Spiritual | Confessions of a Preacher's Wife, Robin Bryce

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Search for Peace in a World of Disturbance

October 28, 2009 in Confessions of a Preacher's Wife with 0 Comments

Peace. Still. Rest.

Peace in a World of Disturbance

The Burden.
Ever push to make things happen? When I do, I become anxious, worried, and stressed. All actions feel like my responsibility. Like it’s my fault when it doesn’t go well. Or when it does, the credit is mine. During these times, everything seems to key off of me, what I do, or don’t do, if I’m good enough, or not. I don’t like the stress of that kind of responsibility.

The Freedom.
When I place myself in the presence of sovereignty, I have peace. Overriding the swirl of troubles, struggles, and circumstances, a peace prevails. My actions become obedience to the sovereign God instead of an ambition to control. I realize the results don’t hinge upon my behavior or ability. God’s responsible for the results. I’m responsible for obeying. By sitting down in submission to him, I find a peaceful freedom.

The Counsel.
“Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for him to act” (Ps 37:7). I should work physically while sitting still in God spiritually. But I forget that God’s in charge, and get busy, working, feeling responsible for the outcome. When things don’t go right, the responsibility turns into temptations to take control, get frustrated, and become angry. Psalms 37:8 states, “Stop being angry! Turn from your rage! Do not lose your temper—it only leads to harm.” “Be still,” or “Stop being angry!”

The Choice.
I must choose. “Be still,” or push-through-with-all-I’ve-got. The choice leading to peace is simple, but the “Be still” follow through isn’t easy. The option keeps coming back and needs a fresh resolve. Sometimes I make the right choice, and others…

Anyhow. Do any of you, like me, search for peace in a world of disturbance?

*picture by MJ Photography

Let Not the Music Die

September 1, 2009 in Confessions of a Preacher's Wife with 0 Comments

Great Master, touch us with Your skillful hands;
Let not the music that is in us die! ~Streams, p. 335

That line of poetry pierces into the struggle for my passion and alludes to the difficulties of life. Job said:

Is not all human life a struggle? Our lives are like that of a hired hand…who longs for the shade…waiting to be paid. I, too, have been assigned months of futility, long and weary nights of misery (Job 7:1-3).

If you’re like me working toward some beautiful melody or outcome, but find only discord and difficult notes, take heart. God will touch us at the right time and make beautiful music from all our pain and struggles. Your life and work matters to God. Let’s not allow the music in us to die.

What awesome worship the sacrifice of playing our music becomes.

Play on!

Less than Rosy and Cheery

August 11, 2009 in Confessions of a Preacher's Wife with 2 Comments

Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior. (Habakkuk 3:17-18)

Things aren’t always rosy and cheery, BUT things can always be good in God. It’s a perspective. A matter of where you place your hope, of what to surrender and to whom. If everything fails, God will not.

God Pointed, God Knew, & God Killed

June 3, 2008 in Acts Forum with 0 Comments

God Pointed, God Knew, & God Killed (Acts 2:22-28)

God pointed out Jesus as the Savior with God-moments—miracles, signs and wonders (vs. 22).

Pick a Gospel and list all the amazing things Jesus did, the fulfillment of prophecy, and words of authority Jesus spoke. Go ahead and glance through the headings of Luke. I’ll wait . . .

Oh, you’re back. Pretty amazing stuff, huh? Take a mental inventory of God-moments in your life. Think back as far as you can remember. Got at least one? These moments are God’s pointing you to Jesus as the Savior.

God knew what you’d do (vs. 23). God knows everything. He is bigger than Big Brother.

God knew you’d chose to do bad things, stumble, and sin. We all do it. (Rom. 3:23) He knew beforehand that our sin would kill Jesus. It is amazing that he loved us enough to forgive us ahead of time. (John 3:16, Rev. 13:8)

God not only knew, but he had a plan. He saw a cause worth dying for—that’d be us—then killed death itself. Death couldn’t hold Jesus (vs.24-28). This passage is a quote from David in Psalms 16:18-11. David focused on God, and the sight of God gave him power, fearlessness, gladness, a mouthful of praise, and heart of peace in the midst of circumstances. When we keep our spiritual eyes sets on Jesus, we gain those same things. Death has no hold on one who has hope and full vision of Christ.

Receiving God’s love in our sinful state, and passion to see him gives us a cause worth dying for as well. Some purposes and pursuits carry high costs.

The movie The Last Samurai

portrays a fight to the end for a principle. Compromise was never a question. Discipline and life purpose in the face of death made life worth living. I need that same kind of focus, purpose to give my life for, and I found it in Jesus. Whether in living or in dying, I have purpose. He has “revealed the paths of life to me” (vs.28). And DEATH has no hold on me!

Thank you, Jesus.

Blessings,

Robin

Piney Wood Safari Hunt: Zebra Expectations!!

May 22, 2008 in Confessions of a Preacher's Wife with 17 Comments

PineyWood Safari Hunt: ZEBRA Expectations!!

I recently posted about expecting the unexpected The Un-Expected Expectation, but this stripe really zigs! Really!

We always drive down the same forest service road through the National Forest between our house and our church.

It is a beautiful drive. The Forest Ranger consistently pulls me over to remind me of the speed limit. He must be afraid if vehicles go over 30 mph the animals can’t get out of the way (or maybe it is the potholes). I’ve seen deer, wild hog, possum, raccoon, bobcats, coyotes, fox, and all kinds of regular wildlife in the Piney Woods of East Texas on this drive.

Last evening just after dusk, along with a dozen or so deer, we drove up on something of a wilder hoof. It was bigger, and my girls and I weren’t sure what it was. As we drove closer (at a much slower speed than my normal), we saw the unbelievable. It was a ZEBRA.

The girls and I acted out John Wayne’s movie Hatari and tried to capture it on cell phone camera. We had to have proof! Who in their right mind would believe this? The thing ran down the road. I speed up. It watched us as a predator and began zigzagging across the road. (My husband will kill me if I mess up his car!) I slowed. Zebra slowed. We commenced the capture chase for .8 of a mile, then it took a side road.

The Piney Wood safari hunt left my heart pumping. What a thrill! Seeing a zebra in its natural reaction without a fence between us is a dream I never expected to come true, and in East Texas! Move over John Wayne. I’ve got a fever for the hunt. A broad with a cell phone camera. You’ll have to see the movie to understand the girl and camera thing. The pic isn’t the greatest. But under the circumstances, give a girl a break. We were on the lookout for the lion and other crew from Disney’s Madagascar.

Happy hunting the unexpected.

Robin

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?