December 9

“Blessings come as a result of obedience.  When you walk closely with the Lord, blessings will come, regardless of whether you seek them.  Blessings from your obedience will also come to those around you--to your children and to your grandchildren.”  H. Blackaby, Experiencing God Day-by-Day, 11/20

I’ve been thinking more about this idea that life here on earth is just the rehearsal for the real thing--Heaven.  My youngest son is part of the Tech Crew for the upcoming high school play and has been at a lot of rehearsals.  This is the week of the play so they’ve been there every night.  He was supposed to be done at 10:00, but it was 11:00 by the time he came out to the car.  Fortunately, he’d called to say they were running late and not to come until 10:20, so I didn’t have to wait outside in the cold car the whole hour.  I asked why they ran so late.  He said they got started late because the actors were dallying beforehand.  This is what happens in our “life rehearsal” as well.  We will often have to pay the consequences of others’ behavior because not everyone plays their part according to God’s plan.  But God will bless us for our obedience no matter what.  While I waited patiently, I turned on the Christian radio station and was blessed by the music and the message I heard.  I saw another parent go in and “drag out” his daughter before they were done.  I was glad I didn’t feel I needed to do the same.  The young girl, I’m sure, was not happy about leaving the rest of the cast in the lurch.

“Blessed are the humble [poor in spirit], for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”  Matthew 5:3

August 31

“You may be broken now because something in life has passed you by.  If so, let your ‘ointment of spikenard very precious” be spilled on Jesus as a love-offering.”  Eugenia Price, S.P.S., 8/28

Eugenia is talking about the woman who washed Jesus’ feet with her tears and dried them with her hair.  In order to do this she had to break the alabaster box.  This is the brokenness that allows the ointment to come forth.  But in order for our tears to become a love offering we have to get up close to Jesus.  This is the only way our suffering can be used by God.  I see the woman’s tears as something she “couldn’t help” while using her hair to dry his feet was an act of service on her part.  What is even more amazing to me was it came quite naturally.  It wasn’t something she had planned out.  She never could have foreseen the need to dry his feet because she had not planned her tears.  The tears were the response to her brokenness.  This is a good picture for me.  God is showing me that most of my energy has been used up in my attempt to discern if it's the right thing to do or not!  Instead, it is my willingness to be broken that God uses as He sees fit, and once He does, my acts of service come quite naturally.  There is no mental burden in doing something that is obvious, if God is in it.  I see another lesson in this story that parallels my life. I’ve been cutting my hair shorter and shorter over these hot and humid summer months--and now I have no “hair” with which to dry Jesus’ feet.   Not only must we be willing to be broken for Jesus, we must not “cut off” the resources God has given us to serve Him.

“Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”  Matthew 5:3