Learning Along The Way

Gentle? Humble? Where’s an Example of Those Traits?

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I hope you have been gleaning wonderful nuggets of comfort and encouragement as well as impetus to grow spiritually as we have reflected on these verses this summer. If you’re dropping in today for the first time, we’ve been reading and meditating on Matthew 11:28-30.

Come to Me, all who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. Jesus

If you’re interested in reading the past reflections, I recommend starting with Word on Wednesday.

This week’s passage for reflection  “…for I am gentle and humble in heart…”

Once again, English does not clearly convey the same meaning the original language of this passage conveys.

Gentle may give connotations of tender or soft.

Humble may give connotations of letting others have their way, or being “less than”.

Neither could be further from the original intent.

Gentle means strength under control; like a powerful stallion under bridle. The horse can literally run away with its rider, easily overpowering the weaker human but instead submits itself to the direction given with the bridle.

Photo by Gül Kurtaran on Unsplash

 

Humble means to be emptied of self.  (which is not only difficult to do but even harder to find an image to convey the word!)

Where some have said Jesus Christ was simply a good teacher and didn’t have strength to stand up to Rome or the Jewish leaders, understanding these words now, perhaps you can see the bigger picture of His gentle and humble nature within the context of the full counsel of God.

Jesus chose humility (Phil 2) He embodied the characteristics of the Messiah the Jews were waiting for (Zechariah 9:9) He modeled what a life with God looks like.

Jesus tells us how following Him in faith is easier than the works of other religious systems. Being a Christ-follower is easier because He does the work, the effort, and the Helper, Holy Spirit, gives us strength to come alongside Jesus in our daily life.

So how does this look for you? Perhaps it begins with a simple prayer of acknowledgement: ” I am not able to get through this day without your strength, wisdom and grace. Help me look to You in my moments today.” OR maybe it’s a “Jesus Help Me” prayer in the middle of little people!

The important part of the prayer is FAITH. Believe He will give you what you NEED. It’s not always what you WANT. But it’s always what you NEED.

Jesus is inviting us to come along with Him moment by moment. The result is what we need.

Keep meditating, reflecting and memorizing!

30 Days of Giving #12,13,14,15,16 & 17: Grace

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Gloucester Cathedral doorLife is full even for a recently empty-nester.  Deep conversations with friends far away…

long distance convo

art

breaking freeParticipation in online Bible study & book groups.

I will not remember your sinsTearfully praying for children and adults in the ravaged Philippines. Feathering the new nest. Finding my boots packed in a bag, in a box, under random stuff!  Learning new ways of cooking for my vegan hubster.
Butternut & Mushroom Bruschetta(this is butternut squash & mushroom bruschetta made with vegan cream cheese and udi’s bagels)

All these things I chose over sitting at the computer and writing about the things that I have been prompted to reflect upon in my personal challenge of 30 Days of Giving.

I could get down on myself because I have not been “diligent” to write daily.
I could, but I won’t.
I am choosing to give my self the greatest gift: Grace.

For too long I have lived in bondage to my worth being tied to productivity.
I choose to show Grace.

For too long I have thought mean, unacceptable thoughts about me: thoughts I would not tolerate if I heard someone speak them to another human being.
I choose to speak Grace.

For too long I have neglected the need for rest when my body calls for it; thinking a nap is a shameful waste of time.
I choose to respond to Grace.

For too long I have lived under the burden of unrealistic expectations for daily accomplishments as if to prove how capable I am (and thus worthy of love)
I choose to receive Grace.

Grace is a gift.  It is given by God freely.  It can’t be bought. (think earned)

Like many gifts, this is given because of Love.  And like many gifts received, it is often neglected or unappreciated or misused.

Grace is meant to be shared: with yourself and with others.

When mistakes are made (and they WILL be made) show kindness.
When things get broken (and they WILL be broken) show gentleness.
When you don’t follow through on something you said you would do (life happens) show patience.
When temptations come to do other things that take you away from commitments you’ve made (to others or to yourself) show self-control.

You might recognize some of these words: kindness, gentleness, patience, self-control.  They are some of the listed characteristics of the evident life of the Holy Spirit in a Christ-follower.
The evident life of the Holy Spirit is a gift of Grace from God to those who name His name.
The greatest gift ever given is eternal life through Christ because of His substitutionary death. What?
Jesus SavesHe took my penalty.  Your penalty.  On Himself. He lived a perfect human life never falling short of the glory of God.  How?

He is God Incarnate.  In a human body. Jesus lived a life you and I can never live on our own.
He died the death we deserve because the distance from human to holy can’t be spanned by human beings.
And then?
He rose from the dead breaking forever the bonds that hold us in the terror of eternal separation from a holy God. Jesus made the Way for us to be brought across the distance between human and holy.  He offers us this gift of undeserved, unearned favor, eternal life with Him, by Him.
And now?
If you know this Truth, and you believe this Truth, then you get to live this Truth on a daily basis because of Grace.
This is Good News! This is a gift to be shared; Grace to be lived and shown to the world through your life.
If you are not, if I am not, showing Grace to ourselves then our words are empty.
If we do not show Grace to others our words are hollow.
Grace is given. Grace is received. Grace is a gift opened up, applied and shared.

I choose Grace.
And you?

Why Lent?

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I have a confession: I am undisciplined.

I look at DIY blogs and Pinterest, and Facebook and tell myself not so nice things about how I take care of our home, or time, or…

I have no shortage of ideas of what to do or how to do them!

What I lack is discipline. Follow through. Commitment. Perseverance.

Truth be told, some of those words make me cringe, like a bright light being shone into dark places, revealing what was hidden.

Why Lent?

For this very purpose: confessing what is out of whack and doing something about it.

For nearly two millennia Christ followers have been emulating what Christ must have gone through in the 40 days in the wilderness during the period of time prior to the celebration of the Resurrection.

The remembrance of that time period begins today.

You may not have grown up in a faith practice where the season of Lent was even considered.  You can learn more about the history and faith practices around Lent here.

But I will tell you this, slowing down, considering honestly who you are and where you are compared to who and where you’d like to be in your personal growth and spiritual formation is always valuable.

Doing something about what you see is even more valuable.

So for the season of Lent this year, I am going to be journeying publicly, here, daily writing.  Yep. Daily. Writing. Here.

Working on the discipline I lack and sharing the process.  Being in the work not just in my head.  Sharing my process as I learn along the Way.  My hope is that you benefit from my journey; that you are encouraged in your own spiritual formation practices and that you’d share some of what you’re growing through with me.

What would you do?

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Two days ago, the 3rd Sunday in January, was Sanctity of Life Sunday.  Our pastor challenged us to think beyond the focus of Roe v. Wade to see the how the sanctity of human life is being threatened in so many areas in our culture and the world.  We as Christ followers have the call to champion the needs of these who may not be able to defend themselves:

  • the unborn
  • orphans
  • the exploited and impoverished
  • those with special needs
  • the elderly

His Sunday message can be heard here.

Today, through Twitter I learned of someone who recently took a personal risk to defend the defenseless.  His story is quick and to the point and definitely worth linking to:

http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=news/local&id=8959527

Heartwarming for sure.

But my question to you is personal: What would you do?

From this point on, we will have opportunities to champion the rights of those who are not able.

You may not be in a season where you have the time to be a volunteer or in a place financially to add another donation to your list of giving, but you are able to pray.

Ask the Lord to lay a need on your heart: what breaks your heart that breaks the heart of God?

Then begin to do what we as Christ followers are given to do: pray.

Pray for opportunity

Pray for physical protection

Pray for financial support

Pray for people who can serve

Pray. It’s not “the only thing” you can do.

It’s the primary thing to do.

Follow Me…

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