People come to the Middle East for many different reasons. Many from the Philippines, various African countries and surrounding Islamic countries for the chance to make a decent salary to send home to their families. Sometimes their families come too, but you have to make a certain salary for that to be allowed, so most of the time they don't. Many of these people find work cleaning houses and raising other people's children or driving a taxi or construction work. One result is that anytime we are in public we come in contact with people like this who are homesick and missing their families, especially if they have children they've left behind. These are the people who usually try to talk to our kids or smile at them or want to shake their hands.
I have to admit that I don't always look fondly at my housework or whining kids, but now I see it from a different perspective. It's a blessing to be able to do my own housework for my own family. How can I complain about dirty dishes when they represent abundance? I get to wash my own instead of washing dishes for another person to support my family. It's a blessing to be able to choose to serve the people I love instead of having to serve others out of necessity. Holding my crying kid is a privilege. I know I will love him/her no matter what, who else could do my job like that? I certainly don't want someone else holding my crying child, or want to take care of someone else's kids for pay while missing my own. Their training is my most important work.
To the many people who must leave your families in order to support them, thank you for perspective. May you be reunited quickly.
Saturday, June 23, 2012
Monday, June 18, 2012
1:1 In the second year of King Darius, on the first day of the sixth month, the word of the Lord came through the prophet Haggai to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua son of Jozadak,[a] the high priest: 2 This is what the Lord Almighty says: “These people say, ‘The time has not yet come to rebuild the Lord’s house. ’” 3 Then the word of the Lord came through the prophet Haggai: 4 “Is it a time for you yourselves to be living in your paneled houses, while this house remains a ruin? " 5 Now this is what the Lord Almighty says: “Give careful thought to your ways. 6 You have planted much, but harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it.” Haggai 1:1-6
Haggai is obviously a message to a nation with their priorities out of whack. Unfortunately, this too easily applies to our world and personal lives today. It's so easy to put things, even GOOD things, before our relationship with God and taking time to listen for His will in our lives. How often have we struggled to figure out why ends that should be meeting are just not quite working they way they should? How often are we frustrated by plans that should be foolproof- but yet we were foolish enough to make them without confirming with the One who holds tomorrow?
6 “This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘In a little while I will once more shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land. 7 I will shake all nations, and what is desired by all nations will come, and I will fill this house with glory, ’ says the Lord Almighty. 8 ‘The silver is mine and the gold is mine,’ declares the Lord Almighty. 9 ‘The glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house,’ says the Lord Almighty. ‘And in this place I will grant peace, ’ declares the Lord Almighty.”
God, the God of the Universe, this great big entity that we can't understand or squeeze into our minds, has a will that is underlying every movement of the earth. He is portrayed so often as a distant, ancient ruler who doesn't really get involved or impose His will because He provides grace so that He doesn't have to deal with our dirtiness. This chapter paints a very strong, very involved, completely in control, personal God whose spoken word is the same reality as it was in creation. His will is accomplished and He leaves us with a choice: We can either step up and be a part of that will in a good way, or ignorantly be used as a tool (even the wicked are used as His tools); either way, His plan is going to happen. It's like He's saying: "If you could just see the bigger picture that I have planned, your routines and life that you get stuck in would be the last thing you desired and getting closer to Me would be your priority." This chapter emphasizes that when we honor God, everything else falls in line like it should.
If our priorities aren't straight, everything else is messed up by default:
2:11 “This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Ask the priests what the law says: 12 If someone carries consecrated meat in the fold of their garment, and that fold touches some bread or stew, some wine, olive oil or other food, does it become consecrated? ’”
The priests answered, “No.”
13 Then Haggai said, “If a person defiled by contact with a dead body touches one of these things, does it become defiled?”
“Yes,” the priests replied, “it becomes defiled. ”
14 Then Haggai said, “‘So it is with this people and this nation in my sight,’ declares the Lord. ‘Whatever they do and whatever they offer there is defiled.
It's important that his examples taken from the law show that it is easier to contaminate things than it is to make them holy. By offering sacrifices in an attitude of compensation for not making the temple of God their priority, while the sacrifices were not unclean themselves, their attitude stunk and canceled them out. It reminds me of 1 Samuel 15:22
"And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams." This concept is also echoed in the first chapter of Isaiah.
This theme is repeated so often in the Bible because we easily get our priorities misaligned. If we can put Him first, though, like the children of Israel in Haggai's time, we will see God's blessing in every area of our lives.
2:19 Is there yet any seed left in the barn? Until now, the vine and the fig tree, the pomegranate and the olive tree have not borne fruit.
“‘From this day on I will bless you.’”
Still, there's something more important. Besides doing something to avoid hell, besides doing something for a blessing, Jesus' example took it to a more personal level. He made the will of God his nourishment.
John 4:31-38
In the mean while his disciples prayed him, saying, Master, eat. 32 But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of. 33 Therefore said the disciples one to another, Hath any man brought him ought to eat? 34 Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work. 35 Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest. 36 And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together. 37 And herein is that saying true, One soweth, and another reapeth. 38 I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours.
The will of God was Jesus' very sustenance... and He explains what that will is: reconciling the world to God.
In my small, carnal mind- being so in tune with God's will is hard to fathom. It comes down to trusting that God's will is best and really believing it. When our heart is right, our actions will follow. When our heart is not right, right actions do not make up for it, as the people found with their sacrifices in Haggai. Funny how we can know things in our head, but still don't get them into our heart so that they can impact our actions.
This is the prayer that is echoing in my heart: Psalm 86:11 "Teach me your way O Lord, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name."
Haggai is obviously a message to a nation with their priorities out of whack. Unfortunately, this too easily applies to our world and personal lives today. It's so easy to put things, even GOOD things, before our relationship with God and taking time to listen for His will in our lives. How often have we struggled to figure out why ends that should be meeting are just not quite working they way they should? How often are we frustrated by plans that should be foolproof- but yet we were foolish enough to make them without confirming with the One who holds tomorrow?
6 “This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘In a little while I will once more shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land. 7 I will shake all nations, and what is desired by all nations will come, and I will fill this house with glory, ’ says the Lord Almighty. 8 ‘The silver is mine and the gold is mine,’ declares the Lord Almighty. 9 ‘The glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house,’ says the Lord Almighty. ‘And in this place I will grant peace, ’ declares the Lord Almighty.”
God, the God of the Universe, this great big entity that we can't understand or squeeze into our minds, has a will that is underlying every movement of the earth. He is portrayed so often as a distant, ancient ruler who doesn't really get involved or impose His will because He provides grace so that He doesn't have to deal with our dirtiness. This chapter paints a very strong, very involved, completely in control, personal God whose spoken word is the same reality as it was in creation. His will is accomplished and He leaves us with a choice: We can either step up and be a part of that will in a good way, or ignorantly be used as a tool (even the wicked are used as His tools); either way, His plan is going to happen. It's like He's saying: "If you could just see the bigger picture that I have planned, your routines and life that you get stuck in would be the last thing you desired and getting closer to Me would be your priority." This chapter emphasizes that when we honor God, everything else falls in line like it should.
If our priorities aren't straight, everything else is messed up by default:
2:11 “This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Ask the priests what the law says: 12 If someone carries consecrated meat in the fold of their garment, and that fold touches some bread or stew, some wine, olive oil or other food, does it become consecrated? ’”
The priests answered, “No.”
13 Then Haggai said, “If a person defiled by contact with a dead body touches one of these things, does it become defiled?”
“Yes,” the priests replied, “it becomes defiled. ”
14 Then Haggai said, “‘So it is with this people and this nation in my sight,’ declares the Lord. ‘Whatever they do and whatever they offer there is defiled.
It's important that his examples taken from the law show that it is easier to contaminate things than it is to make them holy. By offering sacrifices in an attitude of compensation for not making the temple of God their priority, while the sacrifices were not unclean themselves, their attitude stunk and canceled them out. It reminds me of 1 Samuel 15:22
"And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams." This concept is also echoed in the first chapter of Isaiah.
This theme is repeated so often in the Bible because we easily get our priorities misaligned. If we can put Him first, though, like the children of Israel in Haggai's time, we will see God's blessing in every area of our lives.
2:19 Is there yet any seed left in the barn? Until now, the vine and the fig tree, the pomegranate and the olive tree have not borne fruit.
“‘From this day on I will bless you.’”
Still, there's something more important. Besides doing something to avoid hell, besides doing something for a blessing, Jesus' example took it to a more personal level. He made the will of God his nourishment.
John 4:31-38
In the mean while his disciples prayed him, saying, Master, eat. 32 But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of. 33 Therefore said the disciples one to another, Hath any man brought him ought to eat? 34 Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work. 35 Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest. 36 And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together. 37 And herein is that saying true, One soweth, and another reapeth. 38 I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours.
The will of God was Jesus' very sustenance... and He explains what that will is: reconciling the world to God.
In my small, carnal mind- being so in tune with God's will is hard to fathom. It comes down to trusting that God's will is best and really believing it. When our heart is right, our actions will follow. When our heart is not right, right actions do not make up for it, as the people found with their sacrifices in Haggai. Funny how we can know things in our head, but still don't get them into our heart so that they can impact our actions.
This is the prayer that is echoing in my heart: Psalm 86:11 "Teach me your way O Lord, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name."
Saturday, June 09, 2012
Biblical concepts that go against instinct can not be seamlessly adopted into one's life. It takes struggle and lots of study and digesting the Bible to really get it INTO our hearts and then used as reflexive actions. I find it humbling that as I've been studying God's attitude towards our violence/non-violence that He has kept opening new scripture to me. I am convinced of only one thing: I do not know everything and can only learn by God giving me wisdom. Lately I've been lead to read the Psalms, particularly Psalms 4 and 17. Psalms 17 surprised me.
"8 Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings, 9 From the wicked that oppress me, from my deadly enemies, who compass me about."
We know by reading the story of David, the psalmist, that he defended himself by running away. He felt conviction just cutting the hem of Saul's cloak! Saul being anointed or not, this was a non-violent approach. I don't know that everything he did applies to the New Testament, but the Psalms seem to transcend Levitical barriers and in Psalms 17 the psalmist is putting his defense in God's hands.
If faced with an attacker, I would try to get out of the situation... but we have to accept that sometimes we can't run. However, we have to strive to be so in tune with the spirit of God that we can look beyond another's aggression and see their soul. We are not our own. We don't play by the rule's of this world and of our instinct.
I've heard many stories of people in this sort of situation and the common theme is that if they truly believed that God would take care of them and they were willing to be harmed to help someone else, in each case God stepped in and took their side in one way or another. Sometimes this meant saving them from harm. Sometimes it meant them being harmed but bringing God great glory in the process. We have to die to the flesh every day so that we are prepared for any more literal moment. Stephen had this in-tune kind of spirit. He was asking God to forgive the people who were stoning him to death. How can we cultivate this spirit of peace and submission to God, even in the middle of horror? I'm convinced it starts with daily dying and bringing our flesh habitually into submission to God.
We crave for suffering to make sense and have a higher purpose. When we can't see that purpose, then sometimes we reject that it should happen at all. We're looking towards a place where justice is real and that things DO make sense, but we're not there yet. I don't know where to discriminate between persecution for following Jesus and criminal activity. Isn't any evil inherently going against God and those who belong to Him? We know that bad things happen to good people and we know that we can only control our own actions and reactions to those bad things. We know that we will be judged by our works, and we know that overcoming our carnal nature is worth it in the end. There is so much transformation that has to take place between where we begin naturally and that creature that is admitted into the presence of God. (Yes, He gives us grace, and I'm thankful for that. He also calls us to actively pursue His higher standard.)
The psalm goes on to say:
10 They are inclosed in their own fat: with their mouth they speak proudly. 11 They have now compassed us in our steps: they have set their eyes bowing down to the earth; 12 Like as a lion that is greedy of his prey, and as it were a young lion lurking in secret places. 13 Arise, O Lord, disappoint him, cast him down: deliver my soul from the wicked, which is thy sword: 14 From men which are thy hand, O Lord, from men of the world, which have their portion in this life, and whose belly thou fillest with thy hid treasure: they are full of children, and leave the rest of their substance to their babes.
This part especially stands out to me. It's interesting that God uses the wicked as a tool, not only against other wicked people, but also to shape His children to be more like Him. This reemphasizes the need to let ourselves be molded by God's use of wicked people in our lives. How painful. This goes against every fiber of our being.
For me it all boils down to the last verse. 15 "As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness." It's all about motivation- a deep desire to be in His likeness, though that means willing to accept pain.
"8 Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings, 9 From the wicked that oppress me, from my deadly enemies, who compass me about."
We know by reading the story of David, the psalmist, that he defended himself by running away. He felt conviction just cutting the hem of Saul's cloak! Saul being anointed or not, this was a non-violent approach. I don't know that everything he did applies to the New Testament, but the Psalms seem to transcend Levitical barriers and in Psalms 17 the psalmist is putting his defense in God's hands.
If faced with an attacker, I would try to get out of the situation... but we have to accept that sometimes we can't run. However, we have to strive to be so in tune with the spirit of God that we can look beyond another's aggression and see their soul. We are not our own. We don't play by the rule's of this world and of our instinct.
I've heard many stories of people in this sort of situation and the common theme is that if they truly believed that God would take care of them and they were willing to be harmed to help someone else, in each case God stepped in and took their side in one way or another. Sometimes this meant saving them from harm. Sometimes it meant them being harmed but bringing God great glory in the process. We have to die to the flesh every day so that we are prepared for any more literal moment. Stephen had this in-tune kind of spirit. He was asking God to forgive the people who were stoning him to death. How can we cultivate this spirit of peace and submission to God, even in the middle of horror? I'm convinced it starts with daily dying and bringing our flesh habitually into submission to God.
We crave for suffering to make sense and have a higher purpose. When we can't see that purpose, then sometimes we reject that it should happen at all. We're looking towards a place where justice is real and that things DO make sense, but we're not there yet. I don't know where to discriminate between persecution for following Jesus and criminal activity. Isn't any evil inherently going against God and those who belong to Him? We know that bad things happen to good people and we know that we can only control our own actions and reactions to those bad things. We know that we will be judged by our works, and we know that overcoming our carnal nature is worth it in the end. There is so much transformation that has to take place between where we begin naturally and that creature that is admitted into the presence of God. (Yes, He gives us grace, and I'm thankful for that. He also calls us to actively pursue His higher standard.)
The psalm goes on to say:
10 They are inclosed in their own fat: with their mouth they speak proudly. 11 They have now compassed us in our steps: they have set their eyes bowing down to the earth; 12 Like as a lion that is greedy of his prey, and as it were a young lion lurking in secret places. 13 Arise, O Lord, disappoint him, cast him down: deliver my soul from the wicked, which is thy sword: 14 From men which are thy hand, O Lord, from men of the world, which have their portion in this life, and whose belly thou fillest with thy hid treasure: they are full of children, and leave the rest of their substance to their babes.
This part especially stands out to me. It's interesting that God uses the wicked as a tool, not only against other wicked people, but also to shape His children to be more like Him. This reemphasizes the need to let ourselves be molded by God's use of wicked people in our lives. How painful. This goes against every fiber of our being.
For me it all boils down to the last verse. 15 "As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness." It's all about motivation- a deep desire to be in His likeness, though that means willing to accept pain.
Tuesday, June 05, 2012
My children are not my ultimate treasure.
Let me explain why, though this sounds unfeeling, this is such a freeing statement.
This post is what I wrote a few days ago that has been weighing heavily on my heart and mind since then.
While I realized in my head that my children were really God's and that He would complete what He started... I hadn't really let them go. Their successful spiritual conclusion, though I didn't realize it, was still my goal.
That is something I can't control.
Matthew 6:21 says "For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.." The Bible says that children are a heritage, a blessing, a responsibility and a reward- but they're not our ultimate goal. My children are on earth and unless they find God's transforming power, they will not be a part of heaven. This is weighty. While I realize I have a huge responsibility to lead them to God and do everything I can to encourage that transformation, how often have I put the well-being (even their spiritual well-being- controlled by my fear) of my children before my love for God- turning them inadvertently into idols? My main goal, my main desire, has to be first the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 6:31-34 addresses this:
31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. 34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
Greg Boyd does a good summary of my thoughts on this passage, and on bringing out some very good points I have a bad habit of forgetting:
My treasure is first: God and His will for me. Everything else falls in line behind that.
God first takes the pressure off of me. He loves my children more than I ever could and if He's first in my life, He'll lead me in the way that's best for my children also. I'm a better mother when I put God before my children.
How freeing.
Let me explain why, though this sounds unfeeling, this is such a freeing statement.
This post is what I wrote a few days ago that has been weighing heavily on my heart and mind since then.
While I realized in my head that my children were really God's and that He would complete what He started... I hadn't really let them go. Their successful spiritual conclusion, though I didn't realize it, was still my goal.
That is something I can't control.
Matthew 6:21 says "For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.." The Bible says that children are a heritage, a blessing, a responsibility and a reward- but they're not our ultimate goal. My children are on earth and unless they find God's transforming power, they will not be a part of heaven. This is weighty. While I realize I have a huge responsibility to lead them to God and do everything I can to encourage that transformation, how often have I put the well-being (even their spiritual well-being- controlled by my fear) of my children before my love for God- turning them inadvertently into idols? My main goal, my main desire, has to be first the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 6:31-34 addresses this:
31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. 34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
Greg Boyd does a good summary of my thoughts on this passage, and on bringing out some very good points I have a bad habit of forgetting:
My treasure is first: God and His will for me. Everything else falls in line behind that.
God first takes the pressure off of me. He loves my children more than I ever could and if He's first in my life, He'll lead me in the way that's best for my children also. I'm a better mother when I put God before my children.
How freeing.
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