November 23, 2024

Love Does Not Judge

December 20, 2013 by

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Each week during the season of Advent, our blogs will focus on a central theme which is associated with the coming of Christ—His Advent.  This week’s theme is LOVE.  Christians throughout the world celebrate Advent.  Some light candles or sing songs; some give gifts or  hang wreaths.  All of these are simple joyous ways of extending the celebration of Jesus’s coming beyond a mere 24 hours on December 25. Our prayer is that these devotionals throughout this season of Advent would help you to celebrate His first Coming and anticipate with the peace and joy of His second Coming.

* * * * * * *

This is how God showed His love among us:
He sent His one and only Son into the world
that we might live through Him.
1 John 4:9

He called fishermen to be His disciples (Matthew 4:18). He was anointed by a sinful woman (Luke 7:36-50). He defied social customs and revealed Himself to an outcast Samaritan woman (John 4:1-26).

Whom does Jesus love? Everyone. Whom does Jesus accept? Everyone. Jesus said,  “For I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world,“ John 12:47b. When Jesus came to Earth He deemed the greatest commandments to be to love of his Father and to love our neighbors (Mark 12:29-31).

Jesus showed us that we could love all people, and love people that sin, but hate sin. He loved the woman at the well. He loved the cripple by the pool. He loved the blind man who sat near the gate. He loved. He did not look at them and dissect every sin they commited, every thought they had. No! Jesus, knowingly, looked at people and just loved them.

The love we have been called to give is love with action. We can choose to love or we can choose not to love. We can even call that which we think is love love when it truly is not.

The Lord has been showing me that I’ve added something to my love. My love is not unconditional like His. No, my love is rather conditional, and this is no way to love at all. I’ve  begun, without noticing, to decide who is “worthy” and “safe” enough for my love. This is not the kind of love that spurred Jesus forward to the Cross that awaited Him. This is not a godly love.

I am no one’s judge, but somewhere along the way I decided I was. The Lord has shown me the error of my “loving.”  How many people have I missed out on truly loving because of the conditions I have placed.  My cousin very recently passed away…he was murdered.  I know that he was one of these whom I have missed out on loving; and now I don’t have the opportunity to make amends.

The problem with adding conditions to our love—besides the fact that it’s not Godly love—is that my conditions may be different from your conditions; and although I may think I’m loving you, you may not feel the same. The beauty of God’s unconditional love is that there is no confusion. Conditional love is isolating. Unconditional love is inclusive. Conditional love judges. Unconditional love accepts.

Conditional love is self-serving. Unconditional love comes down from heaven to a world of people who don’t accept You, who have sinned against You, and who nailed You to a cross, so that You could give them eternal life.

Jesus was sent to save people, not judge them. We are sent to do the same. Dare we love like Jesus???

* * * * * * *

Lord, continue to show me how to love like You and remind me that I am the judge of no one.  Praying in Your name.  Amen.

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Prince of Peace

December 10, 2013 by

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Each week during the season of Advent, our blogs will focus on a central theme which is associated with the coming of Christ—His Advent.  This week’s theme is PEACE. Christians throughout the world celebrate Advent. Some light candles or sing songs; some give gifts or  hang wreaths.  All of these are simple joyous ways of extending the celebration of Jesus’s coming beyond a mere 24 hours on December 25. Our prayer is that these devotionals throughout this season of Advent would help you to celebrate His first Coming and anticipate with HOPE and joy His second Coming.

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

For a child is born to us…
And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor,
Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Isaiah 9:6b

 ***********************

Prince of Peace. Often times the Lord’s many names don’t mean much to us until we have experienced them personally–that’s never been the case with this name.  I’ve always favored Prince of Peace.  Don’t get me wrong, I like all of His names, but peace just sounds so calm.  The Lord’s peace is like no pill you could ever be prescribed.  It’s like no goose egg you could ever accumulate. It’s like no budget or plan you could conceive.  Philippians 4:7 best describes this peace, “…Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”

I always wondered how a person could have peace when they didn’t understand their circumstances… until I experienced this peace for myself.  I’m the type of person who needs to know all the details and I need to know what all my options are and then I maul over (a fancy way of saying worry!) the problem until its over!  Then, and only then, do I have peace.

The day I was informed that my cousin was murdered was the day I understood Philippians 4:7.  I mean, what kind of plan do you make for that? What kind of options do you have?

And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding,
will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Since then I have leaned into a Lord Who promised, “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give.  So don’t be troubled or afraid”  (John 14:27).

And a God Who says He “will keep in perfect peace all who trust in [Him], all whose thoughts are fixed on [Him]!” (Isaiah 26:3).

Do I understand this tragic situation?  Not a chance.  Do I have the Prince of Peace’s peace? Absolutely.  And it’s something I grasp for each day.  I grasp and hold tight to my Savior who, being God, saw it fit to come to Earth, lay in a manger, and die on a cross.  The Prince of Peace.

* * * * *

Lord, I am thankful that You knew one day I would need Your peace.  Your peace that penetrates all circumstances.  You are amazing and gracious.  Thank You.  In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.

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Worthy of So Much More

November 26, 2013 by

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“I will serve You Lord, always for You are my strength…
But I’ll praise You for You are holy, Lord
And I’ll lift my hands, but You are worthy of so much more….”

As I listened to the song,  Life of Praise by Casting Crowns, the line “I’ll lift my hands, but You are worthy of so much more!” jumped out at me.  I, sometimes, lift my hands at church during worship and I serve in the Children’s Ministry.  However, I got the feeling that the “…so much more…” being referred to here could not be summed up in the amount of serving I do.

I asked the Lord, “What is this ‘…so much more…’?”

I compiled a (mini) list of things God is worthy of:

Glory

O Lord , our Lord, Your majestic name fills the earth!  Your glory is higher than the heavens.
Psalm 8:1

Praise

Let the godly sing for joy to the Lord ; it is fitting for the pure to praise Him.
Psalm 33:1

Glory and praise are obvious things that the Lord is worthy of!  After all, He is who He is. I felt a nudge to make this much more personal.

God is worthy of my:

Love –

Jesus replied, ‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart,
all your soul, and all your mind.’
Matthew 22:37

Loyalty –

Remain in me, and I will remain in you.
For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine,
and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.

John 15:4

Obedience –

The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives.
Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand.
Psalms 37: 23-24

Trust –

Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.
They are brought to their knees and fall, but we rise up and stand firm.
Psalms 20:7-8

Complete Devotion –

The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need.
He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name. S
Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life,
and I will live in the house of the Lord forever.
Psalms 23:1, 3, 6

Time –

Her sister, Mary, sat at the Lord’s feet, listening to what he taught.
Luke 10:39

Feel free to add to this “mini” list!

Ultimately, God is worthy of everything that is in my possession, but being specific helps me to focus on actual areas.  Vaguely, saying, “I give you my all,” is easy for me.  When you start to put names to “my all” the obvious question is,  “Does He still get your everything?”

Time is a big one for me…I like to spend more time than I should playing endless hours of video games.

 * * * * *

Lord, help me to he a better steward of that which you have blessed with with. Help me to remember that I am meant to bring glory to you.

Amen.

 

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The Positive

November 21, 2013 by

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Let them praise the Lord for His great love
and for the wonderful things He has done for them.
Let them offer sacrifices of thanksgiving
and sing joyfully about His glorious acts.
Psalms 107: 21-22

My mom has been talking to me about what I focus on.  Basically, I need to stop focusing on the negative.

I’d call the season I’m in now one of discovery. I’m learning more about God and myself. And yet, when the road gets rocky and circumstances aren’t favorable, I’m prone to focus all my energy on the problem until it is solved.  Focusing on the negative is like having blinders on that stop you from seeing all the good in your life.

So, when I was told what our next devotional was going to be on, it’s no surprise the word “sacrifice” is what had my attention. (Nothing negative about that, right?) Forget that verse 21 says, “Let them praise the Lord for His great love and for the wonderful things He has done for them.” I was going to write about how obedience is much better than sacrifice, but something just didn’t feel right.

So, I waited. (Yay!)

For four days I pondered. Every time I went to write, I felt like I was being told to wait. Three of those four days I was drawn to Micah 6:8, “No, O people, the Lord has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.”

On the fourth day, I got curious! I went back to the beginning of Micah chapter 6. This chapter is about God bringing his case against the Israelites and Him asking them to bring their case against Him (verses 1-8).

God went first asking, “O my people, what have I done to you?  What have I done to make you tired of me?  Answer me!” (verse 3).  He then reminds them of good things He’s done for them.

The Israelites replied asking what sacrifice they could bring Him (verses 6 and 7). And then, verse 8 is God’s response.

I reread Psalms 107:21-22 and noticed that I’d completely missed the positive in the verses. And finally, it dawned on me, I am inclined to focus on the negative, even in God’s life-giving, hope-filled Word.

I’ve decided to focus on the positive and to be thankful in all circumstances (1 Thessalonians 5:18); to fix my thoughts on what is true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and worthy of praise (Philippians 4:8). I know this is possible because God is working in me, giving me the desire and power to do what pleases him (Philippians 2:13).

* * * * *

Thank You, Lord, for opening my eyes and softening my heart. Thank You for Your faithfulness and for constantly loving me.  Amen.

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He is Worthy

November 11, 2013 by

SeekingHimLogoToday, my assistant director came into my room and told me, “Ahmee, I need to talk to you. You got a parent complaint today.” I replayed the last few days in my mind to see if I could figure out what I might have done wrong. When I concluded that I had done nothing wrong, I immediately got ready to defend myself.

“What was it?” I said with much contempt and a tense body. She smiled at me and laughed. “I’m just joking! You actually got a compliment!” I didn’t replay the last few days in my mind to see if I could figure out what I did right. In fact, I was ready to end the conversation and was filled with much skepticism.

Isn’t it awful how I was so very ready to defend myself against the negative, but ready to dodge the positive like a dodgeball being thrown?

I’ve always felt uncomfortable with accepting praise—and I don’t mean in a healthy way. When someone compliments me I’ve trained myself to force out an awkward “thank you,” which is much better than the talking down about myself I used to do (and sometimes still do when I forget).

O come, let us sing to the Lord, let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!
Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving;
let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise.
For the Lord is a great God, and a great king above all gods.
Psalms 95:1-3

Our God is the Mighty God (Psalm 50:1) and it is natural that as His children we would want to praise Him (Psalm 33:1), but for me praising the Lord doesn’t come so naturally. Not because He doesn’t deserve it (1 Timothy 1:17), and definitely not because I don’t want to, but because praise is something that I am not comfortable with.

I constantly have to stop myself when I am tempted to skip over verses that mention praise, glory, or honor. God deserves these things from me and I’ve decided that instead of rushing through these verses, I will put them into action…not tomorrow or next week…but the moment I read them!

I’d love nothing more than my undivided focus to be on the Lord—praising, thanking, and honoring Him for all His awesomeness!

After all, “…the Lord is a great God, and a great king above all gods.” I’d say that’s pretty worthy of honor, glory, and praise!

* * * * *

Lord, give me a heart that praises and thanks You constantly. Help me to replace my wandering thoughts with praise to You and instead of my complaints to give You double thanksgiving. Let me never forget Your awesomeness or Your lovingkindness or Your  mercy. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

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A Sense-filled Guide

November 5, 2013 by

SeekingHimLogoPotty training two-year-olds is—for lack of a better word—fun. Cleaning up puddles of pee and soiled underwear…yeah, fun. I’ve found that what works best for my babies at school  is setting expectations and following through.

One of the expectations I’ve set is that if you soil your clothes, then you change your own clothes. And when I say change your own clothes, I mean change your own clothes. The only assistance they get from me is retrieving their clothes from their cubby.

None of the children in my class like changing their own clothes, but one in particular absolutely despises changing his own clothes.  He also likes to be stubborn and refuses to use the potty.  His dislike of changing his clothes and his desire to be stubborn—they don’t mix well.

Do not be like a senseless horse or mule that needs a bit and bridle to keep it under control.
Psalm 32:9

When I read this I thought of my rebellious potty training child and then, I thought about myself.

God has provided me with a guide on how to live life. The whole Bible is relevant, but when I think of specific wisdom tips, the Book of Proverbs is what comes to mind. I love the Book of Proverbs because the “if—then” aspect is so clear to see. For example….

If you reject discipline, you only harm yourself;
but if you listen to correction you grow in understanding.
Proverbs 15:32

I often weigh my consequences before making decisions. And, like this child at school, I sometimes make the same decision knowing that I’m going to dislike the outcome. Senseless is what I call this. The very moment I make a decision that is not in my favor (and I mean best for me, which is God’s way), I’d call that senseless.

Sometimes, I wish the Lord would apply a bit and bridle to me, so I could stay out of trouble and stop making senseless choices. However, freewill is what I was given instead, which means self-control must be exercised. And the sense I’ve been provided is found on each page of the Bible.

* * * * *

Lord, my prayer is that I am not like a senseless horse or mule and that I be sensitive to Your ways. Give me the strength to exercise self-control and steer clear of senselessness. I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.

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Trusting God’s Word

October 31, 2013 by

SeekingHimLogoOne afternoon my mom, nephew Tae, and I went swimming.  My mother spent most of the time carrying Tae.  I dunked him, and needless to say…he didn’t want me holding him.

My mom wasn’t able to enjoy swimming or floating while carrying around Tae, so she finally gave him to me—with much protest from him.  I couldn’t take it anymore!  He would sit on the steps holding the metal bar.  He did venture to stick his foot down and touch the ground, which wasn’t as far as he thought, but the water was distorting the actual distance between his feet and the ground of the pool and he kept getting scared he’d fall.

I do the same thing Tae did, but with the Word of God.  I hold on to God’s Word…the metal bar that is unmoveable…and then I get adventurous and build up the courage to actually put the Word into action, like with tithing.

Sad thing is I often can’t see the floor and, when I don’t see results fast enough, I pull back, clinging to the word of God, but afraid to put it to action because “I tried and it didn’t work.”

Trust in Him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.
Psalm 62:8

Ah…trust. Trust can be hard when what our eyes see and our minds reason poinst to the impossible.  When the gap between our feet and the floor appears to be too far and we worry if we can actually reach.  This is known as doubt.  Our tangible factual conclusion can poke holes in our faith; after all, we are tangible beings.

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.
Hebrews 11:1

We live by faith not by sight.
2 Corinthians 5:7

We as Christians are called to live by the Word of God, not with our eyes or own understandings.  We are to operate with THE TRUTH—”… the Word of the Lord is right and true; He is faithful in all he does” (Psalm 33:4).

And I am always honest with God about my doubts. He alone can provide the assurance I need to truly replace my doubts.

As for Tae…I took him to the other side of the pool, grabbed hold of his foot and pushed it down, with resistance and a little screaming, all the way to the floor of the pool. Once he realized his foot was on the ground he let go of me and started walking around in the shallow end.

* * * * *

Thank You, Lord, for Your Living Word.  Thank You for those people who You place in my life to encourage me.  Thank You for those timely words that push me forward!  And help me to trust You more than the tangible world around me.  In Jesus’ name I pray.  Amen.

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His Word Guides

October 24, 2013 by

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I have a little boy in my class who loves to do puzzles and solve problems. Whenever he gets to problem solving—whether it be taking a lid off a jar or putting on his shoes—I like to watch him.

On this particular day, he was attempting to put together one of the harder puzzles.  From the start, I knew he was going to have a problem.  He dumped the four puzzle pieces on the floor, laid the puzzle base down upside down and then turned all the puzzle pieces right side up.

I watched as he tried to lay the pieces in the puzzle.  At first he was fine, but about the third try at  placing the same piece in the spot it should have gone, his face started to turn red.

“If you turn the puzzle the right way, your pieces will fit,” I advised him.  He stared at me. “Look, the puzzle on the floor is upside down. Turn it.”  He replied, “No!” And continued to try and fit the pieces into the puzzle. Not long after his red face had turned into a crying red face. (I had since moved on to other things.)  I spoke to him and said, “When you would like my help, let me know.”  He replied with some angry jibberish and slammed pieces down…whining and fighting even more with the puzzle.

About 10 minutes later he approached me. “Ahmee!” (He looked pitiful.) He held the puzzle in his hands. So, I asked if he wanted help; and he said, “Yes.”

In my anguish I cried to the Lord, and he answered by setting me free.
Psalm 118:5

Sometimes we trap ourselves in the problems that come our way. Pay attention to this verse…it says, “In my anguish I cried to the Lord….”  Notice, it doesn’t say, “I whined to my friends, or I complained endlessly.”

The Lord is our Helper and, when we call to Him, He helps us.  Thing is: you have to call!  Just as my little boy had to come to me for help after he turned down my assistance, I believe that God tries to help us with His Word, but if we don’t read it, how will we know?

It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man.
Psalm 118:8

There is nothing wrong with seeking wise counsel. In fact, your wise counsel should point you to the Word of God!  Just remember, “You can make many plans but the Lord’s purpose will prevail” (Proverbs 19:21).

So, try to figure it out alone if you want. Be stubborn, but ultimately you are going to end where you should have started—The Word of God.

* * * * *

Thank You, Lord, that Your guidance is always readily available to us.  Your timing is perfect and Your Word is precious.  In Jesus’ name, we pray.  Amen.

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If You Are Silent…

October 14, 2013 by

 

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My children at school know I don’t tolerate tantrums or crying as a form of communication, so most of them don’t do either.  However, I have one little boy whom, depending on his mood, will throw the biggest tantrum and it’s always in regards to little stuff.

If I ask him to sit at the table and he doesn’t want to, he cries and jumps up and down, and then throws himself on the floor and kicks the air.

During his tantrum, I give him a blank stare and allow him to throw said tantrum for about two minutes. And then I go into action. I laugh, and then, I sit in his chair.  He does not like that. He’ll stand up and say, “No,no. My chair.” And I tell him, “Well, if you aren’t going to sit in it, I will.  Are you ready to sit down?”  And he always says, “Yes.”

I pray to You, O Lord, my rock.
Do not turn a deaf ear to me.
For if You are silent, I might as well give up and die.
Psalm 28:1

When I first read this verse, I laughed. To me, it seemed like the psalmist was throwing a tantrum and that “giving up and dieing” was a bit extreme.  I could imagine myself sprawled out on my bed, talking to God about some “very pressing matter” and feeling like my world was going to end if I didn’t get an answer…NOW!

Life can get tough. I’ve definitely had my fair share of moments that have caused me to stop and contemplate giving up.  Sometimes we need those moments because they help us refocus.

Listen to my prayer for mercy as I cry out to You for help,
as I lift my hands toward your holy sanctuary.
Psalm 28:2

We know God is good.  We know our circumstances are not always good.  We also know that our less than favorable circumstances, even the ones that make us feel like giving up and dieing, do not impose on our God’s character.  Instead our God is willing to use these moments to reflect His goodness.

The Lord is powerful; He gives victory to His chosen one.
Psalm 28:8 (NCV)

* * * * *

Thank you, Lord, that in our circumstances Your goodness shines through.  You are awesome! Forgive me for those moments when I decide to throw a tantrum instead of resting in Your word.

Amen.

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In His Good Hands

October 8, 2013 by

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I have a child in my class who is very confident with herself.  One day we were standing on the playground. It was a nice calm day (referring to the children and the weather) and there was a nice breeze.  I was admiring the loveliness of the day when I heard, “Ahmee, what is this?”  My sweet girl was pointing upward towards nothing, but what baffled me was the hint of distress in her voice.

I explained to her that I saw nothing, but she insisted, “LOOK!”  The direction she was pointing in was nothing but leaves and trees; I saw nothing else.  She questioned, “It’s moving?”  And then I saw it.  The wind was blowing the leaves.  So, I explained, “The leaves are moving because the wind is blowing.”  “Wind?” she asked.

“Yes,” I explained, “wind.  It’s air that moves.  You can’t see it, but you can feel it.  And you can hear it coming.”  I smiled thrilled at the opportunity to teach her.

Then the weirdest thing happened. She quickly shook her head, cried and ran to me, clinging to my leg for dear life.  I knelt and showed her how we could blow leaves, too.  She mimicked me.  I advised her that wind couldn’t hurt us and asked her if she wanted to go play.  She replied with a firm “No,” and sat down, holding onto my leg.  And that’s where she stayed.

Our God is in heaven; He does whatever pleases Him.

Psalm 115:3

How often do we let fear of the unknown paralyze us and stop us from enjoying our freedom? The Lord does whatever pleases Him; and this can be scary.  What if what pleases Him is the opposite of what I want?  Waiting has the potential to grow you or strangle your desires.

But we don’t have to fear with God at the wheel.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

Jeremiah 29:11

* * * * *

Thank You, Lord that I don’t have to fear the unknown and that I am in good hands with You. Amen.

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