Tag: Matthew 6

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Day 8 Honey In The Rock

krisshetter 
Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.  Are you not much more valuable than they?  Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? Matthew 6:26-27
By awesome deeds you answer us with righteousness, O God of our salvation, the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas; Psalm 65:5

There’s been a few times in my 36 years of marriage when we experienced serious financial loss.  The first time it was devastating.  I felt lost and unsure of our future.  It was hard not blaming and feeling angry.  I wasn’t a woman of faith at the time so I turned inward to chastise myself over and over and then outward condemning anyone associated with the loss.  I dwelt over it, turning the situation around in my head during endless, sleepless nights.  Each time I drove past the business project in which we had invested the scab was re-opened and for days I would feel those same feelings all over again.

Fast forward many years when my husband’s business and another investment came under dramatic assault due to Covid restrictions and fear.  We saw all that we had built potentially crumbling beneath us.  This loss was potentially greater, effecting our retirement and even our home.  This time, however was different.  

I frequently found myself at peace.  Sure, I’d get scared.  I’d worry about the stress my husband was under.  This time I had someone to tell me there was a purpose to the plan.  To tell me He would give us the manna and the honey because He is the Lord who provides.

We have two choices to make when difficulties attack our lives.  We can turn to our emotions and fears or we can turn to Jesus.  When we allow our fears to take over, we get angry, we blame, we get depressed.  For people like me I wear myself out alternately beating myself up (you shouldn’t have taken that vacation last year!  That money could help us now!) or obsessing over how to fix an unfixable problem.  For some they withdraw from the world all together feeling hopeless.

When I finally learned, and most of all believed, that God is who we turn to satisfy and squash our fears I experienced freedom.  He is a miracle worker.  He can bring water from a stone.  Turn water into wine.  No matter what we face in the coming years we need to remember to seek God for all we need.  Pray, praise and trust then repeat.

I’m having some issues with the webpage provider correctly linking the songs from the button below. So try clicking here: Honey In The Rock.

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Enjoy Life: From Meaningless to Meaningful

krisshetter

Ecclesiastes 1 begins in a tale of hopelessness: “Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher.  “Utterly meaningless!  Everything is meaningless.”  A strange beginning of my journey this year into taking to heart God’s word for me to “Enjoy” wouldn’t you say?  After hearing this guidance from Him in January I took to my Bible to find passages which would be key in supporting my success this year.  I found so many great scriptures such as:

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. John 10:10
This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:24
Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward.  You are serving the Lord Christ. Colossians  3:23-24

One book, however, kept popping up – King Solomon’s study of the meaningless life – Ecclesiastes.  It’s not a book to tackle lightly.  In fact, when pastors and Bible teachers warn us about taking scripture out of context, I would venture to say two books might come to mind, both the book of Job and Ecclesiastes.  Wisdom is not always easily understood.  It uses metaphors, symbolism, parables, and logic.  Jesus, Himself, was prone to sometimes confusing bouts of wisdom instruction.  The disciples, in John 16, sounded relieved when they say to Jesus, “Now you are speaking clearly and without figures of speech.” (Jn 16:29)  

But Ecclesiastes mentions “enjoy” throughout its pages.  In fact, you might say the entire book is figuring out how to enjoy this seemingly repetitive and mundane life.  Is it through knowledge?  Through wealth, food, drink, or other sensual pleasures?  Or maybe through wisdom – something God gifted King Solomon. This book’s sometimes confusing yet, intriguing study of life, drew me in wanting the keys to one of life’s greatest questions.  A question a new friend of mine said she googled just the other day, “What is the meaning of life?”

I hope you join me on this journey during the next 10 or 12 weeks as we let King Solomon’s in-depth look into the “meaningless” life work into our hearts and minds. I want to encourage you to read the entire book during the series. It’s 12 short chapters!  His truth-telling is sometimes raw and a little painful.  However, his honesty serves to strengthen our faith.  As Jesus once so famously admonished His disciples: 

“Therefore, I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?  Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.  Are you not of more value than they?  And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?  Matthew 6:25-26

In other words, love God and enjoy your life.

Enjoy Life: from meaningless to meaningful begins Monday, March 4.  Please encourage your friends and family to follow along by having them receive their weekly email post.  Sign up at Emboldened.net. 

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Resting In Peace

krisshetter

I sat in the back of the car texting my husband about our travels that day.  Suddenly, we experienced yet another brush with death.  Our car came within inches of having the entire left side (the side I was on) shorn by a large truck.  My friends in the front seat continued their ongoing murmur of bickering about driving skills and directions.  My next text to my husband went something like this:

Me: I realized I might die today and I’m ok with that.

My Husband: What??

Me: Ya, we almost just died a few times today but somehow I’m ok with it.

When I tell my friends about this moment they think I’m being funny and exaggerating.  One friend then inquired, “but weren’t you terrified and angry?”  I said, “No, really I was at peace.”

My reaction to our death-defying adventure that day reminded me of these few verses in Pastor John Newton’s famous hymn, “Amazing Grace.”

"Through many dangers, toils, and snares I have already come; 
His grace has brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home."

I’ll tell you friends, my reaction that day was a first for me. Neither the near miss or the bickering could take away the peace I was experiencing. I saw the bickering as my friends’ natural way of communicating with each other over their 60 years of loving marriage. Somehow it worked for them. And as for that little death thingy? I realized I had zero control over the situation. No amount of my yelling about my friend’s driving, yelling at the other driver, fretting , crying or whatever would change the situation. We were in the middle of nowhere so I couldn’t even demand we pull over and let me out.

Instead, I sat back and did the only things I could do: pray and worship.  I didn’t beg God to save me.  I told Him I trusted Him.  If He had more things for me to do here on Earth then I would do them.  I watched as beautiful scenery sped by and I thanked Him for His glorious creation.  I thanked Him for my sweet little family whom I love and I know loves me.  

I tell this story because this hasn’t always been me.  I didn’t even realize it could be me until that very moment.  Until I was tested by the Lord.  Let’s just say I’m a really talented “backseat driver.”  Or as my husband can attest, a well-practiced jump seat boss.  The Holy Spirit and I have worked diligently on this topic.  With each foray into my husband searching for parking places, driving past our freeway exits or taking different, less efficient routes for errands, the Holy Spirit has set on my right shoulder prodding me into silence.

It’s my desires of the flesh – pride and anger — that get me into so much trouble during these times.  I know best.  And if you don’t take my advice, it’s a punishable offence.  But I’m heartened to know I’m probably the only one with this problem, correct?  

Joy and patience are far above our strength…We must persevere in prayer that He may not permit our hearts to faint…Prayer and perseverance are necessary in our daily conflicts. The best remedy to the weariness is diligence in prayer.

John Calvin

When I realized I could not, by my own doing, take on this task of peacefulness  while not in the driver’s seat I turned to God in prayer.  It’s He that gives me the reminders.  It’s He that tugs at my mind and heart.  It’s by the Holy Spirit’s strength that not only does my mouth stay shut (mostly) but my mind turns to something else. And lo and behold, we still arrive at our destination.  We may walk a bit father but we still get there!  While I still struggle with this sin our Saturday errand trips have become more peaceful ventures.  

This training each week led me to that moment in the back of my friends’ car.  To my possible “meeting my Maker” moment.  Not only did I have peace but also joy in knowing I have the love of the Lord on my side whether I’m here for another day or two or not.  And I had love for my friends.  They had taken the day to share an adventure with me, to share their time with me. And what an adventure it was!

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?" Matthew 6:25-27

I know I can’t, by worry or fear or anger, add a single hour to my life.  I do know that with prayer and worship He will make my life more peaceful and beautiful.  And for that I am forever grateful.  Peace be with you my friends.