May 22, 2013    Everything is going to be alright.

Well I have been lingering in chapter 30 of Isaiah for a while; but I am learning a lot and that is all that really matters. Let’s look at verses 18 & 19 first. And in case I haven’t mentioned, I am using the NIV translation. Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you. He rises to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him. O people of Zion, who live in Jerusalem, you will weep no more. How gracious He will be when you cry for help? As soon as He hears He will answer.

Now this is my interpretation of these verses applied to my life. First, let’s look at the word “yet”. It means “even to a greater extent”. Now, I don’t know about you, but I don’t usually put much thought to these seemingly useless sentence connectors. And of course, I don’t really know if these were the actual words originally written. But it is all I have to work with; so it is what I will use. Anyway, in verses 18 & 19 the Lord begins to show his compassion rather than the judgment previously discussed in verses 16 & 17. He begins by saying “yet” or to an even greater extent –than the judgments I just gave you- more than that….I “long” [want, desire] to be “gracious” [generous, compassionate]to you. That’s right…to me! (Now some may want to argue that these verses are not specifically written about me; I say if I don’t apply them to my life, they have no meaning.)

So, this makes me think of being a parent. How much more do we prefer to bless our children rather than discipline them? We strive so hard to give them the life we didn’t have and to witness their ungratefulness is difficult to take at times. But our goal is not to offer constant judgment; our goal is the desire to be compassionate. And that is our Father’s goal for us. Stop and really think about it. How often are we ungrateful for His efforts of giving us the life He did not have? (Ouch-that’s not very pretty is it?) 

“He rises”? Really? Like, ‘wakes up’…. I didn’t think he slept. Either way, whether He is sleeping or resting, it doesn’t matter. What does matter is that He gets up from whatever it is He is doing “to show or confirm to me (yes me!!!) “compassion,” mercy or understanding. Does anyone in your house rise up just to show you compassion for that day? I mean, how often do you hear, “”Hey baby, let me stop everything I’m doing just to show you a little kindness”? Very often? I didn’t think so. But we do have someone who does stop everything just for us. Why? “For the Lord is a God of justice”! That’s right- he is fair; he deals with me appropriately-not as I deserve but with mercy renewed each morning. How awesome is that? Not only is He just, but if I wait-rest in expectation of His mercy- I will be blessed [favored, fortunate, adored]. When is the last time you rested in expectation of His mercy?

While researching the different meanings of the word weep, I really got tickled and decided to use the word ‘blubbering’. Blubbering, to me, offers the full picture of one of those uncontrollable cries where you can barely catch your breath. Feel free to replace the word ‘blubbering’ with more grown up words such as mourn, sob or cry in agony or maybe just a good-ole Southern bawl. Any way you look at it; the bottom line is -it will stop, when I “cry for help”. To ‘cry’ for help requires some pretty charged up emotions. It involves, shouting, yelling, proclaiming. To cry for help is not to offer  meek, soft-spoken words. It is heartfelt and gut-wrenching. Then that mercy, compassion that He arose and desires to give me is released; but NOT before I ask for it. It requires an action on my part. And when does He do this- as soon as- immediately. When do we respond to a newborn crying? Immediately. When do we respond to our child’s desperate screams for help? Immediately. And how do we respond? With words and a touch that offers reassurance and comfort. We grab them and hold them and tell them everything is going to be alright. That is what our Father wants to do to us. We just have to let him. We just have to stop all the blubbering and shout to the One that will scoop us up, hold us tight and tell us, everything is going to be alright.

  

May 17, 2013

I’m sooooooo enjoying some time off. I love having as much time as I want to dig into God’s Word. Currently I am reading Isaiah and I am on chapter 30. I've gotten some very interesting take "away,s" today. Verse 8 is the reason I keep a journal. It states, “Write it down so that it may be an everlasting witness for days to come”. I hope one day, Courtney is able to go through some of my journals and see all the blessings that have come her way as a result of the prayers I have written and said for her.

Verse 15, “In repentance & rest is your salvation. In quietness and trust is your strength." My interpretation of this verse applied to my life: my ability to crease activity (rest) and be remorseful for my actions (repentance) is what delivers me from destruction (salvation). My ability to withstand pressure (strength) comes when I am free from anxiety (quietness) and when I place my confidence in the Lord without fear (trust).

          Anyone that knows me, knows that that are very few times I am able to “cease activity”. Thankfully, God has placed Jamie in my life because he helps me out tremendously in this area. There are very few times I have had true moments of rest that did not include Jamie. With the exception of my morning devotion with God, he has always been a source of rest for me. (Today’s time with God brings not only the musical sounds of the birds singing good-morning but the soothing sound of rain as the backdrop. Love it, love it, love it!!)

When I think of my times of “resting”, I picture us floating down the river, floating on the lake in the pontoon, sitting around the campfire at the cabin or sitting around the fire pit in the backyard. I reflect on the times we walked on the beaches of Destin, Marco Island, and Hilton Head Island listening to the continuous sound of the waves as they wrap around our feet and the salty wind as whips my hair around my head and lands in my mouth. (Okay, I know that last part isn't so “restful” but it’s a part of the scenery nonetheless.) Jamie is definitely my “calm”, my “resting place” here on Earth and I don’t know where I would be without him. (wound up tightly, I'm sure)

The times of deep agony of repentance that I have had and expressed over the years are memories that are just as strong as my times of rest. I am thankful that once I have expressed true repentance, God no longer remembers them. It is up to me to let go and move on. It is up to me to make right what I can out of the mess I created. Luckily God turns my “messes” into a part of his plan. This is what gives me peace in my salvation.

I think the second part of this verse is why I love growing older. It has taken so much hard work and effort for me to learn that act of trusting. Oh, don’t get me wrong; I have yet to fully trust, but I desperately want to and continually try to enhance that characteristic.

Once again, Jamie comes to my mind when I think of trust. We have been together over 18 years (wow….that is unreal to me) and I can honestly say, -up until the past two years-I never really trusted him. I wanted to; I tried; but I never believed he truly loved me- so I couldn't  or maybe I wouldn't  But two years ago, he proved me wrong and showed me, proved to me that he really does love me and I can trust him. No one, besides God, could ever love me the way he does. I am so thankful God has shown me that about Jamie. 

So how does all this relate back to Isaiah 30:15? When I have done wrong and seek forgiveness not only from God but from those who I have hurt I will be received for whom I am not what I have done. I can handle what comes my way when I am not anxious and allow consequences to occur without fear that they will destroy me.