Saturday, February 6, 2010
February 6 ... Leviticus 16 - 18 "Distance from Me"
Leviticus 16: 29 - "This is standard practice for you, a perpetual ordinance." It cost them a lot physically, mentally, emotionally to become clean. Standard practice. Oh my! Cost HIM everything. So what does it cost me? Keep thinking about the quote about my own "distance" iin order to stay in the daily race. I've been disturbed, dismissed disappointed...and what will I do with that? I have not been heard. The quote that I am referring to: "Distance from ME is the most lethal problem you have." I think my definition of happiness in this life is changing and allowing me to face the disappointment that comes by facing that this world can't satisfy my deep desires for some things to happen. Have mercy, God!
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"I am God, your God." As I'm struggling in a relationship right now, of all I read this morning, this one stands out. ... So does the quote you mentioned... "Distance from ME is the most lethal problem you have."
ReplyDeleteI would appreciate prayers this morning, if you feel don't mind. I need to remember Psalm 37:4... which tells us to... "Delight yourself in the LORD and He will give you the desires of your heart". Thanks!
Love, Angie xoxo
Ohh! I'll pray for you Angie! As I read your comment, I thought to myself---how many relationships am I struggling with deeply? 6. So, am I an unhappy person? What's wrong with me? Well, I'll always be dealing with my depravity and my stuff but we are bumping against other people's sins and sometimes it gets really messy. All I can deal with is my stuff and let God transform me. I get to thinking that if they just "knew" some things, they'd change. But this isn't about information, this is about transformation and I need it. So I'll pray for you in my weakness. May our Strong God show up!
ReplyDeleteRelationship. I've heard it said that when our vertical Relationship is in order, our horizontal ones fall into place. I don't know if I agree. It seems the closer I draw to the Lord, the more I am aware how far I am from Him in my sin. Like Isaiah felt, in the presence of the Lord, Woe is me. For I am a man of unclean lips. Immediately, the angel came and touched his lips with the coal and took care of the sin problem. Immediately. So he could stand in His Presence.
ReplyDeleteLet's pray for each other today.
Angie, I love that Valentine prayer you linked to on your blog.I pray for you,sweet friend, that you know His plans for you, to fulfill you and bless you with His nearness. Wished I could have chatted last evening.
Bev, I know that feeling of distance. I keep feeling He has set you apart for Him, and has a special portion reserved for you. Like the Levitical priests, your portion is the Lord Himself. You are in my prayers this morning for your portion, to overflowing bounty in His love and tender care for your heart. I'm praying your words over you for each of us.
Lord, don't give us just information as we read Your Word but transformation to Your Likeness.
Bev, your words really touched me this morning. I can empathize with how you are feeling. I've been there with some of the same people. Disturbed, dismissed and disappointed sums it up perfectly. I remember it well, unfortunately.
ReplyDeleteYet God says my most lethal problem is not what others do to me. It's my distance from God. As I've been rereading 66 Love Letters each day, that quote stands out and spurs me on to focus on the Lord, not on people or circumstances or disappointments. It's a constant battle for me to choose the Lord and not focus on what's been/being done to me. How sad is that, after all that the Lord has done for me??? I want to be able to face the disappointment head-on and truly say that Lord is enough for me. I'm not there yet, but I think I'm beginning to move in that direction. Thank you for the encouragement in the journey.
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ReplyDeleteBev, and all of you struggling today...I'm praying that God will let us feel His Peace through our storms. I was feeling supernaturally at peace this week and wrote about it as a poem. I wrote this before reading today's passages of scripture. I'm sharing a little of what I blogged about this on my Love Letters From The Lord blog.
ReplyDeleteHere's my thoughts in a condensed format ;)
*****************
Lev. 16:12-13a
"He will take a censer full of burning coals from the Altar before God and two handfuls of finely ground aromatic incense and bring them inside the curtain and put the incense on the fire before God;..."
Peace Abides
I've gone beyond Happy
And traveled through the Tunnel of Trial.
Happy stepped aside.
Joy hovered.
And in their place,
Peace abides.
I've prayed for this cup to pass from me,
Crying out to God in my weakness.
The storm still surrounds me,
But His Peace abides.
I can't hear the crashing waves
Beating against the boat.
I can't hear the splitting timbers
Straining against the power of the sea.
My God has covered me with His feathers...
And Peace whispers gently, "Abide in Me."
The stillness of my presence...
Safe here at His feet...
Gives me a sense of His holiness.
While I sleep...
My eyes close...
My thoughts drift away...
My breathing slows...
I sleep.
At His feet...
Though not asleep...
I feel the Peace that is Him.
In this overwhelming storm of life,
Only His Peace overwhelms me.
His Peace.
The storm comes...
My eyes close...
The lightning flashes...
My thoughts drift away.
The waves crash...
My breathing slows...
The timbers crack...
I sleep in Peace.
This Peace is overwhelming...
Defeating every tear and every fear.
It surrounds me like a baby swaddled,
And rocks me gently with a mother's love.
I am warm...
I am fed...
I am held...
I sleep in Peace.
My heavenly Father loves me.
His Peace is the holiness He brings in my storm.
Together we triumph and live victoriously,
Safe in the harbor of His Holy Communion.
He gathers me in His arms.
And the Peace that surpasses all understanding,
Abides in me.
by Deborah *twinkle* Dominy
Beautiful, Deborah!
ReplyDeleteDearest, Bev... I'm praying for you. It sounds so cliche to say, but seriously, you have been on my mind all day long. I'm SO sorry! I've been trying to think of something profound to tell you, but once again, I can't find the right words. I'm SURE your kids know how much you love them. I hope and pray you know how much GOD loves you, too!
ReplyDeleteDeborah... Oh my goodness... That is ABSOLUTELY beautiful!
I love you guys for being so open and honest with your feelings and concerns! Have a good night!
Angie
p.s. I remember when I messed up being a parent and disappointing my kids. I'd remind them that if I were perfect, they wouldn't need God. We WANT our kids to need God as much as we do! :)
ReplyDeleteLet me try this comment again. I just got back from Corpus and it was a really hard 8-hour trip for me. I was real sick the first half---appreicated your prayers. So grateful I was able to really enjoy my son at the basketball game, even though we lost! We're still in the play-offs. You guys are all dear friends and your comments bring tears to my eyes. It started with Twinkle's last post on her blog and a comment from Leah on Twinkle's blog about her dad leaving her a Bible he had journaled in. You know, when my 4 kids were little, every year I would take a brand new read-in-a-year Bible and choose one of my kids and journal about that child for the year. I did it for at least 10 years and planned to give it to my kids on their 18th birthday. I never gave it to them. I'm so struggling with evaluating my parenting over the years. I cared way-too-much what people thought. So grateful for the freedom in Christ I hold this day. Someday they will find those Bibles and know that their mom loved them more than I can say in words. And they will never lose my love. Never. I'm so committed to them and to pray for them every day. They are awesome kids making some great choices! I want them to find the Beautiful God we so adore! Asking and hoping I will find Rest and a Deeper Love to move into my family's lives. Phil 1:9 is my prayer: may our love abound more and more for our children and all those in our lives.
ReplyDeleteBev, wish I had read your beautiful words in your last comment for today's reading yesterday, but needed it today too. Struggling with my realtionship with my son, am in deep prayer for him and our realtionship. You've done a great job for your kids, one day they will realize what a blessing you are. You so forth our beautiful Lord so much. I see Him when I read your words or see your face in pictures. I will repeat..He has blessed me thru you over and over and this post and comment was used by Him from you for me. Thank you. Blessings and prayers for you....hugs...Love, Mary Lou
ReplyDeleteAnnie's Eyes - "Lord, don't give us just information as we read Your Word but transformation to Your Likeness." That is my prayer, especially as we read through Leviticus. Many days I feel like its only words for information and not the Word of God changing me. Thanks for this simple, yet powerful prayer.
ReplyDelete