Love – Page 11 – journeywithgigi

Surgeon’s Scalpel

Hebrews 4:12-16 says God’s Word is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword. The word Paul uses describes an instrument very similar to a surgeon’s scalpel. There’s nothing sharper or more precise when it comes to cutting. Sharpness increases the precision and decreases the pain of an incision. I’ve never had surgery or seen a scalpel, but I know it is a powerful tool in the hands of a trained surgeon. It is designed to heal and help and so is God’s Word.

God’s Word isn’t a war sword or a butcher knife, but I’ve heard it used both ways. God’s Word, like a scalpel in skilled hands, cuts right between my soul and spirit. It separates the marrow from my bones, exposing my innermost thoughts and desires. Nothing is hidden from God, but He exposes those innermost thoughts and desires so I can see what He sees and begin to heal.

For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes, and he is the one to whom we are accountable.

So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.(NLT)

Surgery is necessary when souls, spirits, minds, and hearts are hurting. Recovery is often difficult, but I can trust and relax in God’s capable hands. I can avoid His Word and keep hurting, or I can agree to let God heal my hurt. The choice is mine. Surgeons and God both know better than to operate on a moving, uncooperative target. Patients must be ready and willing before they can begin to help them heal.

Christ came to understand my weaknesses. He faced all trials I face and many more. He came away without sin so I could come boldly to God’s Word and let His Holy Spirit use it as an expert surgeon uses his scalpel. God’s mercy, grace, and love are unfailing, and His Word is more precise than the best laser or scalpel in the hands of the finest surgeon on earth. That makes me breathe a sigh of relief, relax into His Word, and let God do what He does best, heal.

True Heroes

Psalm 16 makes me think about the qualities that make one a true hero. I applaud the daily sacrifices of those who chose to put their lives in danger to protect mine. The world is filled with such people, and I thank God for all of them. I realized yesterday, as I read David’s psalm, that there is another kind of hero I tend to ignore. David knew about heroes; he was famous for killing a giant when only a small boy. He gave credit for the kill, but I admire him for his willingness to do God’s will. That makes him a true hero like the ones in his psalm.

Keep me safe, O God,
for I have come to you for refuge.

I said to the Lord, “You are my Master!
    Every good thing I have comes from you.”
The godly people in the land
    are my true heroes!
    I take pleasure in them!
Troubles multiply for those who chase after other gods.
    I will not take part in their sacrifices of blood
    or even speak the names of their gods.

Lord, you alone are my inheritance, my cup of blessing.
You guard all that is mine.
The land you have given me is a pleasant land.
What a wonderful inheritance!

I will bless the Lord who guides me;
even at night my heart instructs me.
I know the Lord is always with me.
I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me.

No wonder my heart is glad, and I rejoice.

     My body rests in safety.

 For you will not leave my soul among the dead

     or allow your holy one to rot in the grave.

 You will show me the way of life,

     granting me the joy of your presence

     and the pleasures of living with you forever. (NLT)
There is joy, gladness, pleasure, and safety in knowing that God is right beside me. David knew God was always with him and had an intimacy with The Creator that allowed him to be a hero.
I stopped for a moment yesterday and thought of all the godly people in my life. I was taken aback by how quickly so many came to mind and how varied they were. While at lunch yesterday, I ran into one of my former coworkers. He was a janitor who took a great deal of pride in his work. He was, and still is, truly a godly man. After talking to him for a few minutes, I realized he was a true hero like the ones in David’s psalm. What a blessing to look into his peace-filled eyes and see a man who did difficult and dirty work for years with a smile and a gentle manner.
Heroes aren’t meek and mild in books and movies, but I see a glimpse of Jesus in those meek heroes who go about doing God’s will without making much ado about it. Jesus was a mild mannered man who didn’t live up to the heroic expectations of those around Him, and He was killed because of it. I’m glad God put Psalm 16 in my path this week to help me remember to stop and notice the true heroes that literally surround me.
A minister once told me that Jesus was a bleeding lamb; He is a bleeding lamb, and He will always be a bleeding lamb. Most want a hero who is a warrior, and they can’t wait to watch Jesus wreak havoc on their enemies when He returns. The world doesn’t like a meek hero and probably never will, but God made it clear in the life of His Son that is exactly the kind of hero He has in mind for His world.
My Hero

The Builder’s Better

Hebrews 3:1-14 makes a clear distinction between Christ and the prophets. Moses was amazing, but Christ is God. Moses would agree that the Builder is better than the building.

And so, dear brothers and sisters who belong to God and are partners with those called to heaven, think carefully about this Jesus whom we declare to be God’s messenger and High Priest. For he was faithful to God, who appointed him, just as Moses served faithfully when he was entrusted with God’s entire house.

But Jesus deserves far more glory than Moses, just as a person who builds a house deserves more praise than the house itself. For every house has a builder, but the one who built everything is God.

Moses was certainly faithful in God’s house as a servant. His work was an illustration of the truths God would reveal later. But Christ, as the Son, is in charge of God’s entire house. And we are God’s house, if we keep our courage and remain confident in our hope in Christ. (NLT)

Churches, pastors, and teachers are wonderful and deserve our praises, but we must keep them in their proper places. God deserves more praise than His houses, messengers, and teachers, and He must get all the glory. He is the Builder, and His Son is in charge of His entire house. It’s human nature to want something concrete to worship, but Paul is warning us not to get the building and the builder confused. The Builder loves His buildings, and He dearly loves His messengers and teachers. He wants us to have a loving church family and home. He created us for community, and we are lost without a connection to fellow believers.

A friend of mine has a relative battling cancer, and she told me she didn’t know how she will do it without the support of a loving church family. I agreed and am thankful to have close connections to many who love God along side me. I would surely be adrift without them. I thank God for faithful servants who illustrate God’s truth in a way that brings me nearer to Him, and there is nothing I love more than studying God’s Word and sharing Christ’s love with others.

Paul knew how quickly glory goes from God to other. It was, is, and will always be a problem with His children. When focus is on buildings instead of the Builder, they take on their own lives and compete for attention. Separation and competition quickly replace unity and cooperation.

There’s nothing wrong with a beautiful building or an eloquent teacher as long as they give glory to the Master Builder. Even with a small, simple building, there’s a tendency to claim ownership. No building or minister is immune to the problem Paul addresses. We all must be mindful when it comes to giving credit and glory where it is due. Claiming to be simple and humble is no nobler than claiming to be big and beautiful.

Most importantly, I need to remember that my body is His house. Verse 14 says it well, “And we are God’s house, if we keep our courage and remain confident in our hope in Christ.” Amen to that!!

Precious Thoughts

Psalm 139:13-18 is a beautiful image of creation that leaves me feeling dearly loved. I can imagine God, The Creator, gently knitting and weaving me in my mother’s womb and then carefully recording every moment of my life in His heart. I’m His beloved, and that changes the way I live and love.

You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body
    and knit me together in my mother’s womb.
Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex!
    Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.
You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion,
    as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.
You saw me before I was born.
    Every day of my life was recorded in your book.
Every moment was laid out
    before a single day had passed.

How precious are your thoughts about me, O God.
    They cannot be numbered!
I can’t even count them;
    they outnumber the grains of sand!
And when I wake up,
    you are still with me! (NLT)

Knowing God thinks precious thoughts about me is hard to grasp, but Christ and the Holy Spirit help me wrap my head and heart around knowledge that is too wonderful for me to absorb alone. When I look at God’s Word, one thing strikes me throughout its pages. He says over and over again in a thousand different ways that He will never leave me. I know God is omnipresent, omnipotent, and omniscient, but I have a hard time believing He thinks precious thoughts about me. My granddaughters help me understand this psalm. I find everything about them to be precious, and thoughts about them fill my life with joy. I love them dearly, but I know God loves me even more.

Most give David credit for this psalm, and I believe it is his work. His love for God stemmed from knowing God’s great love for him. David knew from a very early age that God loved him dearly. Knowing I’m loved so much changes me. Allowing my heart to grow deeply into God’s love frees my heart to be what He knitted it to be 🙂

I Haven’t Moved

Psalm 139 has long been a favorite of mine. Verses 1-6 reveal that God knows me better than I know myself.

O Lord, you have examined my heart
    and know everything about me.
You know when I sit down or stand up.
    You know my thoughts even when I’m far away.
You see me when I travel
    and when I rest at home.
    You know everything I do.
You know what I am going to say
    even before I say it, Lord.
You go before me and follow me.
    You place your hand of blessing on my head.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
    too great for me to understand. (NLT)

Knowing that God knows all about me is too wonderful for me to understand, but I’m getting better at letting go of my need to understand and learning to relax into His love.

There have been times in my journey when I was far away from God, but He knew my thoughts even then. When I think of God’s unfailing love, I am reminded of a joke I heard decades ago. You have to think back to the fifties and sixties before front seats were divided by consoles, and seat belts weren’t in use. It was the custom of dating couples to snuggle next to each other, and you would often see them kissing at the stop lights.

An older married couple were out riding one afternoon when the man noticed his wife was unusually quiet. When he asked her what was wrong, she complained that they never sat next to each other anymore. She longed for the days when they courted and snuggled next to each other. Her husband let her vent, smiled, and said, “I haven’t moved!”

God doesn’t move, but He still follows wherever I go. He knows my coming and my going and is more aware of where I am than I am. Sometimes the distance between us comes gradually, and sometimes it comes quickly. Time and circumstance cause distance in any relationship, but I can always find God because, like the man in the joke, He doesn’t move. He lets me wander off, and He lets me come home. He knows my heart no matter how far away I get. He yearns for me to be near Him, but He never forces me to stay near. He knows holding tightly only drives me farther away, so He waits patiently when I wander off.

God knows, before I do, when I’m ready to slide over and snuggle next to Him. He never says, “I told you so!” or “I knew you’d come crawling back!!” He puts His arm around me and lets His love do all the talking. God loves me no matter how far away I get and waits as long as it takes for me to nudge a little nearer to Him and live the life I’m meant to live. I suppose I will always wander, but I hope I get better at getting back quickly because there’s no place I’d rather be than in His arms.

Fear and Wisdom

Psalm 111 is a powerful reminder that the study of God’s Word is a delight. It not only brings me closer to God, but also fosters an attitude of gratitude and praise. New lessons are learned and old ones are affirmed. I can study alone, but, like eating, studying is much better when done with others.

Praise the Lord!

I will thank the Lord with all my heart
    as I meet with his godly people.
How amazing are the deeds of the Lord!
    All who delight in him should ponder them.
Everything he does reveals his glory and majesty.
    His righteousness never fails.
He causes us to remember his wonderful works.
    How gracious and merciful is our Lord!
He gives food to those who fear him;
    he always remembers his covenant.
He has shown his great power to his people
    by giving them the lands of other nations.
All he does is just and good,
    and all his commandments are trustworthy.
They are forever true,
    to be obeyed faithfully and with integrity.
He has paid a full ransom for his people.
    He has guaranteed his covenant with them forever.
    What a holy, awe-inspiring name he has!
Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true wisdom.
    All who obey his commandments will grow in wisdom.

Praise him forever! (NLT)
Paul Gerhardt’s hymn ” I Come With Thanks Most Grateful” is a beautiful paraphrase of Psalm 111. I love the English translation of last verse:
Fear of the Lord produces 
The first and only base for 
Wisdom that educes 
God’s praise, God’s shining face. 
How quick and bright the soul 
Who knows this way inspiring 
And travels it untiring, 
God’s praise its end and goal.
I haven’t spent time studying Psalm 111, but I found myself wanting to reach deeply into it yesterday. The connection between fear and wisdom intrigues me. I had an unhealthy fear of God for most of my life and even thought of Him as someone who would strike me down if I disobeyed Him. I realize how ridiculous that is now, but I’m sure I’m not the only one who had the wrong kind of fear instilled in them at an early age.
Fear of the Lord is awe, respect, reverence, and wonder. That’s the opposite of the paralyzing terror I once associated with God. Awe makes me want to know more, to dig deeper, and to grow in wisdom. Terror makes me want to run for cover. Wonder is the beginning of wisdom. Terror is the beginning of ignorance. As a teacher, I appreciate this psalm. Instilling a desire to learn is the goal of all good teachers. Threatening students and instilling fear is what the worst do.
Psalm 111 begins and ends praising God. The same should be true of my study of His Word. The more I read and study the Bible, the more clearly I understand what Gerhardt is saying in his beautiful hymn. He’s right! God’s praise is the end and the goal of wisdom.
Paul Gerhardt

Attracted to the Light

Isaiah 60:1-6 foretells the future glory coming to Jerusalem. A light will attract kings and cause caravans of camels to converge on the city.

“Arise, Jerusalem! Let your light shine for all to see.
    For the glory of the Lord rises to shine on you.
Darkness as black as night covers all the nations of the earth,
    but the glory of the Lord rises and appears over you.
All nations will come to your light;
    mighty kings will come to see your radiance.

“Look and see, for everyone is coming home!

    Your sons are coming from distant lands;

    your little daughters will be carried home.

Your eyes will shine,

    and your heart will thrill with joy,

for merchants from around the world will come to you.

    They will bring you the wealth of many lands.

Vast caravans of camels will converge on you,

    the camels of Midian and Ephah.

The people of Sheba will bring gold and frankincense

    and will come worshiping the Lord.” (NLT)
I love the image of coming home in verse four. A bright and beautiful scene unfolds as Isaiah tells of the radiance of the Messiah. Camels and caravans came to see the Christ child, and His light continues to bring God’s children home.
Light is essential for life. It was the first thing God placed in His world. Christ’s precious love leads me home when  I relax and follow His lead. When I think of His love, my heart thrills with joy. In a world determined to distract, the constant and true light of Christ’s love is a beautiful beacon designed to unite. Christ came so we could be one with Him and each other as He is one with His Father.
Christ’s body is broken into sharp fragments, but I suppose it’s human nature to want to control light, even His. It’s comforting to know that God keeps His Light shining brightly to help me find my way home.
This sunrise on Topsail Island reminds me of Christ’s Light. I see a cross in that sunrise, and I think Isaiah might see it too.

Heir Apparent

Galatians 4:4-7 says I am not only God’s child, I am His heir.

“But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children. And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, “Abba, Father.” Now you are no longer a slave but God’s own child. And since you are his child, God has made you his heir.” (NLT)

Each one of God’s children is His heir apparent. An heir apparent is “an heir whose claim cannot be set aside by the birth of another heir.” My inheritance is not in any danger when another child comes along. In fact, it is increased. The more, the merrier in God’s family.

Addressing God as my Father is powerful enough, but calling Him “Abba, Father” is amazing. It’s a term very similar to “daddy.” Not all fathers are daddies, and not all daddies are fathers. The term father indicates a biological connection, but daddy is all about love. God wants me to see Him as both, and that is beyond my understanding.

Last night, my son and his family were upstairs playing with one of the games the girls got for Christmas. There is no sweeter sound than the giggles and squeals of delight I hear when they are playing together in harmony. I know God feels the same way about His children. Living with my son’s family over the past two years has been a beautiful blessing. We have grown closer and learned to live and love together in one home. I’ll miss hearing those happy sounds when I move into my apartment in town in a few months, so I plan to enjoy every squeal until then.

God’s heirs inherit much more than money. He knows the greatest legacy we leave our children is love. I love my son dearly, and he knows I always will. He and Gina love love girls dearly, and it’s obvious they know they are loved. God’s love manifests itself in Christ’s precious love, and that love is passed on to His heirs through His Holy Spirit. As we accept His love, we enter into a family that stretches to every corner of this world. His love means I am no longer a slave. It means He is my Abba, Father. My daddy!

Psalm 29 reminds me that God’s power brings peace, Galatians 4 reminds me that Abba, Father’s love frees my heart from slavery. I needed both the lessons this week because I caught myself slipping into fear and forgetting Who’s my Daddy. As always, God’s Word brought me back to the sweet peaceful freedom of His presence.

Photo Credit: thedailyverses.blogspot.com

Glory Be!!

Psalm 29 reminds me of God’s power and glory.

Honor the LORD, you heavenly beings; honor the LORD for his glory and strength.

Honor the LORD for the glory of his name.

Worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness.

The voice of the LORD echoes above the sea.

The God of glory thunders.

The LORD thunders over the mighty sea.

The voice of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the LORD is majestic.

The voice of the LORD splits the mighty cedars; the LORD shatters the cedars of Lebanon.

He makes Lebanon’s mountains skip like a calf; he makes Mount Hermon leap like a young wild ox.

The voice of the LORD strikes with bolts of lightning.

The voice of the LORD makes the barren wilderness quake; the LORD shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.

The voice of the LORD twists mighty oaks and strips the forests bare.

In his Temple everyone shouts, “Glory!”

The LORD rules over the floodwaters.

The LORD reigns as king forever.

The LORD gives his people strength.

The LORD blesses them with peace. (NLT)

God’s power isn’t meant to frighten me; it’s meant to bring me peace. With a Father as powerful as God, should I be quaking or shaking? Of course not! He rules and reigns over all things, and His power is incredible. He gives His children strength and blesses us with peace. Peace is the absence of fear, and David’s psalm reminds me that I need not fear anything or anyone. That makes me want to shout “Glory Be!”

God doesn’t seek glory; He is glory. He doesn’t use His strength to make me obey; He uses it to give me peace. His peace isn’t having everything the way I want it. It is the knowledge that God, my Father, is greater than anything in my path or in my head. When I embrace that, I relax into obedience and find the joy God has in mind for this journey.

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Gigi's Journey

Gigi's Journey

Gigi's Journey

Gigi's Journey

Gigi's Journey

Gigi's Journey

Gigi's Journey

Gigi's Journey

Gigi's Journey

Gigi's Journey