Speaking of fear, I want to know what angels look like. They’re always going around in the Bible telling Bible folk not to fear. So out of curiosity more than entitlement (I’m not a fool) I want to know what angels look like. Even more, I want to see Jesus’ face, but I know that time will come. I await it in anticipation. I crave heaven. Sometimes and on some days I am so painfully aware that this is not my home. Get this, I’ve had pangs of this or phantom pains of it since I was a little kid, since before I even knew God. That is part of the reason why I emphatically believe our God pursues. He draws us close to Him and we unknowingly long for Him all too often.
Back to angels (wouldn’t want those angels chasing off down any more rabbit trails. Rabbits just might turn pale and keel over on us). Did they shine so bright that people had to shade their eyes? Did they have countless fluttery wings? Revelation has my mind tripping out when it comes to the various ways angels might look. Read that book and there’s no wonder anyone who actually saw an angel would initially feel anything but fear. I love that the first words the angels would say were words of reassurance. Our God is such a God of reassurance, but not apologetically and meek in His calming. Do not fear was spoken as a command. If I’m guessing right, I don’t think we’re supposed to take those too lightly.
While it’s fun to imagine what it might be like to get a 3:00 am visit from an ethereal melodious-voiced angel, I prefer thinking of hanging out in a flower garden with Jesus. I have so many questions. I want to study Him, want to listen and listen and listen to His voice, recognizing it as wonderfully familiar and eternally reassuring.
Monday, July 27, 2009
Monday, July 20, 2009
No Fear
Over the past few weeks I have watched my grandmother become less afraid of losing her physical life. It is such a sight to see her have gradual peace over whichever path life may take her after being diagnosed with Stage IIIB cervical cancer 3 1/2 months ago. I watched her go from being in shock to depressed to now coming to terms with this reality. I don't know exactly if there is a "process" of emotions that cancer or terminally ill people go through, but it is heartwarming to see her turn this entire situation over to God.
At first, once the shock wore off of the news, she expressed the need to hold onto this life because of fear of the unknown. Is there life after this one? I've said to her that the Bible says our bodies will be restored, but she's not too sure about that. Having not read the Bible and not understanding much of the Christian faith, she is also uncertain about heaven. We've had numerous conversations about what the Bible says and for the most part, she's engaged and asks lots of questions. Have I convinced her? Not even close! The Holy Spirit has had to do that because if I know how my grandmother works, she's pretty stubborn and almost so stubborn that I just have to laugh at times.
Fear. So it's not that she doesn't believe in God and in Jesus, but she feared this life being the only one she'll ever have! Wow! I know it's hard for us to imagine a perfect world after this one, but I think it's even more challenging for me to imagine this life being the only one we live and then to only have nonexistence. I can't seem to wrap my brain around that concept. Poor Grandma, here she was afraid to lose her life out of fear of the unknown and perhaps the finality to life itself. There was nothing else I could do for her except to pray for her. I prayed that God would give her a peace about this predicament and just love on her in a way that she has not experienced.
It's been almost a week now since her last radiation treatment and we don't know what the exact results are from the treatment yet and I don't know if we will get them. The oncologist said that as long as her symptoms that were linked to the cancer have improved, then that's a good indication that the tumor has at least reduced in size. Either way, I am just glad that my grandmother has come to terms with this condition and has peace about it. I have seen her draw closer to God and really ponder over His realness and sovereignty. God has become more alive to her and she is able to face physical death with a peace that wasn't there before. I was led to write about this while thinking about Paul's message to Timothy about fear. “For God has not given us a spirit of fear (timidity), but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”(2 Timothy 1:7,NKJV) Could you imagine what it would be like if we lived a life without being fearful? How about what it would be like to not only have inner peace, but to walk boldly in Him in love? Pretty overwhelming yet amazing, eh?
At first, once the shock wore off of the news, she expressed the need to hold onto this life because of fear of the unknown. Is there life after this one? I've said to her that the Bible says our bodies will be restored, but she's not too sure about that. Having not read the Bible and not understanding much of the Christian faith, she is also uncertain about heaven. We've had numerous conversations about what the Bible says and for the most part, she's engaged and asks lots of questions. Have I convinced her? Not even close! The Holy Spirit has had to do that because if I know how my grandmother works, she's pretty stubborn and almost so stubborn that I just have to laugh at times.
Fear. So it's not that she doesn't believe in God and in Jesus, but she feared this life being the only one she'll ever have! Wow! I know it's hard for us to imagine a perfect world after this one, but I think it's even more challenging for me to imagine this life being the only one we live and then to only have nonexistence. I can't seem to wrap my brain around that concept. Poor Grandma, here she was afraid to lose her life out of fear of the unknown and perhaps the finality to life itself. There was nothing else I could do for her except to pray for her. I prayed that God would give her a peace about this predicament and just love on her in a way that she has not experienced.
It's been almost a week now since her last radiation treatment and we don't know what the exact results are from the treatment yet and I don't know if we will get them. The oncologist said that as long as her symptoms that were linked to the cancer have improved, then that's a good indication that the tumor has at least reduced in size. Either way, I am just glad that my grandmother has come to terms with this condition and has peace about it. I have seen her draw closer to God and really ponder over His realness and sovereignty. God has become more alive to her and she is able to face physical death with a peace that wasn't there before. I was led to write about this while thinking about Paul's message to Timothy about fear. “For God has not given us a spirit of fear (timidity), but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”(2 Timothy 1:7,NKJV) Could you imagine what it would be like if we lived a life without being fearful? How about what it would be like to not only have inner peace, but to walk boldly in Him in love? Pretty overwhelming yet amazing, eh?
Monday, July 6, 2009
The Rib Bone’s Connected to the…
Have you heard of the bone theory? You know, the one that refers to elements of spirituality being either spine issues or rib issues? The spine issues hinge upon the truth and whether or not someone has received salvation and the rib issues are every other superfluous thing.
Beth Moore gives examples of both in her Bible study, Stepping Up: a journey through the Psalms of Ascent.
Rib Issues:
Spiritual gifts
Stands on end times
Styles of worship
About rib issues, Beth writes, rib issues “are not matters of life and death.”
Spine Issues:
Jesus is the only way, truth, and life, and no one gets to God any other way
Jesus Christ is the divine Son of God
Christ’s bodily resurrection
Beth writes, “Spine issues comprise the backbone of our faith.
I’ve used this analogy many times to weigh whether or not something was worth poking a stick at. What do you think about rib and spine issues and at times are there clavicles, skull or other bones that could easily represent tenets of faith?
Spiritual gifts
Stands on end times
Styles of worship
About rib issues, Beth writes, rib issues “are not matters of life and death.”
Spine Issues:
Jesus is the only way, truth, and life, and no one gets to God any other way
Jesus Christ is the divine Son of God
Christ’s bodily resurrection
Beth writes, “Spine issues comprise the backbone of our faith.
I’ve used this analogy many times to weigh whether or not something was worth poking a stick at. What do you think about rib and spine issues and at times are there clavicles, skull or other bones that could easily represent tenets of faith?
*photo by flickr
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