What we Eat is What we Become

This past week we sisters in Christ got together to consider Eve in the book of Genesis, and I was struck by one of the sentences in Gen 3. "...she took of its fruit and ate.  She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate."
Eve was created to be a strong Helper...an 'Ezer' to her husband; and so are we.  What I was 'struck' with is how lethal our actions and our words can be when we eat the fruit God forbids.  What is that? "the tree of the knowledge of good and evil."   That tree was in the midst of the garden. It was not tucked 'out of the way' somewhere in a place it would not often be seen, but no! It was right in the middle.   Could it be that God was desiring a wise choice from His people?
We also know that the 'tree of life' was available...and  so it is to us today.
And each day we also have a choice.   We are not robots, pre-programmed to simply obey.
In Deut. 30:19 the Lord actually says, "I have set before you death and life. Therefore choose life that both you and your descendants may live."  
From this verse we can see that our choices WILL affect not only us, but also our descendants. THAT has been a great motivator for me.  Gal. 6:7 repeats something similar; "Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a 'woman' sows, that shall 'she' also reap."
How many times have we been deceived by the thought, "That little wrong eating won't matter."  I put in the word 'eating' because that's what Genesis referred to in the first place.  Jesus said is John 6, "If you eat Me...you will live because of Me."
It sounds as if HE is now the wonderful, life giving Tree of Life! 

 So often He encouraged people to simply "Come to HIM." ...and of course we now have the Bible...to feed on and bring us to HIM.  
I have noticed, sadly, that many times when I have NOT set my mind on Him and His truth, out of my mouth have come words that hurt, tear down, and discourage not only me, but the others I speak them to!!
How many, many times I have had to repent when the Holy Spirit quickly comes to convict me that death has just come from me.  How many times I have had to apologize to my dear husband and others when I let that happen.  And...how many, many times my precious Saviour has forgiven and washed me completely clean through the blood that He shed on the cross!!  And that reminds me of this verse, "To whom has been forgiven much, the same loves much!"  THAT I see is me...He continues to woo and to win my heart!

Response-Ability

Lately I've been thinking about the word, "Responsibility" and it occurred to me that it is actually two words! If I simply focus on my part in life...where I am called to fulfill my daily duties; to be responsible, it can often feel overwhelming...and kind of a drudgery.  I have heard one highly productive, disciplined woman say, "Do it until you like it."   This may not always happen though as there are duties in each of our lives that we may never 'like.'    Another advice she gave to get our jobs done was just, "Do the next thing." -- kind of like bringing it all down to 'bite sized' pieces...which was more helpful to me.
There is a verse in the Bible which says, "I can do all things through Christ Who strengthens me." This I see, to be a marvellous key.   As we receive HIS divine and perfect life into us we experience the miraculous process which the Bible calls being 'born again.'   We are born of His Spirit in the deepest part of our being; and in that instant, we become a 'new creation!'  
There's a lovely song which says, "I'm a new creation, I'm a brand new man.
                                                        Old things are passed away, I am born again!
                                                        More than a conqueror, that's what I am.
                                                        I'm a new creation-I'm a brand new man!
These are definitely true Bible words...and yet there is also a very real battle within each of us, even after we know we have prayed to receive HIM.   In considering this I have discovered two extremes.  One side focuses very much on the truth that God will do this work.   He is "the Author and Finisher of our faith."  "It is God Who operates in us both to will and to do His good pleasure."    Surely we can just relax and HE will do it all!
The flip side of this focus recalls verses such as--"He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him." and "Work out your salvation with fear and trembling..." ---"We make it our aim to be well pleasing to Him."
So,,,which is it?  "He will do?" or "Work out your salvation?"    I would like to say it is both!
And that's where the two words 'response-ability' comes in.
We are responsible beings and we are accountable to obey our Lord in the tiny, seemingly unimportant duties of our daily life BUT at the same time, it is HE Who constantly empowers us from within.   Learning how to recognize and to co-operate with this is so very important!  He grants the ability...and we respond.  And as we do this HE does always cause us to "triumph in Christ" in the seemingly insignificant, small things of our life.
 As His follower; to accept continual defeat in our daily life and call it 'normal' is actually to embrace a lie!... and therefore to continue to 'live a lie.'   Is this what much of North American Christianity has come to accept?  If and when that is the case I would like to suggest therein  is extremely serious identity confusion!
Hebrews 12 1,2 also gives us another help. "Run with endurance the race set before you...fixing your eyes on/looking  unto Jesus..."  and then both the ability and the response will come from Him!

When Walking Through the Valley of the Shadow of Death

Mar. 2017

Over the past month, since my dear mother turned '92'...then fell and broke her hip on the same day, my life has been a series of ups and downs.  "Will she or won't she make it this time?"  After spending 10 days with her, it seemed she may be here for  awhile, so I returned to my home about 1500 miles away from her.  However, during my time there I discovered the devotional book, "Words of Comfort & Cheer" by Lettie Cowman.  Words cannot convey just how timely and helpful these devotionals have been to me while we walk through this "valley of the shadow of death."

One passage I'll focus on is Matt. 8:22 "Jesus said to him,'Follow Me, and let the dead bury their dead."  The author brings out that the Lord is not asking us to deny our sorrow and simply manifest stoicism.  No--but she is saying that we can not cure our own sorrow by nursing it too long.  If we do, it may grow into a very obstinate, persistent; even habitual attitude of heart.  What she brings out here instead is, the antidote of  looking on the things of others...and begin to nurse their sorrows...begin to care for them!

And, amazingly, by ministering to them in their tears He is healing ours!

While growing up at home, so many years ago now; my mother used to tell me, "If you feel lonely, look around for someone who may be lonelier or more frightened, and be kind to them."   This was wonderful advice!  It really did help me many times; to get my mind off of myself!  And, the Lord has this written in His Word; "Look out not only for your own interests, but also for the interests of others!" (Phil 2:4)  And again it is written in Job 42:10 "And the Lord restored Job's losses (turned his captivity) when he prayed for his friends."

I am finding these days, that I am being marvellously helped by following assignments the Lord is giving me day by day.  That is surely much better than sitting at home waiting for the phone to ring...with a report of her current progress.   I did not realize how difficult it would be for me, to walk through this valley with my Mother and my siblings.  It is extremely painful, but...I KNOW HE  is with me!  Part of the poem in the devotional is as follows: 

"Hearts growing weary, with heavier woe now droop midst the darkness; go comfort them-go!

Go bury your sorrow, let others be blest; go give them the sunshine, tell Jesus the rest."