Tag: Matthew 11:29

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God’s Holy Heat

Dear Sister,

We know the analogy. The refiner’s fire. Precious metals undergoing intense heat in order to remove impurities resulting in glimmering gold and silver readied for the artisan’s creative mind and hand—And God’s ramping up of trials in our lives in order to surface besetting, even egregious sins, in order to elicit repentance and bring forth the purity of Jesus in our souls and behavior.

Which one of us Christ-redeemed sisters has not felt the singeing, the distress, the anguish of our Father’s furnace? The pain is often excruciating—especially when the refiner must make the fire hotter. The initial temperature did not remove the dross.

Those of us who have birthed little ones know the agony of labor and delivery and the sweet reward of the child laid on our breast. God wants that for us in the fires of refinement. He desires that the pain in the trials and the outcome of holiness be sweet to our remembrance and taste.

Is it enjoyable in the fire? Obviously not. Do we love the travails of infertility, losing little ones, wayward children, betrayal, cancer, lupus, accidents, death, the agony of our babies born with special needs and medical equipment displacing all the pretties in the room? Those are the big ones. What about the daily scrapes and bruises, disappointments, unmet expectations, anxieties, frustrations, elusive peace? Do you often feel like the sons of Korah in Psalm 88, lamenting God’s seeming abandonment?

Do we truly believe all things are working for our good? Are we being conformed to the image of Christ in patience and purity and holiness? (Romans 8:28-29) God tells us that the peaceable fruit of righteousness is the yield for those who are trained in life’s painful trials. (Hebrews 12:11) Are we indeed being trained or are we chafing and rebelling under the yoke of the One who is gentle and humble in heart and promises rest for our souls? (Matthew 11:29) Do we trust that discipline proves we belong to the Master and we are not illegitimate? (Hebrews 12:8) Can we honestly say, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I shall return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised”, when our undesirable situation never changes? (Job 1:21)

Do we toe the line because we love our Savior’s face and groan at disappointing Him or simply because we are afraid of punishment? Or do we not care all that much and rely on distorted meanings of mercy and grace, not comprehending that these two can be severe in order to bring us to Himself in struggling or glad submission.

In the gifting, yes, gifting of trials in life, do we give thanks, obeying His admonition to be grateful in all things which is His will for us? (1 Thessalonians 5:18) Do we rejoice in difficulties because of the glorious fruit they produce in us? Do we find evidences of His holy attributes when our emotions are bent low with the weight of the present burden?  Can we say, “He is the Always Good” even when we do not understand?  Or do we grumble and complain, thrusting our fists at God, telling Him He does not know what He is doing?

Dearest Sister, let us ask ourselves these questions and ask the Lord of all to give grace to answer these queries according to biblical principles, with bare and honest hearts. Let us reckon His holy heat as good because He is good—always good. Embrace the emotions of pain and grief because they are real, but bring these under the authority of Christ. Bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. (2 Corinthians 10:5)

Bear in mind:  All trials are ordained through His loving hands; all trials are His discipline/teaching in the school of becoming like Christ; our sufferings will not always resolve in relief on this earth; some trials are actual chastening for sin. It is not for me to figure that out in your life, dear Sister, only in mine. Whatever our conclusions about the why of a difficulty, one thing is certain: All is for our good and for His glory.

“Count it all joy, my sisters, when [not if] you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” James 1:2-4

I’m so grateful for His preserving love and His holy, refining heat in my own life, preparing me for the perfections of my heavenly home, causing me to love the Savior more deeply and yearn to see Him face-to-face when trials will cease and I will truly be like Him forevermore. Oh, yes, I still grumble. I still question. I resist thankfulness. Rejoicing is not my first go-to.   But these times are shorter in duration and always end in repentance. That’s an advantage of aging physically and in the Lord, by His grace alone.

“Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the Lord!” (Psalm 31:24)

“Though He slay me, I will hope in Him…” (Job 13:15a)

Enjoy this song by Shane and Shane and let the truths of its words sink deeply into your heart.  http://Though You Slay Me

With love,

Cherry

 

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Loved By God

Dear sister,

I know how you feel, I really do. No matter how hard you try to fill your deep need for approval, nothing really ‘does it’ for you. All of us sisters have been gathered ‘round this month, chatting about our imperfections and need for grace. I feel that vast pit in my soul that cries out for love, just like you do. Isn’t that what drives our image obsessions? Don’t you want someone to affirm your beauty, worth, and loveable-ness? Well, I’m grabbing your hand and we’re doing a happy-dance together, because you ARE loved! I am loved! Loved with purpose, intention, passion, and complete abandon.

Why is it that the knowledge of Christ’s sacrificial love often does not penetrate our hearts and give us rest from striving for perfection? Why do we, why do I, feel the constant compulsion to prove our worth and value in every other way than in the proven love of Christ? This question has haunted me over the years, as I’ve wrestled with the vast expanse between my knowledge of God’s love and deep belief and experience of that love. Like a windshield wiped clean in the fog, I’m starting to get a clearer picture of the mystery I’ve faced. To be frank, I’ve resisted His love. I’ve chosen to go to so many broken cisterns, and God will not compete for affection.

For My people have committed a double evil: They have abandoned Me, the fountain of living water, and dug cisterns for themselves, cracked cisterns that cannot hold water. – Jeremiah 2:13

When we persistently chose other gods, He allows it (Romans 1). But even in giving us over to our sin, His purpose is to win us back again. God is a relentless lover, and will not give up on us. We see this clearly in the Old Testament, as Hosea the prophet is asked by God to marry the prostitute Gomer. We are just as unfaithful, sweet sisters. Every time we run to another ‘god’ for affection, approval, and worth, we turn away from God. Look at Hosea 2:6-8:

Therefore, this is what I will do: I will block her way with thorns; I will enclose her with a wall, so that she cannot find her paths. She will pursue her lovers but not catch them; she will seek them but not find them. Then she will think, “I will go back to my former husband, for then it was better for me than now.” She does not recognize that it is I who gave her the grain, the new wine, and the oil. I lavished silver and gold on her, which they used for Baal.

When I first read this passage, I remember being very upset that God would do such a thing, but it is true compassion that He allows the other ‘gods’ we worship to disappoint us. Because they will, sister. Perhaps you, too, find everyday idols to be so very tempting…and this includes the high opinions of others that we often desperately crave.

We also see this in 2 Corinthians 3, as Paul contrasts the Old and New Covenants. Similarly, when we strive for the perfect image, we are living under the law, but when we live in the freedom of God’s love for us, we are transformed! Have you ever seen someone in love? She’s probably glowing in the knowledge of her Beloved’s love. You sister, can have that glow too! Read in 2 Corinthians 3: 17-18:

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

Why not REST in the knowledge of God’s love? That has been so difficult for me to learn, and I finally threw up my hands and starting asking God to please. help. me. There’s nothing to feel badly about though, we’re all learning! We need to repent and move on to new life in Christ! In fact, Jesus even acknowledges this learning process in Matthew 11:29:

Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

He’s been so faithful to help me. He has pried my hands off of so many silly obsessions and placed my eyes and heart squarely back on His face, his heart for me. It’s certainly been a journey, but I’m making small steps every day, every year. Sister, we can count on the promise of God’s never-failing love!

Abraham was promised a child, promised that He would be the father of many nations. In Genesis 15 we see that rather than giving Abraham the solution he wanted on the spot, God performed an ancient ritual that showed His commitment to keeping His promise to Abraham. In the midst of Abraham’s questions, God offered him what he offers us all: “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward.”

God’s love is the shield that protects us from the lie that we need to perform to win approval. God himself is the reward we crave, not the perfect appearance we are striving for. We’ll be delving into this deep ocean of love for the rest of our lives, but start the journey now. Ask God to take away the idols that require so much of you. You will never satisfy the demands you or others place on you for image-perfection. It’s time to turn in your resignation as Image Consultant and start day one as Beloved Daughter of the Most High God!

Loved by God~ your sister,

Ruth