Tag Archive - purpose

Broken Sent

December 19, 2008 in Confessions of a Preacher's Wife with 4 Comments

I’ve got a very painful heartache this morning.

I’m broken for the broken.
Crying for those who no longer cry.
Hurting for those devalued, feeling unloved.
Empty Christian shells without joy.
Desperately needing love.
Little girls and boys behind grown-up eyes.
Drying up. Crying out. Is there hope?
I love them.
I want them to know the love I’ve found.
I . . .
I can’t do this alone.
I can’t fix the lack of love.
There are thousands, tens of thousands, millions of them.
They sit in Bible class with us.
They check our groceries.
They walk the streets, homeless.
They live in man-made mansions.
They’re everywhere.
They’re single.
They’re married.
They’ve got relationships galore, but remain alone.
They hide behind destructive behavior.
They mask the emptiness with productivity or success.
They just want to be loved!
Believers and unbelievers alike.
I feel so broken.
I weep.
Oh God, how can I do any good?
The need is so desperate and vast.
I am only one.
Shall I stay at home and cry in my robe?
What can I do or try?
Should I blog this heartache of mine?
Or is it way too personal?
“How can they hear without a preacher,” You say.
Oh God, give me a megaphone!!!
Help me love them.
Love them all.
 

My Time, My Way & My Best Interest

October 1, 2008 in Confessions of a Preacher's Wife with 2 Comments

If everybody would just do things my way, life would be perfect. Right? It’s my way or the highway–or so I thought. I get stuff done in my time, my way, and with my best interest by figuring out just when is my time–when now doesn’t seem to be working, what is my way–when all paths seem foggy, and what is my best interest–when I can’t see the future.

With all the clamor, noise, and jockeying for stuff, I easily lose my bearings. The center of who I am and the focus of what I’m about becomes distorted. Discouragement lurks in the shadows to claim all that I am. When things aren’t working out my way or in my time or even in my best interests, maybe I’ve lost the meaning of the word “my” and to whom it refers.

In Old Testament times, Moses experienced times like these and God sent him into the wilderness to be with the sheep. The clamor of Egypt, gone. The noise of people, diminished. The stuff related to position, eradicated. One day Moses went even further into the wilderness. “He led the flock far into the wilderness” (Ex. 3:1). Silence. Hoof step. Occasional bleat. His mind quiet, focused on one thing—find grazing land.

In the quietness, God called. Maybe Moses’ thoughts weren’t as stilled as they needed to be. God used a spectacular display to catch his attention and speak to him—a burning bush that wouldn’t burn up. In amazement, Moses heard God say what his time, his way, and his best interest was. It wasn’t about Moses at all. It was about God’s plan, God’s time, way and glory.

How often I get wrapped up in thinking my life is about me. Like Moses, if I take time to quiet myself in the presence of God, I learn his plan, his way, and his time. It’s then that I can sync my life with his grand purpose for me, for others, and for God’s glory.

The word “my” refers to God, not me. He knows better than I about time, ways, and what’s best.

Now, where can I find some quiet sheep-grazing land?

Suffering~God’s Purpose for ME?

September 10, 2008 in Confessions of a Preacher's Wife with 1 Comment

Suffering~God’s Purpose for Me

I don’t wanna!! I don’t like it. Why does it have to hurt and disturb the core of my being? I must accept it. The following is from my devotional this morning:

The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me. (Ps. 138:8)

There is a divine mystery in suffering, one that has a strange and supernatural power and has never been completely understood by human reason. No one has ever developed a deep level of spirituality or holiness without experiencing a great deal of suffering. When a person who suffers reaches a point where he can be calm and carefree, inwardly smiling at his own suffering, and no longer asking God to be delivered from it, then the suffering has accomplished its blessed ministry, perseverance has “finish[ed] its work” (James 1:4), and the pain of the Crucifixion has begun to weave itself into a crown.

It is in this experience of complete suffering that the Holy Spirit works many miraculous things deep within our soul. In this condition, our entire being lies perfectly still under the hand of God; every power and ability of the mind, will, and heart are at last submissive; a quietness of eternity settles into the entire soul; and finally, the mouth becomes quiet, having only a few words to say, and stops crying out the words Christ quoted on the cross: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Ps. 22:1).

At this point the person stops imagining castles in the sky, and pursuing foolish ideas, and his reasoning becomes calm and relaxed, with all choices removed, because the only choice has now become the purpose of God. Also, his emotions are weaned away from other people and things, becoming deadened so that nothing can hurt, offend, hinder, or get in his way. He can now let the circumstances be what they may, and continue to seek only God and His will, with the calm assurance that He is causing everything in the universe, whether good or bad, past or present, to work “for the good of those who love him” (Rom. 8:28).

Oh, the blessings of absolute submission to Christ! What a blessing to lose our own strength, wisdom, plans, and desires and to be where every ounce of our being becomes like a peaceful Sea of Galilee under the omnipotent feet of Jesus!

From Streams in the Desert

Come Lord Jesus, into our storm and calm us.

5 Tips to Lead a Succesful Life

July 25, 2008 in Confessions of a Preacher's Wife with 0 Comments

For tips to successful leadership and life, check out the article in Women of Grace e-zine.

Now that you’ve seen who wrote it, you may be surprised and wonder how I know anything at all about life or leadership especially when linked with the word successful. Take a look and tell me what you think.

Life’s Purpose: Distracted, Assured, Engaged (Acts 1:9-12)

April 22, 2008 in Acts Forum with 0 Comments

Life’s Purpose: Distracted, Assured, Engaged (Acts 1:9-12)

Searching for life’s meaning and purpose is an age old quest. We question, “Why? What for? What now?” The disciples had given three years of their lives following Jesus and now what? As soon as Jesus finished talking he was taken from them. He had just given them their life’s purpose (see verse 8). He had just given them their job description, the purpose and meaning for all they were to do. His last words give us a meaning to life as well. Be covered by the Spirit (see previous post Finding God in Sequels, Unknowns, & Promises), Tell everybody about what God has done.

As the words still hung on Jesus’ lips, he was taken from them in a cloud. His mission, his job was done. He said in John 19:30, “It is finished.” Right before their eyes, a cloud hid him and he was whisked away to heaven. Clouds have been God’s chosen chariot all throughout history (Luke 21:27, Dan. 7 13). God’s presence is hidden in a cloud, for his glory cannot be looked upon with human eyes or death would be the outcome (Exodus 33:20). Jesus was returned to his glory and position in heaven, the fulfillment of his ruling his kingdom.

God was working right next to them on the ground as they stood distracted by staring hard into the clouds for Jesus. We need to be careful to not to be distracted by mystical searches in the clouds or by mundane routines of earthly pursuits to the point we miss God working amongst us.Two men, most likely angels, appeared out of nowhere to give them assurance. In this case, God used some spectacular white robed guys to assure some pretty distracted believers. Yes, believers can be distracted and need assurance. And God is big enough to deliver.

We have a work to do and God will do his part. Jesus will come again in the same way he left. The disciples had to first go to Jerusalem according to verse 8. We can see, according to verse 12, they engaged their work after being assured by the angels.

An interesting tidbit about prophecy is involved concerning the place where all this happened. They were on Mt. Olives a little more than a half mile to the east of Jerusalem. Jesus left them on Mt. Olives and since he is to come the same way he left, a good supposition is that a cloud and Mt. Olives might be significant. The prophecy of Jesus’ return from long before he walked the earth is, “On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, forming a great valley, with half of the mountain moving north and half moving south.” (Zech.14:4) And a prophecy from long after the passage in Acts is, “Look, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him; and all the peoples of the earth will mourn because of him. So shall it be! Amen.” (Rev. 1:7)

We have no need to be distracted searching the clouds for some sign of God, because believers are assured of his return with all eyes able to see him. Instead, believers can live out their purpose, engage the mission that gives life meaning—being covered by the Spirit and telling others about God and the amazing things related to Jesus.

1. If you’ve found practical meaning for your life, would you share it?
2. What kinds of distractions commonly keep people from living out their purpose?
3. What ways can we be given the assurance we need?
4. What are some realistic ways to engage our mission in our culture?

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