I was suicidal once, years back; for a month or more, I struggled with thoughts of how I could end my life because chronic depression had left me hopeless, and my circumstances seemed unchangeable. I had lost connection with my faith in God, although I would not have denied it consciously. The only thing that kept me going was that I needed to take care of my children. I thank God for a dad who heard God, comprehended where I was at, and offered to pay for therapy. This was the beginning of a long journey of healing and restoration for me. That I now have abiding peace and joy in my life, and a stable environment and relationships, is a great example of the power of the cross of Christ. It is in Him alone that I have found reality, sanity and purpose.
I share this because it is the first thing I thought of when I saw the heading for today's reading in Ezra: End of the Babylonian Captivity. What I saw in the passage was that if God could stir up the spirit of Cyrus, He can do whatever needs to be done to rescue us from our distresses. He did do that for me. When I thought no good could come from my life (that was of course, a deception), God broke through my darkness and brought me out. My sinful choices had gotten me into captivity in the first place. God used it for good in my life anyway.
When humanity had fallen into the depths of depravity, God made a way. When Jesus went to the cross to die, He took upon Himself the whole of mankind's mess. He came back from the depths of death bringing our deliverance with Him. As Paul said, it sounds like foolishness to a lot of people, but I say, foolishness or not, it's wisdom and life. I can testify first hand-- I'm only alive because of Him.
The Corinthians passages are some of the most powerful and hopeful I know of: I love them! When you put them together with the Ezra account, the Psalms and the Proverbs, today's reading packs a powerfully hopeful punch! I completely embrace being a "foolish thing"! It means I'm chosen to put to shame the "high and mighty" things of the world. I just said to my husband this morning, that I didn't belong in the big, bad world-- that I just wanted to hide out "in a cave" and be a little girl. The fact is, I am God's little girl! I don't have to fit in with, or be accepted by, the world (that's perishing anyway); I don't belong! I belong to the Kingdom! I'm in Christ and Christ is in God. I can be strong in the power of His might! I can glory in Him! I don't have to be anything, because He is everything. However, as I keep pressing into Him, the foolishness that is me gives way to the wisdom that is Him. I begin to realize that in the Kingdom I have substance, significance, sustainability.
If you are lost, Jesus is the Way. If you have been found by Him, Jesus is still the Way. Along the Way you find Truth and Life. These things are worth living for! Whether you know it or not, Jesus already died for you and proclaimed you "forgiven." Your future love relationship with God began at that moment. Whenever you awake to this reality and say "yes," the adventure begins. Never give up on your life! You will be totally surprised at the wondrous things He has in store for you, even if you feel like a foolish thing right now.
Bonus: Negativity is the beginning of the suicidal road; here's how not to get there, ever:
"I would have lost heart, unless I had believed
That I would see the goodness of the LORD
In the land of the living.
Wait on the LORD;
Be of good courage,
And He shall strengthen your heart;
Wait, I say, on the LORD."
Psalm 27:13-14
Questions to ponder:
Have you ever struggled with despair or suicidal thoughts? How did you get out from under them?
If you have had victory in this area, have you ever shared it with others?
Do you know anyone who struggles with depression or suicidal thoughts?
How do you deal with that?
Even if these things are far from your own experience, what have you learned that is applicable to you?
Truth: Whatever you've overcome in your life is what the Lord will use to minister life to others through you.
Showing posts with label foolishness. Show all posts
Showing posts with label foolishness. Show all posts
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Thursday, June 24, 2010
June 24, 2010 Facing Up
Do you ever wonder why the Scriptures are so full of supernatural happenings, and yet our lives (most of them anyway) are so NOT? I do! Maybe having an ordinary life is all you want, so I guess if that's what you have, you should keep up doing what you're doing to have it that way. But me, I'm not satisfied with ordinary. I don't see anywhere in Scripture, either in the Old or New Testaments, where life with God is ordinary. It seems that anywhere He is, there is something going on that is out-of-this-world!
When I read accounts of people in the Bible having supernatural interactions with God (and doesn't that seem to be a regular thing in our readings?) a growing hunger arises in my spirit for the things of heaven, and I wonder why my life seems so earthbound. While I've been "on vacation," the Lord's been speaking to me about why I'm not experiencing as much of Him as I'd like, or even as much as I used to. I have been getting too much earthly input, and not enough heavenly! Realizing this, I decided to watch some videos from ministries I trust. All the messages I heard seemed to say the same thing (and one of them even quoted today's passage from Kings!): we should be having greater revelation and prophetic experiences than ever, and we are going to need them; and that if we want to see heaven, then heaven is what we should put before our eyes. I'm being reminded of what I knew before: whatever we focus on is what we eventually experience.
I had an inkling that Proverbs 17:24* was related to this, and when I ventured to look it up in the Hebrew, I was amazed at how much is missing in translation! I'm not going to go into a long explanation, so you'll just have to look it up for yourself. But this is the message that jumped out at me: If you face heaven, then you'll see heaven and you'll gain wisdom and understanding; but if you face earth, then all you'll see is earthly things, and you'll end up a fool.
That seems pretty simple and straightforward, doesn't it? Basically, we choose our experience of life by where we place our focus. Admittedly, it's easy to get our focus off onto meaningless and temporary things, or even "earth-shattering" events. But if we want to live the life Christ intended for us, we need to get our focus on Him and on His Kingdom. I am making the needed adjustments. You?
*"Wisdom is in the sight of him who has understanding, But the eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth." Proverbs 17: 24-25 NKJV
When I read accounts of people in the Bible having supernatural interactions with God (and doesn't that seem to be a regular thing in our readings?) a growing hunger arises in my spirit for the things of heaven, and I wonder why my life seems so earthbound. While I've been "on vacation," the Lord's been speaking to me about why I'm not experiencing as much of Him as I'd like, or even as much as I used to. I have been getting too much earthly input, and not enough heavenly! Realizing this, I decided to watch some videos from ministries I trust. All the messages I heard seemed to say the same thing (and one of them even quoted today's passage from Kings!): we should be having greater revelation and prophetic experiences than ever, and we are going to need them; and that if we want to see heaven, then heaven is what we should put before our eyes. I'm being reminded of what I knew before: whatever we focus on is what we eventually experience.
I had an inkling that Proverbs 17:24* was related to this, and when I ventured to look it up in the Hebrew, I was amazed at how much is missing in translation! I'm not going to go into a long explanation, so you'll just have to look it up for yourself. But this is the message that jumped out at me: If you face heaven, then you'll see heaven and you'll gain wisdom and understanding; but if you face earth, then all you'll see is earthly things, and you'll end up a fool.
That seems pretty simple and straightforward, doesn't it? Basically, we choose our experience of life by where we place our focus. Admittedly, it's easy to get our focus off onto meaningless and temporary things, or even "earth-shattering" events. But if we want to live the life Christ intended for us, we need to get our focus on Him and on His Kingdom. I am making the needed adjustments. You?
*"Wisdom is in the sight of him who has understanding, But the eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth." Proverbs 17: 24-25 NKJV
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
May 19, 2010 People Living Up To Their Names
Nabal's name, of course, means "fool," which is explained in Scripture. He thoroughly lived up to his name. Why would someone name their kid that, I wonder? If you call someone "fool" over and over, they'll probably believe it! In contrast, Abigail (whose name means "father" and "rejoicing"), was surely a delight to her father, to her heavenly Father, and to David.
A person who knows they are loved by the Father can be an effective intercessor and a blessing to all. Her wisdom is a great contrast to her husband's brute foolishness. The verse in Proverbs today was very fitting:
"A wise son makes a father glad, But a foolish man despises his mother." Proverbs 15:20 NKJV It's not unfitting to say that a wise daughter makes her father glad; a foolish man makes his father miserable, and also that he despises his wife as well as his mother. Abigail was merciful and interceded, and this was rewarded greatly. The fool has no fear of God, and that received its reward as well.
Saul's name means "asked for" or "desired", and the people got what they asked for and desired, but not what they needed. David's name, in contrast, means "beloved." He was beloved by God and the people, and most assuredly my Abigail, (even though she had to share him). When we allow God to give us what we need, rather than demanding what we think we desire, we will truly love what we have been given! Because God knows how to give good gifts to His children.
Only a fool would turn down the opportunity to have that kind of Daddy! Nevertheless, we should be like David, who spared Saul when it was in his power to do him ill, and Abigail, who took upon herself the burden of her foolish husband's sin, even though she probably would have loved to get rid of him, and may have been tempted to let David take his life. The end of the story leaves no doubt that she took the proper course!
God calls us "beloved"! He calls us "Father's delight!" If we keep listening, we'll eventually live up to everything He sees in us-- the likeness of Christ.
A person who knows they are loved by the Father can be an effective intercessor and a blessing to all. Her wisdom is a great contrast to her husband's brute foolishness. The verse in Proverbs today was very fitting:
"A wise son makes a father glad, But a foolish man despises his mother." Proverbs 15:20 NKJV It's not unfitting to say that a wise daughter makes her father glad; a foolish man makes his father miserable, and also that he despises his wife as well as his mother. Abigail was merciful and interceded, and this was rewarded greatly. The fool has no fear of God, and that received its reward as well.
Saul's name means "asked for" or "desired", and the people got what they asked for and desired, but not what they needed. David's name, in contrast, means "beloved." He was beloved by God and the people, and most assuredly my Abigail, (even though she had to share him). When we allow God to give us what we need, rather than demanding what we think we desire, we will truly love what we have been given! Because God knows how to give good gifts to His children.
Only a fool would turn down the opportunity to have that kind of Daddy! Nevertheless, we should be like David, who spared Saul when it was in his power to do him ill, and Abigail, who took upon herself the burden of her foolish husband's sin, even though she probably would have loved to get rid of him, and may have been tempted to let David take his life. The end of the story leaves no doubt that she took the proper course!
God calls us "beloved"! He calls us "Father's delight!" If we keep listening, we'll eventually live up to everything He sees in us-- the likeness of Christ.
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