Can we ever fully ‘get’ how deep, how wide, how great the Father’s love is for us?? At church – we recently completed a series that is still ROCKIN’ my SOCKS off, “Prodigal God”. This series has us in Luke 15, but not just the Parable of the Lost Son, but also the Lost Sheep and the Lost Coin.
I loved when we took a look at how the man would “go after” his lost sheep and the woman would ”search carefully” for her lost coin. Go after. What a picture these parables portray, that Jesus would “go after” each one of us, relentlessly. I love David Crowder’s new song on the “Church Music” CD that goes, “You’re love is relentless and I’m glad for it, I’m glad for it!!’ His love IS relentless!
The antithesis of Jesus’ LOVE, though is the Pharisee’s tendency to (un)righteously judge. See, Jesus accepts sinners ~ we (Christians with Pharisaical tendencies) tend to judge or even categorize sin. Jesus restores sinners ~ we have a hard time restoring people back into the body after repentance. Ouch. Do we forget that we were lost, and He sought after us? We don’t find God – He finds us.
His love trumps our sin. His loves restores us to Himself.
So, processing all that… I’m seeing that:
Love trumps sin.
Love trumps a broken friendship.
Love trumps a strained familial relationship.
Love trumps judgment.
Love trumps annoyances.
Love trumps _________.
What if instead of cutting oneself off from someone, we love them? What if instead of condemning or criticizing someone we love them? What if when treated with unkindness, hate even, we love instead? What if instead of being appalled, irritated or offended by one’s action, we love them?
Revolutionary love. Reactionary love. Relentless love. I’m not there, not by a long-shot – but my eyes are opened - and by His grace, I yearn to grow in this area.
God’s love is relentless, shouldn’t ours be as well?
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Monday, November 23, 2009
Tom-A-to & Tom-AH-to
Kevin and I have different personalities. For example, when I might freak out about something, he remains calm and level-headed. Or, if I get swept away with “to-do’s”, pressures of life etc. he encourages a break, a healthy break. He helps me focus on what’s really important which often isn’t the Math homework, the dirty floors or the perfect meal… HA! I, on the other hand, help him at times focus on his “to-do’s”, get organized and manage his schedule. Or, if he’s swimming in some discouragement, I can bring him some encouragement. It’s cool, really, how it all works. God uses our personalities to compliment and help each other.
The same is true about spiritual gifts. Kevin has unquestionable faith and he’s blessed with the gift of evangelism and leadership. His unwavering faith becomes a pillar of strength when the waves are crashing all around and his leadership is inspiring. I get to do some encouraging along the way, often see things for how they really are (discernment), and again – our gifts compliment each other. God did not make a mistake in bringing us together.
That’s just how it’s supposed to be within the body of Christ. Like stated in Romans 12, God gives us different gifts (and personalities) to bring them to the table (your local church) and put them to use for God’s glory – to build up the body and grow the Kingdom. It backfires, though, when a) we don’t bring those gifts to the table and b) we expect everyone else to do things just like we would. It’s funny. We have a relatively new volunteer in our Kids Ministry. She got things set up in her room, different than how I would do it. She has a different personality, nothing like mine. We have a ‘program’ that we use there, and honestly I was worried about how it was all going to come together. Can I tell you this? She set up her room (not like me) and it was AWESOME! She taught her class (not like me) and it was AMAZING! Her class looked nothing like mine would – and now I say, “Praise the LORD!” She may say “tom-A-to” and I may say “tom-AH-to”, but both tomatoes turned into an amazing salsa!!
God knew what He was doing when he put the warning in there in vs. 3, “not to think of himself more highly than he should think.” Just like I do things one way and the other teacher does things another way, I shouldn’t think that my way is the only way, or the best way. No. Celebrate the diversity of personalities and spiritual gifts that God brings together in the body. He does it to bring balance, to function together as “many parts in one body.”
So, bring ‘em – bring your gifts to the table and enjoy the supernaturally mixed-assortment that God has brought together!
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Unfriend
So, have you heard the latest? We have a ‘word of the year’! Did you know we had such a thing in
I heard the news report this week on KLOVE. Yes, the New Oxford American Dictionary’s ‘word of the year’ is UNFRIEND.
Unfriend was defined as a verb that means to remove someone as a "friend" on a social networking site such as Facebook.
Unfriend.
In regards to social networking, being “unfriended” can be a bummer, but even more so is being “unfriended” in real life.
We’ve all experienced it. My girlies have come home crying because someone “unfriended” them in the neighborhood… and what am I to tell them? “Those poopy, snot-nosed, stinky-breathed girls! You don’t want to be friends with them anyways!” No. I didn’t say that. (GRIN.) What I was thinking was, “Well, get used to it… because ‘unfriending’ doesn’t stop at childhood.” Sad, eh?
Heartbreaking, though is when “unfriending” happens within the body of Christ. I have ‘unfriended’ people and have been ‘unfriended’ for STUPID things like preferences, hurt feelings, not agreeing on something, miscommunications… I’ve been unfriended for following God’s direction in ministry.
Jesus must sit up there in heaven just broken-hearted at our foolishness. Yes, there are times when we should ‘unfriend’ someone for a season, someone that is blatantly sinning and unrepentant, however the purpose even in that is to restore the brother (sister :) in love and with gentleness.
What happened to,”A friend loves at all times?” Prov. 17:17
Or, “Dear friends, let us love one another, because love is from God.” 1 John 4:7
“If anyone says, "I love God," yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For the person who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. And we have this command from Him: the one who loves God must also love his brother.” 1 John 4:20-21
“Above all, keep your love for one another at full strength, since love covers a multitude of sins.” 1 Peter 4:8
“If possible, on your part, live at peace with everyone.” Romans 12:18
What are we showing the world when we “unfriend” each other within the body? Maybe we should put on the mind of Christ and let His love supersede our foolishness.
Just a thought.
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Overwhelmed
Someone asked me today, “Kendra, do you ever get overwhelmed?”
Um. Yes.
He was asking a simple question, but truly there’s a loaded answer…
Yes – I get overwhelmed with:
*Responsibilities at Home – “watching over the activities of the household” (Prov. 31:27), dealing with five unique personalities and working to “live at peace with everyone” (Romans 12:18), keeping everyone clothed, fed, entertained, educated and hopefully trained “in the way they should go” (Prov. 22:6), loving, submitting and encouraging my hubby… Yeah. All that gets overwhelming.
*Ministry – Yeah. bearing the burdens of many people – overwhelmed with how much heartache there is in one body and wanting to meet every need, trying to stay positive among negative people, the fact you’re never really ‘off the clock’, frequently facing criticism, feeling under-qualified and inadequate, trying to keep people encouraged and growing in their faith, wanting to be the hands and feet of Jesus to those He’s called us to serve, never really getting enough help for the above said tasks, there’s always more “to-do” than time on the clock… A recent USA-Today Article (discussing depression/suicide among pastors) describes being a pastor “a high-profile, high-stress job with nearly impossible expectations for success.” Yeah. All that gets overwhelming.
*Personally – wanting to live a life pleasing to the Lord, trying to be a godly, faith-filled example to my family and others, knowing how much I fall short that, fears of failure, expectations I place on myself, wanting to be healthy physically and spiritually, hoping to fulfill my purpose in life and follow His calling, sitting still enough to hear His voice so I can clearly hear His leading and obey it, desiring to be a good wife, mother, friend, daughter, sister etc. Yeah. All that gets overwhelming.
BUT – more than being overwhelmed with my inadequacies, struggles, burdens and responsibilities, I am overwhelmed with the promises of God!
*He promises to set me FREE – 2 Cor. 3:17
*He promises to be WITH ME – Deut. 31:6
*He promises to MEET MY EVERY NEED – Phil. 4:19
*He promises to be MY STRENGTH – Psalm 28:7
*He promises to ENABLE ME in whatever He calls me to – Ex. 4:11-12
*He promises me that I’m not the same person I was – 2 Cor. 5:17 – HE HAS MADE ME NEW!
*He promises me that He CARES FOR ME – 1 Pet. 5:7
*He promises to PROTECT ME – Psalm 32:7
*He promises to HEAR MY PRAYERS – Psalm 6:9
*He promises to FORGIVE MY SIN – 1 John 1:9
*He promises to LOVE ME – 1 John 4:19
*He promises to LEAD ME – Psalm 23:3
*He promises to SATISIFY ME – Isaiah 58:11
*He promises to DELIVER ME – Psalm 144:2
*He promises to help ME LOVE OTHERS – 1 John 4
Yeah. I’m overwhelmed! I’m overwhelmed with His goodness. I’m overwhelmed with His grace. I’m overwhelmed with His love.
I am overwhelmed with joy in the Lord my God! For he has dressed me with the clothing of salvation and draped me in a robe of righteousness. I am like a bridegroom in his wedding suit or a bride with her jewels. Isaiah 61:10
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
GIFTMART
GiftMart - What is it and HOW can you be involved???
What
is GiftMart?
GiftMart is an outreach to the families of
You can get involved!!
1) GiftMart Donations being Accepted
GIFTS (1200 needed – in order to do 3 gifts per child) - As you start (continue) your holiday shopping, grab a few extra things to donate to GiftMart!!
We also will need:
Tape
Ribbon
Baked Goods
2) Volunteers Needed –
GiftMart will be Sat. Dec. 12th - 10am -2pm @ Lincoln Elementary School in Findlay!!
Man the GiftMart
-Check Out
-Check In
-Security
Craft Table
Sponsored by
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