War, Warfare, and Warrior Child

This title was considered this morning before today's events occurred.  In fact, my new YouVersion devotional is named "The Spiritual Warfare Battle Plan."  So pertinent.  

In the meantime, I am stunned.  It feels quite a bit like the Pharisees accusing Jesus of breaking tiny little rules that really have little to do with true spirituality, true faith, true relationship with God.  In my case, I apparently violated a "religious" or "cultural" practice, and in the recounting of my violation, there are some blatant untruths. 

The good part, if there is one, is that I get a paid vacation!  It is called an administrative leave, and at the most inconvenient time possible for the hospital.  Oy vey.  But I will pay attention to how Jesus behaved in the face of false accusations.  Father, help my self-control and my tongue, which has historically got me into so much trouble.

Until then.  Lord, what shall I do with my time?

No Lie

"I am thankful before You, Living and Enduring King, for You have mercifully restored my soul within me.  Great is Your faithfulness."

One early morning (7:50 a.m.) entry while DH is away at his family's places in NH, and a quick capture of what has been on my mind and in my heart lately: Lies and truth.  Father God, it has not escaped my notice that You mention "truth" 137 times in the Bible, and that does not include any variations of the word.  After a recent sermon by Len Cowan, after which I described my frustration to him about the difficulty of discerning truth in a culture characterized and corrupted by lies, he pointed me back to the only source of truth--You as You have revealed yourself to us in the Bible.

You are the Voice of Truth. (Casting Crowns)
 

Dear God

Sometimes, Lord, that is all I can pray.  "Dear God."  I look around the world and see so much evil, brokenness, frank sin (and yes, even my own), and bleakness.  Maybe, just maybe, I see it because it is there.  What sometimes seems to happen is a wish for a rosy world where peace and love reign, and I am catastrophizing.  Am I?  Or are we--the world--really in the throes of childbirth, and the pain and problems are really powerfully there?

So today's verse from YouVersion punched me in the gut again.  Happening a lot this week!  

Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.  The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.  James 5:16 NIV

I get it, Lord.  I need to reach out to family.  I tried this past weekend, and it didn't go well.  I will write because I can be more -- no, not more, but less reactive.  I am still so saddened by the "alternate reality" (I just read that term) that many people, including my own family members, are embracing. I also ask You to be ruthless in removing any deception from me, and in protecting me from an alternate reality.  I want to see the world with Your eyes, from Your perspective, in light of Your truth and Your goals.  I know that all is not what it seems to be.  But "Dear God," (again!) the juxtapositioning of truth and lie is so head-spinning that I cannot keep up.

Grace and graciousness, please, dear God, for my communication with my family.  I don't want to compromise truth; I am afraid that in my stubbornness I just don't want to compromise.  I ask for Your inspiration for my writing, and I really don't want to write without it.  

BTW, the YouVersion plan about Elisabeth Elliot is a little over-the-top.  I am skeptical of any human who can so unerringly choose faith and be such a remarkable believer.  (Jealous?)  I respect her and the hard life she had.  I have some admiration, a word I use cautiously, for the way in which she struggled to choose to submit to You.  However, whoever wrote this devotional edges up to a form of idolatry with her!  Help me to find that take-away nugget in these lessons from her life that You mean for me.

Struggling with a Mirror

Lord, the sermon yesterday by Father Len Cowan was a gut punch.  "The End for Israel" hit so close to our USA home, detailing many of the same issues in Israel that led to their downfall and that are present and prevalent in the USA in 2023.  The bottom line, however, was his point that the "cure" is not political or even religious but individual revival.  

Then Mom called last night after I sent a brief text noting my grief over the effect that lies are having on "my country, my family, and my church."  In her effort to steer a (lukewarm) middle course, she said, "I don't even know if you are telling me the truth."  That hurt deeply.  "This is why I am not ready to talk with you."

How?  Is this a Scripture coming true before my very eyes?  "Deceiving even the elect" is one verse that came to my mind, but there may be an even more pertinent one:

but understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty.  For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power.

Avoid such people.  

(2 Timothy 3:1-5 ESV)

Oh.  My.  Goodness. 

So, of course, in the spirit and the Spirit of individual revival, what does this mean for *me*?  That leads to the mirror reference.  (James 1: 23-27)

Please, Holy Spirit, work in me.  Make me like You, Lord, as the song prays.  In Jesus's name and for the sake of these last days~~Amen.

 

Mini Staycation

 The theme for the month in Sunday School (Grow curriculum) is "Staycation."  Apropos!  The family, including the young men, are in New Hampshire for the Independence Day/Family Reunion.  Bailey and I are home, though, and quite possibly more comfortable here.  :)

I was sitting in the living room thinking about what I was going to write here.  In that moment of quiet reflection, I heard the birds outside the house, probably in the holly bushes.  "Ah, that's the mindfulness exercise," I thought.  And a little while later, a hummingbird appeared but got frightened by my movement, I think.

I have not regretted not going.  They spent ~6 hours on the road getting to Logan, getting fireworks (before or after ...), stopping by the gift store selling his wares, and then (finally) getting to the Lake House.  That sounds awful!  Meanwhile, I stripped beds, prepped for Sunday School, saw a client, had a client cancel (!), napped, watched an episode of The Chosen and an episode of SWAT, and generally enjoyed being home.  I even put on some makeup!  Now it is almost 9 p.m. and I am thinking of getting ready for bed.  Ahhh.....

Father, thank You for this opportunity.  It was better for DH to be undistracted not only by me but by Bailey, who would not like the fireworks but would be driven to distraction by the s'mores and other food--and the chocolate is poison for him!  Bless me tomorrow so that I can bless the kids and their parents.  I think that is the Big Idea!  Love You so, so much.