Take Root and Write

Something New

"Behold, I will do something new, now it will spring forth; will you not be aware of it? I will even make a roadway in the wilderness, rivers in the desert. The beasts of the field will glorify Me, The jackals and the ostriches, because I have given waters in the wilderness and rivers in the desert, to give drink to My chosen people. The people whom I formed for Myself will declare My praise"  (Isaiah 43:19-21 NASB).

Today we’re not a nomadic people, wandering in the wilderness of the desert. Rather, many of us live in the midst of our own personal wilderness. Our strongholds, our struggles, our challenges, and our sins all separate us from the God who made us His chosen people; the people whom He formed for Himself.

Over the last several months, I have been roaming around in my own spiritual wilderness. While I don't like to spend time adrift and feeling isolated, I understand and accept that it is part of the journey -- and a crucial part of God's process of refining, preparation, and perfecting. God continues to provide a “roadway in the wilderness” and leads me to “rivers in the desert.” In my personal life, I have had to make some pretty tough decisions about what obedience to God's leading looks like.

He is doing something new in and through me! While I have loved every minute of my time as the "God's Wonder Woman" columnist and have so appreciated the encouragement and support of readers, God is leading me in other directions. This will be my last post. I am going to be cutting back on my writing for the near future and this is one of the things I realize I need to let go of.

At the dawning of this new year, we each have yet another opportunity to begin anew—in whatever area(s) of our life need restoring, re-energizing, or correction. God has promised us He will provide everything we need to live an abundantly joyful, remarkably blessed life. We need only to be aware of His working within and through us—and through others in our lives to enjoy the gift He offers.

Leap and Praise God!

"Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. And a man lame from birth was being carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful to ask alms of those who entered the temple. Seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked for alms. And Peter directed his gaze at him, with John, and said, "Look at us." And he fixed his attention upon them, expecting to receive something from them. But Peter said, "I have no silver and gold, but I give you what I have; in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk." And he took him by the right hand and raised him up; and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong. And leaping up he stood and walked and entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. And the people saw him walking and praising God, and recognized him as the one who sat for alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple; and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him" (Acts 3:1-10 NRSV).

Are others "filled with wonder and amazement" at what has happened to you? Can those around you tell that you are one who has been saved by God's grace through Jesus Christ of Nazareth? Have you prayed and prayed for something you wanted and just felt as if God was never going to answer your prayer--in the way you wanted it answered?  These verses speak to me as I answer these questions, "no" and "yes" respectively!

 No

Most of the time I'm pretty sure I am not as good a Christian as I would like to be--in fact I'm certain of it! I don't always act and speak in such a way that should--or at least could--lead others to Christ! Sadly, sometimes just the opposite is true.

Magnify the Lord With Me

"I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul makes its boast in the Lord; let the afflicted hear and be glad. O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together! I sought the Lord, and he answered me, and delivered me from all my fears. Look to him, and be radiant; so your faces shall never be ashamed. This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them. O taste and see that the Lord is good! Happy is the man who takes refuge in him" (Psalm 34:1-8 NRSV).

Our family has learned a lot of lessons this past year! We've felt His presence through affliction and celebration. We learned the only way to get through life is to trust in God. Having stated that, I don't always demonstrate or act upon this profound truth! I'm not always radiant with the glow of God's love, nor do I always offer Him all my fears or daily problems.

Monday mornings are often a difficult time for us to be centered on God. Typically we have a million things running through our minds--to do list for the week filled with family medical appointments, school meetings, and church activities just to name a few.  At Christmastime my church has enough "extra" activities to make anyone's head spin! It's overwhelming in a wonderful and exciting way! However, when I get all wrapped up in the activities of the day or the upcoming week, I often forget to magnify God. If I don't turn over the tension, anxiety, and daily life in general to God, I'm not leaving myself open to His daily will in my life.

I fully believe that by turning over my life daily to God, nothing will overcome me. I have felt His angels encamped around me at work, in the car, at home, in the oddest places. But, I am often so busy I forget to acknowledge their presence. How can I expect to be saved out of all my troubles when I'm too busy chasing all the "very important things" I need to accomplish every day? If I fail to approach God with an attitude of trust, then I may just miss out on His daily blessings for me.

Too Small a Thing

Listen to me, O coastlands, and hearken, you peoples from afar. The Lord called me from the womb, from the body of my mother he named my name. He made my mouth like a sharp sword, in the shadow of his hand he hid me; he made me a polished arrow, in his quiver he hid me away. And he said to me, "You are my servant, Israel, in whom I will be glorified." But I said, "I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity; yet surely my right is with the Lord, and my recompense with my God." And now the Lord says, who formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob back to him, and that Israel might be gathered to him, for I am honored in the eyes of the Lord, and my God has become my strength -- he says: "It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to restore the preserved of Israel; I will give you as a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth." Thus says the Lord, the Redeemer of Israel and his Holy One, to one deeply despised, abhorred by the nations, the servant of rulers: "Kings shall see and arise; princes, and they shall prostrate themselves; because of the Lord, who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you. (Isaiah 49:1-7 RSV)

God gave Isaiah great gifts and graces, and Isaiah used them obediently and faithfully, under God's direction. But guess what? God was not done with him! In fact, He hadn't even started working in Isaiah the "real" plan He had for him. He told Isaiah, "It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to restore the preserved of Israel; I will give you as a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth." In my NIV translation it says, "It is too small a thing"

The Seven Deadly Sins - Part 4

In The Seven Deadly Sins - Part 2 I shared that the seven deadly sins are considered deadly, and all sins in general are deadly because of how they damage our relationship with God. In The Seven Deadly Sins - Part 3 we identified fear as the universal thread weaving sin together with our hearts. When we fear for our livelihood, our future, and our well-being, we become afraid that we will not have what we need. That's when we may move from want and desire to the sinful states of greed, gluttony, and yes, lust. As God's Wonder Women it can be challenging to live a life free of the influences of sin. But as His beloved daughters, we have His divine strength and wisdom upon which to draw!

At the website, White Stone Journal we read of the sin of lust:

"We can limit lust to sexuality, but we may want to consider the larger area of sensuality. Sensuality is the craving for physical pleasures of all kinds. An inordinate desire to avoid pain, for physical and even emotional comfort, the best food and wine, the best looking car, can all be forms of lust. Lust denies our spiritual nature and promotes the lie that "this is all there is." . . . "Other people become ways of satisfying our needs. They are merely objects to service us, bring us food, run our business, give us pleasure. We want to reduce the population of the world so we won't have to share or we want more children so they can carry on the family business. Everyone else become a means to an end."

"Lust is enslavement to the senses, to the animal part of man. Lust deadens our spiritual senses so we cannot hear God calling."

 Lust, then is very much tied to greed . . . and to gluttony. They are all about desiring more. Lust, though, invades--and eventually overtakes--our lives. Acquiring the objects of our attention becomes more than a pastime. It becomes our purpose and the focal point of our lives. Lust is the ultimate form of idol worship.

The Seven Deadly Sins - Part 3

 

Sloth

This series on The Seven Deadly Sins began with Confession Is Good For the Soul, where we discussed the nature and source of sin. We also identified fear as the universal thread weaving sin together with our hearts. When we fear for our livelihood, our future, and our well-being, we become afraid that we will not have what we need. We are deceived in to believing that we are in charge of our own lives and the lives of those for whom we care and love.

This sense of being in charge is not the same as responsibility. It often begins as responsibility, but when we get overwhelmed, tired, busy, or distracted, we forget about the One who made us, who loves us, and who promised us that He will provide for us abundantly. When we take our eyes off the Cross, we begin to think of ourselves too highly and take on the role of Divine Provider. Of course we can never be fully in control of anything and so we become fearful. We head down the path of sloth.

The term acedia in Wikepedia.com explains that sloth is from the Greek word meaning "neglect to take care of something - and in this ease neglect to do whatever one should do in order to be saved. Further it "is apathetic listlessness; depression without joy. It is similar to melancholy."

This is the trickery of this sin: in our busyness we neglect what God wants us to be doing. The question begs to be asked, "Are we staying so busy so we don't have to do what God wants? Or, are we just so busy that we become listless and depressed about the fact that we have not built time for God into our busy schedules?

The Seven Deadly Sins - Part 2

Greed and Gluttony

This is the second in the series of the Seven Deadly Sins. In the last column, I shared that these particular sins (but all sin in general) are deadly because of how they damage our relationship with God. As God's Wonder Women it can be so challenging to live a life free of the influences of sin. But as His beloved daughters, we have His divine strength and wisdom upon which to draw!

Gluttony and greed are two of the deadly sins that wound God's love. At first, the two may seem to be one in the same and, even though they are not, they are related. In fact, I refer to them as spiteful sisters! They are each about acquiring and desiring more. Their motivation is different, but the reason they exist at all is the same reason for all sin: fear. Fear that we are not in control. Fear that we will not have all we need or want. Fear that God doesn't have what is best for us and our best interest in mind.

Gluttony

The website Whitestonejournal.com cautions us: "The chief error about gluttony is to think it only pertains to food. Some people can't enough toys, television, entertainment, sex, or company. It's about an excess of anything."

"There are at least three forms of gluttony:

• wanting more pleasure from something than it was made for.
• wanting it exactly our way
• demanding too much from people (excessive desire for other people's time or presence)."

The Seven Deadly Sins - Part 1: Pride and Envy

The list of the seven deadly sins originated in the Catholic Church with Pope Saint Gregory the Great. Today we can view the list as more of a help for spiritual progress than a doctrine.They are called 'deadly' because they wound love and, therefore, do great harm to our relationship with God and others. Eventually, they can kill the soul, in a sense.

One definition the the seven deadly sins I found defines them as "those transgressions which are fatal to spiritual progress" (http://deadlysins.net). Why are these sins considered deadly, anyway!? It is because they wound love.They break God's heart.

We would never give a birthday gift to our child and then break it into pieces in front of them! It would break their heart! And so our sin breaks God's heart. Our worship of God is flawed; it is dishonest; it is less than the best we have to offer God when we hold back and cling to our sinfulness.

What are your personal "deadly sins?"  I like to think I am very self-aware and that I will and do readily (though shamefully) acknowledge I am a sinner. So when I took a very unscientific test on-line to discover my "score" on various deadly sins I  was fascinated, though not surprised, to find out that "pride" is my most deadly "fatal flaw" at this point in my life!

Confession: Good For The Soul

"It's not about you." Imagine my dismay at reading those first words in Rick Warren's landmark book, The Purpose Driven Life. I can remember alternately saying, "What do you mean, 'it's not about me'"? (Please visualize hand on hip, head cocked just a bit and a slight elevation in the pitch of my voice) and "thank goodness it's not about me!"

As the oldest daughter in a family of five children, "it" was about me from very early on. "You have to set a good example," was the mantra of my childhood. I took the 'you're in charge' and 'you're the oldest' yoke very seriously and carried it throughout much of my life, into every aspect of my life. So much so, that eventually I believed I had to be in control of everything in my life.

 "Have mercy on me, oh God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me. Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me and I will be whiter than snow. Create in me a pure heart, oh God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me" (Psalm 51:1-3, 5, 7,10 NIV).

Like all of us, David's sin sprang from what he is and what he has been from birth. When he asks God to cleanse him, it literally means ""un-sin" me." David realizes that when God does cleanse him, there is no word or phrase to adequately describe the result; so he uses terms like clean and whiter than snow. He begs God to create a new heart--as something new which cannot possibly emerge from what is now--something which only God can bring forth.

Too Stressed to be Blessed?

I know! The old saying is really "Too blessed to be stressed."  Unfortunately,we often get it backwards. Are there moments (or days . . .or weeks) when you feel as if you are in "this" all by yourself? Too many times in our lives, we get ourselves all worked up, tied up in knots; sometimes about significant, important issues and at others times over the minor annoyances of our day--only to forget that God has our lives in the palm of His hand.

A time of spiritual discomfort or struggle is often referred to as "being in the desert." It's a time when you might feel disconnected from or dissatisfied with God, with your life, or with the capacity of your faith to uplift and sustain you through a given time or situation. I think of the Israelites in their quest for the promised land, roaming through the desert for forty years. We know they questioned, balked, protested, and rebelled along the way. They were literally in a desert, and God also placed them in a spiritual desert to prepare them for the future.

It certainly didn't feel like a reason to rejoice or celebrate in the midst of their journey. They didn't have the ability or the desire to see the bigger picture of their lives and God's plan for it, let alone their own part in the plan. They viewed their day-to-day drudgery as just that: their day-to-day drudgery. Rather than thank God for doing the refining, preparing, deep and intentional work within them that He knew they needed, they complained about everything. I don't blame them, really. Their lives must have been excruciatingly difficult.

What's In A Name?

Do you know the origin or meaning of your name? Is there a significance about the name you are known by? My name, Mary, seems like a rather plain, unexciting name, but my parents obviously thought it was a wonderful name! Not only is my first name Mary, each of my three younger sisters received that as their middle name. I just realized that I have never asked my parents why we all were given that name. We were reared in the Roman Catholic Church and I know Mary, the mother is Christ, is revered in Catholicism. I guess I always just assumed that was behind their decision. I'm going to ask my mom about this the next time I talk to her!

When I researched my name, of course the reference to that Mary was first! I didn't know, though, that "Mariology" is the body and belief of the doctrine concerning the Virgin Mary." Nor did I know "Mariolotry" is an excessive and proscribed veneration of the Virgin Mary." (http://www.faqs.org/ologies-isms/). Well this makes my name a bit more interesting I think.

Throughout life we acquire names or labels or images of ourselves. From a very early age we begin to develop a self-image that is usually reflective of the messages we receive from others. If we are told we are "daddy's little girl" and receive attention and affection from our fathers when we play that role, we may never grow out of that role. If our intelligence and ingenuity are praised and valued, we more than likely will excel in academics. If we are born into a family that is emotionally distant and undemonstrative, we may never learn to develop healthy relationships with others.

Redefining That "To Do" List

You may not be old enough to remember Linda Carter, the tall, very buxom, hourglass-figured brunette who was mild-mannered and soft-spoken in her daily life. At crunch-time though, she became a super-woman with a belt, a shiny headpiece, and super powers! Wow! What I wouldn't have given to look like her, let alone have any one of those super powers!

Of course, it was a fantasy show, meant to be entertaining--a way of escaping the hustle and bustle or the boredom and dreariness of our daily lives. It was meant to be, I imagine, a "women's power" statement as well. I don't know if men were the creators of that program, but I do remember thinking woman really do know what it is like to live two such different lives with grace and strength--manifested in such divergent ways.

For women, juggling roles is an everyday fact of life. Everyday, we are business women, wives, mothers, daughters, sisters, and friends! Yes, men have many roles too, but for some reason God decided they only needed (or could handle?) one role at a time. More than I might ever have been envious of Wonder Woman, I am envious of many mens apparent ability to compartmentalize their lives. The men I know are able to be fully present 'in the moment' without the multiple roles they play interfering or distracting them from the task at hand. That's a quality that I don't see so often in other women -- and especially in myself!

Your child's class needs a room parent. The school needs a PTA board member. Your church needs volunteers. Your boss needs you to work overtime. Your spouse needs your time and attention. Your children need . . . well they need a lot. How about you? What do you need? Speaking for myself, the first thing I need is to make a list of what I need.

I know one of the top things on the list is more time with God--just Him and me. Another thing near the top is some time alone--really alone for several hours at a stretch. A third "near-the-top" item is to figure out what in the world God needs and wants me to do for Him.Then I need to make a list of everything that is expected, desired and demanded of me and figure out how each item lines up with God's desire and plan for my life.

Blessed to be Persecuted for Righteousness

"Blessed are they who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven" (Matthew 5:10 NKJ).

In March's God's Wonder Woman we discussed hungering and thirsting for righteousness. I shared that "though each of us has the ability, through Christ, to live in the world without being overcome by it, too often we choose not to enter into the struggle between this world and the world God has prepared for us at the end of time. We feel too powerless, ineffectual, weak and small to be victorious. That is because we forget to rely upon Jesus and His power, His strength, and His victory won for us on the Cross."

One reason we may choose not to enter the struggle is because this eighth beatitude holds a warning for us. Jesus tells us once we move from hungering and thirsting for righteousness and "become righteousness" we will surely be persecuted in a world full of those who prey upon the peacemakers, the merciful, the pure of heart, those who mourn with and for this world, the meek, and the poor in spirit.

How are we, then, to move from hunger and thirst to action? "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because the Lord has appointed me to bring good tidings to the afflicted; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn, to grant those who mourn in Zion -- to give them a garland instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the mantle of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified" (Isaiah 61: 1-3 RSV).

The Lord has appointed each of us to minister to his world in the same ways the Spirit revealed to Isaiah.That doesn't mean we jump on every bandwagon (inserting note to self) or champion every cause! It does mean though, that our lives demonstrate and reflect righteousness--even if we will be persecuted.

God's Wonder Woman: Blessed Are The Peacemakers

"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called Children of God" (Matthew 5:9 KJV).

This seventh Beatitude is one about which I felt really good! Or I should say, I felt really good about myself at first glance! I am a peacemaker. I like it when everyone wins, folks agree to disagree, and a fair and equitable compromise is reached. Perhaps you're with me on this one. I think especially if you're a parent, all you really wish for is peace among your children!

At http://www.jesuschristsavior.net I read "Peacemakers not only live peaceful lives, but also try to bring peace and friendship to others, and to preserve peace between God and man." So far, so good. The site goes on to share, ". . . one cannot give another what one does not possess oneself. Hence the Lord wants you first to be yourself filled with the blessings of peace and then to communicate it to those who have need of it. By imitating God's love of man, the peacemakers become children of God."

You see, I really thought this of all the Beatitudes is one I could claim for myself! At first read, I did actually. Then I realized that I am not as "filled with the blessings of peace" as I would like to think--or would have others think. My mind runs 24/7, non-stop, in a constant whirl. I want to be filled with peace, but all too often I find anything but peace in my mind, my heart, and my life. How about you? Do you experience the blessedness of peace within your own life? Do you, like me, desperately desire to be a "child of God"?

 Scripture tells us:  "Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God--" (John 1:12 NIV) and "The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children" (Romans 8:16 NIV). 

These and other assertions in the New Testament bear out the truth that we are, indeed, so closely intertwined and interconnected with God that we are part of Him, just as are Jesus and the Holy Spirit.

God's Wonder Woman: Pure of Heart

"Blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see God" (Matthew 5:8 NIV).

The sixth beatitude already! While this series has been a great deal of work for me and I've spent many more hours than I had planned exploring the Beatitudes, I have learned a great deal! Not only have I learned more about Jesus and His message, I have learned things about myself. Some of them were rather distressing while others were cause for great joy. How about you? Where are you in your walk? How blessed is your life?

Each of these beatitudes is a challenge for me! This one may be one of the most convicting and yet it is one that spurs us on to achieve this special  blessing! To see God--not only when we get to heaven but here--in this lifetime--is an unimaginable joy and blessing to receive!

How do we acquire a "pure heart"? First we need to admit that our hearts are not pure at all! That's a hard truth sometimes, especially if we have been working to rid ourselves of thoughts, behaviors, and attitudes that are not like those of Christ. Remember though, that perfection is not possible for humans, so our striving for purity of heart and soul is the best we can do for now.

So we admit we are not pure in order to begin the journey to purity. God looks at our heart when He sees us, so we want it to be presentable and clean when He gazes upon us. That is a comfort though, as well, because we know that God does not judge us as the world does. He sees the true you and the real me; He sees beyond the roles we play and the way we dress and the car we drive and the amount of money in our bank account. Whew!

God's Wonder Woman: Blessed Are The Merciful

"Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy" (Matthew 5:7 NIV).

Thus far we have explored the blessedness of particular attitudes toward our fellow human beings and toward God. Jesus promises us that the kingdom of heaven belongs to those who are poor in spirit. Those who mourn shall be comforted, those who are gentle will inherit the earth, and whoever hungers and thirsts for righteousness shall be satisfied. Such promises! Such incredible promises.

As amazing and awe-inspiring as all of these promises may be, there is still more to come! In His Sermon on the Mount Jesus bids us to be merciful, that we might also receive mercy. It would seem that mercy is a concept we all understand fully and can grasp without much effort. However, as is often the case, Christ challenges us to dig deeper, to strive for a broader and more complete understanding of his words.

So let's talk a little bit about mercy. Dictionary.com offers the definition with which most of are familiar: compassionate treatment for the unfortunate and helpless. When we look for additional definitions at dictionary.com, we find: a disposition to be kind and forgiving; compassionate or kind forbearance shown toward an offender or enemy or other person in one's power.

I don't know about you, but I tend to think of mercy and kindness almost interchangeably. While one can certainly be substituted for the other, mercy is more than simple kindness. Mercy extends beyond kindness to include those who may be the least deserving of our kindness, those who have harmed or wronged us in some way. More than that, mercy is really about forgiveness. "Because judgment without mercy shall be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment!" (James 2:13 NIV).

God's Wonder Woman: Blessed Are They Who Hunger and Thirst for Righteousness

 
"Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied" (Matthew 5:6 NIV).

This is the fourth in our series on the Beatitudes. In order to understand the promise of this beatitude, we need first define the term righteousness. At dictionary.com I found the word righteous defined as "morally upright; without guilt or sin; adhering to moral principles." For moral I found, "founded on the fundamental principles of right conduct rather than on legalities."  Synonyms for the word moral include upright, honest, straightforward, open, virtuous and honorable.

"Behold the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which he will be called: 'The Lord is our righteousness' " (Jeremiah 23:5-6 RSV).

Becoming the righteousness of God, then, seems like a pretty tall order. Actually, it is a tall order! I don't know about you, but I struggle with any of these individual qualities listed, let alone living in a way that is all encompassing. Fortunately for us, "The Lord is our Righteousness." Christ is righteousness on our behalf--in our stead. God's grace made that provision for us over 2,000 years ago. Christ also serves as the example for us.

In his essay on the Beatitudes, Robert Wells shares,

Hunger and thirst are appetites that return frequently and they require that they be met often during the day. Similarly the true believer calls for constant meals of righteousness to do [her] daily Godly work, just as the living body calls for its daily food. When a believer hungers and thirsts after righteousness [s]he become a new [woman] and this new [woman] now bears the image of God. This new [woman] greatly desires to do the will of God for [s]he now has great interest in Christ and all that Christ said and promised.

Hungering and thirsting for righteousness means that we intentionally devote every aspect of lives and every molecule of our being to embrace, adopt, and ultimately become morally upright, without guilt or sin, upright, honest, straightforward, open, virtuous and honorable. Not only just strive for these qualities, but to be like Christ, to become righteousness. In other words, righteousness is a lifestyle in complete conformity to the will of God. It is the lifestyle Christ both finds pleasing and approves of.

God's Wonder Woman - Blessed Are The Meek

"Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth" (Matthew 5:5 NIV).

This is our third in the series of the Beatitudes. What may be off-putting yet again is some of the terminology use. When we think of meekness we often call to mind someone who is timid, spirit-less or tame. This is not the meekness about which Jesus speaks, though. He implores us not to be easily provoked, to be mild-tempered, patient under injuries; not vain or or haughty or resentful. Meekness involves showing patience, humility and gentleness

The Greek word for meek, praus, was used when referring to domesticated animals. It refers to a strong and powerful horse or ox that was trained and disciplined so that it could be controlled by humans. In Matthew 5:5, the word meek refers to a strong person who is under control--controlled by God. A meek woman is one who is God-controlled in every aspect of her life--word, will, thought, emotion and action. The meek woman is one who submits, not to her will or that of the world, but to the gracious and great will of her God.

A meek woman is not weak or wishy-washy or timid! She is not someone who serves as a doormat, either. She is just the opposite. She places her full trust and faith in Jesus Christ and will be meek before God. She will, however, be bold and mighty before the world and before Satan! Because she relies upon God's divine strength, she is able to serve with endurance and empathy.

As I explored this beatitude, all the ways I fail to be meek bubbled up to the surface. I recall the times I failed to be patient, gentle, kind or calm in my interactions with others--especially with my family. As I spent even more time praying and reflecting upon this lesson, I realized I had failed to be meek even before God on more occasions than I care to admit as well.

"Then God arose to judgment, To save all the humble of the earth" (Psalm 76:9 NIV).

God's Wonder Woman: Blessed to Mourn

Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. (Matthew 5:4 NIV)

This is one of those Biblical principles that has always puzzled me. How in the world can one feel blessed while mourning? The short and sweet answer is that we will be comforted when we mourn. Still . . . this seems like another situation where Jesus turns our human understanding upside down.

Most often when we think of grieving it is in the context of sorrow for the loss of a loved one or perhaps the loss of a dream or even the loss of a job. These are all part of the normal ebb and flow of life and while we don't feel much like rejoicing in these situations, we are at least comforted that God is with us during times of sorrow and our faith allows us to move through the pain.

It is natural to grieve when we lose a loved one and while the pain of loss doesn't ever go away completely, we can find comfort in knowing our beloved is with God and that we will join them one day. We are also comforted to know that God walks with us through our grief.

The mourning Christ refers to in the Sermon on the Mount results when we become aware of our abject and utter sinfulness. We mourn not only because we are sinful and filled with sin, but also because of the impact our sinfulness has on our lives and the lives of others.

When we mourn our lack of being in the perfect state implored by the Beatitudes, we are comforted to know our shortcomings have been covered over. The cost of our sin has been paid in full. Jesus not only paid the price for our sins, He won us eternity in heaven by his sacrifice--comfort indeed.

God's Wonder Women: Poor in Sprit

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:3 NIV)

The Sermon on the Mount has long been considered both the starting point and a summary of Jesus’ teaching. On our journey to become/stay/grow as God's Wonder Women, Jesus' own words seem like the best place to start. This post will discuss the first of the eight states of blessedness to which Jesus refers in the Beatitudes.

The Greek word for "poor" can be translated as one who has nothing and is completely empty. Jesus isn't speaking about the earthly realm here. He's not referring to our income or net worth. He doesn't really care how much money we have or make, what we own or can acquire. Jesus wasn't saying we can't have nice things or live well. He's talking about our attitudes and about the state of our souls.

To be poor in spirit means we acknowledge that nothing we have is worth more than God and His kingdom.This type of poverty extends to everything in our lives -- everything. It includes our possessions, our jobs, our friends, and our families. A woman who is poor in spirit acknowledges God's ownership of everything and understands (and accepts) that we are to be good stewards of everything with which we have been blessed.

This sacred stewardship includes taking care of ourselves and recognizing ourselves as valued creations of God. It means that we strive to nurture our talents and discover and/or explore our spiritual gifts in order to be more faithful servants to God's world.

God's Wonder Woman: Defined by God's Grace

I used to be "Woman A"

Everyone perceives Woman A to be organized, creative, energetic, enthusiastic, and most important: dependable. Woman A is the "go to" gal when it's time to plan teacher recognition week, the church's 100th anniversary celebration, a bridal or baby shower, serve on the community association board, facilitate a women's weekly bible study, lead a scout troop and volunteer as team mother for her children's sports team(s). Are you tired yet?

I also used to be "Woman Z"

Woman Z has a secret she's never told anyone. If she even catches herself thinking about it she stops herself right away because she's afraid of what might happen. The truth? She's exhausted. She doesn't know how she even gets out of bed in the morning; it's an effort every single day. It seems as if everyone is always demanding something--her time, her energy, her things, her space . . . her life! She feels she doesn't have one minute of the day to herself. 

These days I can be found closer to the "middle of the alphabet," at least most of the time, as God continues working in me. Many of us may be firmly grounded somewhere in the middle on our best days. For others of us though, the face we show to the world as Woman A is really masking the secrets of Woman Z.

Intro: God's Wonder Woman

We are each made in God’s divine image, bounding into the world gasping for that first life-sustaining breath.. Too often, though, we realize our vision of that divinity – and our own divine purpose that transcends the here and now of daily life – has been lost or never even had a chance to develop.
 
My hope and prayer is that we will grow in our understanding of God's divine plan for us and how we might begin to live into that plan. The role He wants us to play?  God’s Wonder Woman--a fearfully and wonderfully made creature of His divine imagining and perfect planning.

By, Mary Moss

Column Posted Every 1st and 3rd Wednesday of the month.