In Like a Lion

February is the shortest month of the year but it seems to last forever!! Then, as we emerge on the other side, March awaits us in all its raging glory! The winds blow, the snow falls, the mud swallows up anything brave enough to cross its threshold, the icicles hang sideways and the birds sing mightily. Crazy!

As I venture out for my morning walk on this mild March morning, I am reminded of what Paul said about “putting off the old man” (Ephesians 4:22-24) and also how he himself struggled with doing what he didn’t want to do (Romans 7:14-25).

Just as the seasons battle year after year, so we battle constantly over the sin nature. Our sin nature, or old self, is powerful, terrifying and sometimes immense. Sounds like it’s hopeless, doesn’t it? Our “new man”, the person we are with the help and saving grace of God is radiant, steadfast and enduring. We should hold godly characteristics like kindness, gentleness and humility. II Corinthians 5:21 says “God made Him (Christ) who had no sin, to be sin for us so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.” To be sin…Christ had never had a mean thought, never talked back to His parents, never stole anything, never kicked the dog, never was vengeful to anyone, been jealous or envious or anything! Then He became all that sin is. It’s ugly, full of guilt, hateful, angry, dirty and lost. Think about what your core self feels like when you knowingly have done something wrong. Now multilply that not only by all the things you have done in your own life, but what about all the people you know and all the people who have lived and died since Christ was on the earth.

It is incomprehensible what that must have been like for Christ and yet we take this gift of salvation and eternal life for granted.

Take some time this month of March to evaluate your growth and your battle. Is the Lamb of God winning that battle over the “old man”? Have you surrendered the battle to Christ to let Him fight for you?

Another Note On Surrender

Let me start out today with just another thought about surrender. If you have taken the time to let go of some of your life yesterday, I applaud you. Surely you feel lighter today, too. He takes care of everything if we let Him and when we leave it to Him. Paul is a great example of this and so is Esther. What an outstanding woman! How strong she was and how I wonder, that if put to the test, would I perform as well? No matter what the cost was going to be, she surrendered her will to live out what God’s will was. So what does it take to fully surrender – or to begin to surrender? Let’s go to the book of Proverbs 2:1-15.
Solomon was the last man that God gave wisdom to in such great measures and in these verses we can see a glimpse of that insight and wisdom. This passage sets us up with several action words that take us from the inception of surrender to its final release and clarity. He starts with “Accept my words”. The very first step in surrender. It sounds just so very simple when you read the words. Are they sinking in? Basics…”Though shalt not covet…” hmmmm. “Love thy neighbor as thyself”... Boy, that stings! Here’s one that gets tougher to do in this modern day…”Wives submit to your husbands”. Not very ‘woman’s rights’ sounding, huh? Another topic for another day. To continue in Proverbs, after we accept His words, He wants us to call out, cry aloud, look, search, store up, and then we will understand and find! What a collection of activity that will catapult you to your goal and into the pure joy of His presence.
Nature operates at His command. The tides come up and then recede, the sun rises and sets, the flowers bloom and the birds awaken the world each new day without grudge, remorse or apology. Something to consider.

The Art of Submission

Good Morning! No matter what time of day it is, I welcome you. As I am enjoying a bit of warmer day today, I am also aware of the winter closing in on me. It's kind of a lonely place in a way. The garden, that is. Everything is sleeping and getting ready for the big kick off in a few months! I like to read Psalms when I get a little down or discouraged or even lonely. “Psalms is divided into 5 books…It teaches us so much about God’s eternal love and care for us and how we should trust Him even in the day to day experiences of life.” Quoted from a footnote in my NIV Life Application Bible, which I got for myself during the Women in Missions retreat this past year. You can say, “Yeah, I know. Trust Him with everything.” How many times have you heard it? How often do you APPLY it is the real question! You can say how you have tried and you can even say that you DO trust Him with everything. However, also keep in mind that “He knows the secrets of the heart.” Psalm 44:21b
I would like to challenge you to begin looking for the point of surrender in your heart. To give you a visual, go to your most quiet place and lie down. Not on your back, but on your belly. Face down, hands outstretched, open your heart and let everything go.