Sometimes we find ourselves faced with what seems to be a dilemma. We have feelings for someone and it is not the right time. More often than not when that happens most people are quick to just give up, and try to find someone new. What does that say to the other person? Don't you think that would make them feel like they really didn't matter after all or that they didn't mean as much to you as you claim?
One of my favorite Biblical stories is about Jacob and Rachael. He traveled to his uncles land and fell in love with Rachael. Jacob had nothing to offer Laban for Rachael, so he offered to work 7 years for Laban just to be able to marry her. He waited 7 years to be able to marry the woman he loved, then at the end of the seven years, on the wedding day Jacob had been fooled and married Leah instead. It was custom that the younger daughter could not wed until the oldest sister did. Jacob agreed and then agreed to work another 7 years to be able to marry Rachael. Together Jacob worked 14 years just be able to be with Rachael. Shouldn't we approach relationships the same way? If the timing isn't right, shouldn't we at least wait, and show the other person how much they mean to us.
Many times we find someone who we think is worth dating and that we would have a good relationship with but if the timing isn't what we want it to be, we give up. We move on and try to find someone else. We don't wait anymore. We don't allow for timing to play itself out, why not? Is it because we live in what is considered a here and now society? I think if a person is worth wanting to be with and if I think we could have a good relationship then he is worth waiting for. The timing wasn't perfect for Jacob and Rachael, but he was willing to wait and obviously so was Rachael. It was said she was a beautiful woman and many men admired her beauty. So obviously she didn't marry another man and waited til the end of the 14 years for Jacob to be able to marry her.
Other times instead of waiting or trying to move on, some people push the subject which in turns push the other person away. Why would we want to push someone we care about away? Wouldnt we want to be able to show them we respect what needs to be done and stand back. Sure we can still talk to them, and get to know each other, but we shouldn push the issue of being in a relationship until the right time. It may take a while, maybe weeks, months or as in Jacob and Rachael's case, years. But in the end...I think it would all be worth the wait. Worth it to be with someone I care about. Wouldn't you?
Showing posts with label God's love. Show all posts
Showing posts with label God's love. Show all posts
Oct 15, 2009
Aug 18, 2008
Listen
The other day a friend of mine called she was very upset, but wanted to thank me for my friendship. She was going through a rough time with one of her friends who honestly was not being much of a friend. This friend of hers was threatening to reveal some secrets to my friend's husband. While I don't agree with some of the things my friend has done, I could never imagine doing that. I tell her what I think and the Godly way to handle things and leave it at that. I listen to what she needs to say when she's upset and many of the times I don't try to force her to do something different as many other people would try to do.
When I think about people wanting their friends to listen and just console them by listening to them, I think of Job. He wanted his friends to listen to him, and all they did was tell him he must have sinned greatly against God and made him angry. Finally in Chapter 21 verse 2 Job tells his friends "You can console me by listening to me. Bear with me and let me speak." Job wanted his friends to just shut up and listen to his despair. Sometimes we need someone to listen to our pain. When I dealt with cancer all I wanted was someone to listen to me when I wanted to rant and rave. Our friends want the same thing. They want us to listen to them when they need an ear.
One of the greatest ways we can show the love of God is to console our friends and family by simply listening to them. Who wants someone to constantly tell them when they are doing something wrong or trying to give them advice all the time? Wouldn't you want your friends to just listen to what you need to say so shouldn't we do the same for our loved ones? Job was in such despair and his friends weren't very consoling, instead I think they just made matters worse, and made Job feel even more depressed. They never once tried to lift him up or just listen to what he had to say. God needs us to be a source of comfort for the people in our lives, and part of that is to just shut up and listen.
When I think about people wanting their friends to listen and just console them by listening to them, I think of Job. He wanted his friends to listen to him, and all they did was tell him he must have sinned greatly against God and made him angry. Finally in Chapter 21 verse 2 Job tells his friends "You can console me by listening to me. Bear with me and let me speak." Job wanted his friends to just shut up and listen to his despair. Sometimes we need someone to listen to our pain. When I dealt with cancer all I wanted was someone to listen to me when I wanted to rant and rave. Our friends want the same thing. They want us to listen to them when they need an ear.
One of the greatest ways we can show the love of God is to console our friends and family by simply listening to them. Who wants someone to constantly tell them when they are doing something wrong or trying to give them advice all the time? Wouldn't you want your friends to just listen to what you need to say so shouldn't we do the same for our loved ones? Job was in such despair and his friends weren't very consoling, instead I think they just made matters worse, and made Job feel even more depressed. They never once tried to lift him up or just listen to what he had to say. God needs us to be a source of comfort for the people in our lives, and part of that is to just shut up and listen.
Jul 31, 2008
RMU Shootings
Last week there were a bunch of coverage that dealt with a shooting at Robert Morris University. If you don't know that was the college I went to. It's frightening to know that the college I felt safe at had a shooting. From what I gathered two students were killed and one seriously injured. With stories like this: shootings in high schools and colleges, where can students feel safe? It seems like we can't even go to student for an education without wondering if someone will come in with a gun. I pray for the schools of this nation. I pray for our students and those who are thinking about harming our students.
I wonder what was going through the minds of the other students, friends, family, staff. I know if I was still at school many people here at home would be so worried. It's scary to think that if this happened a few years ago; I could have still been on campus. I pray for the families and friends of the students killed and the one injured. I also pray for the killer and his family. What would be going through their heads about what their son did? What could be going through HIS head knowing what he did.
I don't know the full story or why this man shot his fellow students. I know God knows what was going on inside his head and heart and will judge him justly. I pray that he seeks God's forgiveness and maybe one day the forgiveness of those he harmed. It makes me think of the story of the man who killed the children in the Amish school, and their parents forgave him, was at his funeral. It takes a lot of strength to one ask for forgiveness, and two give it lovingly the way the Amish families did. The Bible talks of asking for forgiveness, not just from God, but the ones who we have harmed: If you enter your place of worship and about to make an offering, you suddenly remember a grudge a friend has against you, abandon your offering, leave immediately, go to this friend and make things right. Then and only then, come back and work things out with God. (Matthew 5:23-24).
I ask God to forgive this man. Forgive all those who are sitting at home judging him, hating him, and thinking other bad thoughts about him. Only God can know what went through his head. All we as a community can do is pray for him and all those involved.
I wonder what was going through the minds of the other students, friends, family, staff. I know if I was still at school many people here at home would be so worried. It's scary to think that if this happened a few years ago; I could have still been on campus. I pray for the families and friends of the students killed and the one injured. I also pray for the killer and his family. What would be going through their heads about what their son did? What could be going through HIS head knowing what he did.
I don't know the full story or why this man shot his fellow students. I know God knows what was going on inside his head and heart and will judge him justly. I pray that he seeks God's forgiveness and maybe one day the forgiveness of those he harmed. It makes me think of the story of the man who killed the children in the Amish school, and their parents forgave him, was at his funeral. It takes a lot of strength to one ask for forgiveness, and two give it lovingly the way the Amish families did. The Bible talks of asking for forgiveness, not just from God, but the ones who we have harmed: If you enter your place of worship and about to make an offering, you suddenly remember a grudge a friend has against you, abandon your offering, leave immediately, go to this friend and make things right. Then and only then, come back and work things out with God. (Matthew 5:23-24).
I ask God to forgive this man. Forgive all those who are sitting at home judging him, hating him, and thinking other bad thoughts about him. Only God can know what went through his head. All we as a community can do is pray for him and all those involved.
Jun 9, 2008
Faith
So many times we go through things that seem unbearable. It seems the only thing we can think of is the worse case scenario whatever it may be; it's like that's the only thing our minds can grasp, but when we have faith in something like God then whatever we are dealing with doesn't seem so unbearable. We have someone to talk to even if many times he doesn't answer, though with God when we speak to him we get a sense of peace. God isn't a mean God, he's a loving and merciful God. The Bible even tells us he doesn't give us more than we can bear. That's because when we deal with all our hardships in life, we need to lean on him for strength and guidance. If we don't have God to lean on then who can we lean on at all times?
I have spent the past week praying, crying out to God, and each time he gives me a sense of peace and the feeling that everything will be okay, and I have faith that they will be. Life sends us things that will always feel scary and frightening. But it's then that we need to praise God, we cannot abandon him thinking he is mad at us or we get mad at him. On the same aspect when things get better we still need to pray, praise, and spent time in the word. Just because God saw us through a hardship doesn't mean we can just walk away until something bad happens again. Why do we do that? Why is that when something bad happens we either cling to God and then leave when all is well again, or we blame him and get angry and still walk away? Why do we find it so hard to just call on him for help and strength to get through the hardships and then praise his name and give him glory through all we do the rest of the time?
It just doesn't make sense does it? So many of us say "I believe in God", yet when hardship happens says he doesn't exist or pray for help and strength, but not have faith that he will do what is needed. Todd has been in the hospital this past week with heart difficulties. I prayed for healing the night before he was admitted. In a way my prayer was answered. God lead him to the hospital that would best take care of him and find the problem and fix it. God always answers prayers and we need to have faith that he will. Many times our prayers aren't answered the way we want them to be, but the way God wants them to be. I wanted God to just heal Todd's heart, but thats not what God had planned. There is a reason why Todd had to be in the hospital for a week and go through the different things he did. Maybe it's a way to lead him to a ministry of some sort: a way to help others in the same situation. Whatever it is only God knows and someday maybe not now we will find out why, but we need to have faith that God knows what is best. But like I said, God answered a prayer by leading Todd to the best hospital in Pittsburgh.
I praise God for the things he has granted both of us, and I have faith that God will see Todd through this hardship and make him well as James 5:15 said (prayers offered in faith will heal the sick: the Lord will make them well.) I have no doubt in the Lord my God. Why should we doubt his awesome power? I know this is a lengthy post, but it's something that has been on my mind. We need to start praising God at all times and have faith in him, and pray to him, not just when we need something from him. That's not the way to have a loving, lasting relationship with someone. You wouldn't want people to only come to you when they want something, so why do it to God?
I have spent the past week praying, crying out to God, and each time he gives me a sense of peace and the feeling that everything will be okay, and I have faith that they will be. Life sends us things that will always feel scary and frightening. But it's then that we need to praise God, we cannot abandon him thinking he is mad at us or we get mad at him. On the same aspect when things get better we still need to pray, praise, and spent time in the word. Just because God saw us through a hardship doesn't mean we can just walk away until something bad happens again. Why do we do that? Why is that when something bad happens we either cling to God and then leave when all is well again, or we blame him and get angry and still walk away? Why do we find it so hard to just call on him for help and strength to get through the hardships and then praise his name and give him glory through all we do the rest of the time?
It just doesn't make sense does it? So many of us say "I believe in God", yet when hardship happens says he doesn't exist or pray for help and strength, but not have faith that he will do what is needed. Todd has been in the hospital this past week with heart difficulties. I prayed for healing the night before he was admitted. In a way my prayer was answered. God lead him to the hospital that would best take care of him and find the problem and fix it. God always answers prayers and we need to have faith that he will. Many times our prayers aren't answered the way we want them to be, but the way God wants them to be. I wanted God to just heal Todd's heart, but thats not what God had planned. There is a reason why Todd had to be in the hospital for a week and go through the different things he did. Maybe it's a way to lead him to a ministry of some sort: a way to help others in the same situation. Whatever it is only God knows and someday maybe not now we will find out why, but we need to have faith that God knows what is best. But like I said, God answered a prayer by leading Todd to the best hospital in Pittsburgh.
I praise God for the things he has granted both of us, and I have faith that God will see Todd through this hardship and make him well as James 5:15 said (prayers offered in faith will heal the sick: the Lord will make them well.) I have no doubt in the Lord my God. Why should we doubt his awesome power? I know this is a lengthy post, but it's something that has been on my mind. We need to start praising God at all times and have faith in him, and pray to him, not just when we need something from him. That's not the way to have a loving, lasting relationship with someone. You wouldn't want people to only come to you when they want something, so why do it to God?
May 30, 2008
Comfort
Through our hardships it is hard to see light in anything or to find comfort in anything. Sometimes we just feel like there is no hope or comfort offered to us in our times of gloom. So many things that occur in our lives make us forget that there is always comfort in God; even heartache when a relationship doesn't work. When anything in life causes us pain no matter what it is: health, mental anguish, grief, heartache we aren't able to see the comfort and joy found within God. Sometimes it's as if God isn't there.
I cannot say how many times I cried at night wondering if God was there comforting me through the cancer. There were moments when it felt like he wasn't there at all, though looking back I know that wasn't true. I was in so much pain not just physical from all the shots, but emotionally. Having cancer disrupts everything in your life: mind. It takes away so much including that hope and comfort we find in Jesus. When a relationship doesn't work we are heartbroken, who wouldn't be? We don't feel like we could be comforted even when so many people around are being supportive and comforting.
The Bible tells us "The Lord will comfort Israel again...joy and gladness will be found there. Lovely songs of thanksgiving will fill the air" (Isaiah 51:3). God gives us all the comfort we need even if we don't feel it, we have his comfort there waiting for us. He's ready for us to climb into his arms and cry if need be. His arms are open wide waiting to embrace us and calm our worries, fears, and pains. "Joy and gladness will be found there." Joy and gladness will be found with God, that is one of the promises we have from God, and he doesn't back down from a promise! Why don't we just climb into his arms the way we did with momma when we were little? Why don't we run crying to God for comfort as a child would? Shouldn't we be like children? Sometimes it's hard to think that we can curl up on God's lap when he isn't tangible like mommy is.
Comfort and joy are found in the Lord. We should turn to him always even when it doesn't feel like he's there. We should still call on his name, praise his power and glory. You'd be surprised at how much comfort you find there.
I cannot say how many times I cried at night wondering if God was there comforting me through the cancer. There were moments when it felt like he wasn't there at all, though looking back I know that wasn't true. I was in so much pain not just physical from all the shots, but emotionally. Having cancer disrupts everything in your life: mind. It takes away so much including that hope and comfort we find in Jesus. When a relationship doesn't work we are heartbroken, who wouldn't be? We don't feel like we could be comforted even when so many people around are being supportive and comforting.
The Bible tells us "The Lord will comfort Israel again...joy and gladness will be found there. Lovely songs of thanksgiving will fill the air" (Isaiah 51:3). God gives us all the comfort we need even if we don't feel it, we have his comfort there waiting for us. He's ready for us to climb into his arms and cry if need be. His arms are open wide waiting to embrace us and calm our worries, fears, and pains. "Joy and gladness will be found there." Joy and gladness will be found with God, that is one of the promises we have from God, and he doesn't back down from a promise! Why don't we just climb into his arms the way we did with momma when we were little? Why don't we run crying to God for comfort as a child would? Shouldn't we be like children? Sometimes it's hard to think that we can curl up on God's lap when he isn't tangible like mommy is.
Comfort and joy are found in the Lord. We should turn to him always even when it doesn't feel like he's there. We should still call on his name, praise his power and glory. You'd be surprised at how much comfort you find there.
May 28, 2008
Love Nevers
Chapter 13 in 1 Corinthians is commonly known as the love chapter. It discusses how love is, and what it isn't. Every has heard of the "love is kind, love is patient." aspect of the chapter. It says "Love is not jealous, or boastful or proud or rude. Love does not demand its own way" Then further it says "Love does not give up, never loses faith, is always hopeful and endures through every circumstance." Through 13 verse Chapter 13 talks about the things love is and isn't. But through them all, love also doesn't play the "if you love me game" and many others we tend to do.
Alot of the things described in this chapter not only describe human love, but also the love of God. God doesn't get jealous or boastful, he doesn't keep a record of our sins after we ask for forgiveness. How many couples can honestly say they don't do any of that mainly keep record of wrongs done? Perfect love doesn't do any of that, it is hopeful and supportive as Song of Solomon in the Old Testament discussed. We tend to confuse love and lust all the time. WE think we are in love, but it tends to be lust. When something happens and things get rough we often turn into the fight or flight. Love doesn't do that. Love fights.
Love also doesn't do the if you love me. God doesn't do the if you love me then. How could we say that to not only someone we claim to love, but also God? I dated someone who did the if you love bit. It hurt more than anything. His biggest was if you love me then you'd move to California. Which was something I couldn't do. At the same time having him do that makes me appreciate that God doesn't play that game and neither does Todd. With him it's more of I love you so I'll do this, and vise versa. God does that too. I love you so I forgive you of everything. I love you so I'll send my son to die for your sins. I love you so I will give you everlasting life. What do we say to God? If you love me you would take this cancer away, if you love me you would send more money..etc. We constantly say 'if you love me" to God. We should never do something like that to God or to someone we love.
We need to stop asking God "if you love me" and start saying I love you so..this will happen. How much do you love God? Enough to give your life to him? Enough to stop asking for proof? How about enough to stop doing somethings that we do?
Alot of the things described in this chapter not only describe human love, but also the love of God. God doesn't get jealous or boastful, he doesn't keep a record of our sins after we ask for forgiveness. How many couples can honestly say they don't do any of that mainly keep record of wrongs done? Perfect love doesn't do any of that, it is hopeful and supportive as Song of Solomon in the Old Testament discussed. We tend to confuse love and lust all the time. WE think we are in love, but it tends to be lust. When something happens and things get rough we often turn into the fight or flight. Love doesn't do that. Love fights.
Love also doesn't do the if you love me. God doesn't do the if you love me then. How could we say that to not only someone we claim to love, but also God? I dated someone who did the if you love bit. It hurt more than anything. His biggest was if you love me then you'd move to California. Which was something I couldn't do. At the same time having him do that makes me appreciate that God doesn't play that game and neither does Todd. With him it's more of I love you so I'll do this, and vise versa. God does that too. I love you so I forgive you of everything. I love you so I'll send my son to die for your sins. I love you so I will give you everlasting life. What do we say to God? If you love me you would take this cancer away, if you love me you would send more money..etc. We constantly say 'if you love me" to God. We should never do something like that to God or to someone we love.
We need to stop asking God "if you love me" and start saying I love you so..this will happen. How much do you love God? Enough to give your life to him? Enough to stop asking for proof? How about enough to stop doing somethings that we do?
May 20, 2008
A Waiting Lord
Malachi has a lot of interesting verse that say a lot about the God we serve. God reveals a lot about himself through his conversation with Malachi. In the last post we talked of how we tend to try to make God change to meet our needs. In chapter three verse six says I am the Lord, and I do not change. We cannot try to make God change, the efforts will be futile. We cannot ever change God, he is God. We should be the ones that need to change. Lives could be better if we do.
In verse seven God says Now return to me, and I will return to you. God is always there, waiting for us to return to him. He never goes anywhere. His patience is endless. We fall short of his glory, and do things that make him weary and I believe sad, yet he still waits for us to return to him. God wants us to return to him, he made covenants with us through people like Abraham, Issac, and Jacob. God will never once leave us, so why is it we leave him?
The response to God saying return to me is How can we return when we have never gone away we tend to think we have not sinned, that there is no reason for us to return to God. How could we ask such a question? We always stray away from Christ, we need to admit that we stray and return to him.
In verse seven God says Now return to me, and I will return to you. God is always there, waiting for us to return to him. He never goes anywhere. His patience is endless. We fall short of his glory, and do things that make him weary and I believe sad, yet he still waits for us to return to him. God wants us to return to him, he made covenants with us through people like Abraham, Issac, and Jacob. God will never once leave us, so why is it we leave him?
The response to God saying return to me is How can we return when we have never gone away we tend to think we have not sinned, that there is no reason for us to return to God. How could we ask such a question? We always stray away from Christ, we need to admit that we stray and return to him.
May 16, 2008
Too Hard??
The book of Malachi is full of God speaking to Malachi the prophet. Much of which deals with the love of God and the actions of his people. We looked at chapter 1 verse 2 where we saw that God loves us deeply yet we still wonder. Farther in the chapter God talks more of respect and honor.
"A son honors his father, and a servant respects his master. I am your father and your master, but where are the honor and respect i deserve. You have despised my name!" Verse 6 God's saying we fail him because we don't honor and respect him as we should. We don't follow the Bible, we judge others, we lie (little fibs count), some cheat. We fall very short of honoring God the way we should. But he still loves us and still sent Jesus to die for us. Who needs proof of how deep his love is? It's right there.
The chapter goes on to say in verse 13 "You say 'It's too hard to serve the Lord," We always think it is too hard to serve God because it seems like a bunch of rules, or hardships and "no fun" as some people would say. No one said being a Christian will be the easiest thing to do. In fact it is hard, yet we still serve God and need to honor him in all we do. We need to give praise through the good times and the bad, we need to repent (and be sincere in it), we need to fight temptations, pray, go to church and fellowship, read our Bibles. It is hard, but it's worth it.
Some people say it's hard keeping God the center of your life, with everything else going on. In fact keeping God the center is one of the easiest things to do. Before eating say a prayer of thanksgiving. Instead of watching an hour of reruns get into the word and read what he has said, pray. Talk about him don't just ask Jesus in and then leave him in the corner. Let the world see that Jesus Christ is living in you.
May 15, 2008
God's Love
We are going to venture into the book of Malachi. It is the last book of the Old Testament. Malachi like many of the other books are conversations he had with God. There are parts of God speaking and then Malachi speaking. The book opens very powerfully and sets the stage for what it will fully be about.
"I have loved you deeply," says the Lord. But you retort, "Really? How have you loved me?" That is what verse two says. How often do we ask God how have you loved me? To often we want God to prove his love to us instead of us proving our love to him. God says he loves us and sends his son to die for us and yet we still ask for proof! We still want to know how he has loved us. We still want proof of his love. When something bad goes on in our lives we assume God doesn't love us or worse doesn't exist. God constantly says I love you deeply. Yet we want proof.
We should be the ones working to prove our love to God. The way we treat others, the way we treat ourselves, how we act and react. Just many things go into showing how we love the Lord our God. How can we honestly say we love God, yet won't help someone in need? Or say "we can't bring drug addicts into our church." Isn't the point to show God's love through our actions? How can we say we love God yet judge those around us, yet sometimes we have the gull to ask God how do you love me.
I understand asking WHY. I admit I am unworthy of his love, but he still loves me. Instead of trying to find proof of God's love, why not try proving YOUR love.
"I have loved you deeply," says the Lord. But you retort, "Really? How have you loved me?" That is what verse two says. How often do we ask God how have you loved me? To often we want God to prove his love to us instead of us proving our love to him. God says he loves us and sends his son to die for us and yet we still ask for proof! We still want to know how he has loved us. We still want proof of his love. When something bad goes on in our lives we assume God doesn't love us or worse doesn't exist. God constantly says I love you deeply. Yet we want proof.
We should be the ones working to prove our love to God. The way we treat others, the way we treat ourselves, how we act and react. Just many things go into showing how we love the Lord our God. How can we honestly say we love God, yet won't help someone in need? Or say "we can't bring drug addicts into our church." Isn't the point to show God's love through our actions? How can we say we love God yet judge those around us, yet sometimes we have the gull to ask God how do you love me.
I understand asking WHY. I admit I am unworthy of his love, but he still loves me. Instead of trying to find proof of God's love, why not try proving YOUR love.
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