Do you ever have those moments where you feel like the Lord is whispering the same thing over and over to you, and from lots of different avenues and people? Like you read about freedom in Galatians, then your book talks about freedom in Christ, then you listen to a speaker whose sermon (unrelated to the reason you're reading Galatians or your book) is all about freedom, then you watch your guilty-pleasure television show and the topic of freedom is woven into the storyline. It's just every where. It's happened a few times that I remember and it feels like the Lord's saying, "HEY YOU!!!!! I'M TRYING TO GET YOUR ATTENTION!!! If this isn't going to help you remember what I want you to learn, then I'm going to have it pop up everywhere around you. LISTEN!"
Recently the subject that has been rolling around and around in my mind is role of women in the church. I go to a complementation church (if you don't know what that means, google it!). In general, we believe that men and women, while equal, have distinctly different roles in the church. In even more general terms, one of men's roles is leadership, and one of women's roles is the helpers. I think this term has been largely misunderstood in the church.
Let me try to explain....
The best way I know how to put the understanding in my mind onto paper is by drawing an analogy. Let's look at John the Baptist. JTB was a very humble man. His entire ministry was about making Jesus look good. Over and over and over again he'd say "I am not the Christ," and exclaiming it wasn't about him, it was about the one coming after him. He even said that he was unfit to tie the sandals on Jesus's feet. JTB was a humble man--he was all about making Jesus look good, not gaining fame for himself.
When we think of humbleness today, we generally don't think about the man up on stage. When we imagine who in our life we think is humble, we think of sweet, shy Sally who loves Jesus fiercely but isn't much of a talker. I think we often confuse humility with being quiet.
JTB is anything but shy! The dude was passionate, and loud, and honestly a little crazy. By putting his humility on display, he revealed glimpses of majesty and glory to this man from Nazareth called Jesus. While humble people can still be quiet, or shy, they can also be loud leaders.
Sometimes being a helper has taken on a negative connotation to women who want to be leaders, and sometimes being a helper has been interpreted as being the admin assistant while others do ministry. Neither are right nor true.
Leah was caring and faithful to a man that loved her sister more than her, and she was granted children and eventually Jesus through her lineage.
Tamar's righteousness convicted Judah and so he returned to following the Lord's commands.
Ruth followed and cared for her mother-in-law, risking the possibility of never having a family of her own, because she believed in God.
Rahab lied to the soldiers of Jericho, risking her life, to protect the Israelites because she believed in their God.
These women were each helpers: Leah to her children, Tamar to Judah, Ruth to her mother-in-law, and Rahab to the soldiers and her family. All of their helping was active and risky, and all led to others seeking righteousness.
My prayer, church ladies, is that we'd gladly put on the title of helper. I pray the Lord would give us eyes to see helper as more than taking care of the menial (though that is good too!), but see it as an active, brave participation in God's calling for us. That through our fierce pursuit of righteousness and obedience to the Lord's asking, the Lord would reveal himself to the souls of those he has granted us influence over.
Thursday, February 13
Wednesday, January 1
delight
"why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and you labor for that which does not satisfy? listen diligently to me and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food." Isaiah 55:2
I'm not really one for new year's resolutions. I may decide one second I really want to work more on our old house, or try to learn photography, or paint more, or actually exercise. Then I decide I should probably do more of the spiritual disciplines: memorize, meditate, pray, fast. Then I get frustrated with myself. Either I do all of the creative things I want, and the disciplines fall by the wayside, or I stick to the disciplines and pat myself on the back instead of relishing in the Lord. I don't carry through with what I set out to do.
Maybe I set my expectations too high, or too many simultaneous goals. In either case, I get so focused on doing these things I want to do, or think I should be doing, and I forget what's right in front of my face. I keep looking towards what's coming next, or trying to meet my own poorly-set expectations.
While I'm spending my energies trying to achieve my unrealistic goals, I find my patience with these two precious boys tends to wear thinner than usual. When M goes on a week long business trip, we are all purely in survival mode. Success is gauged by whether we're all breathing by the time he gets home. The countertops will be covered in pop-tart gunk from the morning he left, dishes will reach to the ceiling, toddlers will be screaming, and mamas hair will look like Whoopie Goldberg's hair in the 90s (even in a top knot) because I may have not showered since he's been home.
Instead on exhausting myself further with what I think I need more of, I want to rest in the delight of what the Lord has provided for this day.
So my word for the new year is DELIGHT
So for this new calendar year, I want to refocus. I want to delight in the Lord, and all that he has already given me. I know I'll easily forget this new focus, just as I would a new resolution, but thank the Lord his mercies are new every morning--I don't have to wait for a new calendar year to restart.
I'm not really one for new year's resolutions. I may decide one second I really want to work more on our old house, or try to learn photography, or paint more, or actually exercise. Then I decide I should probably do more of the spiritual disciplines: memorize, meditate, pray, fast. Then I get frustrated with myself. Either I do all of the creative things I want, and the disciplines fall by the wayside, or I stick to the disciplines and pat myself on the back instead of relishing in the Lord. I don't carry through with what I set out to do.
Maybe I set my expectations too high, or too many simultaneous goals. In either case, I get so focused on doing these things I want to do, or think I should be doing, and I forget what's right in front of my face. I keep looking towards what's coming next, or trying to meet my own poorly-set expectations.
While I'm spending my energies trying to achieve my unrealistic goals, I find my patience with these two precious boys tends to wear thinner than usual. When M goes on a week long business trip, we are all purely in survival mode. Success is gauged by whether we're all breathing by the time he gets home. The countertops will be covered in pop-tart gunk from the morning he left, dishes will reach to the ceiling, toddlers will be screaming, and mamas hair will look like Whoopie Goldberg's hair in the 90s (even in a top knot) because I may have not showered since he's been home.
Instead on exhausting myself further with what I think I need more of, I want to rest in the delight of what the Lord has provided for this day.
So my word for the new year is DELIGHT
Delight in the truth that the Lord has given me all I need for today.
Delight in the comfort that the Lord is sovereign over everything, and is for my good.
Delight in these two precious, and crazy, boys the Lord has entrusted to me.
Delight in the knowledge of the Lord and teach my boys the delights in his law.
Delight in the people he has put around me.
Delight in the warm house he has given our family to enjoy.
Delight in my husband who loves me more than I recognize.
Delight in my responsibilities and commitments and carrying them out well.
Delight in being a stay-at-home mom.
So for this new calendar year, I want to refocus. I want to delight in the Lord, and all that he has already given me. I know I'll easily forget this new focus, just as I would a new resolution, but thank the Lord his mercies are new every morning--I don't have to wait for a new calendar year to restart.
"but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night." psalm 1:1-3
"delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart." psalm 37:4
"i delight to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart." psalm 40:7-9
"i will delight in your statutes; i will not forget your word." psalm 119:16
"but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. for in these things I delight, declares the LORD." Jeremiah 9:24
"your words were found, and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart, for I am called by your name, O LORD, God of hosts." Jeremiah 15:16
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