“Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up. ‘Quick, get up!’ he said, and the chains fell off Peter’s wrists.”
Acts 12:7
The words from the song Unchain My Heart had been running about in my head. Not sure why, it’s not a song that would normally be on my radar. Every time the phrase “unchain my heart” plowed through it was followed by “unclench my teeth” – insert a chuckle here. Ok I have to confess that I do clench my teeth. I started doing that when I was a massage therapist – not from stress but from concentrating on what I was doing. In those days I stayed mindful of what my mouth was doing by working with a sour apple Jolly Rancher in my mouth. I still clench my teeth, mostly still when I am really concentrating on something, but now also when I am feeling weighted down my something. I should probably keep Jolly Ranchers on my desk, but I have a better strategy these days – I stop what I am doing and open up God’s Word or crank up some Christian music.
I have a number of favorite passages from God’s Word - this week’s is one of them. I wonder if Peter clenched his teeth sometimes – maybe as he was being arrested. I love however how despite the stressful situation Peter found himself in he could sleep soundly, so soundly that the angel sent to rescue him had to wake him up. Peter could sleep so well because his heart had been unchained by his risen Savior and Lord – Jesus.
When we allow Jesus, to unchain our hearts He can unclench our teeth as well. What has you feeling chained up? What has you clenching your teeth? Jesus and His Holy Spirit are right there with you. He can and will free your heart and bring you peace of mind even if you will still have go through the storm, you will be able to sing – unchain my heart, unclench my teeth – knowing that He will do that for you.
A Prayer
Father – Thank you for unchaining our hearts with Your love. In those times when we feel like life is closing in or the storm is going to overwhelm us – fill us with your peach, unclench our teeth. Be present to us in a new and powerful way. As we see you working Your plan out in our lives, give us opportunities to walk along side others who need to know You so You can unchain their hearts as well. In the name of Jesus, who holds the key to our hearts we pray – Amen.
Tuesday, September 27, 2016
Wednesday, September 14, 2016
Bare Feet
“When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, ‘Moses! Moses!’ And Moses said, ‘Here I am.’ ‘Do not come any closer,’ God said, ‘Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.’”
Exodus 3:4-5
When I was young I rarely went barefoot, not because I didn’t like to go without shoes but because I was embarrassed by my really big feet. These days I like to go barefoot while I’m working at church. Sometimes I just need that holy ground experience. Going barefoot helps me remember to be in communion and constant communication with the Lord.
This is one of the best passages of Old Testament scripture. Moses’ life had a number of pivotal moments and detours, this particular one would take him on a journey he could not have possibly imagined and began a barefoot friendship with the Creator of the universe. Scripture doesn’t tell us how many times Moses took his sandals off as he met with God, but I imagine it was often and perhaps he made the journey to the edge of the Promise land without His sandals because he understood he was totally reliant on the Lord to do everything he had been called upon to do. If there are shoes in eternity I reckon Moses will be barefoot and if he is - I’ll be taking mine off as well.
We will all have many pivotal moments in our lives but we don’t need a burning bush to learn we are standing on holy ground. We are on holy ground any time we recognize and respond to the voice of God’s Spirit whispering to us. You can be on holy ground in the mountains, on the seashore, in church or your workplace and even at home. We can find peace and comfort when we find ourselves bare foot on holy ground in the midst of one of life’s many storms. We will be bare foot and rejoicing as we are overwhelmed by the joy we experience on God’s mountain top.
Wherever you are in life - sailing smoothly on a calm sea with just the right amount of breeze, fighting against the gale force winds of some life storm, in a valley facing a time of growth or on the mountain top shouting praises you can find a piece of holy ground to stand on.
I’m taking my shoes off so I can walk on holy ground with bare feet – why not join me?
A Prayer
Father – Thank you for the way your Word speaks to us to practically. Thank you for calling to us, asking us to join you on holy ground with bare feet. Help us to seek your presence every time we have our shoes off, so that we can be in communion and constant communication with you. Give us opportunities to invite others to take their shoes off and stand in Your presence on holy ground. In the name of Jesus, we pray – Amen.
Exodus 3:4-5
When I was young I rarely went barefoot, not because I didn’t like to go without shoes but because I was embarrassed by my really big feet. These days I like to go barefoot while I’m working at church. Sometimes I just need that holy ground experience. Going barefoot helps me remember to be in communion and constant communication with the Lord.
This is one of the best passages of Old Testament scripture. Moses’ life had a number of pivotal moments and detours, this particular one would take him on a journey he could not have possibly imagined and began a barefoot friendship with the Creator of the universe. Scripture doesn’t tell us how many times Moses took his sandals off as he met with God, but I imagine it was often and perhaps he made the journey to the edge of the Promise land without His sandals because he understood he was totally reliant on the Lord to do everything he had been called upon to do. If there are shoes in eternity I reckon Moses will be barefoot and if he is - I’ll be taking mine off as well.
We will all have many pivotal moments in our lives but we don’t need a burning bush to learn we are standing on holy ground. We are on holy ground any time we recognize and respond to the voice of God’s Spirit whispering to us. You can be on holy ground in the mountains, on the seashore, in church or your workplace and even at home. We can find peace and comfort when we find ourselves bare foot on holy ground in the midst of one of life’s many storms. We will be bare foot and rejoicing as we are overwhelmed by the joy we experience on God’s mountain top.
Wherever you are in life - sailing smoothly on a calm sea with just the right amount of breeze, fighting against the gale force winds of some life storm, in a valley facing a time of growth or on the mountain top shouting praises you can find a piece of holy ground to stand on.
I’m taking my shoes off so I can walk on holy ground with bare feet – why not join me?
A Prayer
Father – Thank you for the way your Word speaks to us to practically. Thank you for calling to us, asking us to join you on holy ground with bare feet. Help us to seek your presence every time we have our shoes off, so that we can be in communion and constant communication with you. Give us opportunities to invite others to take their shoes off and stand in Your presence on holy ground. In the name of Jesus, we pray – Amen.
Thursday, September 1, 2016
Soul Anchor
“Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.”
Hebrews 6:17-19a
I try to be real when I write these, so let me just say that having a seminary degree and working full time for the Lord does not mean I have all the answers or an automatic understanding of why less than pleasant things happen to people, especially to people who have put their faith and trust in Jesus. Life is hard for everyone on this planet, harder for some than others of course but followers of Christ are just as likely to lose their jobs, have their cars breakdown when their bank accounts are near empty, be injured, get cancer, be laid up by mystery viruses, be trapped in the rubble of an earthquake and worse. For instance as I write this the little house I share with my husband, a dog and a cat has developed not only some sort of electrical problem but also a plumbing problem – woohoo I’m so excited… not. I’m not at all afraid to ask God hard questions. I trust Him even in those moments when I don’t like what I am experiencing or what people I care about are experiencing or just the general mess happening in our world.
This week’s passage comes from just about the middle of the book of Hebrews. The whole book is an honest letter acknowledging the ups and downs of life and encouraging the readers and hearers to stand fast trusting the Lord will make good on all of His promises. In the verses leading up to this week’s the writer to talking about the strength of the promise God made to Abraham, it wasn’t just an ordinary promise that could possibly have been broken, this was a promise that was integral to God’s plan for redeeming mankind and to let Abraham know He was super serious about keeping that promise He swore an oath on the promise. Since God is righteous and holy there is no way God would back out on the promise, especially a promise He secured with an oath.
That brings us to a place not unlike the Rock from last week. You see the hope we can have by trusting in a mighty God, whose character does not falter and who will because He is God – keep all of His promises – is a hope that acts like an anchor. Oh the boat will still rock, it might even feel like its drifting but a well secured anchor will keep the boat secure. So the hope God offers us is an anchor for our souls – it will hold even when we don’t have all the answers, or the answers aren’t what we wanted to hear. Why will it hold? It will hold because it’s not caught on something that can break, it not an anchor made of iron than can fail if the storm is too great. This anchor reaches into the holiest place and is held firmly by the One who cast it from His own life – Jesus. He will not let it go. God’s promises will stand and each one, in accordance with His plan and timing will be fulfilled for each one of us who trust in Him above all else.
This week no matter what your circumstances – great, so-so or are you kidding me? Let God’s anchor of hope drop right into the middle of your life and secure your soul with His amazing promises.
A Prayer
Father – Thank you for the soul securing anchor the hope of Your promises provides for us. In those moments when we seem to be drifting or the boat of life seems to be rocking a little more than we’d like and the storm clouds around us threaten us with darkness – show us in a new way the strength of that anchor and the light it brings. Then when life settles and another symbol of your promises appears, show us how we can encourage others along the way. In the name of Jesus, our soul anchor – Amen.
Hebrews 6:17-19a
I try to be real when I write these, so let me just say that having a seminary degree and working full time for the Lord does not mean I have all the answers or an automatic understanding of why less than pleasant things happen to people, especially to people who have put their faith and trust in Jesus. Life is hard for everyone on this planet, harder for some than others of course but followers of Christ are just as likely to lose their jobs, have their cars breakdown when their bank accounts are near empty, be injured, get cancer, be laid up by mystery viruses, be trapped in the rubble of an earthquake and worse. For instance as I write this the little house I share with my husband, a dog and a cat has developed not only some sort of electrical problem but also a plumbing problem – woohoo I’m so excited… not. I’m not at all afraid to ask God hard questions. I trust Him even in those moments when I don’t like what I am experiencing or what people I care about are experiencing or just the general mess happening in our world.
This week’s passage comes from just about the middle of the book of Hebrews. The whole book is an honest letter acknowledging the ups and downs of life and encouraging the readers and hearers to stand fast trusting the Lord will make good on all of His promises. In the verses leading up to this week’s the writer to talking about the strength of the promise God made to Abraham, it wasn’t just an ordinary promise that could possibly have been broken, this was a promise that was integral to God’s plan for redeeming mankind and to let Abraham know He was super serious about keeping that promise He swore an oath on the promise. Since God is righteous and holy there is no way God would back out on the promise, especially a promise He secured with an oath.
That brings us to a place not unlike the Rock from last week. You see the hope we can have by trusting in a mighty God, whose character does not falter and who will because He is God – keep all of His promises – is a hope that acts like an anchor. Oh the boat will still rock, it might even feel like its drifting but a well secured anchor will keep the boat secure. So the hope God offers us is an anchor for our souls – it will hold even when we don’t have all the answers, or the answers aren’t what we wanted to hear. Why will it hold? It will hold because it’s not caught on something that can break, it not an anchor made of iron than can fail if the storm is too great. This anchor reaches into the holiest place and is held firmly by the One who cast it from His own life – Jesus. He will not let it go. God’s promises will stand and each one, in accordance with His plan and timing will be fulfilled for each one of us who trust in Him above all else.
This week no matter what your circumstances – great, so-so or are you kidding me? Let God’s anchor of hope drop right into the middle of your life and secure your soul with His amazing promises.
A Prayer
Father – Thank you for the soul securing anchor the hope of Your promises provides for us. In those moments when we seem to be drifting or the boat of life seems to be rocking a little more than we’d like and the storm clouds around us threaten us with darkness – show us in a new way the strength of that anchor and the light it brings. Then when life settles and another symbol of your promises appears, show us how we can encourage others along the way. In the name of Jesus, our soul anchor – Amen.
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