A little detour...looking for treasures...

The last few weeks have had some interesting scenarios...as I continue to read 66 Love Letters, I am paying attention, however, a few other things have taken priority.  

After hearing a friend share some of Oprah's interview with Barbara Brown Taylor about her new book "Learning to Walk in the Dark" I was intrigued, so I took the time to watch it.

In the interview there were many things that I could resonate with, so I decided to download the book on my Kindle. There are many quotes that I say yes and Amen to....but what really captured my attention was the first chapter of her book that starts with this scripture from Isaiah 45:3
                                      
“I will give you the treasures of darkness
And hidden wealth of secret places,
So that you may know that it is I,
The Lord, the God of Israel, who calls you by your name."
 
Recently in Early Morning Group we spent time with that scripture along with verses 4-7. It was beautiful to watch the Holy Spirit at work in each one of us as we paid attention to the things that were coming to mind. (I recognize that this scripture was spoken to a particular person, but for me, I asked God, how do You want to speak to me personally in these words...)

I began to think about what I would do in a dark room if I were looking for a treasure....I know I would go slow, I would pay attention to everything around me, I would "feel/touch" the things close to me, I would be careful, I would absolutely NOT run. As I pondered these things, I thought about life as it is and recognized there is darkness all around (for me, darkness many times is synonymous with evil/bad, including selfishness, pride, anger, judgement and so on). Then sitting a little more, this question came to me-so why wouldn't I go through life slowly, paying attention, "feel" or embrace the experience, be careful, and why would I run if there are treasures in the darkness that God wants to give?  Because I have feared what the darkness "held", previously I would do everything I could to avoid or get out of the darkness.

I sat some more thinking about my own times of darkness, especially over the past few years. Many things have taken place, one big thing is that I took a deep look at myself, discovering things with God that I really didn't like finding out. There were many times of dark places finding how unhealthy I had become. However, I know that I know, without that darkness I wouldn't be who I am today. The discoveries-the treasures I found in the darkness-strength, courage, speaking the truth in love-removing the dysfunctions that had developed and more-are things that are true treasures.

In all these discoveries in darkness, I can never say I felt abandoned by God-even when I was questioning Him, angry that I was in the place that I was, even when I questioned if I loved God-yup, it was a dark place for me-a necessary dark place.

It's like diving deep into the sea, looking for a lost treasure chest,  knowing you will have to "unchain it", struggling to stay underwater but realizing once you are determined to hold fast, you know what is inside is well worth it.

What would it be like to look at darkness as searching for a treasure? How would that change your perspective of darkness?

1 & 2 Samuel...more Love Letters

Two Love Letters that reveal Jesus and glimpses of a world without evil....

     "David grieved--he didn't celebrate the death of Saul, the man who tried to kill him-that is a new way to live."

      "David waited patiently for seven years as king over one tribe, knowing God had appointed him king over all twelve. He waited for God's time....not with manipulation, marketing, or better public relations management-that is a new way to live."

      "David invited his enemy's descendant to regularly eat at his table-that is a new way to live."

      "When Absalom was killed in battle, after deposing his father David from his throne, David cried, 'If only I had died instead of you'. Paul spoke similarly about his own people who rejected him: 'I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers'. Both men were willing to sacrifice their well being for others. Love had found a deeper place in their hearts than legitimate concern for themselves-that's really a new way to live."

Wow, that is a glimpse of a world without evil! After reading this, I certainly see Jesus in these men because of their responses to evil.  

Four questions that I want to reflect on:

How will I respond to an enemy, when it "seems legitimate" to celebrate? 

How will I wait, when it "seems like something is taking forever"?

Who will I have compassion for, when it "seems odd that I would care for someone that has no ties to me"?

What will love look like because I have allowed concern for others to be greater than my own?

Dedication~Determination....Love Letter Eight

The book of Ruth is quite an interesting story. Prior to this week if  I needed to give it a one word summary, it would be dedication. 

“¹⁶ But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if even death separates you and me.”

As I looked at it more the last several days, a shift  has taken place, now that one word would be determination. 

“¹⁸ When Naomi realized that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped urging her.”

I would say the book of Ruth is one of the easier books to read in the Old Testament (yes, there is a love story and a happy ending and that can make for a happy heart!!)  This week a new awareness in this book came for me.  Focusing on the determination of Ruth, I wondered where that determination came from?  As I read the first 15 verses, I had a clearer picture of where that determination might have come from. That possibly being the grief and hardship that came from the deaths of her father-in-law, husband and brother-in-law.  Once worked through (not that it is easy) grief and hardship can make a space for growth. I have said this many times-I do not like struggle or pain, but what comes from it can be huge and healthy.

I pondered what I have gained through grief and hardship, and I could relate to Ruth. A God inspired determination can form from struggling through some really tough stuff and good can come out of tragedy. I would say that determination for what is good and right would be one of those things.

When you think of the word determination, is there a place in your life that determination came from struggle? Maybe something else that built your character came from struggle.  What is your conversation like with God as you talk about what comes from struggle?

Joshua through Esther

This is the description of the next 12 love letters...
   
     "...the plot more than thickens. It gets heavy, confusing, encouraging, and depressing from one letter to the next. But a theme emerges: we're in trouble and God wants to rescue us. But we can't be rescued until we know we need rescuing and until we know what's so wrong with us that needs rescuing."

Have you ever been in a place of trouble and suffering, not wanting to be there, didn't understand why you were there until much later when you could look back?  I have had many moments where I didn't want to be in a place of suffering-as a matter of fact for most of my life in one way or another I did what ever I could to escape suffering.  I didn't realize until recently how necessary suffering is/was and the many things that come/came from it.

I am not saying that I embrace suffering when it happens, but if I am paying attention, in many cases,  I would not have grown/changed in places that are necessary for living  more of the life that I believe God intends.

I am so very thankful that the Lord will rescue in the midst of trouble. He loves us dearly and desires to rescue.

The song that comes to mind as I think about being rescued is Only a God Like You. If we choose, because He is our Father and Maker, He can be our Redeemer, Restorer, Rebuilder, Rewarder.

When you think of suffering, what stirs in you? What is your prayer like with God as you talk to Him about suffering?