I am fickle

"When I remember that God is Creator and I am created, God is perfect and I am flawed, God is pure love and I am fickle, God is good and loves me anyway, I rest and find strength in committing my life to His glory." ---Angela Thomas

Stained Glass Windows

People are like stained-glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in, their true beauty is revealed only if there is a light from within. --Elizabeth Kubler-Ross

Undo What I've Become

I haven't been listening to our local Christian station, 88.7 The Cross lately, but today I was in Wayne's car running some errands and it happened to be on this station when this song came on. I love the chorus:

Rush Of Fools - Undo Lyrics

I've been here before, now here I am again
Standing at the door, praying You'll let me back in
To label me a prodigal would be
Only scratching the surface of who I've been known to be

[Chorus]
Turn me around pick me up
Undo what I've become
Bring me back to the place
Of forgiveness and grace
I need You, need Your help
I can't do this myself
You�re the only one who can undo
What I've become

I focused on the score, but I could never win
Trying to ignore, a life of hiding my sin
To label me a hypocrite would be
Only scratching the surface of who I've been known to be

[Chorus]
Turn me around pick me up
Undo what I've become
Bring me back to the place
Of forgiveness and grace
I need You, need Your help
I can't do this myself
You�re the only one who can undo
What I've become

Make every step lead me back to
The sovereign way that You

[Chorus]
Turn me around pick me up
Undo what I've become
Bring me back to the place
Of forgiveness and grace
I need You, need Your help
I can't do this myself
You�re the only one who can undo
What I've become

Hezekiah

I have been reading in 2 Kings 20 about King Hezekiah who fell ill to the point of death. The prophet Isaiah went to him and told him, “…Put your house in order, because you are going to die; you will not recover” (v.1). Immediately, Hezekiah began to weep and asked the Lord to remember his faithfulness. Before Isaiah had left the court, God told him to go back to Hezekiah and tell him, “…I have heard your prayer and seen your tears; I will heal you” (v.5). God promised to add 15 years to Hezekiah’s life. Hearing of his illness, the King of Babylon sent gifts to Hezekiah, who was more than hospitable to the Babylonian messengers. Verse 13 says that “…There was nothing in his palace or in all his kingdom that Hezekiah did not show them.” As a result of his flashiness, God’s response was that everything and everyone would be carried off to Babylon. Hezekiah said, “The word of the Lord you have spoken is good. Will there not be peace and security in my lifetime?” (v.19).

These were my thoughts when I read this passage: First of all, was King Hezekiah sincere in his request that God spare his life? The Bible says that he “wept bitterly”, but I can’t help but wonder how I would react upon learning of a terminal illness and being told point blank that I was about to die. When I read this, I saw so much of myself because I knew that my response in this situation would be the same: “Lord, haven’t I served you? Haven’t I been faithful? Haven’t I been a good wife and mother? Why me, Lord?” Apparently, the condition of Hezekiah’s heart pleased God, because he extended his life by 15 years. I wonder if the promise of an absolute extension of life was more of a curse than a blessing for him? It seems to me that Hezekiah became proud and boastful in his remission. I’m not quite sure at this moment in Jewish history if the Babylonians were a very threat and enemy to Israel, but I would think that you would not want to lay all your cards on the table, so to speak, for an enemy or a friend. Some cards are worth holding to your chest and apparently God was not happy with Hezekiah’s showiness to the Babylonian messengers. Gifts or no gifts. For me, it is so hard to remember that everything I have is a blessing from the Lord. When I was a little girl, my daddy would remind me when I prayed to remember to thank the Lord for a roof over my head, clothes on my back and food on my table. As I’ve gotten older, those prayers have changed-mostly based on my circumstances-but I have forgotten the basics. It starts with remembering that absolutely nothing I have is “mine.” I am going to begin working on this mind-set.

Lastly, Hezekiah’s response for God’s judgment really concerned me. It was as if he was saying, “I’m okay with that (judgement), Lord. As long as it happens after I’m gone.” Did he not care enough for his family and descendants to be concerned about their future? Did he not care enough for his kingdom to prepare for the battle? It seems that he became complacent and carefree in his heart. I can’t help but think of how complacent I have become in my own heart for people who are lost without God as their Savior. I know that judgment is coming; I know that there is a battle to prepare for. And, yet, I haven’t done my part. For the most part, there is peace in my life; judgment will come after I am gone.

Oh, Father…for the grace to cover a complacent heart. Forgive me of my haughtiness and pride. Forgive me for not preparing others for your coming judgment. Thank you for the roof over my head, clothes on my back, and food on my table. Remind me, Father, that everything I have is a blessing from you. May You alone rule in my heart forever. Amen.

America the Beautiful

In 1893, Katharine Lee Bates made a lecture trip to Colorado. It was there On Pike's Peak that she wrote the words to "America the Beautiful." She said, "It was then and there, as I was looking out over the sea-like expanse of fertile country spreading away so far under those ample skies, that the opening lines of the hymn floated into my mind." Bates' poem first appeared in a weekly newspaper called the "The Congregationalist." There were several revisions before the final version was published in 1913. According to a source from the Library of Congress on Patriotic Melodies, "'America the Beautiful' has been called 'an expression of patriotism at its finest.' It conveys an attitude of appreciation and gratitude for the nation's extraordinary physical beauty and abundance, without triumphalism."

O beautiful for spacious skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the fruited plain!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!