Arise, Little Girl

“And he took the girl's hand and he said to her, ‘Little girl, arise.’” (Mark 5:41 Aramaic Bible in Plain English)

Every woman was once a little girl who brimmed with spirit and possibilities. As the years passed, the world imposed its projections and ickiness onto her. Buried under societal conventions, she became unconscious of who she was created to be. Her spirit was stifled. Her potential was quashed. Her passion was snuffed out. The little girl was gone.

Everyone assumes the little girl is dead, but she is only asleep--dormant underneath piles of rubbish. Until, one day, Christ takes her by the hand and says:  Arise, little girl. Shine brightly; laugh out loud; daydream to your heart’s desire. You are loved unconditionally; you are cherished; you belong to Me.

One Currency

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Recently, the United Kingdom decided to leave the European Union. For years now, the UK has been using two different currencies: the pound sterling and the euro. Now that Britain has exited the eurozone, the UK will no longer trade in euros. The ramifications are enormous.

I must confess that I have been trying to use two different currencies--living on both the values of God’s Kingdom and those of the world.  I’m reluctant to commit completely to either. I feel squeamish about leaving old habits and going against community standards. Yet, I also feel the pull to leave my comfort zone and follow Christ into God’s Kingdom. Am I willing to relinquish the worldly currency that I have been stocking up on for all these years? Can I handle the rejection of my peers? Am I prepared for the uncertainty that lies ahead?

Lord, I am far from home, and I need your help. Grant me the courage and strength to leave the familiar, to accept worldly loss, and strive toward eternal gain.

Worldly Currency

"Be wary of the shrewd advice that tells you how to get ahead in the world on your own." (Mark 4:24 MSG)

The world trades in currencies of wealth, success, strength, beauty, intelligence, education, talents, luxury, security, and exclusivity. We are given shrewd advice on how to get ahead in this world on our own. Thus, many of us opt for obligatory gestures that display our greatness instead of meaningful actions that may be less impressive to others.

However, the Divine Realm has a different currency. It is backed by love, trust, empathy, forgiveness, sincerity, truth, inclusivity, and humility. It is based, not on getting ahead on our own, but on following behind Jesus. Just as one country’s monetary system is not accepted in another country, worldly currency has no value in God’s Kingdom and vice versa.

What each of us thinks is meaningful depends a lot on our value system. Are we investing in worldly currency or divine assets?

Continued in next post...

Light up the Darkness

“It started when God said, "Light up the darkness!" and our lives filled up with light as we saw and understood God in the face of Christ, all bright and beautiful.” (2 Corinthians 4:6 MSG)

God’s intended purposes are good. His will is for us to experience health, wholeness, virtue, peace, and courage. He created us to live through Him, with Him, and in Him.  However, many of us have wandered away. We are lost in the darkness of illness, brokenness, sinfulness, conflict, and fear.

“The farther I run away from the place where God dwells, the less I am able to hear the voice that calls me the Beloved, and the less I hear that voice, the more entangled I become in the manipulations and power games of the world.” (Henri Nouwen, Return of the Prodigal Son)

Our human nature prompts us to prove that we can live and thrive on our own, independent of God. Some of us spend our entire lives in worldly pursuits. We become entangled in manipulations and power games. Christ comes out into the shadowlands to lead us back home. Some of us are reluctant to follow. We would rather that Christ follow us with blessings, as we explore our own dark agendas. We eventually figure out that this is NOT how things work. We turn around and submit to following Christ. The external evil does not disappear, but He illuminates the darkness within us. Our lives fill up with light as we understand God. We recognize that, although we live in this world, we don’t belong here. We may experience affliction, but we are able to look beyond our suffering. Our focus becomes the Light of Christ who leads us home to the Love of God.  

Faith Gauge

“Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?” (Mark 4:34 NLT)

When the gas gauge on my car shows anything less than half, I go get it filled up. I know people who routinely wait for their fuel lights to come on, and then see how far they can still push it before they actually put gasoline in their cars. In most instances, it isn’t because they don’t have money, or that gas stations are not available nearby. Some feel like they have enough reserves to make it for now. Others delay because there are too many other things that take priority.

Similarly, some of us allow our faith to run empty before we take time to approach God. Even when the warning signals of fear and hopelessness light up, we try to keep pushing along. Some of us operate under the false assumption that we have enough self-reserves. Others allow the craziness of life to distract them.  When we go too long without filling up on the Holy Spirit, we run dry and get stuck. We become stranded in the wilderness of despair.

When you sense fear, it’s a sign that trust is running low. Therefore, take time to replenish your faith every chance you get. Pull up and park yourself in the Spirit. Settle down in His presence. Fill up on the fullness of God.

May the God of green hope fill you up with joy, fill you up with peace, so that your believing lives, filled with the life-giving energy of the Holy Spirit, will brim over with hope! (Romans 15:13 MSG)

Reading vs. Studying

“The closer you listen, the more understanding you will be given.” (Mark 4:24 NLT)

There are some books that you can just read leisurely and others that require careful study. If you are taking an advanced physics class, merely reading the material would not be enough. In order to understand and internalize the concepts, you would have to take them apart, sketch them , analyze them, and make them your own. This would involve more time, energy, and concentration than reading a novel, for example.

Many of us read the Scriptures but don’t take the time to study them. Most of us Christians are so familiar with the stories and popular verses, that we don’t think the Bible has anything new or interesting left to offer us. This is not true. Simply reading or hearing the Word leaves us with a shallow understanding of deep Truth. In order to really know God, we have to be focused and intentional. Studying what God has to say leads us to insights and wisdom. The Holy Spirit within us untangles mysteries too unfathomable for the human mind. As our understanding deepens, our trust increases, and the closer we feel to God.

I pray that we may develop the discipline to study God’s Word. May the Holy Spirit guide us to a deeper understanding and knowledge of Truth.

The Fruit of Trust

“But all too quickly the message is crowded out by worries of this life, the lure of wealth, and the desire for other things, so no fruit is produced.” (Mark 4:19 NLT)

During the growing season, I work in my vegetable garden as much as I can. I try to plant, water, weed, mulch, and harvest the vegetables at the proper time. I keep a close eye on everything. I notice when the rabbits have nibbled on my lettuce or when new weeds pop up between my rows. Yesterday, I noticed that my ground cherry plant was looking droopy. The cilantro in the next row was growing tall and leggy--casting a shadow on the ground cherry plant. I had a choice to make, I would have to sacrifice one of the plants so the other could grow properly. Since I valued the ground cherries more, I pulled out the cilantro that was blocking its light.

The fruit of Trust grows on the plant of Truth. We must observe and be aware of what is really going on around us. God can reveal Truth in a multitude of ways as long as we are paying attention. Growth requires space, light, and nurturing. It may involve the sacrifice of other desirable things as well. Truth can be crowded out by the weeds of indifference, eaten up by the pests of worry, or overshadowed by the pursuit of success. Trust cannot develop if Truth is neglected. Thus, we have to choose what is most valuable to us. We may have to pull out some desirable things in order to allow Truth and Trust to flourish in our lives.

Lord, help us to recognize Truth and grow in Trust.