Little girl, Big faith

 ^{Luke 2:28-38}
 
And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be.  And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.  And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus.  He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”
And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God.  And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren.  For nothing will be impossible with God.” And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

I like specifics. When someone is telling me about a plan, I like to know EXACTLY what is going to happen. I like to be prepared as much a possible! So as I was reading this, some things struck me about this passage that I never really noticed before...

Mary says, "How can this be since I am a virgin?" 
And the angel says,“The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you therefore a child will be born..."


Now,  I am going to be honest here. If I was Mary, I think I would have been a little frustrated. I might have thought something like this, "That did not actually answer my question, and also, NONE OF THAT MAKES SENSE TO ME. I want to know HOW. Like, how exactly is this going to happen. Because, I may be young but I know how this stuff works and I mean, why me? How me? I don't understand. Give me the details Gabe! I want a step by step plan, complete with a diagram. In color. If you could send me the PDF version for future reference that would be great. Also, if you could give me a few ideas as to how to approach my fiance and parents concerning this particular miracle, that would be great because I am going to need that..." (though in the presence of an Angel I probably would not have said anything...) 

But Mary does not say that. Maybe she thought it, but somehow I doubt it. Mary was a woman of faith. Gabriel told her that nothing is impossible with God, and she didn't need to know the details. She looked at how He had provided a son for Elizabeth, all the things God had done in the past (See verses 46-55) and simply said,


“Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.”

This young girl has LITERALLY, the weight of the entire world dumped in her womb, and she just says, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.”


Oh that I would have that same faith, for nothing is impossible with God.

Freedom

My pastor (check out his blog here) has been sending those in our church these daily advent readings from John Piper. Thus far, they have been great! But I thought today's was especially good in light of what God has been teaching me lately. I hope you are as blessed as I was!

Wednesday, December 19

CHRISTMAS IS FOR FREEDOM

Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. —Hebrews 2:14–15

Jesus became man because what was needed was the death of a man who was more than man. The incarnation was God’s locking himself into death row.

Christ did not risk death. He embraced it. That is precisely why he came: not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many (Mark 10:45).

No wonder Satan tried to turn Jesus from the cross! The cross was Satan’s destruction. How did Jesus destroy him?

The “power of death” is the ability to make death fearful. The “power of death” is the power that holds men in bondage through fear of death. It is the power to keep men in sin, so that death comes as a horrid thing.

But Jesus stripped Satan of this power. He disarmed him. He molded a breastplate of righteousness for us that makes us immune to the devil’s condemnation.

By his death, Jesus wiped away all our sins. And a person without sin puts Satan out of business. His treason is aborted. His cosmic treachery is foiled. “His rage we can endure, for, lo, his doom is sure.” The cross has run him through. And he will gasp his last before long.

Christmas is for freedom. Freedom from the fear of death.

Jesus took our nature in Bethlehem, to die our death in Jerusalem, that we might be fearless in our city. Yes, fearless. Because if the biggest threat to my joy is gone, then why should I fret over the little ones? How can you say, “Well, I’m not afraid to die but I’m afraid to lose my job”? No. No. Think!

If death (I said, death—no pulse, cold, gone!)—if death is no longer a fear, we’re free, really free. Free to take any risk under the sun for Christ and for love. No more bondage to anxiety.

If the Son has set you free, you shall be free, indeed!

Struggle

DISCLAIMER: I am well aware that not everyone who reads my blog listens to the same music as me. And hey, that's totally okay. I personally think this song is beautiful, both musically and lyrically. However, if you don't like anything with drums in the background, you might just want to skip to what I write afterwards.

The Struggle by Tenth Avenue North

The verses talk about how many ways we screw up, which has been a recurring theme in my life as of late. I am so very sick of my humanity! I am sick of the many ways that I fail God everyday and it is so easy to dwell on that and live in a place for discouragement and frustration. 

But here is the reminder that I love, and needed in this song:

Hallelujah we are free to struggle,
We're not struggling to be free!
You're blood bought and makes us children
Children drop your chains and SING!


Yes, I screw up and I will struggle with my humanity for the rest of my earthly life. But I am free. I need to drop my chains and sing to the one who freed me, instead of still acting like I am in bondage.

Hallelujah, death is overcome and we are breathing.
Hallelujah, our stone hearts become flesh that's beating.
Hallelujah, chains have been undone and we are singing.
Hallelujah, the fire has begun, can you feel it?

Hallelujah! 

Do you trust me?

Do you know that part in "Aladdin" where he is standing on the magic carpet that is hovering over Jasmin's balcony holding his hand out to her and asking, "Do you trust me?" Now, if you ask me she gave in WAY too easily. As I always say, "Never trust a man on a flying carpet." but lately I feel like God is standing in this scary unknown place holding his hand out to me and saying, "Do you trust me?"

God has been asking me to do things lately that are WAY outside of my comfort zone... They are outside even the outside of my comfort zone. I was laying in bed yesterday morning hitting snooze and thinking about the things God wants me to do and I said,

"God, are you sure? You know my weaknesses, you know how much I STINK at what you are asking me to do. You know that it goes against everything that makes me, me! I seriously do not have the skills or personality or really, anything at all that would make me useful! What purpose could this possibly serve? Isn't there someone better, more qualified, more... not me?"

God doesn't have to answer me. He is God and His purposes are perfect whether I understand them or not. And frankly, I deserve to just be put in my place like Job because of my stupidity. He could have just said, "STOP QUESTIONING ME! I am God. I do what I want. Why are you being so self centered?" But he didn't.


Instead it was like God was saying ever so gently, "Megan, where is your identity found? Do you trust me? Will you follow me even if you don't understand?"

God talks significantly less than I do, but He always manages to say significantly more. It was like he was comforting me and challenging me all at the same time, and helping me realize the things I am constantly forgetting. I have always read the end of Job like God is kind of blasting Job, but I wonder now if he wasn't simply comforting and challenging Him the way He so often does to me? Anyway, this is what He reminded me.

My identity is found in Christ. I am not me, but Him in me... and He is perfect and has no weaknesses.

I am sure that there is someone out there who is FAR more qualified to do what God asks me to do, but that's not the point. It's not about me, not about what I have or do not have. It's not about what I learned in school or what my personality is. Following God has NOTHING TO DO WITH ME. God doesn't require a resume. God doesn't require a certain kind of person with a certain type of skill set or anything like that. I will follow Him even though I don't understand because He is my God. All he requires is a willing obedient heart.

If you look at the Bible, you'll realize that God has a habit of calling imperfect people to do His perfect will. He gets the most glory that way, and my life's purpose is ultimately to bring Him glory. So I obey, and I let Him work miracles in me and through me. 'Cause I have nothing to offer, and that is awesome.

Awesome God

I have nothing for consequence to say. But God does. This stuff is AWESOME.

Psalm 124:1-3a, 8
1 If it had not been the Lord who was on our side—
    let Israel now say—
² if it had not been the Lord who was on our side
    when people rose up against us,
³ then they would have swallowed us up alive

⁸ Our help is in the name of the Lord,
    who made heaven and earth.

Psalm 125: 1-2

1 Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion,
    which cannot be moved, but abides forever.
² As the mountains surround Jerusalem,
    so the Lord surrounds his people,
    from this time forth and forevermore.

Psalm 127

 1 Unless the Lord builds the house,
    those who build it labor in vain.
Unless the Lord watches over the city,
    the watchman stays awake in vain.
² It is in vain that you rise up early
    and go late to rest,
eating the bread of anxious toil;
    for he gives to his beloved sleep.

³ Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord,
    the fruit of the womb a reward.
⁴ Like arrows in the hand of a warrior
    are the children of one's youth.
⁵ Blessed is the man
    who fills his quiver with them!
He shall not be put to shame
    when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.

I pray you are as blessed by these verses as I was today. 

 

Oh the Humanity

Are you ever just sick of your humanity? Lately, it seems like every day I become increasingly more aware of my stupid flesh, and infinitely more aware of my need for grace. I am so sick of messing stuff up and sinning against God. Even those tiny, negative thoughts that creep in every once in a while are a stench in the nostrils of God and some days it feels like I will never be free from the constant spirit v. flesh battle that goes on inside of me.

You know, I used to read stories about the Israelites and think, "Idiots, why have you forgotten all the INCREDIBLE things God has done for you? How can you turn away so quickly after He has blessed you so much! You are his chosen people!" And yet, because He saved my by grace through faith, I too am one of His chosen people.


Today when I read Psalm 106, I had a little bit of a different take on the Israelites' story. It talks all about the things the Israelites did, and the times they turned away from God and I realized something. The stories about the Israelites and their various screw ups are much less about them, and much more about the steadfast love and mercy of God. Verses 43-45 say,  

⁴³ Many times he delivered them,
    but they were rebellious in their purposes
    and were brought low through their iniquity.  
⁴⁴ Nevertheless, he looked upon their distress,
    when he heard their cry.
⁴⁵ For their sake he remembered his covenant,
    and relented according to the abundance of his steadfast love.

They didn't deserve it, heck sometimes they didn't even appreciate it. But God showed them mercy anyway because of HIS character. So, why does God save us when He knows that we will still screw up? Check out verse 47;

⁴⁷ Save us, O Lord our God,
    and gather us from among the nations,
that we may give thanks to your holy name
    and glory in your praise.

He saves us so that we will give him thanks and glory. So instead of wallowing in my humanity, instead of beating myself up for being such a screw up, I will give praise and glory to God because my salvation has NOTHING to do with me and everything to do with His incredible character. And that my friends, is a blessing. So,

 

⁴⁸ Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,
    from everlasting to everlasting!
And let all the people say, “Amen!”
    Praise the Lord!

Kids of the Future

I heard someone say that this next generation (the generation after me) will be the first generation to have INSTANT access to what their parents were like as kids.

Say what you want about technology, but that is pretty cool.

And terrifying.

Think about it... our future kids, nieces, nephews, or students will have access to everything we have posted online. I don't know if God will choose to bless me with kids, but if he does they will be able to look back at this very blog and read everything I wrote. My future students, the kids in my future youth group, my nieces and nephews... they will all be able to go on the internet and google me, then see this post. The one I am writing right now. (Hi guys! I love you!) ((yes, your Aunt Megan has always been awkward and embarrassing...))

That's really neat to me. And again, really scary.

Believe it or not, the Bible has something to say about this. I have heard so many ignorant people say, "The Bible is not relevant today." I even heard one girl add to that once, "I mean, like, it doesn't even talk about computers or cell phones or anything..." (it made me twitch). But as I read this verse in Psalms today, I thought, "God knew that one day, the majority of people would have a completely public life on the internet."

Psalm 102:18 says this, "Let this be recorded for a generation to come, so that a people yet to be created may praise the Lord!" 

I realized something as I read that. Yes, my blog is something to help keep people updated about my life as I am away. I want my blog to be used by God in people's lives now as an encouragement, and even, if God so chooses, a way to bring people to Him. But this blog is more than that. It is a record for generations to come, so that people YET TO BE CREATED may praise the LORD. 

Whoa.
 
That's some pretty intense pressure. 


The world tells you all the time, "It doesn't matter what people think of you!" and God echo's this as well, but he has a bit of a different take. When the world says it, it is to encourage people to be themselves and not to be like everyone else. Don't let others decide who you are, etc. When God says it, it sounds more like this.

"It doesn't matter what other people think of you, in fact, they shouldn't even be thinking of you at all. It matters what people think of ME because of you."

I want my words to point to Christ, so that you, and future generations that have yet to be created may praise the LORD. God has given us an incredible tool called the internet that can either be used to point to Him, or point to ourselves. 100 years from now, the words we have said will probably be forgotten, but the words we write can be read forever. That's not a free pass to say whatever you want to say, because what we say has an impact on your testimony here and now, but what you write or post on the internet will be a testimony to future generations.

How are you going to choose to use that tool? How does what you say on the internet reflect what is in your heart, compare to the way you live your life, and reflect the God whom you serve?

Let the words that I write, the thoughts that I have and the things that I say be an overflow of the abundant grace God has given me and an arrow pointing everyone God puts in my path, now and forever, to the incredible God whom I serve.

Breathing In and Out

 1 Oh come, let us sing to the Lord;
    let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!
² Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving;
    let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!
³ For the Lord is a great God,
    and a great King above all gods.
⁴ In his hand are the depths of the earth;
    the heights of the mountains are his also.
⁵ The sea is his, for he made it,
    and his hands formed the dry land.

⁶ Oh come, let us worship and bow down;
    let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker!
⁷ For he is our God,
    and we are the people of his pasture,
    and the sheep of his hand.

                 Psalm 95:1-7

Sometimes I have a really bad attitude. I mean REALLY bad attitude. Sometimes I am such a grouch and I say the most horrible and complaining things in my head, and then I get mad at myself for being such a selfish brat and then I am in a worse mood. All of this happens in my head usually, because I try not to be a grouch to other people... but sometimes I seriously have the most grouchy and sarcastic thoughts in the world.

Last night was one of those nights. I was just in a bad mood. I don't know why, I really had no reason to be. I was just being a terrible grouch, and for one millisecond, I was content to be in that horrible mood.

At that moment I was talking to a friend who said to me (not knowing my innermost thoughts...)"I am choosing to be thankful today... because God gave me the whole day to breathe in and out."


And then, as if that wasn't already a slap across the face God said, "Hey, remember that Psalm you read this morning (Psalm 95)? The one that you underlined and then wrote out in your journal about being thankful to me and singing praises to me? And then you asked me to help make that your heart's attitude? How's that working out?"

Ouch.

No seriously, it hurt. It's like being punched in the gut and knowing you completely deserve it, so your heart hurts AND your stomach hurts.

It stinks being convicted of sin, especially the sin of having a bad attitude. If you have never had that particular conviction, let me just tell you that it is not the kind of feeling that typically makes your attitude better. But it is a joy to be convicted of sin, because then you can bask in forgiveness and the restoration of the relationship. 

So I confessed, and I started thanking God for his blessings in my life. I started by thanking God for the whole day to breath in and out. It seemed logical since God had clearly used that as my wake up call. Then I thanked him for taking care of me. For the wonderful family I am living with, and for taking such good care of little Elliot. For being with the kids and the whole Niles family as they take care of the baby. For blessing me with an awesome family and a group of friends at home that love me. For being with me always and never forsaking me (even thought I completely deserve it). For forgiveness, and patience, and love, and conviction of sins. I started singing praises to God as I sat on my bed sewing an advent calendar and counting my blessings. It was a really, REALLY sweet and wonderful time. 

Everything I have comes from God. I don't deserve any of it. As long as God keeps giving me days to breathe in and out, I will use those breaths to give Him glory.