The love of a mother

Gio loves his Mom!  “Mum, Mum, Mum,” he chants in his little baby voice, a happy murmur.  He keeps his eye on her while she works about the kitchen.  He cries softly but his wide smile quickly returns when his Mom picks him up and puts him on her hip.  When a new person shows up, he holds onto her and shyly tucks his face into her neck.  The relationship of baby and loving Mom deeply stirs this Grandfather’s emotions! When Bev and I were parenting, we had very different but complementary roles. She was the nurturing mother, I was the encouraging father.  When one of our little ones was hurting, she soothed; I reminded them that they could recover and move on!  My own Dad, while very loving, would pick me up and dust me off, telling me – “It’s a long way from your heart, son, you’ll survive. Now dry your tears.

God, Who is most often known as “Father” also says, "I will comfort you there as a child is comforted by its mother.” (Isaiah 66:13, NLT)  Sometimes I need a mothering God, how about you?  The Lord is an eternal Father Who holds my life secure;  the sovereign ruler –  true and good! But, sometimes I need to feel the Presence of His Spirit, the holy Comfort of a nurturing God.  We must not miss or ignore the full revelation.  Isaiah teaches us that the Lord is a nurturing God. "Yet Jerusalem says, “The Lord has deserted us; the Lord has forgotten us.” “Never! Can a mother forget her nursing child? Can she feel no love for a child she has borne? But even if that were possible, I would not forget you!" (Isaiah 49:14-15, NLT)  Hosea describes God’s love in maternal terms, too. "It was I who taught Ephraim to walk, taking them by the arms; but they did not realize it was I who healed them. I led them with cords of human kindness, with ties of love; I lifted the yoke from their neck and bent down to feed them." (Hosea 11:3-4, NIV)

Jesus looked over the city of Jerusalem, knowing her sin and coming judgement, and He spoke tenderly of God’s holy desire to love and comfort her. “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing." (Matthew 23:37, NIV)

Are you torn by temptation today?

Is sadness present?

Does your heart ache?

Let the Lord love you tenderly, like a mother.  To be sure, we err if we go too far and refer to God as Mother.  Some churches, responding to the whims of culture, expunge the paternal words from prayers and hymns.  There is no need to ignore the revealed Word in order to know and love God.  To be sure,  He reveals Himself primarily as our Father, as the Lord of Glory.  The Scripture does not allow us to fall into the idolatry of the ancient nature cults that worshipped the feminine.  There is, however, no wrong in knowing that God holds us near, that He knows our sorrow and pain, that He longs for us with a motherly love!

So, as I listen to little Gio love his Mama, I will take a lesson and let my God love me with a maternal love, too. I hope you will, too.

Here’s the word from the Word.

"My beloved friends, let us continue to love each other since love comes from God. Everyone who loves is born of God and experiences a relationship with God." (1 John 4:7, The Message)  

"My dear, dear friends, if God loved us like this, we certainly ought to love each other. No one has seen God, ever. But if we love one another, God dwells deeply within us, and his love becomes complete in us—perfect love! " (1 John 4:11-12, The Message)

_________

Better than optimism!

CBS News told the story of “Operation Choose Joy.” A family decided to face their Mom’s cancer with optimism.  At each chemo session, they dressed up – like superheros, Disney characters, etc – and spread laughter and joy.  Who would not applaud that kind of optimism?  They knew that laughter, by itself, would not cure their Mom, but they found some joy for the journey.  I remind myself on the dark days that "The sun’ll come out tomorrow, bet your bottom dollar that tomorrow there'll be sun."  Sometimes, however, optimism is not enough!  Mere optimism cannot change the reality, only our experience in it.  A sunny outlook will help us weather the storms a little better than others. But, optimism is limited by the source from which it springs, the human will.  “I can do this. I will overcome.”  Optimism is admirable! But, faith is better.

Faith comes from the Person and Promise of God.   Faith sees deeper, trusting a purposeful God.  Do you ever confuse faith with optimism?  Faith says, “He is working in all things to accomplish something for the good of those who love Him!”   (Romans 8:28)  Are we demonstrating faith when we make bold assertions about what we think God will do about situations we want changed?  If it just an expression of general hope, it is optimism.   If it is a conviction based on that person’s experience of the Spirit of God,  it is a statement of faith!  

Let’s not make the mistake of believing that if we say enough positive things, or if we force ourselves to 'believe' what we say with conviction, that we obligate God to act as we desire.  That’s the core flaw of much ‘faith’ teaching.  It is not about faith at all, it is based on optimism. I know that prayer changes people's lives.  My life is dedicated to bringing people to God and God to people.  I have experienced healing, provision for financial needs, forgiveness of my sins, and seeing opportunities created- when I  pray!  Even knowing this, I resist the very human temptation to demand that God act in a specific way to make my life more comfortable.  I tell Him what I think I need, as He has taught me to do,  and then trust Him – in faith – to provide the best for His glory.  

Bold prayers do not flow from self-confidence, but from God’s invitation.  God tells us "since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. … Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need." (Hebrews 4:14, 16, NIV)  Real faith always involves large quantities of humility, remembering that God sees what we can’t even begin to imagine!    

·         Did Job suffer as he did because he did not pray with faith?   No!   He suffered according to the will of God for purposes that he did not know and could not grasp, and yet that faithful man did not turn on the Lord.   Yes, he questioned.  Yes, he even challenged God to explain Himself, but he quickly became humble and confessed that God was Lord of all saying, "Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him." (Job 13:15, NKJV)
   

·         Did Paul go through hard times because he lacked faith?  To suggest that is absurd.   He reminds us that the sufferings he endured actually served to bring him to greater dependence on God!  “ It was so bad we didn’t think we were going to make it. We felt like we’d been sent to death row, that it was all over for us. As it turned out, it was the best thing that could have happened. Instead of trusting in our own strength or wits to get out of it, we were forced to trust God totally—not a bad idea since he’s the God who raises the dead!" (2 Corinthians 1:8-9, The Message)

·         Peter tells us "those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good." (1 Peter 4:19, NIV)

Do not settle for mere optimism.  Build great faith!   How?   

Get to know God - in prayer, through meditation, from the pages of the Scripture, in worship. Go beyond having a god (small 'g' intended!) that you keep around like a good luck charm, a deity you bring out to ward off 'bad luck.'   That's the stuff of religion, the empty tradition of human based 'worship.'     Give your life over to Him.   Tell Him that you are delighted simply to belong to Him, to be used by Him, to serve His purposes.   Does that sound frightening?  It should, for He is an awesome (in the sense of 'fear and trembling') God!   But He is also a good God.   Faith allows us to go from good to great in His service.  Faith lets us abandon our plans and demands to discover the adventure of being part of what God is doing.  There, in His will, is supreme joy that supersedes our situations.

Our word from the Word reflects the very heart of faith, a totally God-focused, surrendered, trusting life.  As you read these inspired words, ask the Spirit to breathe faith in your soul.  With real faith, you can move mountains.  "I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is.  May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen."  (Ephesians 3:14-21, NLT)

___________

Great Is Thy Faithfulness

Great is Thy faithfulness,

O God, my Father,

There is no shadow

Of turning with Thee,

Thou changest not,

Thy compassions, they fail not;

As Thou hast been,

Thou forever wilt be.

Pardon for sin

And a peace that endureth,

Thy own dear presence

To cheer and to guide!

Strength for today

And bright hope for tomorrow.

Blessings all mine

With ten thousand beside.

Great is Thy faithfulness!

Great is Thy faithfulness!

Morning by morning,

New mercies I see.

All I have needed

Thy hand hath provided,

Great is Thy faithfulness,

Lord, unto me!

Thomas Obediah Chisholm | William Marion Runyan

© 1923. Renewed 1951 Hope Publishing Company

CCLI License # 810055

Sometimes you just have to dance

I wish I could dance, really! I have been told I can, but it is my self-consciousness that stands in the way of expression! That same ‘fear of man’ does not keep me from expressing a radical love for Christ. Some may not understand my devotion, some may be of the opinion that my faith is foolishness. But, those things of are no concern to me. Does your awareness of the opinions of others keep you from losing yourself in whole-hearted worship?  “Fanatics” will find themselves treated to contempt similar to that which King David experienced when his worship overcame his dignity!

He was bringing the Ark of the Covenant back to the Tabernacle. The Ark was the symbolic dwelling of God among men so it was as if God were coming home. Overcome with joy, the king started to dance. Forgetting his position and his pride, he threw aside his royal garments.  There he was - leaping, dancing, and shouting the praises of God. His wife found his enthusiasm disgusting! The Scripture says that "Michal, daughter of Saul, watched from a window. And when she saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord, she despised him in her heart." (2 Samuel 6:16, NIV)  Coming to his palace, David expected she would share his joy. Instead, he found contempt poured over him like acid, as she spat the words - "How the king of Israel has distinguished himself today, disrobing in the sight of the slave girls of his servants as any vulgar fellow would!"

If you spend too much time looking around instead of up, you will cease to love God as you should. Instead of dancing for His applause, you will become a puppet; dancing on the strings pulled by others. You could read this and use these words as an excuse to offend everyone by insisting on doing your own thing regardless of others. I hope you will not.  Jesus did remind us that best expressions of love and prayer would be private. He pointed to the public piety of the Pharisees and sternly warned against making prayer and worship into a performance designed to impress others. Heaven falls silent when we start to dance for the crowd!

Never the less, when we are lost in His love, when we release ourselves to the Spirit of God: our songs, our choices, our prayers may well appear to be foolish, childish expressions.  When the critics sneer, we remind ourselves that is God we serve and we ask, "Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ." (Galatians 1:10, NIV)  His approval must be enough for us. It was for David. When his wife mocked his worship, he told her: "It was before the Lord, who chose me rather than your father or anyone from his house when he appointed me ruler over the Lord's people Israel-I will celebrate before the Lord. I will become even more undignified than this, and I will be humiliated in my own eyes." (2 Samuel 6:20-22, NIV)

So- dance, cry, sing, serve, love God – heart, soul, mind, and strength. He is Lord of the dance, too!

Here is the word from the Word.
"You did it: you changed wild lament into whirling dance;
You ripped off my black mourning band and decked me with wildflowers.
I’m about to burst with song; I can’t keep quiet about you.

God, my God, I can’t thank you enough." (Psalm 30:11-12, The Message)

_______________

Lord of the Dance

I Danced In The Morning (Lord Of The Dance)

Verse 1

I danced in the morning

When the world was begun

And I danced in the moon

And the stars and the sun

And I came down from heaven

And I danced on the earth

At Bethlehem I had My birth

Dance then wherever you may be

I am the Lord of the Dance said He

And I'll lead you all

Wherever you may be

And I'll lead you all

In the Dance said He

I danced for the scribe

And the Pharisee

But they would not dance

And they wouldn't follow Me

I danced for the fishermen

For James and John

They came with Me

And the dance went on

I danced on the Sabbath

And I cured the lame

The holy people said it was a shame

They whipped and they stripped

And they hung Me on high

And they left Me there

On a Cross to die

I danced on a Friday

When the sky turned black

It's hard to dance

With the devil on your back

They buried My body

And they thought I'd gone

But I am the dance

And I still go on

They cut Me down

And I leapt up high

I am the life

That'll never never die

I'll live in you

If you'll live in Me

I am the Lord

Of the Dance said He

Sydney Bertram Carter

© Words: Stainer & Bell Ltd (Admin. by Hope Publishing Company)

Music: Stainer & Bell Ltd (Admin. by Hope Publishing Company)

CCLI License # 810055