It's All Crooked

Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. Matthew 24:35 NIV

I'm sitting on my bed with a cat in my lap, looking at crooked pictures on the wall of my grandparents who have long since passed away. I say crooked because it fits this crazy thing we call life. And if you've ever been to my house, everything is crooked. But I digress. I loved my grandparents and miss them still. Just like my dad. I miss him terribly. I have some of his things. I have some of my grandparents things. I have pictures. One day those will be gone too. It's all just things. But the memories last. Like Jesus' words.

No matter what age we're in, no matter what political era, God's words are always timely, true and trusted.  They will not fail. They will always be with us. We need only to listen, learn and heed.

Oreos

Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. John 14:23 NIV

I love Oreos. Original double-stuffed. I will eat them in a car. I will eat them in a bar. I will eat them here or there. I will eat them anywhere. The point is...I love Oreos so much that I'd do just about anything to get them. If they talked and had rules, I'd follow them. It's just that simple.

I love God. My heart knows him. And he does talk and has rules and teachings. So why do we find it so hard to follow them if we claim to love him? If I claim to love Oreos and then never have them, what's the point in saying how much I like them? None! So if we love God, we must obey his teachings.  Look at what he promises to do...make his home with you! That's even better than living in an Oreo house.

So if you love him then follow through. Put that love into action.

Hallmarks

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Romans 12:12 NIV

Joyful, patient and faithful. These are the hallmarks of those who follow Jesus. I know that I am far from perfect and fail to meet these hallmarks on a daily basis. But that doesn't mean we shouldn't try.

And it's hard! For me, trying to be patient is usually more like gnashing of teeth. At least this verse didn't say to be joyful in affliction. I'm not sure many of us are physically capable of such a feat. But in all things we should be faithful and even this isn't easy. Life is tough and we sometimes put too much stock in things around us rather than in what our heart knows to be true.

But however these words touch your heart, we should be faithful in praying for joy and patience.

The Great Divide

I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought. 1 Corinthians 1:10 NIV

This is what we need right now, Hut don't think that we have somehow invented this current chaos. There would have been no reason to write these words to the Corinthians if things were hunky dory. People, even Christians, don't always agree. And we are told to not let these things divide us. Be of one mind. But what if we all interpret something differently?

That's ok. Come to a decision to respect one another in love and in Christ. If we all believe in him, that he is the one true way to heaven, and that he alone is the savior, then we have nothing to argue over. People will be people. Evil will be evil. The devil will seek to destroy. Don't let him destroy the love between brothers and sisters in Christ.

Take Heart

Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord. Psalm 27:14 NIV

I don't know about you but I'm not a waiter. And I don't mean like in a restaurant.  I don't necessarily rush into doing things but I'm not a long time thinker and ponderer. I'd just rather choose and go than wait and see. When I pray I like to think my prayer will change things instantly. But that is not how it works.

My Mother is a patient woman and I wish I'd inherited just a smidgen of her patience. I'd probably have more effective prayers. Lucky for me God is patient and long-suffering for people like me.

But I love what this verse says about taking heart. It gives the truth of needing to wait for God to do his work in his time but it also gives us hope that God will accomplish his good work in that time. And that time is not on our schedule. We may be able to control our time at work, our children's schedules, and how we go about our daily lives.  But God is perfect in his timing. We just need to keep praying, keep working and don't give up hope.

Pure Love

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 1 Corinthians 13:4‭-‬5 NIV

I'm a little behind in my postings and it's very late and I have to get up early, yet here I am because this verse got me. We all have heard it over and over so why don't we get it? Why do we keep records of wrongs done to us? Why are we prideful? Why do we want good only for ourselves? When we think of love, we think only of those we love. But ya'll, we must remember what Jesus said: love your neighbor as yourself.

Woah. Wait, what? If we are to love our neigbor, then that love is patient and kind and keeps no record of wrongs. That love is understanding and giving and seeks good for that person. But that person in the store checkout line is not family nor my neighbor. That person in the waiting room is a complete stranger. 

Jesus never differentiated between any of these and neither should we. He looks past the sins, past the differences, and sees a soul that needs saving. He sees someone that needs a smile and a hello for no reason.

Let's be the reason they see Jesus. 

Not in Vain

Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. 1 Corinthians 15:58 NIV

How many times have you felt like you labored in vain? That all the good you did was just wasted. Your human self feels like it would be better to just give up, stop working so hard, especially if it all goes unnoticed. I know I've felt this way before. And it's easy to give up and move on to something else.

But we have God's promise who says that our work is not in vain. What we do every day to reflect God's love and compassion on others is never wasted and will be acknowledged...if not here, then in heaven. We must keep going even when we don't feel like it. We have work to do. So let us not get weary.