well, give her one last hug for a while, and enjoy food and fellowship.
If I did not know my heavenly Father was omnipresent: present everywhere all the time I can't imagine feeling joyful about Lawren leaving. Just last week we talked about the presence of sin all around us in a less than perfect world. Sending your first born off without momma is not something easily done in the natural realm. But the realization that God loves her more than I ever could and promises to never leave her or forsake her (Hebrews 13:5) eases my soul. And the delight that she has heard from God and is trusting Him in this huge way at such an early age is actually enough to make a momma dance.
Today I worked all day, left to make two deliveries, squeezed in a record's check for my high school daughter who still home schools, returned to work, then loaded and left for a catering job. When done, I stopped for groceries, came home, and got the kids to bed who were still up. I woke up around 1:30 am and began prepping the food for tonight's dinner. Hopefully, pictures will be forthcoming. Anyway, I worked on the food until now 4:18 am. The only downfall was I couldn't turn the music on because all the kids were asleep but I still felt like dancing.
I don't include you in the busyness of my life to impress you or to pump myself up but to encourage you that the Father brings great joy when our hearts are turned to Him and in His presence is fullness of joy.(Psalm 16:11)
As David experienced a miracle in the fight with the giant Goliath, we too experience miracles in the presence of God. David came to the fight against the giant with only a slingshot and five smooth stones. Likewise, we come to battle, whatever the battle is, tired, discouraged, frustrated, overworked, underpaid, under appreciated, etc. But the battle is the Lords, as was David's. David needed a miracle. He was outnumbered and outsized. We need a miracle. As moms there is more work than possible to complete in a day...lives to change, diapers to change, spills to pick up, children and friends that are depending on us to inspire them to greatness. A friend once said, "To experience a miracle, one must live in a place of "need".
"Blessed are the poor in spirit because theirs is the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 5:3) "Poor in spirit" indicates we are in need and that we are. We are desperately in need of a savior, a rescuer. Last week in class, I mentioned James Dobson's book Emotions Can You Trust Them. I told the group that Dobson's basically spends 300+ pages and answers this question with a resounding "NO". Likewise, our study, Dancing with the Father, in a nutshell will point to one way to have joy....a vertical relationship with your heavenly father. If there is a problem with your relationship with God....don't expect joy. You will look horizontally to your kids, your husband, your work, your relationships, your social status, etc to bring you joy only to end up empty handed or temporarily happy.....a big difference from joy.
But hang on. Through the course of the book, we will unpack specifics of helping us to remain focused upward while enjoying all the Father has for us outward. So whether you are wrestling with toddlers or sending off your first born, may you have fullness of joy in His presence.
The author's prayer:
"Dear Heavenly Father,
I long to live freely in your joy. I want to love you with all my heart, for all the days of my life. Please meet me at my present point of need. Show me your reality and heal my heart of any wrong ideas about you. Take away the burden of striving, so that I may enjoy each day, really knowing the reality of your presence. I love you Lord, Amen."
Please feel free to post comments on what questions inspire you or challenge you or minister to you. I look forward to your comments.
Chapter 2 questions:
1. Psalm 16:11 says, "You will make known to me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; in Your right hand there are pleasures forever." David found strength and great joy in knowing God in the midst of his difficulties. He was not a perfect man; he made mistakes just like you and I do. But that didn't affect his confidence in his relationship with his God.
Write down the adjectives that describe what you find in your heart's relationship with God (fear, disillusionment, condemnation, contentment, doubt, happiness.)
What specific obstacles prevent you from experiencing God's love and joy?
Where does this passage tell us we will find joy? What does that mean to you?
2. James 4:4 says, "You adultersses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility to God? Therefore, whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God."
What does this passage say are the consequences of being a friend with the world?
3. Saul had ruled by his own thoughts, will and prowess and led the people into spiritual devastation. David wanted to consecrate his kingship on the understanding that he was merely a servant of God and that only when God was exalted in their midst would Israel be blessed. You might say that Saul was a picture of following the world and David was a picture of following God. These men reflected two different kinds of heart allegiance: one leading the people to vanity, one leading the people to God and life.
What style of living do you see more of yourself in, Saul's or David's?
What could you change to bring your life more in line with how David lived his life?
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