“For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.” 2 Corinthians 10:3-4 NIV
I went to the vigil at LOVE park for Trayvon Martin today. There were a lot of people out there of all races, all outraged by the tragic story of a young man killed by a man who is known but not arrested. I’ve been down to other protests and marches over my lifetime for various reasons. Some when I was younger, I didn’t actually understand, I just knew that something was wrong and followed the crowd who seemed to be marching towards justice. And if it was a racial issues, I was all about it. Being a black female, I can easily look to play the race card if it seems appropriate although I rarely do these days.
Last year I watched a documentary entitled, “Race and the Power of an Illusion”. It was a pretty compelling history of racial relations in America. And it basically gets you to conclude that race is, in fact, an illusion, at least in terms of scientific fact and, I would argue spiritual truth. Yet often in America, we get so hung up on race that we miss some of the power it has over us to disillusion us to other things that may be going on. Focusing exclusively on race will mask more important matters, like law, politics and economics. Because in truth, those are the things that drive everything else in this country. And if I can get you to focus on race, then the people who are in power stay in power. Those who have money, keep it. And those who make the laws, never change it to help more people.
Someone once told me that if you look at many periods of racial tension in American, there is always an economic scandal waiting in the wings that has not yet been given the media’s full attention. I haven’t done the research to find out if that is true in history or not, but I checked a few things out today. The stock market had a great run today with the DOW up over 160 points on the news from Bernanke that the Fed will keep interest rates low. “Wooohooo!”, we might say. Certainly my client’s accounts appreciate this run. And so do I. What recession, right? Certainly there is no reason to be majorly concerned about economic issues when the real trouble seems to be the racial injustices going on in our country right now.
Well, the truth is, the Trayvon Martin issue is actually a legal issue, not a racial issue. The media can easily make it about race because that has more emotional buy-in than legal statistics. Like the fact that in Florida, since the controversial law known as, “Stand Your Ground” was passed in 2005, over 130 people have been shot and 70 percent of them killed (that’s 91 people if you don’t feel like doing the math). Only 19 of them have led to convictions. Most of the people had some type of criminal record, so I guess people didn’t care to fight on their behalf. Maybe they didn’t think a criminal’s life was worth enough to fight for. But innocent 17 year old Trayvon, holding an iced tea and a bag of Skittles, seemed worthy to fight for. So people are fighting. And of course, the tactic is to make it about race because racism sells.
Meanwhile, back at the ranch there is a Wall Street scandal that has not gotten a whole lot of press yet. It has to do with banks manipulating a lending rate called LIBOR. Several major banks have already been investigated and it appears more are to come. The estimated economic scale of this issue is around $90 Trillion, with tentacles that reach other financial issues to the tune of $350 Trillion. Sounds pretty major to me, but I don’t know much about that stuff. What happens when financial investment products that have been sold under false pretenses on a large scale get discovered? Oh yeah, stock market crash! Remember real estate in 2008? We have short memories. What racial issue was prevalent in the days leading up to the stock market crash of 2008? Jena Six. Remember them? We were all up in arms about the events in Louisiana and running on an emotional high. And rightfully so. Meanwhile, the stock market is going up, and the real estate whistle blowers are being ignored. And then the crash.
Please don’t think that I am predicting a crash and take my information as advice. It’s not. It’s an observation. And an observation that when the media is playing up a racial issue, maybe you want to look behind the curtain a bit and find out what legal or economic forces we are up against here. Race is the perfect scapegoat to get people not to think and only to act. We have a terrible history regarding race relations in this country. And we have been conditioned to fear anyone that does not look like us. Foreigners, other races, other cultures, whatever. The prevailing thought process is that if you are not like me then I’m afraid of you, to the point of maybe even needing to defend myself against you.
But as believers, we hold on to the fact that what we are truly wrestling with is not flesh and blood, and our weapons against these forces are not either. We should not simply take in everything the media says as truth. There is an agenda. But God also has an agenda. There is kingdom work going on behind the scenes too. God loves all 130 of those victims of the “Stand Your Ground Law” and they too deserve justice. God knows all about the “free market” and the muck it runs when it is allowed to function without the right oversight. And that, too will be exposed. The question is, how many of us will get so focused on race that we miss the behind the scenes issues. We are still not wrestling against flesh and blood. But if we stay focused on the color of our flesh, we are conceding to the real enemy. And we don’t fight that enemy with the same weapons that we would use to fight a war here. We need to pray, fast, worship and keep our spiritual eyes and ears open to what is going on. There are strongholds that need to be taken down. And we keep falling for the smokescreens. Shame on us. But thank God for revelation, and I hope that we all do better than to simply allow this issue to be one of race. There is more at stake. Maybe there is a spirit of hate that permeates our country at just the right time. But maybe if we stay spiritually connected and focused, we can not let this spirit have its way.
Link to the LIBOR scandal:
http://finance.fortune.cnn.com/2012/03/23/the-wall-street-multibillion-scandal-no-one-is-talking-about/
Monday, March 26, 2012
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Hoodies & Hatred
Hoodies & Hatred
The LORD said, "What have you done? Listen! Your brother's blood cries out to me from the ground. Genesis 4:10 NIV
I haven’t written a blog post in a while. I have a million excuses; school, trip overseas, new book, blah, blah, blah. Truthfully, I just didn’t make time to do it. And for whatever reason, I wanted to try to avoid the whole Trayvon Martin thing because frankly, its depressing. In 2012, we still have disillusioned, hateful people who could look at another human being and end their life for no real reason at all. And then we have the racial issue. So as if black males don’t have enough to worry about in this life, they now have to be concerned about looking “suspicious” while walking home and probably should alter their attire to not wear hoodies anymore. I used to think that I was lucky. I hear stories from the older generation of black Americans who talk about having to always be on the lookout for the KKK or some other overtly hateful group who wanted to kill or hurt them for no other reason that their skin color. I used to think, “Man. I’m glad I didn’t live back then.” But truthfully I’m not sure things are actually getting better. Sure I can hang out with a few white friends without worrying about getting lynched. Maybe I can even go to their house or have them over mine and converse in a way that makes it seem like race doesn’t matter. And then we hear about stuff like this. At least back in the day when people hated you based on your skin color, they admitted it publicly, even if they did hide behind hoods. Now it’s your friendly neighborhood watch guy who might be the one to snuff you out based on sterotypes and perceived danger. Because of course, potential burglary warrants death of the possible assailant (sarcasm in case you didn’t get it). And don’t get me started on the political ones who claim to not be racist as they print bumper stickers that are clearly racist. I wish they would just admit it. At least I could respect them for it.
So I find it ironic that as white men in hoods used to hunt black people without them, now it’s any person without a hood hunting black people with hoods. How about that? The identities of an enemy used to be overt yet concealed but still it is the victims that seem to remain the invisible ones. How many other Trayvon’s do we not hear about? How many other Trayvon’s have been killed and their killers not brought to justice? How many other parents don’t have the strength to fight the way Trayvon’s parents do? Trayvon’s case is not just about one family’s grief. It’s about not letting the perpetrators of hate go unpunished, black, white or whatever. Zimmerman is reported to be Hispanic. So I guess, technically, this is a minority on minority crime. But I’m glad that Trayvon’s family didn’t let this get swept under the rug and forgotten. Had it not been for media coverage, I would never have heard about Trayvon. His death would have come and gone and most of America none the wiser. I don’t really care if Zimmerman is white, Hispanic or black. He killed an unarmed teenage boy and he is still walking free.
Here’s one reason this is important. Our legal system works on a common law basis. That means that our laws are based on previous cases where the courts have ruled. If your case is similar to enough to the other cases where the court already ruled, then the outcome will be most likely the same. That’s why we hear about attorneys doing their research to find the cases where the courts have already set the law in place. If George Zimmerman does not go to court and face trial for this murder, then there is no legal precedent for or against a killing like this. So that means that at any time where someone sees a “suspicious” looking black male in their neighborhood, they can shoot to kill with no worry about being charged with the crime because there may not be any precedent in place to convict them. So if Zimmerman goes free, who else will be able to go free for shooting a young black male? Especially if they make a 911 call before they do it. But a trial and conviction will get a precedent in place on which to base future cases. But without it, I think we may have declared open season on young black males.
The oldest recorded murder in history is the story of Cain and Able. If you recall, Cain killed Able out of hate and jealousy. When confronted by God about Able’s whereabouts, Cain said that he was not responsible for his brother. Cain knew what he did, and so did God. The earth cried out to God when Cain killed Able. The earth is crying out now for the Trayvon’s of the world. And all of this attention and media coverage and “Million Hoodie March” stuff I believe is God saying, “Listen! Your brother's blood cries out to me from the ground.” It lets the family know that God hears. It can’t bring Trayvon back, but it can help them heal. I pray that this part of the fight comes to an end so that they can continue to grieve for their son. That will be a lifetime process. But this battle has an end. Zimmerman didn’t think he was Trayvon’s keeper. But if we at all believe that we are, then we have to keep posting, signing petitions and not allow Trayvon or anyone else become an invisible victim when their killer is known. I’m not sure how much I can do, but I’m willing to do something. Even my small part may identify me as my brother’s keeper. My apathy identifies me with Cain. Some will join because they love the bandwagon. Others because they know this pain personally. Others because they love justice. And some because their conscience won’t allow them not to. As much as I would like to focus on other things, I can’t ignore this forever. It could happen to anyone. And if Zimmerman remains free, it just might.
The LORD said, "What have you done? Listen! Your brother's blood cries out to me from the ground. Genesis 4:10 NIV
I haven’t written a blog post in a while. I have a million excuses; school, trip overseas, new book, blah, blah, blah. Truthfully, I just didn’t make time to do it. And for whatever reason, I wanted to try to avoid the whole Trayvon Martin thing because frankly, its depressing. In 2012, we still have disillusioned, hateful people who could look at another human being and end their life for no real reason at all. And then we have the racial issue. So as if black males don’t have enough to worry about in this life, they now have to be concerned about looking “suspicious” while walking home and probably should alter their attire to not wear hoodies anymore. I used to think that I was lucky. I hear stories from the older generation of black Americans who talk about having to always be on the lookout for the KKK or some other overtly hateful group who wanted to kill or hurt them for no other reason that their skin color. I used to think, “Man. I’m glad I didn’t live back then.” But truthfully I’m not sure things are actually getting better. Sure I can hang out with a few white friends without worrying about getting lynched. Maybe I can even go to their house or have them over mine and converse in a way that makes it seem like race doesn’t matter. And then we hear about stuff like this. At least back in the day when people hated you based on your skin color, they admitted it publicly, even if they did hide behind hoods. Now it’s your friendly neighborhood watch guy who might be the one to snuff you out based on sterotypes and perceived danger. Because of course, potential burglary warrants death of the possible assailant (sarcasm in case you didn’t get it). And don’t get me started on the political ones who claim to not be racist as they print bumper stickers that are clearly racist. I wish they would just admit it. At least I could respect them for it.
So I find it ironic that as white men in hoods used to hunt black people without them, now it’s any person without a hood hunting black people with hoods. How about that? The identities of an enemy used to be overt yet concealed but still it is the victims that seem to remain the invisible ones. How many other Trayvon’s do we not hear about? How many other Trayvon’s have been killed and their killers not brought to justice? How many other parents don’t have the strength to fight the way Trayvon’s parents do? Trayvon’s case is not just about one family’s grief. It’s about not letting the perpetrators of hate go unpunished, black, white or whatever. Zimmerman is reported to be Hispanic. So I guess, technically, this is a minority on minority crime. But I’m glad that Trayvon’s family didn’t let this get swept under the rug and forgotten. Had it not been for media coverage, I would never have heard about Trayvon. His death would have come and gone and most of America none the wiser. I don’t really care if Zimmerman is white, Hispanic or black. He killed an unarmed teenage boy and he is still walking free.
Here’s one reason this is important. Our legal system works on a common law basis. That means that our laws are based on previous cases where the courts have ruled. If your case is similar to enough to the other cases where the court already ruled, then the outcome will be most likely the same. That’s why we hear about attorneys doing their research to find the cases where the courts have already set the law in place. If George Zimmerman does not go to court and face trial for this murder, then there is no legal precedent for or against a killing like this. So that means that at any time where someone sees a “suspicious” looking black male in their neighborhood, they can shoot to kill with no worry about being charged with the crime because there may not be any precedent in place to convict them. So if Zimmerman goes free, who else will be able to go free for shooting a young black male? Especially if they make a 911 call before they do it. But a trial and conviction will get a precedent in place on which to base future cases. But without it, I think we may have declared open season on young black males.
The oldest recorded murder in history is the story of Cain and Able. If you recall, Cain killed Able out of hate and jealousy. When confronted by God about Able’s whereabouts, Cain said that he was not responsible for his brother. Cain knew what he did, and so did God. The earth cried out to God when Cain killed Able. The earth is crying out now for the Trayvon’s of the world. And all of this attention and media coverage and “Million Hoodie March” stuff I believe is God saying, “Listen! Your brother's blood cries out to me from the ground.” It lets the family know that God hears. It can’t bring Trayvon back, but it can help them heal. I pray that this part of the fight comes to an end so that they can continue to grieve for their son. That will be a lifetime process. But this battle has an end. Zimmerman didn’t think he was Trayvon’s keeper. But if we at all believe that we are, then we have to keep posting, signing petitions and not allow Trayvon or anyone else become an invisible victim when their killer is known. I’m not sure how much I can do, but I’m willing to do something. Even my small part may identify me as my brother’s keeper. My apathy identifies me with Cain. Some will join because they love the bandwagon. Others because they know this pain personally. Others because they love justice. And some because their conscience won’t allow them not to. As much as I would like to focus on other things, I can’t ignore this forever. It could happen to anyone. And if Zimmerman remains free, it just might.
Sunday, February 19, 2012
Reflections of Whitney Houston's Life
Reflections on Whitney Houston’s Life
“And when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, Certainly this was a righteous man.” Luke 23:47
I hesitated to write about Whitney Houston’s death. Everybody has an opinion. I’m no different. I watched the home going service on TV like millions of others across the world. I remembered riding my bike in the basement as a little girl listening to her music. I was in her fan club. I tried to sing like her (to no avail). Her songs were the songs of choice for every fifth grade graduation class in 1989. While watching the funeral, I was moved by the words spoken about the life of one of the most gifted singers I have ever heard. I had my own opinions about some of he tributes. I felt compassion for Bobbi Kristina and Cissi Houston. I could see the hurt and pain of her close friends and family. I wondered about Bobby Brown and if anyone cares about how he is grieving. I wondered if Whitney was watching from where she is and what she thought about it all. And I wondered how God felt about it all. Was God pleased? Can’t say I have any answers to any of it. I wish I did. But death always makes us reflect on life. How ironic right? Sometimes it takes he loss of life to think about the life we live.
The morning of Whitney Houston’s funeral prayed for the family and friends and the fans who would be watching and grieving. I prayed longer than I expected to because things just kept coming up in my prayer. The death of a celebrity has a lot of implications. I prayed for those who wold attempt to demonize her in the media and focus exclusively on her demise and drug use. I prayed for those even who would elevate her to a status that forgets about her humanity and makes her out to be only a saint. Both are a part of her story, but neither is the whole story. All of who she was, including her drug use, contributed to the life that we celebrated on Saturday. And I think that is the hardest part to take.
We watch people we know and love make poor decisions and we judge it by saying that’s wrong or that’s right. We usually say it’s wrong because we can see that it will lead down some unfortunate path. We usually say it’s right because we believe that it will end favorably. But we do not know the whole story. And at the end of someone’s life, we often still don’t know the whole story. Because all of our stories are so interwoven that the end of my journey might be the beginning of someone else’s and vice versa. Time is not eternity. Time is only time. Time has a beginning a middle and an end, but the end of time is not the end of all. There is life outside of time, and that life is something we are all a part of in some way. And in that life is the presence and the will of God. And that life often helps to bridge the gap between the confusion we live in while we exist in time. Knowing that time is not the end of all gives us a hope for something greater and a peace when things are confusing in time.
When Jesus died on the cross, many people were confused. How could he be the savior of the world and die like this? Why didn’t he just destroy his enemies? Why did he have to die such a horrible death? Those who sentenced him to death ask other questions. How could he say that he was equal to God? Who did he think he was? Why doesn’t he respect us the way everyone else does? But the centurion who may or may not have watched Jesus live, had a chance to watch him die. And while watching Jesus die, he made a bold statement. He declared that Jesus was righteous. He watched him be murdered in silence while people spoke openly against him. He watched him bless those who persecuted him. He watched him take the beatings of those who had so much hate in their hearts. And then he watched him hang his head and die. And in watching all of that, he came to a conclusion. This man was righteous.
I am not saying that Whitney Houston is on the same lines of Jesus, God forbid. She did not live a life sin free and lay it down to pay the price for my sins. But what I can say about Whitney Houston, in spite of all the other things, I can confidently say, that surely she was a righteous woman. In the bigger picture of eternity, God used her life to speak to many people and give them hope, joy, peace, encouragement and happiness and looking to him. To hear the sentiments of some many of those who knew her personally, you could hear that their lives were touched by Whitney in a way that even pointed them to God. If not during her lifetime, then in her death. The name of Jesus was probably said in a meaningful way more times on TV yesterday than in the last few months. People who have not stepped foot into a church in years, went to church yesterday. And I wonder if that makes them want to go today? I wonder if that makes them pick up a bible? I wonder if that makes them curious about their own life and what value they bring to others in this world? I wonder if they started talking to God again?
We can explain away death sometimes by simply saying that God has a plan that we can’t understand and leave people in a state of anger and confusion. We can over spiritualize death and only talk about heaven or hell. We can try to make life about this linear journey we are all on called time. But the truth is, our lives are all a part of a bigger picture that we will never be able to understand until we get to the next part, and maybe not even then. Even our mistakes are a part of this bigger picture that God is using to point people towards Himself. God will get glory out of our lives no matter what. There will be life that comes from Whitney’s death. We may never know about the person who decided to live because she died, but I know that there will be at least one. Someone tuned into the voice of God yesterday for he first time. Someone asked a question about God for the first time in a long time. And everything that is a part of our lives plays a role in this bigger picture of eternity. How much we choose to suffer in it is where our choices lie. God will use our good and our bad, but in the end, God will get the glory because God dwells outside of time. Our end is not the end. But at the end of our lives, can people look at us and say, surely this was a man/woman of God? Is there something in our lives that points people to truth, no matter how many mistakes we have made? Do we love others in spite of our mistakes?
I think that is what I learned from Whitney Houston’s life. No matter how many mistakes she made, how many bad decisions we believe she made, no matter how far we think she has fallen, I still believe that she was a righteous woman. Because in truth, our righteousness has nothing to do with us anyway. If we are believers in Christ, we attribute our righteousness to Jesus alone. Not ourselves. And the Spirit of God will use us anyway. And I pray for her daughter and mother and all of those she left behind and maybe even disappointed during her lifetime. I pray that they take comfort in knowing that she was made righteous not by her works but by the work of Christ. And I pray for those who continue to look towards other people to give them their sense of righteousness. I pray that we all learn to look to God first and the work that He did to make us righteous while loving those who dwell in time. I pray that the lives of people like Whitney Houston remind us that we are all human beings whose lives are interwoven into the tapestry of eternity in ways that we will never understand in time. And I hope this helps us to judge less and love more. To criticize less and pray more. We cannot control what other people do. We can only love them to the point of making better choices and even then, they may not. But above it all is the Spirit of God going through it all with us and helping us to see more than just this linear world. I pray that her family and friends saw eternity yesterday and don’t get stuck in time. Because I don’t think time will ever explain the bigger picture or be able to give them the comfort the need. And I pray that the rest of us don’t get stuck in either time or eternity, but recognize the value of both. The lessons from time and the glory of eternity. May we all trust in the righteousness of God and love one another enough not to bring each other pain.
“And when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, Certainly this was a righteous man.” Luke 23:47
I hesitated to write about Whitney Houston’s death. Everybody has an opinion. I’m no different. I watched the home going service on TV like millions of others across the world. I remembered riding my bike in the basement as a little girl listening to her music. I was in her fan club. I tried to sing like her (to no avail). Her songs were the songs of choice for every fifth grade graduation class in 1989. While watching the funeral, I was moved by the words spoken about the life of one of the most gifted singers I have ever heard. I had my own opinions about some of he tributes. I felt compassion for Bobbi Kristina and Cissi Houston. I could see the hurt and pain of her close friends and family. I wondered about Bobby Brown and if anyone cares about how he is grieving. I wondered if Whitney was watching from where she is and what she thought about it all. And I wondered how God felt about it all. Was God pleased? Can’t say I have any answers to any of it. I wish I did. But death always makes us reflect on life. How ironic right? Sometimes it takes he loss of life to think about the life we live.
The morning of Whitney Houston’s funeral prayed for the family and friends and the fans who would be watching and grieving. I prayed longer than I expected to because things just kept coming up in my prayer. The death of a celebrity has a lot of implications. I prayed for those who wold attempt to demonize her in the media and focus exclusively on her demise and drug use. I prayed for those even who would elevate her to a status that forgets about her humanity and makes her out to be only a saint. Both are a part of her story, but neither is the whole story. All of who she was, including her drug use, contributed to the life that we celebrated on Saturday. And I think that is the hardest part to take.
We watch people we know and love make poor decisions and we judge it by saying that’s wrong or that’s right. We usually say it’s wrong because we can see that it will lead down some unfortunate path. We usually say it’s right because we believe that it will end favorably. But we do not know the whole story. And at the end of someone’s life, we often still don’t know the whole story. Because all of our stories are so interwoven that the end of my journey might be the beginning of someone else’s and vice versa. Time is not eternity. Time is only time. Time has a beginning a middle and an end, but the end of time is not the end of all. There is life outside of time, and that life is something we are all a part of in some way. And in that life is the presence and the will of God. And that life often helps to bridge the gap between the confusion we live in while we exist in time. Knowing that time is not the end of all gives us a hope for something greater and a peace when things are confusing in time.
When Jesus died on the cross, many people were confused. How could he be the savior of the world and die like this? Why didn’t he just destroy his enemies? Why did he have to die such a horrible death? Those who sentenced him to death ask other questions. How could he say that he was equal to God? Who did he think he was? Why doesn’t he respect us the way everyone else does? But the centurion who may or may not have watched Jesus live, had a chance to watch him die. And while watching Jesus die, he made a bold statement. He declared that Jesus was righteous. He watched him be murdered in silence while people spoke openly against him. He watched him bless those who persecuted him. He watched him take the beatings of those who had so much hate in their hearts. And then he watched him hang his head and die. And in watching all of that, he came to a conclusion. This man was righteous.
I am not saying that Whitney Houston is on the same lines of Jesus, God forbid. She did not live a life sin free and lay it down to pay the price for my sins. But what I can say about Whitney Houston, in spite of all the other things, I can confidently say, that surely she was a righteous woman. In the bigger picture of eternity, God used her life to speak to many people and give them hope, joy, peace, encouragement and happiness and looking to him. To hear the sentiments of some many of those who knew her personally, you could hear that their lives were touched by Whitney in a way that even pointed them to God. If not during her lifetime, then in her death. The name of Jesus was probably said in a meaningful way more times on TV yesterday than in the last few months. People who have not stepped foot into a church in years, went to church yesterday. And I wonder if that makes them want to go today? I wonder if that makes them pick up a bible? I wonder if that makes them curious about their own life and what value they bring to others in this world? I wonder if they started talking to God again?
We can explain away death sometimes by simply saying that God has a plan that we can’t understand and leave people in a state of anger and confusion. We can over spiritualize death and only talk about heaven or hell. We can try to make life about this linear journey we are all on called time. But the truth is, our lives are all a part of a bigger picture that we will never be able to understand until we get to the next part, and maybe not even then. Even our mistakes are a part of this bigger picture that God is using to point people towards Himself. God will get glory out of our lives no matter what. There will be life that comes from Whitney’s death. We may never know about the person who decided to live because she died, but I know that there will be at least one. Someone tuned into the voice of God yesterday for he first time. Someone asked a question about God for the first time in a long time. And everything that is a part of our lives plays a role in this bigger picture of eternity. How much we choose to suffer in it is where our choices lie. God will use our good and our bad, but in the end, God will get the glory because God dwells outside of time. Our end is not the end. But at the end of our lives, can people look at us and say, surely this was a man/woman of God? Is there something in our lives that points people to truth, no matter how many mistakes we have made? Do we love others in spite of our mistakes?
I think that is what I learned from Whitney Houston’s life. No matter how many mistakes she made, how many bad decisions we believe she made, no matter how far we think she has fallen, I still believe that she was a righteous woman. Because in truth, our righteousness has nothing to do with us anyway. If we are believers in Christ, we attribute our righteousness to Jesus alone. Not ourselves. And the Spirit of God will use us anyway. And I pray for her daughter and mother and all of those she left behind and maybe even disappointed during her lifetime. I pray that they take comfort in knowing that she was made righteous not by her works but by the work of Christ. And I pray for those who continue to look towards other people to give them their sense of righteousness. I pray that we all learn to look to God first and the work that He did to make us righteous while loving those who dwell in time. I pray that the lives of people like Whitney Houston remind us that we are all human beings whose lives are interwoven into the tapestry of eternity in ways that we will never understand in time. And I hope this helps us to judge less and love more. To criticize less and pray more. We cannot control what other people do. We can only love them to the point of making better choices and even then, they may not. But above it all is the Spirit of God going through it all with us and helping us to see more than just this linear world. I pray that her family and friends saw eternity yesterday and don’t get stuck in time. Because I don’t think time will ever explain the bigger picture or be able to give them the comfort the need. And I pray that the rest of us don’t get stuck in either time or eternity, but recognize the value of both. The lessons from time and the glory of eternity. May we all trust in the righteousness of God and love one another enough not to bring each other pain.
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
The Dowry Revival Part III
The Dowry Revival Part III - This Time I Will Praise The Lord
“She conceived again, and when she gave birth to a son she said, "This time I will praise the LORD." So she named him Judah. Then she stopped having children.” Genesis 29:35 NIV
Ok. So the last two posts I dealt with Leah and her knowing that God had blessed her with something valuable to give to her husband, then also seeing that what God gave her was not enough to force him to love her. This time, I will look at how Leah changed her mind through that whole process.
Leah had seven children by Jacob in total, six sons and one daughter. She was extremely fruitful. In that day, being fertile was a sign of blessing from God. Except Jacob still loved and favored Rachel over his first wife Leah. After giving birth to her youngest son, Judah, Leah stopped having children and came to a powerful revelation. She decided to change her tune. Instead of seeking to gain approval from a man who was not loving her back, she decided to simply praise the Lord. This implies that all of the other births she was seeking to do something else, namely, praise herself for being fertile or gain the attention of Jacob, or something other than shifting her focus to God. But it was after she gave birth to Judah that she decided to do something different. And then she finally stopped having children. It was as if there was a revelation that God was trying to give her, that took seven births for her to get. And when she got it, the lesson was over.
Imagine all of the pain that she had to endure to get to a point where she finally looked to praise the Lord. All of the times where her body was being used to incubate another human being, who she hoped would be the answer to her prayer to have Jacob love her. All of the hours of labor she had to endure for each child. All of the pain she had to go through to watch the man she wanted to love her spend his time in the arms of her sister. All of the nights she probably spent crying her eyes out, wishing for someone to love her. And time and time again being disappointed. But once she turned her attention away from Jacob and turned it towards God, it all stopped.
And we know Judah for being the lineage through whom Jesus was born. Judah means “praise”. It was in Judah that the world would later be blessed with King David. It was in Judah that our Savior was born. Judah is known for turning things around. Or in other words, praise is known to turn things around. Not so much that your situation, itself, will be different. But in the sense that you will no longer seek the approval of men, and will be satisfied knowing that God is enough. Praise helps you to see things differently. Praise gives you new eyes. Praise helps you to bring a halt to the pain of seeking after things that are not God. Praise can change the world. Praise did change the world.
I don’t know what Leah’s praise looked like. She just said that this time she would do it. What does your praise look like? For some, it’s a shout of thanks to God. For some it’s a dance. Some it’s a quiet spoken word of gratitude. For others its a poem or a song. For some it will be laughter. Whatever it means for you to praise God, then when you get to a place where you are able to do it with a pure heart, I will submit to you that the pain of trying to give birth to something that will manipulate the heart of another will cease. Everything you were trying to do to win someone else’s affection will seem pointless. You can’t change people. You can’t make them love you no matter how fruitful you are. Only God can change the heart of a person. It’s not your money, your children, your status, your body, or anything else that will force someone to give you the love that you greatly desire. Once we finally understand that, we will be free. And the fruit of that revelation will change the world, forever.
“She conceived again, and when she gave birth to a son she said, "This time I will praise the LORD." So she named him Judah. Then she stopped having children.” Genesis 29:35 NIV
Ok. So the last two posts I dealt with Leah and her knowing that God had blessed her with something valuable to give to her husband, then also seeing that what God gave her was not enough to force him to love her. This time, I will look at how Leah changed her mind through that whole process.
Leah had seven children by Jacob in total, six sons and one daughter. She was extremely fruitful. In that day, being fertile was a sign of blessing from God. Except Jacob still loved and favored Rachel over his first wife Leah. After giving birth to her youngest son, Judah, Leah stopped having children and came to a powerful revelation. She decided to change her tune. Instead of seeking to gain approval from a man who was not loving her back, she decided to simply praise the Lord. This implies that all of the other births she was seeking to do something else, namely, praise herself for being fertile or gain the attention of Jacob, or something other than shifting her focus to God. But it was after she gave birth to Judah that she decided to do something different. And then she finally stopped having children. It was as if there was a revelation that God was trying to give her, that took seven births for her to get. And when she got it, the lesson was over.
Imagine all of the pain that she had to endure to get to a point where she finally looked to praise the Lord. All of the times where her body was being used to incubate another human being, who she hoped would be the answer to her prayer to have Jacob love her. All of the hours of labor she had to endure for each child. All of the pain she had to go through to watch the man she wanted to love her spend his time in the arms of her sister. All of the nights she probably spent crying her eyes out, wishing for someone to love her. And time and time again being disappointed. But once she turned her attention away from Jacob and turned it towards God, it all stopped.
And we know Judah for being the lineage through whom Jesus was born. Judah means “praise”. It was in Judah that the world would later be blessed with King David. It was in Judah that our Savior was born. Judah is known for turning things around. Or in other words, praise is known to turn things around. Not so much that your situation, itself, will be different. But in the sense that you will no longer seek the approval of men, and will be satisfied knowing that God is enough. Praise helps you to see things differently. Praise gives you new eyes. Praise helps you to bring a halt to the pain of seeking after things that are not God. Praise can change the world. Praise did change the world.
I don’t know what Leah’s praise looked like. She just said that this time she would do it. What does your praise look like? For some, it’s a shout of thanks to God. For some it’s a dance. Some it’s a quiet spoken word of gratitude. For others its a poem or a song. For some it will be laughter. Whatever it means for you to praise God, then when you get to a place where you are able to do it with a pure heart, I will submit to you that the pain of trying to give birth to something that will manipulate the heart of another will cease. Everything you were trying to do to win someone else’s affection will seem pointless. You can’t change people. You can’t make them love you no matter how fruitful you are. Only God can change the heart of a person. It’s not your money, your children, your status, your body, or anything else that will force someone to give you the love that you greatly desire. Once we finally understand that, we will be free. And the fruit of that revelation will change the world, forever.
Friday, January 20, 2012
The Dowry Revival Part II
The Dowry Revival Part II
“And Leah said, God hath endued me with a good dowry; now will my husband dwell with me, because I have born him six sons. . . “ Genesis 30:20 KJV
So now that you know what you are working with and what you bring to the table, what do you do with that information? There are a lot of us out there who have finally gotten to the point in our lives where we know that God has made us for a purpose. God has given us gifts and talents and all of these wonderful things that we use to make ourselves fruitful in this life. We even start to use those things, and maybe get a few accolades on occasion. Maybe we start to know what we are working with, and we work it. But this can also sometimes be deceiving.
Leah was the first wife of Jacob, given to him by her father, Laban as a con. Jacob was intent on marrying Rachel, Leah’s younger sister, whom he was in love with. But Laban tricked Jacob by giving him Leah as a wife instead, and since he was drunk and she was veiled on his wedding night, he couldn’t tell. He woke in the morning to find out that the switch was made, and he would have to work another seven years for Laban in order to get Rachel as a wife. Leah was not Jacob’s first choice. He was still in love with Rachel when he was with Leah. And Leah felt rejected because of it.
I would, too. But in those days, women didn’t really have much say in their lives the way we do now. They were chosen as a wife for a man and given away by their fathers. They didn’t get to date the way we do (which by the way is a fairly new practice). They didn’t get to go out an build careers and then have their pick of men. They had to deal with their circumstances differently than we do today. Having a good dowry was another way that she found value in her life. And part of what Leah used to find value in herself was her ability to produce children for Jacob. She thought that because she bore him six sons, Jacob would suddenly change his mind towards her. She was working with something great . . . fertility. In those days, a woman’s ability to have children was how she found value. But Leah was using the wrong measurement to determine her worth.
Although the circumstances might not be the same as we have today, the mentality that Leah had is not foreign to us. There are still many of us who believe that because we are gifted or wealthy or fertile, we can use that as a way to get other people to love us. We flaunt ourselves before those who really don’t want anything to do with us. And then we think that is we possess the fruit of what society values as important, we can use that to build relationships. That’s just not true. There are plenty of women out there who still believe that by having a man’s child, you can get him to love you. Not going to happen. There are women out there who believe that by being wealthy, they can get a man to love them. Not going to happen. There are women out there who believe that by being the best homemaker in the world and serving his every need, they can get a man to love them. Not going to happen. The only way for someone to love you is for them to love you. It’s their choice. You influence that by just being yourself and being confident in who you are. Nothing external that you do will ever cause someone to love you and if that is the only reason for them loving you, then when those things go away, so does the person.
Knowing your worth does not mean that you have to use those things to force people into relationship with you. Love yourself. And anyone who loves you will love you for you. Relationships don’t last long term if they are built on superficial reasons. If you are not comfortable with you, then no one else will be either. Know what you are bringing to the table, but don’t use that to try to control another person. If that is the only reason they are with you, then you never had them in the first place. Love yourself enough to engage in genuine relationships instead of superficial ones. Leah didn’t really have a choice. We do. Choose wisely.
Stay tuned for part III. . .
“And Leah said, God hath endued me with a good dowry; now will my husband dwell with me, because I have born him six sons. . . “ Genesis 30:20 KJV
So now that you know what you are working with and what you bring to the table, what do you do with that information? There are a lot of us out there who have finally gotten to the point in our lives where we know that God has made us for a purpose. God has given us gifts and talents and all of these wonderful things that we use to make ourselves fruitful in this life. We even start to use those things, and maybe get a few accolades on occasion. Maybe we start to know what we are working with, and we work it. But this can also sometimes be deceiving.
Leah was the first wife of Jacob, given to him by her father, Laban as a con. Jacob was intent on marrying Rachel, Leah’s younger sister, whom he was in love with. But Laban tricked Jacob by giving him Leah as a wife instead, and since he was drunk and she was veiled on his wedding night, he couldn’t tell. He woke in the morning to find out that the switch was made, and he would have to work another seven years for Laban in order to get Rachel as a wife. Leah was not Jacob’s first choice. He was still in love with Rachel when he was with Leah. And Leah felt rejected because of it.
I would, too. But in those days, women didn’t really have much say in their lives the way we do now. They were chosen as a wife for a man and given away by their fathers. They didn’t get to date the way we do (which by the way is a fairly new practice). They didn’t get to go out an build careers and then have their pick of men. They had to deal with their circumstances differently than we do today. Having a good dowry was another way that she found value in her life. And part of what Leah used to find value in herself was her ability to produce children for Jacob. She thought that because she bore him six sons, Jacob would suddenly change his mind towards her. She was working with something great . . . fertility. In those days, a woman’s ability to have children was how she found value. But Leah was using the wrong measurement to determine her worth.
Although the circumstances might not be the same as we have today, the mentality that Leah had is not foreign to us. There are still many of us who believe that because we are gifted or wealthy or fertile, we can use that as a way to get other people to love us. We flaunt ourselves before those who really don’t want anything to do with us. And then we think that is we possess the fruit of what society values as important, we can use that to build relationships. That’s just not true. There are plenty of women out there who still believe that by having a man’s child, you can get him to love you. Not going to happen. There are women out there who believe that by being wealthy, they can get a man to love them. Not going to happen. There are women out there who believe that by being the best homemaker in the world and serving his every need, they can get a man to love them. Not going to happen. The only way for someone to love you is for them to love you. It’s their choice. You influence that by just being yourself and being confident in who you are. Nothing external that you do will ever cause someone to love you and if that is the only reason for them loving you, then when those things go away, so does the person.
Knowing your worth does not mean that you have to use those things to force people into relationship with you. Love yourself. And anyone who loves you will love you for you. Relationships don’t last long term if they are built on superficial reasons. If you are not comfortable with you, then no one else will be either. Know what you are bringing to the table, but don’t use that to try to control another person. If that is the only reason they are with you, then you never had them in the first place. Love yourself enough to engage in genuine relationships instead of superficial ones. Leah didn’t really have a choice. We do. Choose wisely.
Stay tuned for part III. . .
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
The Dowry Revival Part I
The Dowry Revival Part I
And Leah said, “God hath endued me with a good dowry . . .” Genesis 30:20 KJV
The practice of dowries is ancient, but in some cultures is still practiced, today. America is just not one of them. Our marriage traditions seem to revolve around the wedding and not preparation for marriage itself. People spend all this time dreaming about what gown they will wear; how many bridesmaids or groomsmen they will have; what the reception will be like; what their pictures are going to look like; their hair; the honeymoon or whatever. All of that for one day. The marriage itself, is going to last a lifetime (supposedly). And rarely does that level of planning and dreaming go into what it will take to sustain the marriage.
Dowries used to be given to the bride to take with her into the marriage. It was a sum of money or property that would be given to the bride as economic protection for her and possibly the children in case something happened to the husband or they were to be treated badly by the husband’s family. It was also something to help establish the new household and give the husband something to work with to build their own wealth as a new family. Usually, the dowry came from what the woman earned prior to the marriage or was given to her by her father.
The dowry system, like I mentioned, is not practiced in the USA to my knowledge. We have some similar practices of things like bridal showers, or bridal trunks, but that has seemed to turn more into an excuse to give lingerie or floating candles and massage oil to the bride. And while those things represent the fun side of a wedding and even a marriage, they do not do the same thing as a dowry. The dowry was to help establish and protect the household economically. The bridal shower gifts are often for fun. There are also the people who give money to the couple when they get married to help establish the household economically. I guess that is the closest we have to that assistance. But usually, couples spend more on their wedding than they get in financial gifts and often begin their lives together in debt.
Since money is one of the major causes of divorce, wouldn’t it make sense to do some level of preparation for the economics of a marriage before the wedding? And that means that both parties have a role in making preparations. So although we do not practice the customs of dowries in our country, I think the principles are worth discussing. What are you bringing to the table?
By this question, I am not only referring to your financial means. The scripture above, was not actually referring to money, but is speaking about what Leah thought she was bringing to her marriage to Jacob. And she acknowledged that that dowry came from God. Today, we have a lot of women who assume that their knight in shining armor is going to come and take care of everything economically for the household. And some men, also, think that it is their responsibility alone to do so. However, a wise woman builds her house, according to Proverbs 14:1. If you are not bringing something, then you are putting a lot of pressure on your man to do it all. But you also have to know what you are working with.
In dowry situations, a man was going to work with the dowry to help ease the burden of setting up the new household. The more he had to work with, the better they may be in the long run. There are two things working here: First, the woman had to have something to work with. Second, the man had to know how to work it. If you already know what you are working with, not every man is worthy of working it. But you (ladies) have to know the difference. There is nothing worse than giving somebody something of yours that they just jack up later. It’s like inviting someone into your house who comes in and puts holes in the wall all over the place. Or takes your car and goes joyriding and brings it back with dents and pieces missing. You don’t entrust your possessions to everybody, because not everybody can handle them properly.
Maybe you didn’t get a lot from your natural father for whatever reason, but your Heavenly Father has certainly given you plenty to work with. Regardless of your financial position in life, for those of us who want to be married, we have to know the value of what we are bringing to the table. And for those who do not yet know their value, perhaps you should not yet get married. If you are still willing to accept anybody into your life who clearly has no idea what to do with your dowry, then maybe you are not ready. You are bringing something to the table, and the man you say yes to, must know what to do with that. In your dowry is security for the family. In your dowry is protection for the family.
So what is in your dowry? God has given you plenty. You have gifts and talents that you need to be using. You have a brain that is useful and a way of thinking that can be of value to another person. You have dreams and goals that are important to the future of the family. Your man has to know how to work your dowry. All of it. If he cannot give you the space you need to be you and contribute what you have to the household, then he is actually holding himself back. God gave those things to you, but he will benefit as you share them with your man. And the better he is at knowing what to do with your dowry, the more fruitful your household could be. But if he is attempting to waste what you have been given, then he, too will suffer.
But I encourage all of us ladies to examine what we have been given to work with and use it to be of value, first to ourselves, then to a spouse. If you don’t know what you are working with, you cannot expect anyone else to either. You are worth a lot more than you think. You bring more to the table than you know. Just make sure he knows how to work with you. Stay tuned for part II. . .
And Leah said, “God hath endued me with a good dowry . . .” Genesis 30:20 KJV
The practice of dowries is ancient, but in some cultures is still practiced, today. America is just not one of them. Our marriage traditions seem to revolve around the wedding and not preparation for marriage itself. People spend all this time dreaming about what gown they will wear; how many bridesmaids or groomsmen they will have; what the reception will be like; what their pictures are going to look like; their hair; the honeymoon or whatever. All of that for one day. The marriage itself, is going to last a lifetime (supposedly). And rarely does that level of planning and dreaming go into what it will take to sustain the marriage.
Dowries used to be given to the bride to take with her into the marriage. It was a sum of money or property that would be given to the bride as economic protection for her and possibly the children in case something happened to the husband or they were to be treated badly by the husband’s family. It was also something to help establish the new household and give the husband something to work with to build their own wealth as a new family. Usually, the dowry came from what the woman earned prior to the marriage or was given to her by her father.
The dowry system, like I mentioned, is not practiced in the USA to my knowledge. We have some similar practices of things like bridal showers, or bridal trunks, but that has seemed to turn more into an excuse to give lingerie or floating candles and massage oil to the bride. And while those things represent the fun side of a wedding and even a marriage, they do not do the same thing as a dowry. The dowry was to help establish and protect the household economically. The bridal shower gifts are often for fun. There are also the people who give money to the couple when they get married to help establish the household economically. I guess that is the closest we have to that assistance. But usually, couples spend more on their wedding than they get in financial gifts and often begin their lives together in debt.
Since money is one of the major causes of divorce, wouldn’t it make sense to do some level of preparation for the economics of a marriage before the wedding? And that means that both parties have a role in making preparations. So although we do not practice the customs of dowries in our country, I think the principles are worth discussing. What are you bringing to the table?
By this question, I am not only referring to your financial means. The scripture above, was not actually referring to money, but is speaking about what Leah thought she was bringing to her marriage to Jacob. And she acknowledged that that dowry came from God. Today, we have a lot of women who assume that their knight in shining armor is going to come and take care of everything economically for the household. And some men, also, think that it is their responsibility alone to do so. However, a wise woman builds her house, according to Proverbs 14:1. If you are not bringing something, then you are putting a lot of pressure on your man to do it all. But you also have to know what you are working with.
In dowry situations, a man was going to work with the dowry to help ease the burden of setting up the new household. The more he had to work with, the better they may be in the long run. There are two things working here: First, the woman had to have something to work with. Second, the man had to know how to work it. If you already know what you are working with, not every man is worthy of working it. But you (ladies) have to know the difference. There is nothing worse than giving somebody something of yours that they just jack up later. It’s like inviting someone into your house who comes in and puts holes in the wall all over the place. Or takes your car and goes joyriding and brings it back with dents and pieces missing. You don’t entrust your possessions to everybody, because not everybody can handle them properly.
Maybe you didn’t get a lot from your natural father for whatever reason, but your Heavenly Father has certainly given you plenty to work with. Regardless of your financial position in life, for those of us who want to be married, we have to know the value of what we are bringing to the table. And for those who do not yet know their value, perhaps you should not yet get married. If you are still willing to accept anybody into your life who clearly has no idea what to do with your dowry, then maybe you are not ready. You are bringing something to the table, and the man you say yes to, must know what to do with that. In your dowry is security for the family. In your dowry is protection for the family.
So what is in your dowry? God has given you plenty. You have gifts and talents that you need to be using. You have a brain that is useful and a way of thinking that can be of value to another person. You have dreams and goals that are important to the future of the family. Your man has to know how to work your dowry. All of it. If he cannot give you the space you need to be you and contribute what you have to the household, then he is actually holding himself back. God gave those things to you, but he will benefit as you share them with your man. And the better he is at knowing what to do with your dowry, the more fruitful your household could be. But if he is attempting to waste what you have been given, then he, too will suffer.
But I encourage all of us ladies to examine what we have been given to work with and use it to be of value, first to ourselves, then to a spouse. If you don’t know what you are working with, you cannot expect anyone else to either. You are worth a lot more than you think. You bring more to the table than you know. Just make sure he knows how to work with you. Stay tuned for part II. . .
Monday, January 2, 2012
Doing The Impossible Part II
Doing the Impossible Part II
“But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?” Matthew 14:30-31 NIV
Peter was walking on the water. That is something that no one but Jesus had done. He accomplished something miraculous. I can only imagine what that must have felt like. To be out on the Sea of Galilee and literally walking on top of a liquid surface towards Jesus. With every step he must have said to himself, “Oh my God! This is really happening!” And then he takes another step. And another step. And then he sees the wind and immediately begins to sink and cries out for Jesus to help him.
How can you see wind? Isn’t wind invisible? The Bible speaks of something interesting here. It says that Peter saw the wind. But seeing wind is impossible. What we actually see are the effects of wind. We don’t see the wind itself. We see the natural consequence of what wind does when it blows. We see trees moving; hair blowing; objects in the air. We see the effects of wind on the material world. And the stronger the wind, the more damaging the wind appears to be.
So out on the water Peter was walking on, he saw the effects of the wind and got scared. He saw the natural consequences of the wind’s presence all around him and began to assume that he, too, should fall victim to the wind. But he was already defying natural consequences. People don’t walk on water. The weather conditions were irrelevant. He was already living a miracle.
As we move forward into a life of faith, we may find ourselves in positions where it seems impossible to do what we are already doing. It is true that what we are doing is impossible, and the only reason we can do it is because Jesus has called us to come to this place. In our natural minds, we can see the consequences all around us of what happens when others may try to do what we are doing and have failed. Maybe we see that naturally, when the wind blows, we should all of a sudden not be able to continue walking on water. Everything was good until the wind came. And because we cannot see the wind, we only see the effects of what the wind can do, we assume that we, too, are subject to the wind’s power.
But when we see the “wind” instead of seeing Jesus, we begin to live out the natural consequences of what should be in this circumstance. Peter only began to sink when he saw the wind. He took his eyes from the visible Jesus on to the invisible wind. He still knew Jesus was there because he called out to him when he began to sink. But he stopped believing in Jesus‘ power to keep him walking, and started to believe in the natural powers of the wind. Both were visible to him. The effects of the wind, and Jesus in front of him. But when the wind seemed stronger, he believed that is was, and began to sink.
I am currently walking on water in many ways. And there have been many winds that have blown my way and I, like Peter, cried out to Jesus for help. I knew Jesus was there. I knew that Jesus called me, but I saw the wind instead. And the wind reminded me that I should not be doing what I am doing. There are natural consequences to my actions and if I stop looking at Jesus, I will live those consequences. The only way for me to continue to do what I am doing is to keep my eyes on Jesus. How do I do that?
These days, Jesus is not walking the earth in his fleshly human form. I don’t have the luxury of seeing the person of Jesus of Nazareth standing on the water with me. But I can believe that this Jesus is still with me and continuing to call me to walk on the water. I already see the defying of natural law in what I am doing. And all around me are the natural consequences of what should be happening to me. I choose daily to focus of the Jesus that is calling me rather than the effects of the wind around me. I am already walking on water. No need to stop now. Sometimes I need to take a pause and pray and remind myself that if natural consequences were what God wanted to teach me, then I wouldn’t need faith. I could just keep living. But when God is trying to increase my faith, I will have to believe in the impossible. I will have to keep my focus on who Jesus is and not what natural law says. The moment I believe that natural law supersedes the spiritual one, I will sink. I will actually live out the fear. Once you walk on water you have to keep going knowing that even if you start to fall, Jesus will still catch you. But your faith will keep you walking.
With so many people making New Year’s Resolutions and setting goals of what they want to do this year, just know that if any of your goals is to walk by faith, winds will blow after you start to do it. It will be a matter of spiritual discipline and faith to continue to walk on water and ignore that natural consequences of what you think “should” be happening to you. You might need to step up your prayer game, increase your devotion time and lose some relationships but the faith walk is worth it. Do what you have to do in order to stay focused on Jesus and not the wind. The only way to conquer fear is with faith.
“But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?” Matthew 14:30-31 NIV
Peter was walking on the water. That is something that no one but Jesus had done. He accomplished something miraculous. I can only imagine what that must have felt like. To be out on the Sea of Galilee and literally walking on top of a liquid surface towards Jesus. With every step he must have said to himself, “Oh my God! This is really happening!” And then he takes another step. And another step. And then he sees the wind and immediately begins to sink and cries out for Jesus to help him.
How can you see wind? Isn’t wind invisible? The Bible speaks of something interesting here. It says that Peter saw the wind. But seeing wind is impossible. What we actually see are the effects of wind. We don’t see the wind itself. We see the natural consequence of what wind does when it blows. We see trees moving; hair blowing; objects in the air. We see the effects of wind on the material world. And the stronger the wind, the more damaging the wind appears to be.
So out on the water Peter was walking on, he saw the effects of the wind and got scared. He saw the natural consequences of the wind’s presence all around him and began to assume that he, too, should fall victim to the wind. But he was already defying natural consequences. People don’t walk on water. The weather conditions were irrelevant. He was already living a miracle.
As we move forward into a life of faith, we may find ourselves in positions where it seems impossible to do what we are already doing. It is true that what we are doing is impossible, and the only reason we can do it is because Jesus has called us to come to this place. In our natural minds, we can see the consequences all around us of what happens when others may try to do what we are doing and have failed. Maybe we see that naturally, when the wind blows, we should all of a sudden not be able to continue walking on water. Everything was good until the wind came. And because we cannot see the wind, we only see the effects of what the wind can do, we assume that we, too, are subject to the wind’s power.
But when we see the “wind” instead of seeing Jesus, we begin to live out the natural consequences of what should be in this circumstance. Peter only began to sink when he saw the wind. He took his eyes from the visible Jesus on to the invisible wind. He still knew Jesus was there because he called out to him when he began to sink. But he stopped believing in Jesus‘ power to keep him walking, and started to believe in the natural powers of the wind. Both were visible to him. The effects of the wind, and Jesus in front of him. But when the wind seemed stronger, he believed that is was, and began to sink.
I am currently walking on water in many ways. And there have been many winds that have blown my way and I, like Peter, cried out to Jesus for help. I knew Jesus was there. I knew that Jesus called me, but I saw the wind instead. And the wind reminded me that I should not be doing what I am doing. There are natural consequences to my actions and if I stop looking at Jesus, I will live those consequences. The only way for me to continue to do what I am doing is to keep my eyes on Jesus. How do I do that?
These days, Jesus is not walking the earth in his fleshly human form. I don’t have the luxury of seeing the person of Jesus of Nazareth standing on the water with me. But I can believe that this Jesus is still with me and continuing to call me to walk on the water. I already see the defying of natural law in what I am doing. And all around me are the natural consequences of what should be happening to me. I choose daily to focus of the Jesus that is calling me rather than the effects of the wind around me. I am already walking on water. No need to stop now. Sometimes I need to take a pause and pray and remind myself that if natural consequences were what God wanted to teach me, then I wouldn’t need faith. I could just keep living. But when God is trying to increase my faith, I will have to believe in the impossible. I will have to keep my focus on who Jesus is and not what natural law says. The moment I believe that natural law supersedes the spiritual one, I will sink. I will actually live out the fear. Once you walk on water you have to keep going knowing that even if you start to fall, Jesus will still catch you. But your faith will keep you walking.
With so many people making New Year’s Resolutions and setting goals of what they want to do this year, just know that if any of your goals is to walk by faith, winds will blow after you start to do it. It will be a matter of spiritual discipline and faith to continue to walk on water and ignore that natural consequences of what you think “should” be happening to you. You might need to step up your prayer game, increase your devotion time and lose some relationships but the faith walk is worth it. Do what you have to do in order to stay focused on Jesus and not the wind. The only way to conquer fear is with faith.
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