...Ears, Eyes, Nose...

A Cup of Ocean

When I was 13ish, we went for a family vacation to Galveston. It was my first trip to the beach and I remember getting so excited when we topped a hill and I saw the ocean on the horizon. Large and magnificent - it was more than I could comprehend. Our hotel faced the water and every morning I'd just stare outside.

Grabbing my beach bag and tanning lotion (13 year olds don't wear sunscreen - c'mon!), we'd head to the sandy beach. I'd jump right in the waves, my dad right with me, but my mom would sit under the shade of an umbrella. She wasn't scared of the water and knew how to swim, but she just was content under the umbrella. We'd offer to dip a cup into the ocean and bring it to her, just so she could say she'd been in the ocean.

That's how some Christians are. They know how to "get" God and they've been in His presence. They've seen others dive into worship and swim in His blessings. They've got this whole God in front of them with all these blessings, but they are content with their cup of Sunday service.

James 4:8 says "Draw near to God and He will draw near to you."

I like to think of that verse like this:
~Give God a cup, and He'll pour a cup of Himself into it.

God is a massive Ocean of salvation, blessings, promises, healings, gifts, and too many etceteras to add on. Why just give Him a cup? Dive in!

Study: 1 Corinithans 1, not complete

1 Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes, 2 To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be holy, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ--their Lord and ours: Paul was writing to a large group of people. They were those who believed in Jesus. 3 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 4 I always thank God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus. 5 For in him you have been enriched in every way--in all your speaking and in all your knowledge-- These people obviously knew about God. 6 because our testimony about Christ was confirmed in you. 7 Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed. They were close enough to God to have spiritual gifts. 8 He will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful. 10 I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought. This was easy for Paul to say. They were all to agree - but on what? Surely each group thought it was right? So, how were they to agree? 11 My brothers, some from Chloe's household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. So, when this letter was read, did everyone look at Chloe as a tattle tale? 12 What I mean is this: One of you says, "I follow Paul"; another, "I follow Apollos"; another, "I follow Cephas"; still another, "I follow Christ." 13 Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized into the name of Paul?
14 I am thankful that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius, 15 so no one can say that you were baptized into my name. 16 (Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I don't remember if I baptized anyone else.) Funny, even biblical men like Paul forgot stuff... :) 17 For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel--not with words of human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power. 18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written: "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate." 20 Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. 22 Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, 24 but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength. 26 Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28 He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things--and the things that are not--to nullify the things that are, 29 so that no one may boast before him. If God chose the rich, the beautiful, the brilliant - then they could boast in themselves - or at least others could point to their wisdom rather than God. 30 It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God--that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. 31 Therefore, as it is written: "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord."

ExerSaucers and Swords

At a baby shower for my soon-to-be-born son, we received an ExerSaucer. It's one of those "walkers" that doesn't actually move anywhere, but instead has tons of little toys and gadgets all around it where a child can sit in its colorful cloth seat and spin from toy to toy. Just picture a baby walker on steroids.

Anyway, if you were to ask me if I had one, I'd have to say yes. But, it just sat in the box for several months. So, yes we had one, but no, we didn't use it.

I put off opening the box, knowing full well that thousands of tiny screws and bolts would fall out. My husband, too, never found the time. So, good ol' Grandpa came over. He tore into the brightly colored box and, sure enough, all these attachable toys in wrappers, plastic screws, and red and yellow cloth spilled out.

Yes, we had an ExerSaucer. But it seemed a little overwhelming and, if it had been me, I think I would have just put all the little pieces back in the box and headed to the WalMart return desk.

After what seemed like hours (for all those involved and uninvolved), the ExerSaucer was complete - shiny, noisy, bouncy, and colorful.

See, we had an ExerSaucer the whole time. But, it wasn't used for its purpose. Baby Cole couldn't play with the bouncy clown on top or spin on the saucer disk. It wasn't until someone opened the box and dove into the un-understandable instructions that Cole could play with his "new" toy.

God has given us gifts to use. One of the best gifts is His word. He calls it the "sword of the spirit.” I find this interesting because, God wouldn't have given us a weapon if he planned to do all the fighting for us. He wouldn't have armed us for battle if he'd always cause the enemy to run way.

No, God gave us a weapon to use for battles he knew we’d face. And yes, the Bible does have other uses (correct, instruct, etc.), but His word specifically calls it a sword. What are we fighting? What comes against us?

• We have "divine power to demolish strongholds" 2 Corinthians 10:4
• "We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God" 2 Corinthians 10:5
• We "war against the law of [our] mind" Romans 7:23
• "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." Ephesians 6:12

Beth Moore has said (as I'm sure others have too) that Satan's already lost his war with us when Jesus died on the cross. So, he plays make believe. He tries to "make us believe" that our worries, guilt, shame, doubts, fears, past hurts, heartaches, enemies, and words that come against us are justified and real. God knew he'd try to do this, so he gave us the greatest weapon of all (it's never lost a battle!).

David (who was a man after God's own heart - with his share of pitfalls) writes in Psalms 119 "I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you."

His word - this weapon - is so important that we should know it, read it, use it. Like an ExerSaucer in a box, it does us no good sitting on a shelf. We must know it so fully that...

...when Satan comes against us we can say (or YELL at him), "The one in me is greater than you!" 1 John 4:4

...when we feel alone we can remind ourselves that He said, "I will never leave or forsake you." Hebrews 13:5

...when we dwell on old failures and mistakes, we can remember that He doesn't hold them against us and remembers them no more. Hebrews 8:12

Oh, there are so many more! So many ways we can use this wonderful weapon and win every time.

Do you feel like you're losing a battle? Do you need encouragement? Is life getting you down? Just pick up your sword!

King's Table

I was reading last night about how Mephibosheth ate at David's table (David was the king) and it was apparently an honor to eat at his table.

But, when I picture this scene in my head, the table is long - at least 40 feet - and narrow. David sits at one end with a feast of colorful fruit, thick roasted chicken legs, and large glasses of wine. Mephibosheth sits at the other end - at least 40 feet away - with a tiny piece of bread.

Surely, this is the wrong picture.

2 Samuel 9:11 - Then Ziba said to the king, "Your servant will do whatever my lord the king commands his servant to do." So Mephibosheth ate at David's table like one of the king's sons. Hmm, eating at the king's table meant you were treated as a son or daughter of the king. They had special privileges. In fact, they were in line for the throne...

1 Kings 4:27 - The district officers, each in his month, supplied provisions for King Solomon and all who came to the king's table. They saw to it that nothing was lacking. Eating at the king's table means you lack nothing. In fact, you don't have to go out and get what you need.... it's supplied for you.

Jeremiah 52:33 - So Jehoiachin put aside his prison clothes and for the rest of his life ate regularly at the king's table. You don't have to be who you were. Jehoiachin was in prison! Not only did he get to eat at the king's table, but he didn't have to eat there as a prisoner. He was able to cast of his old clothes - his old self!

2 Samuel 9:13 - And Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, because he always ate at the king's table, and he was crippled in both feet. Mephibosheth, in many eyes, was worthless. He couldn't even get from one place to the other! The King didn't care!

Luke 22:14 - When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table. Jesus reclined with his apostles. They were his closest friends. He confided in them. He told them of blessings. He prepared them for work and for his kingdom. They had to have been close - spiritually and physically - because Jesus was able to break bread with them, talk with them, and recline with them.

Lord, Your table looks beautiful! I can be treated like your daughter there. Oh, how I’d feel your love! And You’d provide for me – everything I need. I’d lack nothing! You’d treat me for who I would be – not for the sinner I was (and deserved to be treated as). You’d look beyond my faults, even faults others so readily expose. And, Lord, You’d share with me. You’d commune with me, telling me things I long to hear and you long to tell me.

Luke 22:35 - Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, 36 like men waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him. 37 It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. I tell you the truth, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them. 38 It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready...

Lord, find ME ready! I want my lamp to be burning! I want to be ready for service! Use ME for Your glory. I desire to recline at your table. Lord, I wait for your blessings.

Investments

2 Chronicles 25:
6 [King Amaziah] also hired a hundred thousand fighting men from Israel for a hundred talents of silver. 7 But a man of God came to him and said, "O king, these troops from Israel must not march with you, for the Lord is not with Israel--not with any of the people of Ephraim. 8 Even if you go and fight courageously in battle, God will overthrow you before the enemy, for God has the power to help or to overthrow." 9 Amaziah asked the man of God, "But what about the hundred talents I paid for these Israelite troops?"

But God, why do you want me to work in a prayer ministry when I've invested all this work in the choir ministry?

But God, I've bought this house to fix up for my family. Now you want me to sell it?

But God, I paid good money for these baseball tickets, why would you want me to miss the game?

But God, I put all this time into a children's ministry and now you want me to give it up?

But God said (through his prophet) "The Lord can give you much more than that."

I'm sure Amaziah thought he was doing good in hiring those men to help fight. I mean, what could be wrong in preparation? Sometimes, I really think we can do what seems to be good in our eyes & everyone elses' too. We can invest our money in something that seems so wise. We can invest our time into ministries. What could be wrong with a ministry? We could invest our talents. God gave us the talents. Shouldn't we use them?

To everything there is a season. Sure, using talents for God is wonderful. But, has He given us other talents to use for THIS season? Sure, God wants us to enjoy life and, for example, purchase those baseball tickets we've been saving for. But, would he rather us use that money for something else now?

Isaiah 55:8 "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the Lord.

Praise the Lord that His ways aren't my ways! I don't know what's best for me! This is why I should consult him...

...even when I think I know what's best
...even when things make sense
...even when it's something "godly"
...even when it seems wise to me
...even when I've already spent my time & effort & money & talents
...even when I think I know what He would say

Because when I consult Him and really listen (as His word tells me to do SO many times), I find out what He wants me to invest my ______ (time, money, talent, etc.) in. And, just has he promised Amaziah, he can give me a much better return on that investment!