Redeemed

Leave it to God to redeem some skubalon from my life and turn it into good. :)

You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. (Gen 50:20 NIV)

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. (Rom. 8:28 NIV)

Several weeks ago I reconnected with two guys from many years ago in my life. I remember both of them with a certain amount of skubalon attached to the memories. But God has a way of seeing things differently. In the course of getting to know one of them now (we hadn't talked in 15 years), I learned his mom and sister each died suddenly and tragically within a few years of each other. That combined with a few other details led me to encourage him to seek out godly men to pray with.

After that conversation I realized I wasn't thinking about the skubalon, but instead of who he is now, someone who (like all of us) has pain and dreams and frustrations and joys and challenges and ... well, life. While I could point him toward God, I also realized that God had worked in me. God had redeemed something that had been harmful skubalon and changed it to be used for good. God had redeemed this part of my memory and sealed it with a new understanding of God's grace and mercy.

Reminds me of a song. (You're probably not surprised.):

"God Has Come" by Glenn Packiam

When darkness falls and sorrow finds me

This joy I know comes in the morning

When all seems lost and strength is fading

This hope I've found is everlasting, everlasting

Now faith is here and strength is rising

This grace You've shown is so amazing, so amazing

Our God has come to save

He holds us in His hands

His promise will remain

His Kingdom has no end

God has come, God has come

© 2008 Integrity's Hosanna! Music

Thank you, God of power and might, for being a God who redeems us, your broken ones. Thank you for not seeing us as broken, but because of Christ we know you see us as whole and beautiful children. Thank you for your work turning things intended for harm into things you can use for Kingdom purposes. Thank you for the blessings of your presence, your grace, your mercy, and your joy, peace, and strength. Embolden us to live as redeemed, called, and precious children of yours. Amen.

By the way - I heard something tonight that went something like this:

Anything anyone could call or label me in this life is nothing when compared to being called "Sinner" by God. Anything anyone could say good about me in this life is nothing when compared to being called "Child" by God.

Peace to you this day.

JV

Thorns

Recently I joined the Facebook "community" and since then have reconnected (intentionally) with a few friends from grad school and relatives I haven't seen in awhile. That is one of the nice advantages of having such a place - finding long-lost friends. But, then, sometimes that ability to reconnect is also a liability, as two people from a long time ago (in my life) have contacted me and wanted to be Facebook "friends."

These specific two people are guys I was involved with in one way or another at different times. [Fast forward 15-20 years and we're all married with kids. But that's not this story.] I remember each of these guys in the context of my shame at the choices I made with them. So, while I may be somewhat curious about how their lives have turned out, my larger reaction even after all these years is, "ugh. I thought I'd put that memory, that person behind me. And here he is showing up again, reminding me of things I would rather forget."

And it dawned on me the other day that the Evil One uses his whispers of "shame on you" and "I bet they haven't forgotten" and "you were sure dumb then" to pull me down. When the truth is that repentance is about turning away from sin and turning toward God. I made (and continue to make) my choice to be serious about my relationship with God. As that happens I continue to better understand God's love, grace, forgiveness and - get this - forgetfulness - in a way that I can't concisely put into words.

A guy at church calls all this emotional garbage "skubalon," which is a (real) Greek word meaning "refuge" and "things worthless and detestable." I would imagine that there are more people out there with a conscience, people who have made foolish choices that they now regret, people that would rather forget pieces of their past, especially their own set of skubalon. I keep having to remind myself that it's those things that Jesus came to forgive. Those places in our memories and hearts he came to heal. Those whispers for which he came to say, "Peace, be still." Those lives that he came to redeem from the Pit and point toward the Great Banquet Feast the Father has prepared for us. The Evil One would like to distract us from the reality of our identity, seen through the blood of Christ, as precious children of the King of Kings. When we acknowledge that those whispers are nothing but distraction, we can go on to embrace the Way, the Truth and the Abundant Life we are offered.

I was talking this over with a friend last night and she reminded me that maybe God has let me keep those ("I wish they were gone") memories to help me have more mercy and grace for others who are also making choices that are not of God. Maybe those thorns I carry help me to be more compassionate to others who are still tangled in the thorny bush. Maybe the Crown of Thorns is a symbol of all that skubalon being nailed to the Cross and we bear it no more, praise the Lord!

My prayer for each of us is for forgetfulness...for redemption...for skubalon forgiven...for freedom from thorns carried many years and many miles...for a tender and humble heart to extend grace to others and to ourselves...for the heart to know what is of Evil and what is the voice of God...for joy in the Lord to embrace the Abundant Life as God's Children, enjoying the heavenly feast with Jesus...Maranatha, Lord Jesus, Come.

"...Anyone united with the Messiah gets a fresh start, is created new. The old life is gone; a new life burgeons! Look at it! All this comes from the God who settled the relationship between us and him, and then called us to settle our relationships with each other. God put the world square with himself through the Messiah, giving the world a fresh start by offering forgiveness of sins." (2 Cor. 5:16 MSG)

(P.S. I am so grateful to God for my husband and the life I'm living now. Evil's whispers and thorns come and go, but the bigger and better parts of my life are embracing the Abundance of Christ. I hope that if you are someone struggling with your own thorns, that this prayer will help you.)

God in the cacophony of silence

words

recession - no skubalon - gas prices lower - rain and gray days coming - budget shortfalls - one pound eight ounces - gotta wash laundry - economic stimulus - hamas launches rocket into israel again - diagnosed with cancer - can we pay these bills - in-laws coming to visit - one hundred eighty three dead in firestorm in australia - what happened to my retirement account - ninety three year old man freezes to death in home after electricity is shut off - more troops to afghanistan - woman gives birth to eight - jewelry shop owner murdered - ice breaks off trapping one hundred fishermen - what does God want me to do - forty days of love

God is not in the powerful wind

God is not in the earthquake

God is not in the fire

God is in the silence

"God of wind, earthquake, fire, and silence....help us to be still and know you are God.  Help us to exalt you among the nations and on the earth.   Teach us your ways, O Lord, and we will walk in your truth.  Give us undivided hearts that we may fear your name.  Let us be full of love and faithfulness, written on our hearts.  Help us to win favor and a good name with you, O God, and also with our fellow humans.  Help us to trust you with all our hearts.  Help us to not lean on what we understand, but acknowledge you in everything.  Make our paths straight and keep our footsteps in the paths you have for us.   Amen

 10 "Be still, and know that I am God; 
       I will be exalted among the nations, 
       I will be exalted in the earth."  (Ps. 46:10 NIV)

11 Teach me your way, O LORD, 
       and I will walk in your truth; 
       give me an undivided heart, 
       that I may fear your name.

(Psa. 86:11 NIV)

3 Let love and faithfulness never leave you; 
       bind them around your neck, 
       write them on the tablet of your heart.

 4 Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man.

 5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart 
       and lean not on your own understanding;

 6 in all your ways acknowledge him, 
       and he will make your paths straight.  (Proverbs 3:3-6 NIV)