Week #23 Jeremiah 29:11 "Always the Loving Father"

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

I love this verse. I love it so much that I have a framed copy of it hanging on my wall in beautiful calligraphy with the words "Be Encouraged" at the top of the picture.

Yes, this is one of those bible verses that we believers like to quote when the chips are down, when we need to know there is hope and more prosperous times ahead. This verse can indeed be quite encouraging.

But wait. Before we run away with visions of wealth and financial freedom, there are a few important questions we need ask first.

Is this prophecy from Jeremiah too good to be true? Does God really promise all believers prosperity and an limitless future? Is this one of those biblical promises that we can "take to the bank?" Just what is Jeremiah saying here, and to whom?

I think it is helpful to remember that Jeremiah was speaking to the Children of Israel during the time of their exile in Babylon. The Israelites had lost their homes, their freedom and (for some of them) their faith. Due to their chronic disobedience toward God, the LORD allowed their enemies to conquer them and take them into captivity.

But, despite their unfaithfulness, God showed Himself to be ever faithful and always the loving Father. He tells them that His plans for His people hadn't been cancelled. His love for them hadn't changed. Their future as God's children was still intact.

During a time when Israel felt they were at their lowest point, when their unfaithfulness resulted in mass incarceration, God went out of His way to tell them how much He still loved them. His plans for "prosperity" didn't mean financial gain, either. Instead, God was promising them an end to their time of trouble and restoration to their land and to Himself. And no, it wasn't a "get rich quick" scheme. Israel's captivity lasted 70 years. Not exactly instant gratification.

So, if God isn't necessarily promising all Christians prosperity and a great future in this verse, why do I love it so much?

I love Jeremiah 29:11 because it reminds me of God's faithfulness, no matter what. I, myself, have been in bad situations, many times due to my own poor choices. Although I end up paying a price for those life choices, God has never abandoned me. Yes, I've gone through tough times, and I expect that more tough times may be in my future as well. But this verse is God's encouragement to me during those times.

I know I won't get rich by becoming a Christian. I know that my trials and times of trouble may last a long time. But, I know that, no matter how much I've fallen short of the Glory of God, I am always welcome to sit at the feet of my LORD and rest in His presence.

He loves me all the time. I never want to forget that.

Thank you, Father.

Week #22 Proverbs 19:22a "Blessing Others"

"What a man desires is unfailing love."

About a month ago, my son and I visited a church that my dear friend and her husband are pastoring. At their church, they have an unusual custom that they practice. When visitors come on a Sunday morning for worship service, they hand each visitor a two-dollar bill. They tell the guest that the bill represents a blessing from God. It is their way to wish each guest God's best, with the hope that the two dollars will either bless them or someone else.

I asked my son today if he still had his bill. He told me, "No, I spent it long ago."

That's okay. The modest amount of money obviously blessed him. He needed it for a good reason.

I still have my bill. I told myself that I would give it, perhaps, to a homeless person or someone else in great need. So far, I have had at least two or three panhandlers approach me asking for a couple of dollars. One person was given two dollars, but it wasn't the two-dollar bill I received at church. Quite honestly, I had forgotten about that two-dollar bill. So, I gave the person two one-dollar bills instead.

But, the desire to bless someone with that two-dollar bill still rests in my heart. What am I waiting for? A directive from God? A burning bush, or a voice from above? Maybe.

This verse in Proverbs tells us that one of the best desires to have in our hearts is the ability to show unfailing love (translation: kindness). As Matthew Henry's commentary so poetically states,

"It is far better to have a heart to do good, and want ability for it, than to have ability for it, and want a heart to it."

This is great news. Most of us feel we have limited means to give, but God tells us in this verse that just the DESIRE to show kindness and charity is the real blessing for us. He doesn't judge us according to our ability to give, or the dollar amount we contribute. He looks at our hearts, not our bank accounts.

So, when I received my two-dollar bill, I accepted it as God's call to me to be kind, generous and to find creative ways to bless others. The blessing I pass on might be money, or it might be my time, my undivided attention or my friendship.

I know I won't always be successful in this. There are times when I feel too busy, too self-involved or too scared to step out and serve another. But, overall, I know I want to bless others. That two-dollar bill reminds me of that. It encourages me to bless. It motivates me toward kindness.

So, I guess I won't be giving away that dollar bill any time soon. I need that reminder, for now. I need to open my wallet and remember to look for ways to bless someone. I need to know that I am investing in God's work, not just in the supermarkets or coffee houses that usually receive my cash.

My friend and her pastor husband showed a bit of brilliance that Sunday morning. They handed me two dollars, with the hope that someone would be blessed with that amount of cash. As it turns out, that two dollars will probably be worth much more. God willing, over time, multiple persons will be blessed with gifts worth much more than a mere two bucks.

But the person with the biggest blessing will be me. I will have had the privilege of giving and showing kindness. God has entrusted me with much. The opportunities that lie before me to bless someone makes me smile already. What joy!

Thank you, LORD.

Week #21 Proverbs 17:10 "When Discipleship Hurts"

"A rebuke impresses a man of discernment more than a hundred lashes a fool."

Ouch.

Here is a verse that I really didn't want to reflect on and blog about. Rebukes, lashes, fools...what a verse.

But, the LORD puts His word before us for a reason. That includes not only the "Promise Verses" (the ones we like) but also the "Warning Verses" (the ones we'd like to avoid). This is one of the latter.

When I gave my life over to God many years ago, I expected to experience a multitude of blessings, deep fellowship with the saints and (to be honest) the euphoria of a new believer. I can attest to the blessings and fellowship, but somehow missed out on the spiritual high of the insanely cheerful believer.

That's probably a good thing. My periods of greatest growth as a Christian have been during times of deep fellowship and even deeper wrestling with my faith, my life, my sometimes faulty assumptions and with God Himself. It isn't always "fun" or "cheerful" when this happens. Many times it is downright painful.

So, when a rebuke (I'd rather call it "corrective advice") comes my way, it isn't easy. I am an insecure person by nature. Correction isn't always welcomed in my fragile world. With people offering advice, counsel, rebukes or complaints that touch on sensitive areas of my life and identity, it is easy to ignore, become defensive or shoot back in anger. I have done all three.

But, upon close examination of Proverbs 17, it is important to read the word "discernment." A person of discernment will take a rebuke to heart more deeply than a fool takes 100 lashes. What this also tells me is that a man of God will be discerning when a rebuke is from the LORD and when it is simply from man.

When being corrected, I must remember to put aside my injured ego and ask God if this correction is from Him. If it is, then I must listen, despite the hurt, and take it to heart. If it is not, then I must be gracious to the well-intended person, regardless of why they corrected me.

We've all been led down an unfortunate path when we've listened to erroneous rebukes. We've also been down this same unfortunate path when we've failed to heed godly advice.

Here is my take-away from this verse: 1) Ask the LORD if a rebuke (or any piece of advice) is from Him and 2) if the rebuke is godly, then thank Him for His correction. It doesn't mean that God is mad at me, or is punishing me. It means that He loves me. It means I am His child.

Oh yes, there is a step 3. When I receive a godly rebuke, I need to remind myself that the hurt will take time to stop hurting. Even well-intentioned pain still hurts. I heal slowly. That's my sensitive nature. It doesn't mean I'm any less spiritual than a believer who recovers quickly. But, praise God, eventually I do recover.

Thank you, LORD.

Week #20 Psalm 62:1 "Resting in God"

"My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from Him."

I realized last week that I am behind schedule. It is now the 22nd week of the year, and I am blogging for week #20. My mistake. I missed a couple of weeks somewhere in April or May.

But, I also am a firm believer in Romans 8:28, that all things (including my miscalculations) work together for good. So, I may be late in my blogging schedule, but God is blessing my blogging for today, according to His schedule.

What am I talking about? Well, today is Memorial Day. This is a day when we Americans stop and remember those who gave their lives in the service of their country. It's a special day for us in the United States, for the that reason. But, fortunately, it is also special for us because Memorial Day is a national holiday. For most of us, that means we have the day off from our work or school responsibilities. It is a day of rest.

My son is spending the day at Safeco Field watching the Mariners. My husband is doing some simple work around the house and then taking the rest of the day for leisure. On an unusual Monday, we get to rest.

So, I thought about what the Psalmist says here, that our souls find our rest in God alone. It makes me ponder the concept of rest. Resting from our jobs or schoolwork....and resting in God.

For us Americans observing Memorial Day, we are taking a rest from our labor, the occupation that not only supplies our basic needs (via the paycheck we receive), but gives us a sense of identity and purpose. All these things are essential to the human life.

But the Bible also tells us that we have those same things when we put our faith in God. He supplies all our needs (Phil.4:19), give us our identities (1 Pet. 1:9-10) and gives us purpose (John 20:21). So, what's the difference between resting from our jobs, and resting in God?

Simple. Our rest on a holiday is something we earn because we work at our jobs all the other weeks of the year. Our resting in God is something we are gifted with because of the work Jesus did on the cross. We didn't earn it, Jesus did it for us.

This is why our rest in God is so wonderful. We can now cease striving, stop trying to prove our goodness. We can't anyhow.

But we can pray without ceasing. We can fill our mouths with thanksgiving and praise. We can tell God how much we love Him. Most of all, we can celebrate our day of rest on any day we wish, because God's rest is 24/7. Every day is a holiday for God's people.

Thank you, God.

Week #19 Proverbs 31:30 "The 21st Century Proverbs 31 Woman"

"Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised."

Oh yes....Proverbs 31. You all remember that chapter in the Old Testament. The biblical laundry list for "the perfect woman." The woman that all serious Christian men want (and sometimes demand) in a wife. Oh yeah...THAT Proverbs 31.

Please excuse the sarcasm here. It stems from a lifetime of disappointment and criticism.

Instead of finding encouragement in these verses, sometimes I see a standard that is impossible for me to attain. That Proverbs 31 lady is a tough act to follow. She works tirelessly to make a beautiful and nurturing home for her family. She is a shrewd businesswoman. She is charitable and compassionate. She is praised by her family for her wisdom and noble deeds. And on top of that, she's one serious seamstress.

But wait. She also seems to have a well-respected and (by inference) equally hard working husband. Her children are respectful toward her and don't appear to take all her hard work for granted. They are told specifically in these verses to praise their wife/mother.

Okay....I guess the "impossible standard" here applies to all members of the family. Life was hard back in those days. No Kitchen Aid technology, packaged foods, and 9 - 5 work days to neatly fit into their lives. Men, women and children all had to work hard, work together and work joyfully in order to thrive in that world. Making a home was much more than shopping at the mall for just the right comforter to go with that new Tempur-Pedic mattress set. It was sheer labor.

So...Proverbs 31 tells me, among other things, that being the virtuous woman/wife/mother is a labor of love. It's all about love for God and love for our families. Okay, we DO have the luxury of shopping malls and kitchen appliances today, so the 21st Century Proverbs 31 Woman doesn't have to "select wool and flax" or "make linen garments" by her own hands. We can use modern technology to help us meet our family's needs.

But we do need to do it all with love and joy. And yes, we CAN do that. That is not an impossible standard to live by. I don't do all things perfectly. My house still doesn't meet that quality outlined in Proverbs 31. But I can take my work as the LORD's work. I can see my family as part of my holy calling. I can rejoice that God gave me the privilege of such a wonderful calling.

And the best part of it all? Look at verse 30. None of this is dependent on my charm or beauty, two things that the world overly values in women. God looks at our character, our lives and our hearts when He sees us. Not our flawless complexions, flat stomachs or flirty eyelashes.

He sees us. And He loves who He sees.

Thank you, LORD.

Week #18 Revelation 3:20 "Opening the door to Jesus"

"Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with Me."

Back in the day when I first became a Christ-follower, this is the key verse I was given.

It explained the process that I had just gone through in becoming a Christian. I had just asked Jesus into my heart, and opened that proverbial door to my heart and invited Him in.

Yes, I got that. It meant a lot to me back then. It still does. Declaring your faith in Jesus Christ and trusting Him as your LORD and savior is huge. It's live-giving. It's live-changing. It's the door to life itself.

But, almost 40 years later, this verse still is dear to me. Not simply for the memories of giving my life over to God, but for my present life as a middle-aged believer.

The process of giving ourselves to God never ends. At least it shouldn't. You see, on some days, I find it's easier to live my humdrum life on my own shallow terms. Sometimes I can almost see how an atheist can exist day to day without even once considering if God loved me, is pleased with me or has a perfect and loving purpose for my life.

Almost.

Those moments of amnesia about God are fleeting for me. I know I walk with Him and He walks with me. I know there isn't anything in this world that would separate me from His love.

But, I do have those moments when I want to go my own way. I want to live in the immediate, the obvious, the superficial. It is during those times I need to open the door once again to my heart and ask Jesus to enter. That heart door is annoyingly good at closing.

Unfortunately, that door might stay closed even longer than it does, if it weren't for the first part of Rev. 3:20. Jesus tells us that He stands at the door and knocks. He knocks, and thank God He does.

No, Jesus isn't pestering us. He isn't simply prompting us to listen and obey. What His knocking at the door of our hearts tells me, is that He seeks us. He invites us. He pursues us. Just like a lover woos the object of his affection, Jesus woos us with an indescribable love. No one is more loved than we are.

So, why do I need to "hear" a knock at the door of my heart before I respond? I don't know. It makes me sad to think about it.

But, I thank God that He never stops pursuing me. I am loved. I am worth it.

Thank you, Jesus.

Week #17 Matthew 9:22 "Touching Jesus' Robe"

"Jesus turned and saw her. 'Take heart, daughter,' He said, 'your faith has healed you.' And the woman was healed from that moment."

This beautiful verse is taken from the story of the woman who had been subject to bleeding for 12 years. Instead of coming directly to Jesus and asking for healing, she merely touched the edge of his robe, knowing that simply touching his garment would transmit Jesus' healing power to her.

She was right. But, not only did she receive the cure for her chronic bleeding, she received a couple other things that are just as precious.

For one, she got the attention of Jesus. Jesus was a busy man. At that moment, He and His disciples were hurrying to the home of a ruler whose daughter had just died. He was constantly being called upon to heal, counsel, and in this case, raise someone from the dead.

But here was a most unfortunate woman, whose suffering (and probable social ostracism) was great. Her reluctance to speak to Jesus face-to-face was understandable, considering her "unclean" status in society and the poor self esteem it brought. So, even with a timid touch to the edge of his cloak, Jesus faced this woman and gave her His undivided and loving attention. For this woman, this undoubtedly showed her how much she was loved.

Also, Jesus commended her faith as He healed her. What an honor this was for her! A woman, who spent the past 12 years being dismissed by polite society and probably accused of having a weak faith (otherwise, she would have been healed sooner, they concluded), was told her faith was strong and sincere enough to receive Jesus' healing.

If she were anything like me, she would have spent much of those 12 years doubting her faith, her worth and her God. She would have suffered from the "Why me?" syndrome. On a good day, she would have simply resigned herself to her fate and humbly accepted whatever charity or kind attention she got from anyone.

But Jesus didn't simply give her a pat on the head or a few denarii for her troubles. He did much more than that. He met her deepest needs: emotional healing, faith, and love.

Sometimes our physical healing doesn't happen the way we wish. But, Jesus always wants to meet our deepest needs. How often do I come to Jesus and touch the edge of His garment? How much do I believe that touching His robe will meet my needs?

Also notice that, until Jesus turned to her and spoke, not a word was exchanged between the two. My long-winded prayers aren't always necessary. But I can touch Jesus' robe at any moment during my day. In my greatest need, when words fail me, I can still touch His robe. Sometimes, that's the best my faith can do.

But, during those times, that's all that is needed. Praise God.

Week #16 Romans 4:25 "He is Risen"

"Jesus Christ was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification."

Today is Easter Sunday, and I have heard the same quote from Christian author and humorist Barbara Johnson twice, once from the pulpit, and once on Facebook. She describes our Christian faith saying, "We are an Easter people living in a Good Friday world."

Wow. Powerful words, that.

The thought hit me like a ton of bricks. Yes, we are an Easter people. But why don't I realize this but once a year? Why do I need to see Easter lilies, Cadbury eggs and sing "Christ the LORD is Risen Today" in order to celebrate and proclaim that my LORD is risen?

Is He not risen everyday of my life? Do I not have eternal life because He has conquered death and, therefore, allowed me to share in this eternal life with Him?

Romans 4:25 tells us that Jesus died for our sins, and rose again to life for our justification. This is true. Jesus did die a horrific death on the cross because of my sins. And when He died, we believers died with Him. We died to the world and its philosophies. We died to ourselves and our own foolish ways.

But, three days later, He rose from the dead! He did this not because of my sins, or my foolishness. He rose by the power of God. It was that same power that turned those early disciples from fearful men hiding in the Upper Room into God's fearless witnesses.

It is God's power that can take a self-centered wimp like me and make me rise again into a modern woman who proclaims and celebrates His salvation, love and power while living in a violent, hopeless and godless world.

First, let me say that I am in no way minimizing the power or cost of the cross. Jesus' death is why we are able to live. We can never thank Him enough for what He did on the cross.

But, what if, instead of only concentrating on Christ's death, we celebrate His resurrection every day? What if, in addition to the crucifix, the most recognizable symbol of Christianity became an empty tomb?

The Apostle Paul in Romans 4 got it right. Our life of faith is about both the death AND the resurrection of Jesus. We weep over His death, because we weep over our sin and what it cost our LORD. But we celebrate His resurrection. It is what gives us life and gives us cause to rejoice.

I wish every Sunday was Easter. I love proclaiming His resurrection to others. I love telling the world that I don't serve a dead master. I serve a Living God. A God that has risen.

But, if I am an Easter person, I don't need the calendar to tell me when to proclaim He is risen. I can do it every day. After all, every day of my life, He is risen.

He is risen indeed!

Week #15 Romans 12:9-10 "Clinging to Good"

"Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves."

These verses have several ideas and exhortations in them. But there is one particular word that stands out for me. "Hate."

Hate. Here's a word that makes headlines. When it comes to popular culture and media, "hate" is bantered about in social and political discussions across the country. (How I wish I could be inundated with more theological discussions in my social circle. How refreshing that would be!!)

"Hate speech." "Hate crimes." "Hate groups." "I hate (pick the group or attitude of your choice)."

And the list goes on and on...

For a Christian, hating what is evil can be a tricky thing. No one will argue that we Christians have a major PR problem in the United States today. We are regularly condemned for being "un-Christian" if we express any critical thought about society, politics or culture. We are told we are un-loving if we hate anything.

Yet, here Paul exhorts us to hate evil. When we try to explain that we don't hate people, just the evil that can come from some humans and their institutions, we still aren't off the hook. The name-calling continues. Christians are un-loving. Christians are hypocrites. Christians are being un-Christian. Sigh....

So, when it comes to evil, we can't win. We can't beat Satan at his own game, and we can't make the world understand us either. So what's a nice, evil-hating Christian to do?

I think the answer is contained in the second half of the phrase. "Hate what is evil; cling to what is good."

I need to cling to the good. The godly. The God in the world. My love must be sincere. I must be devoted to my fellow believers and honor them in love.

Subtle forms of evil may disguise itself as good, fun and cool. But it ultimately has no power over good. It may not seem like it, if you take a look at the world today. It looks like evil is winning.

But, the opera ain't over. No, the "fat lady" isn't going to sing, but one day the Son of Man will come on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory (Matt. 24:30). At that time, Jesus will set the record straight. Evil will no longer be able to masquerade as cool and enticing. Good will be cool. Good will be praised. Love will win out in the end.

I can't wait for that day. Until then, however, I must strive to cling to good, cling to God. And I must reflect His goodness in my life.

A real challenge, that is. But when I cling to God, it doesn't mean I can rise to the challenge. It means that God rises to the challenge through me. Praise God.

Week #14 Romans 6:23 "Forgiveness Granted"

"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our LORD."

Sin...it is such a politically incorrect term nowadays. No one, Christians included, wants to believe that sin actually exists in us. Some people don't want to think that sin exists at all.

They prefer the word "imperfection" or , when describing a sinful world, "morally relative or ambiguous." Truth be told, I sort of like those terms as well.

But, if sin is simply a word to describe our weaknesses and our "C- behavior in an A+ world," why would God be so unmerciful as to mete out the death penalty for such common and understandable human traits?

Is God an abusive and mean-spirited kill joy? Does he actually expect perfection out of imperfect beings?

I have wrestled with this question for years. During those times in my life when I was painfully aware of my moral imperfections, my "C- behavior" that drove others away from me, I shouted and whined at God about how He made me, and what He really expected out of me.

After years of wrestling and asking, this is what I have learned.

First, God does not call our mistakes and imperfections "sin." For example, if you forgot to pay the light bill and now you and your family live in the dark and cold, that is a mistake. Though it had unfortunate consequences, your forgetfulness is not a sin.

Second, sin is always a deliberate act of rebellion against God and His will. I don't "accidentally" sin. When I sin, I know that I am sinning. Even though I know I am sinning, I sin anyway. There are a variety of reasons for this, but here is one of the chief reasons.

In my life, usually sin occurs when I trust my power to handle life and my short-sighted solutions over what God can do. I fight God over the circumstances of my life. I assume His way is harder and won't work for me. Usually I doubt my own ability to do things God's way, because I see myself as a poor quality Christian who can't make the grade. I also assume that, since I've blown it so often before, God wouldn't come to my aid anyway.

Of course, God knows better than that. Sometimes I do, too, but for those other times, praise God that His gift is eternal life in Jesus. I need Jesus' life. I need Jesus' forgiveness. I need Jesus' priesthood that intercedes on my behalf to God, and assures God's grace to me. In my sinfulness, I need all that. I can't do it for myself.

So, what does God really expect out of me? Perfection? No. Sinlessness? Definitely not.

He expects me to come to Him. In my sin, in my moments of doubt, rebellion, fear and anger, He expects me to remember my sin and come to Him anyway. I'm always welcome, no matter what I've done. My loving Heavenly Father doesn't want me to die. He wants me to live with Him.

I need to remember that.

Week # 13 John 16:24 "Just Ask God"

"Until now you have not asked for anything in My name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete."

Back in the day when I was a new believer, I would read verses like this and think that Jesus was offering me a blank check. All I had to do was fill in the amount with whatever heartfelt wish, material gain, relationship hope or personal goal I wanted Him to give me. Then...voila, the wish would be granted.

Oh, if only life were like that. Jesus, the Fairy Godmother who died on the cross so I could wear a beautiful gown and go to the ball.

Sounds ridiculous, right?

Yes! So, what is this verse actually saying to me? What is Jesus talking about when He said I must ask in His name?

I do know that anything done "in the name" of someone or something else must line up with what that person or institution stands for. When a police officer says he serves in the name of the law, his work must be in line with the law that he enforces. One cannot do something illegally in the name of the law. It would be contradictory.

So, to pray in the name of Jesus means that my prayers must not contradict the person, character and will of God. Hmmm..that doesn't sound so simple.

In fact, it sounds rather intimidating. I'm almost afraid to pray lest I ask in the wrong way. But, that's why it helps me to see prayer as a process, not as a holy state that we should have already achieved.

My prayers don't always line up with the will of God. There are times when I am hurt, angry and confused. At those times, I will find myself yelling at God, accusing Him of not caring or ignoring me. At other times, I hear myself asking God to make my life easy, and to be that fairy godmother I wish for.

Okay, so during times like those, I probably wasn't asking in the name of Jesus. But, the important thing I see in John 16:24 is that Jesus is simply asking me to ask anyway.

When I am lonely, depressed, sick or scared, I know I can go to my heavenly Father and talk to Him about my concerns, complain to Him about my problems and whine at Him about just about anything.

One of the miracles of prayer is that God uses our prayers to help us grow, change and heal. My prayers might begin as whining and crying, but eventually they will turn to thanksgiving and praise. (Last time I checked, thanksgiving and praise were definitely in line with God's character and will!) No, the "eventually" won't happen overnight. That process might take weeks, months, years. But it does happen.

God lets us whine, complain and vent our frustrations. He knows we need to do that for a while. He also knows that our prayers won't stay like that forever. However unflattering some of our prayers might be, it will never make our prayers not welcomed by God.

So, when I read this verse now, I don't expect the cosmic fairy who will grant me all my wishes. I also don't feel intimidated or unworthy because my prayers might not line up with God's will.

I simply read an invitation. It's an invitation to come to God and ask. I don't ever want to be afraid to ask. I am still His child who needs to ask, because I can't provide for myself or solve the problem on my own.

My Daddy takes joy in the fact that I will ask. And, I know that when I ask, my joy will be complete, because eventually, those heartfelt prayers will become exactly what my heavenly Daddy will want to hear.

Week #12 Psalm 91:14 "To Rescue and Protect"

"Because he loves Me," says the LORD, "I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges My name."

So...let me get this straight. According to this verse, if we love God and acknowledge His name, we'll be rescued from calamity and protected from evil?

Well...the veteran of human life and one with better sense would probably say, "no, not exactly." After all, calamity and disaster happen all the time, to both believers and non-believers alike. Earthquakes, hurricanes, nuclear plant meltdowns, terrorist attacks and war are filling our headlines, and God's people are not immune to its effects.

Even on a "small scale" Christians are not without everyday troubles, such as illness, unemployment and home foreclosures. Okay, let's make the scale even "smaller" and say that none of us are impervious to the pain of missed appointments, flat tires and sharp words exchanged between friends or spouses.

So, what is this talk about the LORD protecting us and rescuing us? Is He really promising to protect us from calamity and evil? I say, yes.

Let me attempt a heartfelt explanation.

God has rescued us from the logical consequences of being morally-imperfect, self-centered and (occasionally) God-haters. Okay, maybe we don't really hate God, but we usually love ourselves more. 1 Thess. 1:10 tells us that Jesus rescued us from the wrath to come. Wrath, by the way, that mankind kind of deserves. Does God's wrath qualify as calamity? Yep.

God has also protected us, and continues to protect us from evil. No, that doesn't mean that evil can't do it's destructive work in the world, because it does.

What this says to me is that, while evil has its sphere of influence in this world, God has put protective armor in place for those who believe. Yes, it's the famous "Armor of God" that Ephesians speaks to us about. With it, we can withstand the schemes of the devil and extinguish his fiery darts. Evil can harass us, but it ultimately can't have us.

But, both the rescue and the protect thing can only be put in place when I do the one thing I have the power to do: believe. Oh yes, and the other two verbs in this verse: love and acknowledge His name.

Believe, love and acknowledge God. Yeah....I think I can try to do that. Why? Not because I'm such a superstar of a Christian. Just the opposite. It's because I'm such a non-superstar, and need to believe. My goodness and discipline won't cut it. My saintly behavior and devotion to bible study can't nail it.

God told Abraham that his faith (belief in God's promise) was what rescued him, not his exemplary behavior. So, I need to believe like Abraham did. I need to believe and love God as though my life depends on it.

Come to think of it, I think it does.

Week #11 Proverbs 10:18 "When I Don't Love So Much"

"He who conceals his hatred has lying lips, and whoever spreads slander is a fool."

As I shared last week, I have a "system" for choosing the scripture of the week: a website that chooses a verse for you. I choose their Sunday verse and try to blog about it on the following Saturday. Here it is Tuesday, and I am a few days late (missed blogging last Saturday).

But, nevertheless, I have pondered this particular scripture verse, and do have a couple thoughts on it.

This is one of those admonishment verses that makes me uncomfortable. I suppose that is the point, from the perspective of the writer, and of God. Correction often makes us uncomfortable. It does that to me.

Hatred and slander are not happy topics. I don't like to think about or talk about such things. They make me feel "bad' or unworthy. But, at the risk of spreading poor doctrine or bad advice, here is what struck me about this proverb.

It really doesn't say NOT to hate anything or anyone. Technically, it warns us against hiding our hate and lying about it. It conjures up the picture of the person who appears calm, but suddenly shouts: "I'm not angry!"

And for the record, this does NOT endorse the campaign that waves horrible signs that state God hates gays.

There will be certain things, and sometimes even a few people, that make hatred rise up in us (such as toward those nasty sign-wavers). These things will happen, whether it is right or wrong. The LORD knows that. But He warns us not to try to fool others or ourselves by pretending the hate isn't there. Because if we truly hate something, it will come out in other ways. We can't help that.

For instance, our rose-colored hatred can come out as slander, even though we think we're appearing neutral or "loving." I've been guilty of that. Maybe you have, too. I know for certain that the gay-bashing sign wavers are guilty of this.

I can't say that your hatred is bad, or that your hatred is justified. That is for the LORD to decide. But I believe this verse is telling us to be honest about what we think and feel when we speak to God. Love, hate, or anything else is nothing new to Him. He's heard it all, and will not turn us out or stop loving us because we might hate something or someone. But, only He can make us more loving.

On that website full of daily bible verses, there is also a quote (from a extra-biblical source) that struck me, and encouraged me. "You are more sinful than you can believe, but you are more loved than you can imagine."

That quote, source unknown to me, wrapped the whole thing up. I might feel hatred that is unrighteous, but I am incredibly and wonderfully loved in spite of that. God loves me even when I can't or won't be loving to Him or to others. Only by that incredible God love can I turn my own hate into love.

That truth, dear Readers, is what makes life worth living.

So...confess to God whatever unflattering thing is in you. And if righteous hatred appears in your heart, know that it is what God feels, too. Either way, we are loved. Forever.

Week #10 Psalm 25:7 "God Loves Me...Yes, Me"

"Remember not the sins of my youth or my transgressions; according to Your steadfast love remember me, for the sake of Your goodness, O LORD!"

In writing this blog, I use a website that gives you a scripture a day. This is the "system" I use to choose the scripture that I will blog about for the week. I usually choose one of the scriptures featured during the weekend.

So, when this particular verse popped up as my scripture of the week, I was actually glad. Even before meditating on the verse (which I usually do), there were so many reasons I loved this verse.

The first reason is rather obvious. When the psalmist asks the LORD not to remember "the sins of [his] youth," it struck a familiar chord with me. You see, there are so many joyful experiences in becoming a Christian, but one of the "down" sides for a believer is that you also become painfully aware of the sin in yourself.

No, this isn't a statement of self-flagellation or poor self-esteem. It is a fact: we all fall short of the glory of God. We are morally-imperfect beings who don't always "try our best" or even admit our imperfections.

But, my sin, my mistakes, my weaknesses and all those times in my life where I really blew it, are there. And, most of them will still be present in me, at least this side of heaven.

And, if the story ended there, life would be nothing but despair and hopelessness. Fortunately, the story, and this wonderful bible verse doesn't.

Look at the second part of the verse: "...according to Your steadfast love remember me..." (italics mine). Yes, the psalmist pleads with God to remember him, but not his sin.

And, if we let scripture interpret scripture, the counsel of God tells us that He does exactly that. God remembers us, not our sin. We are not defined by our sin. We are defined by His love for us. His Father-ship. Our son (or daughter)-ship. His righteousness that has been reckoned to us.

What do names like John Wilkes Booth, Al Capone or Benedict Arnold have in common? They are men who have been remembered for crimes they committed. Never mind that these men may have been sons, brothers, fathers or friends to someone. That part of history is not recorded or read too often.

Thank God that my personal history written in the Book of Life will not highlight my sins or the poor choices I have made in my life. It will record the fact that Jesus died on the cross, that my sins were nailed to that cross with Him, and that I am included as one of the children of God. Period.

Maybe when God thinks of me, He thinks of Aya the mom, Aya the actress, Aya the wife, Aya the one who loves corn on the cob every summer and drinks soy milk lattes. Maybe He smiles when He remembers that I love to snuggle with my cat Penny and I call my border collie "Poopie Dog."

Maybe.

I just know that He doesn't see the sin, the monumental mistakes and acts of rebellion I've been guilty of. He sees me, only me.

And He loves me. Thank you, LORD. That's the best news yet.

Week #9 Psalm 121:1-2 "Focusing on God"

"I lift my eyes up to the hills - - where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth."

I often wondered what the writer of this psalm was thinking when he looked to the hills. As I have been told over the years, the hills surrounding Jerusalem were fraught with danger. Thieves hid in the hills, waiting to rob the unfortunate and defenseless traveler. I have been told that psalms such as these are talking about our needing God's help and protection during those times when we are literally or figuratively wandering through the hills of life.

Yes, that makes sense, but that is not all that resonated with me tonight...or during this week as I meditated on this wonderful scripture.

I also read a beautiful story about a woman's eyesight and the advice her doctor gave her. It seems that woman's job demanded constant close-up reading, which was straining her eyes. The doctor told her she needed to rest her eyes more often, and asked her what she could see out her window at her workplace. She answered that she could see mountains and hills.

The physician replied that she needed to look at the mountains for 10-20 minutes a day to feel better.

And thus, it is with the eyes of our soul. We spend so much time focusing on our problems and immediate circumstances. We need to look up, to the LORD, for the proper spiritual perspective and help.

I am guilty of this. I find it easy to be overwhelmed with my immediate circumstances, thinking that those circumstances are my universe. And what advice do I find myself listening to? The well-meaning words of my friends, associates, self-help books and popular culture. Yes, many voices within our culture try to sound "inspiring" and "healing," but I need to keep listening with more discernment. In some cases, I shouldn't listen at all.

Where I live, I have a gorgeous view of the bay. And what is beyond that bay off into the distant horizon? On a clear day, I can gaze upon the Olympic Mountains.

Simply looking up to the mountains reminds me that there is majesty, power and greatness beyond my circumstances. I can see something beautiful that isn't affected by my neighborhood, the gulch below my street or even the wonderful bay beyond that.

In other words, I need to keep on being heavenly-minded. "My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth." God is the One who will guide me, provide for me and help me through the circumstances in life that overwhelm me. I need to look beyond myself. I and my problems are not the center of the universe.

Looking at those Olympic Mountains (and if I travel a few blocks away in another direction, I can gaze upon Mt. Rainier) reminds me of that. It comforts and encourages.

Oh, and one more thing. Focusing on God, when we are so spiritually near-sighted is difficult. We can't always see Him in our lives. So it is living in the Pacific Northwest. With all our clouds and rain, I can't always see the mountains. But I know they're there. Just like I know God is there.

Wow...there IS a spiritual advantage to living in rain country! Praise God.

Week #8 James 1:21 "Love God, Love Others"

"Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you."

Nobody ever said that living the Christian life (or the life of faith, regardless of the religion) was politically correct or popular. It never has been. It never will be.

Take this verse from the book of James, for instance. Wow....to even suggest that our prevailing culture contains elements of "moral filth" and "evil" is to, at best, have others roll their eyes at us. At worst, it is to be sneered at, insulted, beaten, and generally ex-communicated from "regular" society.

Isn't this verse, and its moral charge to us, the fodder for late night comedians and their Christian stereotypes? Never mind the TV comics, how about our neighbors, co-workers, family members and (in my case) fellow theatre artists who dismiss the Christian faith as silly, close-minded, bigoted and out-moded?

This is nothing new. This attitude towards the people of God has been around....well, since there has been a people of God. Remember, Noah was a preacher of righteousness, but never won any popularity contests. Other prophets of the LORD were beaten, cast out and some were killed for their message. Joseph was thrown into a pit and sold into slavery by his own brothers for speaking forth God's prophecy.

So for me, a 21st century American believer, to live out this charge from James, is to live IN this world, but not be subject TO this world. What does this mean for me? It's not easy to explain, but here goes:

I live IN this world, with all its moral and intellectual content that either dishonors God or refuses to acknowledge He even exists.

I also live in a world that contains people who desperately need to know Him. These people will never have a shred of hope of meeting God if I don't invite them into my life.

So, I must meet people where they are, not expect them to come to where I am. That means meeting them in their world, the same world that denies God and might even ridicule His followers.

So, I the individual and we the Body of Christ, must join them, non-judgementally and on terms they can understand and even enjoy (remember Jesus enjoying meals with the tax collectors and sinners?). BUT (here's the punchline...) we don't have to adopt the values and thoughts of the world they live in, in order to invite them into our lives.

This also means that I choose not to recoil from the sin in the world, because, after all, I'm a sinner, too. I can call out sin for what it is: missing the mark of God's righteousness, but I don't have to lay judgmental attitudes on others. I just have to lift up Jesus (and His word planted in me) and love others.

So...I do want to get rid of moral filth and evil within my heart. That's God's work in me. And what about the evil within others who deny Him? Well, that's God's work as well. I just need to love others in their world, and let that love lead them to search for God. I'll let Him do the rest.

Week #7 Psalm 71:8 "A Definition of Praise"

"My mouth is filled with Your praise, declaring Your splendor all day long."

PRAISE: (definition)

1. "psalm," "confession," "thanksgiving," "glorify," "to stretch out the hand." The word comes from the Latin pretium, "price," or "value," and may be defined generally as an ascription of value or worth.

(International Standard Bible Encyclopedia)

2. (v.) To extol in words or song; to magnify; to glorify on account of perfections or excellent works; to do honor to; to display the excellence of; -- applied especially to the Divine Being. (Webster's Dictionary)

These definitions of "praise" are important to me. If I attempt to apply this truth from Psalm 71:8, I need a good grasp of the term "praise." It got me thinking, about what praise really is, and whether or not I am actually doing it.

You see, I have a slight problem when it comes to praise. Praising God is oftentimes associated in the Psalms with gladness, dancing and singing. But, as a Christian who struggles with depression, I can't always bring myself to sing, dance or feel glad. Does this mean I'm not capable of praise?

That's when I looked at the aforementioned definitions of the word "praise." I have to say, they made me feel a whole lot better. Praise, at least by these definitions, doesn't necessarily require any particular emotion, such as happiness or even a good mood, or motoric behavior, such as dance.

To praise is to acknowledge who God is, and to give honor to who He is. Period.

If you doubt my interpretation, consider this. David, in many of his psalms, such as in Ps. 143, spoke honestly to the LORD about his pain, his trials and his suffering. He wasn't dancing and singing at that moment. But notice what he says in verse 6: "I stretch out my hands to You, my soul thirsts for You like a parched land." "Stretch out his hand"...in other words, praise.

And take Job, as another example. Though he wailed about his enormous suffering, even pronouncing that God was "slaying him" (Job. 13:15), look what Job said just before that (Job 12:13): "With Him are wisdom and might. To Him belong counsel and understanding." In other words, he was acknowledging God's attributes. Sounds like praise to me.

What an enormous relief that is. Even in my darkest moments of sadness, I can still praise God honestly and truthfully. No, I don't have to put on a happy face, or force myself to dance, sing and shout "hallelujah." I can sit at the feet of my LORD and acknowledge who He is.

Of course, if all that meditation about God's attributes and blessing starts to bring a smile - an honest, sincere smile - to my face, all the better.

But even if it doesn't, God can still inhabit the praise of his people regardless of their mood. Why not? He's a big God, and can do anything.