For all the Present-Day "Floods"

Forty days and forty nights. 

That was what I always remembered.  It was how long it rained in the great flood that God brought upon the earth.  The great flood in which Noah and his family were spared; along with two of each kind of creature. 

Which is why just recently when my scheduled Bible study reading fell upon Genesis 7 and 8, I honestly thought I would just graze over it.   The story of Noah and the flood.  Oh, I know that one, right?

But how did I miss that the flood lasted on the earth for one hundred and fifty days before receding?  Or that it was many, many more months before the land was exposed?  This was a MUCH longer timeframe than I had really contemplated before.  I’m not sure how I overlooked that, but I did.

As I was drawn into the narrative again, this time I could see how Noah would have to exhibit patience as he followed God’s calling for him.  He was obedient, we see that.  He built the ark just as God instructed him, even when it meant that he was the only one working on such a project.  But he had to have been patient as well.  To be on a boat for such a long, enduring time….and of course with all of those creatures (and the smells that emit from many of them!)…with only his family to keep company…well, yes, I would gather that Noah was a very patient man indeed. 

And here I live in the midst of a world that travels far too fast to keep up.  A world where at the surface, many of us are flying by at warp speed.  In fact, the very nature of our current culture is to see who can attain more in a lesser amount of time.  Patience is not a worldly value (it’s a fruit of the Spirit).  And in my failings, I find myself becoming frustrated at times when I am asked to wait.  Even when I don’t mind waiting, my second thought immediately flies to “for how long do I need to wait”? 

And there’s often no clear answer to that.  How long do I have to wait, LORD?  How long must I sit still? 

It is typically in those stressful times.  You know, the long, drawn-out struggles that threaten to wear one down.  It’s the piling up of one thing after another.  It’s in those moments of stress and struggle that I wonder, “how long”.  I can’t remember a time when I asked “how long” in the middle of great joy or celebration.  I’m sure it’s possible in those instances, too, but for me it’s mainly when I become uncomfortable.  I’m looking to see how long must I squirm? 

And after re-reading Genesis 7 and 8, I think the answer is, “however long it takes”. 

Noah had to wait for however long it took for God to dry the earth again.  He had to wait for however long it took for God’s plan to unfold.  Even the largest blow dryer in all the land would not speed the process (yes, that is a silly thought, I know).  Noah could not make it go faster.  He had to sit and wait and rest in God’s perfect timing.  And don’t miss that God never left in Noah’s waiting.  In fact, the opposite is true.  God remembered Noah and was still at work drying the flood waters.  Even while Noah sat. 

So for me, too, I can rest in God’s perfect timing.  And when I am squirming and most uncomfortable I can rest in knowing that He is working.  He has not left me.  He has not abandoned the plans He holds for me (or for my family).  My ark has not sunk.  Most importantly, He has not given more than I can bear up under Him for.  There is nothing too weighty for Him.  Yes, too weighty for me because I am weak…but by His grace and His Holy Spirit within me, I won’t break.  It is because of my weakness that He will receive the glory.  I cannot do it without him.  I cannot walk without His leading. 

So in those burdens that I so badly want lifted, I will choose to wait.  For however long it takes to bring Him glory.  For however long it takes for His will to be done.  For however long He deems necessary to accomplish his goals for my life. 

Maybe it’s seconds or minutes or hours.  Maybe it’s days or weeks or years.  Maybe it’s a whole lifetime of squirming on this earth.  God is sharpening me.  He is knocking off my rough edges and making me look more like the person He created me to be.  He is unfolding His plan for my life, and through that, receiving the glory and honor that only He deserves.  He is not standing by watching, but I believe He is actively working, both in me and through me.  So as the battles come and I find myself impatient, I can realize that that’s my old self creeping back in.  That’s the old me that fears change and craves comfort.  The new creation in Christ (the reborn me) can cling to the Father, and like Noah did, wait.  I can trust in the One who sees the whole picture.  I can trust in my loving Father and then choose to joyfully submit and say, “I will wait.”

“For however long it takes, LORD.  For however long it takes.”


 

Filtered

In America, we filter our water.  We filter the air that we breathe.  We even filter the words that make it to our ears, thanks to the ten-second delay on live TV.  And many of us who have children in our homes, we filter websites and the Internet for those using technology (and rightly so).

 

But what if we filtered our thoughts? 

 

What if every time a fear or an anxious thought crept in, we stopped and filtered it.  What if every time we became nervous or uneasy about something, we paused and let those moments sift through a strainer; a strainer that would remove the impurities that don’t need to fester within our minds. 

God’s Word tells us:

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. (Philippians 4:8)

If these truths were the filter we let our thoughts pour through, oh how better off we would be!  God knows our hearts and He knows our minds.  He knows how we get tempted and how we fall short.  He knows how sin often begins as a simple thought.  But He reminds us to be aware of our thoughts and to filter them by His standards.  Fears and anxiety tend to melt away when we stop and focus on what is true and right and pure. 

 

What if we filtered our words? 

 

The words of the reckless pierce like swords, but the tongue of the wise brings healing. (Proverbs 12:18)

Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice! Strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you. (2 Corinthians 13:11)

The old “sticks and stones” saying is rubbish.  Words hurt.  Period.  What if we took the time to think through our words before we let them fly from our lips?  What if we stopped and prayed and then let those words be filtered by God’s Holy Spirit?  In many cases, fewer words are better.  For myself, I get into more trouble the more I talk.  I’m certainly guilty of not letting my words be filtered!  I say regularly to my children, “Choose your words wisely.  Are you honoring Christ with your words?  Remember that words cut like swords and they can hurt.  And it’s not always just what you say, but also how you say it.”  My challenge is to be a leader by living this out in front of them.  My challenge is to seek God daily, asking Him to fill me with His words; that they might also permeate my speech.  God reminds us that we are to encourage one another, lift one another up.  Sending those verbal expressions through God’s filter is a great place to start.

 For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.  He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him.  Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing. (1 Thessalonians 5: 9 -11)

 

What if we filtered our lives and guarded our minds and our hearts, paying more attention to what we fill ourselves with? 

 

Through prayer we can ask God to show us the areas of our life that need to be filtered.  Maybe there’s a distraction that keeps us from Him.  Maybe there is a blocking somewhere that dims His light, making it harder for others to see Him in us.  For me, it’s distractions of my computer or my cell phone.  God no doubt shines brighter for the three little disciples-in-the-making in my home when I am convicted to step away from the computer (or refuse to get sucked in).  Or if I temporarily “lose” my phone.   Their lights shine brighter, too, when I walk away from my distractions and remind them that each and every moment is given.  And I don’t want those moments to be squandered or dictated by distractions.  I want them to be filled with worship and love and family.  So I will consciously choose to fill our day with Scripture and praise songs and wholesome (fill in the blank with your choosing)…not because I am trying to be a “rule keeper” or lead some ideal of what I think a Christian should look like, but because when I saturate my life with God’s teachings, I find true joy, peace, and laughter.  He is my source.  And I see Him more clearly when I filter out what the world throws at me.

 

And so you’ve read this far and maybe you’re thinking…..yeah, it sounds nice, but I’m not sure I can get there.  I get that.  Because Monday happens and the dog pukes repeatedly behind your bed (and just out of arms reach), no one is enjoying the meal you just spent two hours preparing, and your whole family gets quarantined with the FLU.  Your thoughts are flying all over the place, your words are not joyful (and at times ugly and harsh), and quite frankly the only thing you’re ready to fill yourself with is anything that will help you escape.  Even if only briefly.  

 

Oh, loved one, let God fill you!  Pray and ask for guidance.  We are not enough.  When left to ourselves, we fester with all kinds of impure, selfish thoughts and words.   Let Him be your filter!   Pour over God’s truths; finding encouragement in the Bible, and ultimately finding perfect example in Christ.  And then remember that you alone will never be perfect on this earth, you’re going to stumble and trip and fail; and that’s OK!   Stop and listen.  Search and seek.  Pause.   And then ask our Heavenly Father to help remove those tainted areas that rob of His joy and everlasting peace.  Ask His Holy Spirit to help be the filter needed to separate out the ugly and bring Him the glory and praise and honor that He rightly deserves (through our thoughts, by our words, and in our lives).  And be reminded we are all a work in progress, not an overnight fix.  These are ongoing challenges.  But by His grace, you can persevere! 

 

And if you will, please excuse me, while I quietly read these written words over and over again….as I am most clearly incriminating and speaking to myself here.  

 

Father, please show me the areas of my life that remain unfiltered.  Help me to humbly surrender those to you, knowing that only you can take my life and mold it into something that reflects your Son, our Savior and King, Jesus Christ.  I am a work in progress.  Use me boldly for your Kingdom.  And if “filtering” helps me to reflect you more in my walk, then please provide me the tools necessary and the humility to actually use them.  In Jesus Name I pray, Amen. 

Reaching Outward

I need reminders.  Often. 

Twice this week I was reminded of reaching outward when things seem to be amiss inward.  It’s easy to get caught up in personal “mountains”, big or small, and then before you know it they are magnified to the point that you are frozen.  You become consumed by them.  It’s what you think about day in and day out.  Your attitude changes.  You can’t see past your struggle.  You become stuck.

I’ve been in a self-described “funk” recently.  I couldn’t quite put my finger on exactly how to express it, but I just felt worn out and tired.  There were days I had trouble sleeping.  I would become emotional.

I kept saying it must be from the added pressure of my oldest son’s new allergy.  He is literally allergic to cold.  And with winter quickly approaching, I find myself at times uneasy; restless.  It’s exhausting to constantly check the indoor and outdoor temperature.  I have to consistently regulate his allergy medicine and also carry emergency equipment in the event of a severe reaction.  I have to remind him to dry off quickly and completely after a shower and to not delay in dressing, because recently he reacted with hives after bathing from the cooling of water droplets on his body.  I have to stress to him why he needs to wear those gloves and hat and jacket, even if no one else at the park is covered up.  We don’t shop long in the cold sections of grocery stores anymore, that is, if I even take him with me.  We only drive with the windows down if it’s above 70 degrees (otherwise he becomes itchy).  I have to remember to remind every adult or babysitter who may care for him that any injuries have to be treated specially, because being allergic to cold means being allergic to ice packs (it’s our instinct to put ice on an injury, no?).  And I cry sometimes when I watch the weather reports.  Especially if there is a chance of snow. 

So I have been reading God’s Word and praying and asking others to pray for me.  And then as soft as a whisper…

Crystal, it’s not about YOU.

The very moment I placed my eyes on me, I took my eyes off of Christ.

This week an email circulated through my homeschooling co-op group.  A person I have yet to meet has invited others to join in on making new winter hats to be donated to a local hospital.  These hats are for cancer patients who have lost their hair due to chemotherapy treatments.  These hats are to serve as warmth; to keep out the cold.  These hats are to ease just one of the many, many burdens that a cancer patient may face while living in a mid-Atlantic state where indeed the temperatures are beginning to drop off.

I jumped at the project for two reasons.  One, what a great cause!  Two, I love to craft; and this one looked easy and like something I could really do.  Mind you I have never knitted anything in my life, but for some reason I ran to the store to get supplies.  I even took the kids to help pick out yarn.  As I sat the other night knitting a soft, warm, winter hat I realized that this project is changing me.  Somehow, this project is warming me, too.  It’s helping the coldness in my heart to be refocused.  It’s helping me to finally put my finger on what has been the source of my “funk” lately. 

I am afraid of the cold.  In fact, to even think about my son suffering, I have somehow become terrified of the cold.  Literally terrified. 

And there is that whisper again. 

See, Crystal, it’s not about you.  But I understand and still love you.  And I’m here. 

One of the best remedies for being caught up in self-pity, is to reach out to others.  Take the time to pour out love on another in need.  Christ poured out His love so that the world could be redeemed.  Through Him, can’t we joyfully pour out His love to those around us?  Wouldn't that help us finally see past our own "mountains"?

This newly presented project is becoming a family affair.  My son is also now making a hat.  In his favorite color.  Together we are pushing out the cold.  Through continued prayer and by God’s grace, we are turning the very fears of our hearts into a practical outreach and pouring of His love on those in far, far greater need. 

Most importantly, we are remembering that it’s not about US.    

Which is so worth being reminded of.