pleasing God

While taking the Lord's supper last Sunday, this phrase rang out in my head--loud and clear as a church bell: "It pleased the Lord to crush him, and put him to grief," translated (roughly) from Isaiah 53:10. Thinking that no Father could be pleased with the bruising of his son, and hoping that it didn't mean what it said, I decided to dissect the word at my earliest opportunity. Turns out, that's exactly what it means: Pleased. I was hoping for 'satisfied,' as in the law being fulfilled. Nope. Pleased...as in made happy.


Why God? How could you possibly be pleased with the suffering of your Son? I don't understand...


Since that day, I've been mulling it over like a kid working on a giant jaw breaker. I'm not to the gumball center yet, but as of now this is what I believe must be true. The only possible reason for God the Father to be pleased in the bruising and crushing of his only Son, is what it would accomplish for us. After all, it wasn't exactly necessary for the atonement of mankind. Shedding of blood was the only requirement to cover/blot out sins. What then did the bruising and crushing produce for God's expanding family? Our Healing.


"But he was wounded for our transgressions, bruised for our iniquities, the chastisement of our peace was upon Him and by His stripes, we are healed." Isaiah 53:5

knowing Him

"Lord, we want to learn more about you," I heard the man pray.

My mother died when I was 3, so the only memories I have of her are probably fabricated. Over the years though, I've been blessed to learn some things about her. My Dad told me that she loved to laugh. Uncle Larry testified that I have her personality. I know from my older siblings that she was affectionate with her children. And I believe she was a woman of faith. Knowing about something or someone can't be compared to actually knowing them. But knowing about her does make me want to know her more. To experience her. To look into her face. To tell her I love her.

Maybe that's what the man meant. I hope it was.

Paul said it best. "I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection..." Phil. 3:10

I want to know you, Lord, and the power of your resurrection.

who's in control?

Wow! Do I look lighter, or what?

Worry happens when I forget that God is in control. It's my attempt to take His place in order to control situations or people or outcomes, and is about as helpful as when I lend my assistance to lift something heavy. Say we're moving a piano, and there are already 3 or 4 strong men--one on each corner of the thing, veins popping, faces reddening--and along I come to 'lend my assistance.' I try with all my might to help raise the weight. Nothing changes. The piano is being moved, but not by me. My assistance amounts to nothing more than a futile expenditure of effort on my part, as well as a hindrance to the One who is moving it.

God is in control. Period. He is still on His throne.

The great, weight-lifting news in that is this: I AM NOT IN CONTROL! Consequently, that also relieves me of the responsibility of controlling.

I am not responsible for the following: 1) My children's salvation, job choices, or overall well-being. God promises to keep that which I entrust to Him. 2) The happiness of others. People generally get glad in the same britches they got mad in. Let them. 3) 'Fixing' other people's bad choices. Saving someone from their own consequences usually just ties God's hands. And its simply not my job. What it boils down to is this: I am not responsible for everybody's everything. To think that I am, comes straight from the one who thought he wanted to take God's throne.

What then am I responsible for? Trusting God. He is able. "He upholds all things by the word of his power." Heb. 1:3. All things.

Stay Connected

Over the last few days, we suddenly found ourselves without internet service at home. I didn't realize how dependent I'd become on being able to 'log on' at will. My lunch hour was spent researching, toubleshooting, then racing home from work to try some new 'fix' for my dilemma. Each evening, I plugged and unplugged, shut down and restarted, all to no avail. Finally, on the 3rd day, I decided to call my ISP. After pushing the right series of numbers, I was connected to their technician--in India. He listened patiently as I complained about how long we'd been disconnected. Then the pleasant young man asked in his native accent, "Why didn't you call us sooner? This will be easy to remedy."

My problem? No connection.

Hindsight is always clearer than you want it to be. When was the last time I rushed home to 'connect' to the Lord? When have I ever spent hours researching, just to be able to 'log on' to His website?


I Cor. 6:17
But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit. Lord Jesus, I want to stay connected to you.

In Him

In Him I live, and move, and have my being. In Him.

A bad day doesn't move me out of Him. Neither does losing my temper. On the other hand, praising Him doesn't change my position either. I am in Him. It is my state of being, and is not conditional or transient in nature.

If I'm living, I'm in Him.
If I'm moving, I'm in Him.
If I am being, I'm in Him.

give thanks

"Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus." 1 Thes. 5:18


Thank you, Lord for every circumstance and situation that draws us closer to you.

When I first became a mom I thought, "If I do everything right, I can keep my child from crying." Bad mistake. Come to find out, crying is actually beneficial to the development of their little lungs; it's the only way they can communicate. As my children have grown, that same lie still permeates my subconscious: "Somehow, if I do everything right, they will never experience pain, or disappointment, or even defeat." Again, bad mistake.

Thank you, Lord for every circumstance and situation that draws us closer to you.

I'd like to believe its the good times that bring us nearer to God. But I think all too often it's the difficult times instead. ICU waiting rooms. Negative test results. Car wrecks. Job stress, or stress that comes from no job. Death of a loved one. You get where I'm going. These are the 'circumstances and situations' that drive me to my knees (and sometimes even to my face) to seek my Father. Why would my kids be any different?

Maybe this is how He causes 'all things to work together for good, for those who love Him, for the called according to His purpose.' Romans 8:28

Therefore, I will thank you Lord for every circumstance and situation that draws us closer to you.

mercy

"...mercy triumphs over judgment." James 2:13

Mercy glories against / exults over / is arrogant toward judgment.

A woman caught in the very act of adultery was drug into court. She was, beyond a doubt, guilty as charged. The law had been given. It was carved in stone: "When he finished speaking with him on Mount Sinai, he gave Moses two tablets of Testimony, slabs of stone, written with the finger of God." Ex. 31:18.
She stood alone in the midst of her accusers, surrounded by judgment. Among their scornful faces was one that was different. The only one in the crowd who could judge righteously. The face of mercy.

"But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground." (John 8:6)
We're never told what Jesus wrote.

Doesn't it stand to reason that when mercy is declared, it too is written by the finger of God?

judgment condemns, mercy sets free

judgment puffs up, mercy brings humility

judgment holds some good cards,

but mercy plays the trump card on every hand

Mercy wins every time.

Lord, let Your mercy triumph over my judgment, too.