Many years ago I saw a vision (or perhaps it was a dream, I'm not really sure which). In this sight, I saw two armies. One was vast, organized, and powerful. It was marching straight ahead, focused on the task of defeating the other army. Then I looked at the other army whose front-lines were about to clash in battle with the first's.
This second army had focused ranks at the front. Like the first army, they were intent on what was ahead. But as my vision panned and I looked further back in the marching ranks, I was alarmed by what I saw. As the ranks progressed further back, the soldiers were discussing things among themselves and not focused on what was before them. Then, further back, there were those who were even fighting among themselves! Finally, towards the back of the ranks, there were those who were turned around backwards, wandering side-to-side, or gazing far away. They were not marching in ranks; they were clueless that they were even moving towards something!
That first, hideous, organized, and powerful army was that of our enemy, coming straight at the ranks of the Christians of the world. The Christians were organized and victorious on the front-lines of battle, but were unprepared and unaware as the ranks were further from what was ahead.
My passion, grief, and heart poured out the next couple of hours to the first friend I found. "We must do something! We must do something!" We must do something for those who are marching into the battle and are unprepared for what is to come. We must do something for those who are fighting at the front to keep them on their feet and treat their injuries. And we must do something for ourselves, who are also in these ranks, to be sure we are ready for what is about to come.
As time goes on, each portion of the ranks of armies will find themselves on the front-lines. The enemy was ready. Are we?
"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his great power...Our fight is not against people on earth but against the rulers and authorities and the powers of this world's darkness, against the spiritual powers of evil in the heavenly world...you need to put on God's full armor. Then on the day of evil you will be able to stand strong. And when you have finished the whole fight, you will still be standing." (Eph. 6:10, 12-13 NCV)
12 July 2011
Ramblings on Grace...
Grace is a topic difficult to grasp. In the heart we can reiterate the congruencies of it throughout Scripture, know what it means to be in it, know what it is to accept it, and know that we can never earn it. However, in practice it's a whole other thing.
In our hearts the true acceptance of His Grace can be difficult to accept. We know in our minds what it is, but in our hearts do we practice it truly? I just this morning worked on a study that showed me my heart is off-kilter in this. I'm still trying to earn that which is freely given; still trying to make it so I don't have to receive it again. That's completely against Scripture! Grace is an ongoing, over-arching thing that covers us completely from the moment we enter into it throughout the rest of eternity. It can't be earned, it can't be avoided, unless, of course, we flat out reject it. We are fallen beings and it is by Grace we have been restored. It is by Grace we can approach our God. It is by Grace we are forgiven.
So why is it so hard to line our hearts up with our head? Why is it so difficult to grasp that which is never to be re-paid, indeed, never to be attempted to be re-paid? Is it our society that tells us we must earn everything and not accept anything freely? Is it the practice of a child trying to forever please a parent while failing again and again and again?
I've seen some examples in our life where we had to learn the lesson of free acceptance. Once was with my husband's Grandpa giving to him over and over from an abundance we didn't know he had. Another is when friends insisted I eat free at a restaurant even though I shouldn't have been the one to receive the free meal.
It takes humility to accept Grace. It takes humbleness to know that we've fallen and will never measure up. It takes humility to quit trying and to just receive.
I pray for that humility now.
Grace is a topic difficult to grasp. In the heart we can reiterate the congruencies of it throughout Scripture, know what it means to be in it, know what it is to accept it, and know that we can never earn it. However, in practice it's a whole other thing.
In our hearts the true acceptance of His Grace can be difficult to accept. We know in our minds what it is, but in our hearts do we practice it truly? I just this morning worked on a study that showed me my heart is off-kilter in this. I'm still trying to earn that which is freely given; still trying to make it so I don't have to receive it again. That's completely against Scripture! Grace is an ongoing, over-arching thing that covers us completely from the moment we enter into it throughout the rest of eternity. It can't be earned, it can't be avoided, unless, of course, we flat out reject it. We are fallen beings and it is by Grace we have been restored. It is by Grace we can approach our God. It is by Grace we are forgiven.
So why is it so hard to line our hearts up with our head? Why is it so difficult to grasp that which is never to be re-paid, indeed, never to be attempted to be re-paid? Is it our society that tells us we must earn everything and not accept anything freely? Is it the practice of a child trying to forever please a parent while failing again and again and again?
I've seen some examples in our life where we had to learn the lesson of free acceptance. Once was with my husband's Grandpa giving to him over and over from an abundance we didn't know he had. Another is when friends insisted I eat free at a restaurant even though I shouldn't have been the one to receive the free meal.
It takes humility to accept Grace. It takes humbleness to know that we've fallen and will never measure up. It takes humility to quit trying and to just receive.
I pray for that humility now.
26 May 2011
When driving home from our trip, we decided to make a side excursion to find a Barnes and Noble to get a gift certificate for our cat-sitter. This led to a series of clues that finally led us to a mall. As we were leaving, Jason asked if I had overheard the conversation at the coffee counter. A girl had mentioned that the mall seemed deserted, probably because of all the tornado warnings out. The other lady had responded, “Yeah. But they're all canceled now.” That was our second clue, the first being the storm chaser that had passed us on I-80.
Leaving the area we tuned into a station for more information. This was helpful, because about a half hour later we had the opportunity to practice the terminology we learned in the storm spotters training we took earlier this spring.
As we watched the storm develop rapidly around us, we were able to recognize several classic parts, and when I thought I spotted some rotation, I didn't stick around to find out. I hit the accelerator and hurried from there, knowing we were in the location the trainer had told us not to be in these storms.
Scurrying away from there at slightly above the speed limit, we hit heavy rain - the front of the storm. It was then that I kept hearing peacefully inside, in response to my prayers, to slow down. Confused, I wondered why, since we were trying to outrun what was behind us. But we could also see some impressive storm clouds in front of us, and modified our route slightly. We seemed to skirt all activity the rest of the way home.
Upon arrival, we discovered there had been tornadoes and large hail in the areas West and East of us (we were heading North), and we saw on the radar that the thin storm line stretched from Missouri up into Wisconsin. It was a solid line, except for one part. There was only one gap - the one we must have driven through. My prayers turned to praises as I realized what God's directions kept us from.
Leaving the area we tuned into a station for more information. This was helpful, because about a half hour later we had the opportunity to practice the terminology we learned in the storm spotters training we took earlier this spring.
As we watched the storm develop rapidly around us, we were able to recognize several classic parts, and when I thought I spotted some rotation, I didn't stick around to find out. I hit the accelerator and hurried from there, knowing we were in the location the trainer had told us not to be in these storms.
Scurrying away from there at slightly above the speed limit, we hit heavy rain - the front of the storm. It was then that I kept hearing peacefully inside, in response to my prayers, to slow down. Confused, I wondered why, since we were trying to outrun what was behind us. But we could also see some impressive storm clouds in front of us, and modified our route slightly. We seemed to skirt all activity the rest of the way home.
Upon arrival, we discovered there had been tornadoes and large hail in the areas West and East of us (we were heading North), and we saw on the radar that the thin storm line stretched from Missouri up into Wisconsin. It was a solid line, except for one part. There was only one gap - the one we must have driven through. My prayers turned to praises as I realized what God's directions kept us from.
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