Give Us a King

It’s interesting to note that in every circle of influence across the world, there are leaders and there are followers.

I don’t think the circles of influence with which we are associated offer much distinction in our desire to either lead or to be led. The choice to fix and keep our eyes on God is difficult as we watch our culture fix its eyes on people who have been placed in esteemed positions of power and/or authority

Without our full awareness, we are prone to find ourselves looking for a person to lead us and to fight our battles for us.

The good news is, as we bury ourselves in the Word of God, He gives us perspective as we learn from those who have gone before us facing the same struggles.

One of many examples is Samuel. 

Samuel was a man with a very unique background.  His mother, Hannah, was barren and pleaded with the Lord for a son.   Hannah promised the Lord that if he would honor her desire that she in turn would give her son back to him for all the days of his life.  God honored Hannah’s desire and Hannah honored the Lord, taking her son Samuel to Eli, the priest of God, to be raised in the temple.

When Samuel grew old, he appointed his sons as judges for Israel.  However, his sons did not walk in his ways.  All the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel saying, “You are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways; now appoint a king to lead us, such as all the other nations have.” (I Sam.8:5)

Samuel prayed to the Lord and the Lord told him: “Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected as their king, but me. As they have done from the day I brought them up out of Egypt until this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are doing to you.” (I Sam. 8:7-9)

In an unforgiving culture, it can be difficult to follow the True King.  When we take our eyes off of God for a moment to look around at what everyone else is doing, we may stumble into idolatry. 

In what becomes a crisis of belief, each person is left to decide for himself or herself whether or not they will serve God or an idol.  An idol, as defined by Merriam Webster, is a “greatly loved or admired person; a picture or object that is worshipped as a god; a false god; pretender or impostor.”

Samuel was deeply displeased when the Israelites demanded: “Give us a king to lead us.” (I Sam.8:6) God’s words to Samuel convict my soul in my own struggle not to worship false idols: “It is not you they have rejected as their king, but me.” 

When the lines of black and white become muddied shades of grey, we must determine to honor the Lord our God with all of our hearts, all of our souls, all of our minds and all of our strength. 

Christ died on a cross to atone for our sins and to point us to the one true King. Therefore, let us enter the Throne Room and determine to worship Him alone.

Stay the Course...

Sheila

Turning of The Tide

I felt myself exhale this afternoon.  It was a deep sigh that I have been inadvertently holding for a long time.

Yesterday I listened as my husband described our life in one sentence to a friend we had lost touch with for many years. Leave it to my husband to use as few words as possible to express something profoundly impacting!  He said that if you were  to look at a beautifully decorated table, meticulously set for a special occasion, and then suddenly grabbed ahold of the tablecloth and  yanked it as hard as you could, causing the arrangement to become unidentifiable—that would sum up the past several plus years of our lives.

I do not share this information for sympathy; because there is nothing to be sorry about.  

Somewhere in the midst of our heart’s cry to be used for God’s glory, somewhere in the middle of telling God that we would do anything He wanted with our lives, regardless the cost…God took us at our word, and the table cloth got yanked.

Many days ended without solutions to problems bigger than we were capable of fixing.  Nighttime found our heavy hearts lying in bed as we held hands, staring speechless at the ceiling, praying that courage might find us somewhere in the night to face the light of a new day.  

We found the core of our beliefs tested and tried in ways we could have never guessed as the tide of God’s favor and blessing, by all appearances, was going out with no sign of a hasty return.

The loss which almost took us out in the mighty undertow was not only the loss of “things” but also the loss of people who we had believed would stand beside us regardless life’s circumstances.  

At times I was certain we would not survive; our strength ebbing away against the mighty grasp of Despair.

I struggle to find adequate words to express the beauty of how God is willing to work in the lives of broken people, such as ourselves, never letting go of us even when all felt hopeless.  In the middle of chaos, He changed the very templates of our hearts.  

Today, the tide is turning once again, swallowing us in the joy of the Lord.  We have done nothing to merit favor in the turning of the tide.

Just as I cannot explain how or why the tide went out so long ago; neither can I explain why the tide has now turned again.  The turning of the tide does not represent an easy life, simply a good life where one can exhale.  

I know that some of you have faced or are currently facing your own unimaginable losses. 

Sometimes loss or change is a gift from God, though in the moment, through the lens of our finite perspective, the gift does not feel pleasant.  Paul reminds us in Romans: “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” (Rom. 8:28)

I share this turning of the tide moment with you today with the hopes that your hearts will be encouraged.  If you are stuck up to your knees in sand, looking off toward the direction of the ocean wondering if the tide will ever turn back again, do not lose hope.

God’s promises are written on your heart, never to be erased or forgotten.

I’ve said it before and I will continue to say it again and again: “You are deeply loved by your heavenly Father.” 

Stay the Course…

Sheila

Today’s Prayer: “I lift up my eyes to the hills—where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip-he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord watches over you—the Lord is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord will keep you from all harm—he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.” Psalm 121:1-8

One Thing I Ask of The Lord

Psalm 27:4(NIV) “One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple.”

In looking through scripture, there is a common thread between some of the men and the women who desired to live their lives to please God.  Regardless the sins that tripped them up; they strived to place their trust and confidence in the One who would remain faithful and never forsake them.

As we take a look at God's servant, David, the comparison of David's humanity can serve as a reflection in the mirror of our own struggles.  

David was a man after God's own heart.(I Sam.13:14) He was divinely chosen and anointed by God, becoming one of the greatest kings of Israel.  (I Sam.16:13)

David’s life was filled with great accomplishments and stained with terrible sins.  It would be fair to say that he had some high highs and some low lows.  Before he became one of the greatest kings, he was known as a fine musician, so reputable that he played before the king.(ISam.16:14-23)  He was also a poet who wrote much of the Psalms, including the 23^rd Psalm.  

David went from being the youngest of eight boys, a courageous shepherd boy, to being a prominent king possessing more power than anyone of his day.  In spite of the power and privileges accompanied with being the king, there was only one thing that David’s soul craved.  It was something that no amount of power and no person could satisfy.  David says it well when he says, “One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple.” (Ps.27:4)

Although David’s heart was led astray by sin, the darkness of his sin and the realization of his depravity led him back to the heart of God, “My heart says of you, “Seek his face!” Your face, Lord, I will seek.  Do not hide your face from me, do not turn your servant away in anger; you have been my helper.  Do not reject me or forsake me, O God my Savior.” (Ps. 27:8&9)

Just like David, we are God’s servants.  Just like David, we are tempted and sometimes led astray by sin.  We are truly a messed up mixture of glory and grime!

There is nothing and no one that can satisfy the true cravings of our soul except our Lord.

Stay the Course...

Sheila

Today’s Prayer: “Father, I know that only You can satisfy the cravings of my soul.  Nothing else and no one else can be to me what only You can be, my God and King.  I desire to seek You and know You as I am known by You.  I desire to love You and accept the love You have for me.  Please forgive me for the many times I push You away. I cannot fathom a love as great as Yours.  Please stay close to me and do not hide your face from me or turn me away in anger.  I am desperate for You.  My soul will not be satisfied with anything less than all of You.  I will seek You and worship You as I gaze upon Your beauty.  There is nothing else my souls craves, only Your presence.  I love You.  In Jesus name I pray, amen.”

un-fet-tered

Last week while driving down the road, my favorite radio personality said a word that grabbed me: "unfettered."  Being an odd gal who loves words, I pulled over and wrote the word down so that I wouldn’t forget it and so that I could ponder its meaning.

The adjective unfettered describes something or someone uninhibited and unrestrained.

Not bound by chains or shackles.

At church yesterday my newly embraced word unwittingly became the theme for service as Pastor played a video regarding prison ministry.  Different women shared their testimonies throughout the video; some women had been released from prison and some women were still donning yellow jumpsuits, confined as inmates within the facility.

I found the women dressed in yellow to be beautiful beyond words.  We  witnessed transformations of radiant women released from the chains of captivity by the One who has the power to “bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release for the prisoners.” (Isaiah 61:1)

Though held within the walls of a prison, these women were unfettered in their souls.  By giving God permission to embrace them, some women were able to acknowledge their true identities for the first time.  His glory shined through the eyes of unfettered inmates.

As I looked around at my fellow sojourners in the church, I wondered how many of us were masking our own yellow jumpsuits.  Free, yet not unfettered.  Our cries echoing David when he cried, “Set me free from my prison, that I may praise your name.” (Ps.142:7)

The Word of God portrays men and women who understood how to live not bound by chains or shackles, even whilst being literally chained and shackled.  Joseph served God from the confines of an unfair imprisonment.  The Apostle Paul persisted in his call to share the Gospel of Christ in spite of his shackles and imprisonment.

Here’s the truth: no one can unfetter his or her own soul.  True unfettering happens in the secret places where we go to meet with our Father alone.  As we pour out our hearts to Him, confessing sins that are hooked deep within our hearts--He releases the hooks that hold us captive.

We hold out empty hands, welcoming the Holy Spirit to fill us with Him, and we are changed.  Instead of prisoners to sin, we become prisoners of Christ Jesus.  Our identity no longer tied to yellow jumpsuits; we become unfettered.

Unfettered freedom is contagious.

If you are living your life in bondage and long to be set free; He is only a whisper away.  If you are too weary to call on the name of Jesus, borrow the faith of a fellow-believer and ask someone you trust to climb into the foxhole with you to wage battle for your soul.

It is for freedom that we have been set free.

Unrestricted. Unlimited. Unhindered. Unfettered Freedom.

Stay the Course...

Sheila

White Picket Fences

As a little girl, I dreamed of growing up and living in an old country house with a wrap- around porch and a white picket fence. 

I don’t know why. 

Maybe I saw one in a movie once upon a time; the scene triggering some warm fuzzy nostalgia.  Or maybe every little girl dreams of a safe place where life is simple and summertime entertainment includes catching fire flies in canning jars.

We grow up as little girls and boys not really knowing what we want, so we watch the world through eyes of wonder.  We remain full of anticipation while waiting for our prince or princess to swoop by on a white horse, sweeping us away to a place called Happily Ever After.

However, as time goes by, we come to realize that Happily Ever After lies somewhere just beyond our reach.  We long for more than a happy ending.  It’s difficult to pin down the mysterious internal restlessness within.  I believe the restlessness whispers to our hungry souls; to the untamed parts which understand we were never created to be kept safe within the confines of a white picket fence.
 
Mystery, adventure, and a healthy fear of the unknown – for these things we were created.  Should we listen to the restless voice within, it may take us to faraway places where the water is unsafe, food is scarce and people’s skin is as colorful as an array of wildflowers.  Stepping outside of our picket fences may take us to inner cities where the homeless lie forgotten under bridges.  The restlessness persists, and we are forced to choose between surrender or safety.

Our spiritual hunger causes us to press into God with all of our hearts, souls, minds and strength, trusting Him with all that lies ahead as we keep our gaze heavenward.  It is no wonder the commitment required when Paul speaks of pressing on toward the goal, “But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:13)

If we ignore the inner groaning and go about living our predictable lives, existing quietly in the safe domain of our picket fences, eventually the groaning will fade.   We may convince ourselves that this is as good as it gets as we settle on the porch swing, cup of iced tea in hand,  swinging to the rhythm of the second hand, safely waiting for death to find us.

Although this type of resignation is a possibility, here’s the good news.  It’s never too late to step outside of the familiar fences that keep us from living wild and free.  The mysterious restlessness within is silenced only when we accept the adventure, embrace the mystery, and run hard after the One who created us to live fully alive for Him, with no inhibitions.

Stay the Course...

Sheila

Today's Prayer: "Father, I pray today that You would open the eyes of my heart.  You created me in Your image, for Your glory.  I need You to show me how to live each day fully surrendered to You.  It's so easy to forget that my life is not my own.  It's difficult to understand that the plans You have for me are so much better than any plans I have laid out for myself.  Please teach my heart to trust You with the simple moments of each day; I truly long to live for You.  Break the chains of fear that confine my spirit and set me free to live in the beauty of who You created me to be.  In Jesus name I pray, amen."

The Other Side of Popular

(There are thousands of disciples of Christ who can relate to the following blog. The last place we expect to be hurt is within the four walls of the church.  If this blog describes you, it is time to come out of the shadows and live fully for Jesus--He is madly in love with you!  There are several books regarding this subject matter that I would recommend: Wounded by God’s People by Anne Graham Lotz, Toxic Faith by Arteburn & Felton, and The Subtle Power of Spiritual Abuse by Johnson & Van Vonderen)


There are things in life some of us aspire to that are not things at all.  Although not your typical open conversation, being popular may be something that you deem important.  I will confess that at one time, so did I.

Being popular puts one’s beliefs about him or herself in a place of hierarchy based on what those in the popular group have determined acceptable.  I do not speak as one unlearned on the topic of popularity. 

Almost before we learn to walk, we are subconsciously aware that there are two types of people in the world: popular or unpopular.  The definition of both groups is clearly understood by all, yet the white elephant in the room is seldom addressed.

I spent many years of my life tucked within what I perceived to be the safety of the popular crowd.  All was well in my world when I played by the unspoken rules of loyalty and when I respected what lines I could and could not cross in order to maintain my popular status.

However, when the Spirit within me was not in agreement with the vote of the popular crowd, when I rocked the boat, provoking the controller of the helm to anger at my inability to trust the words of a person over the words of my Maker; I was cast into the hungry waves of the ocean faster than Jonah.

Instead of death, I washed up on the shore on the other side of popular.  What felt like the punishment of betrayal became the gift of mercy from the One who walked on the other side of popular thousands of years before me. 

On the other side of popular, I lost everything that had once defined me.  Everything.  In  place of all that was lost, I was given the gifts of the Spirit-- which can be taken away by no one.  In the darkness of the Valley of Loss, salve was given to restore my sight.  Sorrow and Sadness were given to allow me to feel the grief of dying to myself so as to have the ability to feel the joy of living to please One.  My true identity was found somewhere on the ocean floor of forgotten and discarded.

My appetite for success and popularity were replaced with an appetite to know God more and to stay the course no matter the cost.  Being on the other side of popular has become my greatest accomplishment.  By the grace of my Lord and Savior, my greatest ambition to live a life that brings Him honor and glory, to love Him with an undying love, to leave a legacy of unshakeable faith for my children and my grandchildren--all this I pray to accomplish as I worship the One who will never cast me aside.

I care only about who He says I am. 

The other side of popular has brought freedom to my spirit and healing to my heart.
 
True to His unchanging nature; who He says I am does not change based on the opinions of those who believe themselves to be in the popular crowd.

If you are on the other side of popular, do not try to find a way of escape from the pain you are feeling.  Allow your Father to comfort you and to answer the deepest desires of your heart. 

Rest in your new identity.

The One who holds you is ever faithful to complete the great work which He began in you.  Nothing and no one can thwart the plans He has for you.

You are deeply loved.

Stay the Course...

Sheila

The Fastest Mile

Have you ever wondered if there are limits to what you can do? 

I was thinking about that this morning as I was contemplating what it would look like to go deeper with God; and if there are limits to that possibility.

As I pondered that thought, God brought to my memory the story about the fastest mile.

During World War II, racing was curtailed in combatant countries.  However, after the war, two rivals, John Landy of Australia and Roger Bannister from Britain vied to be the first person to break what was considered to be the fabled four-minute mile barrier.

On May 6, 1954, Roger Bannister broke the barrier and John Landy followed suit 46 days later.

It’s amazing to consider the determination of these two men to do something that had never before been done; something no one thought was possible.

I wonder if John Landy, although thrilled with his ability to break the four-minute mile, was disappointed in himself for not digging deep enough to go for it 46 days earlier.  It was AFTER Roger Bannister broke the record that John Landy realized his own potential.

I drove through the mountains for a long time this morning weighing all of this out in my own mind.  After all, as we have learned from both Landy and Bannister, the will to exceed possibility begins in the mind. 

In what was known as the “Race of the Century,” Landy ran his second sub-4 minute mile at the 1954 British Empire and Commonwealth Games in British Columbia.  Landy raced against Bannister. The race was heard over the radio by 100 million people and seen on television by millions more.  On the final turn of the last lap, Landy looked over his left shoulder as Bannister passed him on the right to beat him. 

Even so, two years later at the 1956 Australian National Championships, during the Olympic Trials, Landy surprised everyone when he doubled back to check on a fellow runner whom he had clipped in the heel causing him to fall early in the third lap of the race.  The runner got back up to finish the race and somehow Landy was able to make up the deficit to win the race.

Although most of us may not break records and make history; we can certainly push through the boundaries of our own mind.

Can we trust God and break through the ceilings of what we have believed to be possible? Are we willing to risk safety to visit places of freedom that lie just beyond the borders of comfort?

I guess we could wait for someone else to go first; but our personal journey’s are not contingent upon nor competing with another’s journey. 

If you sense that God is calling you to step into something that no one, including yourself,  may have ever thought was possible-- go for it!

And  don’t break stride by looking over your shoulder.

I think John Landy would agree.

Stay the Course...

Sheila