Tag: spiritual growth

Smoke Gets in Your Eyes

Posted on by Karyn Jeffrey

Here in the West we have had days and weeks of smoke hanging heavy in our skies from the fires that have ravaged huge numbers of forests, fields, homes and lives. The pall of smoke has been miserable and in many situations downright dangerous. Our air quality went to “hazardous” and stayed that way for days. Even while staying indoors my eyes stung, my head clogged and even my mental outlook was clouded by the gloomy overcast that kept the sun hidden, the sky murky. This is such a vivid picture of our spiritual condition when we are not looking to God for His pure “breath of life.”

I have been enduring the actual smoke but also a spiritual “smoke haze”. My pre-occupation with social media accounts, computer games, and all the political upheaval have distracted me from clear view of the glory of my God. It is a dangerously toxic spiritual smoke haze. Consequently my focus on the here and now has blurred my spiritual vision, clogged my mind, and nearly paralyzed me with anxiety. Every aspect of the spiritual smoke haze has me walking farther and farther from Jesus’s side.

Don’t get me wrong. These things are not sinful or wrong, but they have become my focus. They have covered my gaze with toxic spiritual smoke. There is an old song titled “Turn Your Eyes upon Jesus.” It goes like this:

Turn your eyes upon Jesus
Look full in His wonderful face
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of His glory and grace

 

Oh soul are you weary and troubled?
No light in the darkness you see?
There’s light for a look at the Savior
And life more abundant and free

 

Through death into life everlasting
He passed and we follow Him there
O’er us sin no more hath dominion
For more than conquerors we are

                                                             Is your gaze on Jesus?

 

You can listen to the song sung by Lauren Daigle here:

 

This song reminds me that my gaze has been in the wrong direction. I need the Holy Spirit to blow away the smoke of Satan’s lies, and distractions. I need the breath of God to revitalize me. God tells me he will give me clean, fresh, spiritual air:

“I will put my Spirit [Breath] within you and you will come to life…” Ezekiel 37:14

I cry out to God for clear vision of my beloved Jesus.

“See how great a love the Father has bestowed on jus, that we would be called children of God; and such we are…Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is.”  I John 3:1, 2

I ask Him for more of Jesus as Living Water to sooth my parched throat.

“Whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.” John 4:14

I call for His Word of wisdom to break the clogs of wrong thinking.

“O send out Your light and Your truth, let them lead me; Let them bring me to Your holy hill and to your dwelling places…to God my exceeding joy…” Psalm 43:3, 4

I beg Him to whisper to me again that I am in His care and under His protection no matter the day’s alarming news.

“He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty…He will cover you with His pinions, and under His wings you may seek refuge; His faithfulness is a shield and bulwark.” Psalm 91: 1, 4

My soul cries “Come, Lord Jesus!”

““I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.” The Spirit and the bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who wishes take the water of life without cost.” Revelation 22: 16, 17

QUESTION: Is your spiritual vision clouded by Satan’s smoke of lies and distraction? What will you do now to “turn your eyes upon Jesus?”

Honor- An Anniversary Reflection

Posted on by Karyn Jeffrey
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!

A few days ago my beloved husband and I celebrated a big milestone anniversary. Thinking about the days and years that brought us to this occasion has been very profitable to my own daily life. Let me explain. Here in the West we mark significant occasions with many kinds of celebration or commemoration. The hallmark of these is ‘honor.’ We participate in the solemn ceremony and vows of marriage, mourn the death of a loved one at a funeral with various memories and words. Cities and nations honor fallen heroes and great leaders with parades, speeches, statues or even naming streets, buildings, and bridges after them. As we participate in these events, we take time to give honor—respect and recognition of the worthiness of another.

When we reflect on the day of our marriage, or celebrate in ceremony the worthiness of a person who has accomplished much, or are reminded of a loved one’s passing, we think about the noble, good and right things of that marriage union, the work of the hero and the life of the deceased. This is a satisfying exercise of thought. So it is with our honoring of God. We reflect on Him and His work in the world even as we celebrate and commemorate life events.

But even more helpful, I think, is the thought of places in those relationships and lives that were less than good.  Looking back on my marriage, I am reminded of the continuing need to  “… as [one] who [has] been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentle ness and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other…just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you.” Colossians 3: 12-13.  In the ups and downs and daily frustrations involved in living with other human beings, this is really hard. Being changed into the image of Jesus is not a painless or simple “one and done” operation. It is an on-going work of choosing to be like Him in attitude, action and words. Giving up my need to be right, or have my needs met is so contrary to my still-fallen human nature. But thanks to my Heavenly Father, the work is happening! These many years have be marked by lots of “head-butting” and exasperation but God has used those situations to deal with me and is making me more aware of my need of Him to change my heart. I praise Him and own the truth that if it had not been for His kind work in my heart, my marriage would have ended years ago. Because of His grace, I have been blessed with the joy of companionship and love afforded by the bond of matrimony for many years. For this I honor God.

So as I reflect on this anniversary, or think of a loved one’s death on the anniversary of his passing or I join in the ceremony of remembering horrific events like 9/11, I am reminded of God’s sovereign reign over all things, His love and blessing to me and others and I praise Him for the lessons He has taught me through the good and bad of these things.

Choose to honor God by acknowledging HIS might and goodness in all things

There are so many ways to be reminded to praise God for all He is and does. The birth of a baby, the delight in graduation from school, the pain of loss in the face of natural disaster or man-made misery, all call me to remember that God is on His throne. In His almighty power and wisdom, He is still in control. He loves His own and has intimate concern with every part of His good creation. He has plans for every turn of human events even when we see them as mysterious and inscrutable. He is using all my circumstances and all the events of my life to make me more like my Lord Jesus Christ.

As I celebrate my wedding anniversary, attend funeral services for my dead friend, or participate in Memorial Day Celebrations at the Veteran’s Cemetery, I am reminded of the honor due those who are the focus of the events. But even more I am reminded to honor God, the One who brings every occasion to pass. I honor Him as “The Blessed Controller of All Things” and rest in joyful peace knowing that He is “…working all things together for good to those who love God to those who are called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28

Question: What life events and world troubles turn your heart to God? Have you pondered the ways God is using and has used these circumstances to draw you to a rich and eternal relationship with Himself through Jesus Christ? Will you honor and praise Him today for the good and bad of your life?

 

Does Love Enthrall?

Posted on by Karyn Jeffrey

Here is another letter in my Alphabet of Love (see posts for July 12 and August 2). Check out the word “enthrall.” I’m not so great at pointed pen writing, but the word itself is fascinating.

The letter E

In preparing to letter the words for the letter E, I found the word “enthrall.” It is rather old fashioned and almost medieval in its connotations.

enthrall \in-thrȯl\ vt 1: to hold in or reduce to slavery 2: to hold spellbound: CHARM

I belong to Jesus Christ. He has made me His own by dying in my place under the curse of God on my sin. The book of Romans describes my relationship to Him this way.

Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, is never to die again; death no longer is master over Him. For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.

Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts, and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace.

What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? May it never be! Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness?  But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed, and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.  Romans 6:8-18

 

This Scripture really impacts me. The idea of being a slave is sobering. Imagine being a servant (slave) in the household of a wealthy feudal baron. The castle is a stone structure. Your quarters are probably in an unheated attic. You must rise before dawn, dress and hurry to prepare every need for your master.  Not one hour of your day, not one day of your week not one week of your year, or one part of your life is free from the whims and needs of another. Indeed, a difficult situation if you are slave to a kind master, but utterly miserable if he is a cruel, thoughtless or demanding owner. Life is an unending cycle of work which, at best, does not enrich you one bit. At worst, your life is a grinding, miserable endurance contest.

Now, think of what Paul is saying about our relationship to sin- and ultimately the tyrannous evil lord of sin: satan. “You were slaves of sin.” (v. 17) In other words, you were “enthralled” by satan. Every single ugly word from your mouth, every mean thought, and every dishonest action was part of your slavery. “the devil made you do it” –you were enslaved by sin and couldn’t help but sin. It was part of your spiritual DNA.

Romans 6: 17-18

But hear the glorious good news! You have died with Christ so death and sin are no longer your masters. Now you are the “slave of righteousness.” You are free from the wicked, misery of slavery to sin. The shackles of shame, guilt and consequences are broken. You are free! Free Forever! Free to love God and others. Free to enjoy the perfect liberty of Christ.

Jesus’ good gift to me of His life in place of mine has me enthralled by Him. I am His Love-slave. Oh, what a happy situation! I am forgiven. I no longer bear the shame of my sin. I no longer am tyrannized and unable to keep myself from sinning. Jesus helps me live rightly and in the way of Love. I am enthralled by Jesus!

QUESTION: To whom are you enslaved? The devil? Jesus?

Alphabet of Love- Part 2

Posted on by Karyn Jeffrey

I’ve completed several more letters for my Alphabet of Love. (For the first two letters see the post July 12, 2019, “Alphabets”)

the letter “C”
The letter D

The letters C and D which you see here have some words that stir my thoughts about love. Listen to the definition of LOVE as a noun.

“1: affection based on admiration or benevolence. 2: warm attachment, enthusiasm, or devotion. 3: unselfish concern that freely accepts another in loyalty and seeks his good. 4: the attraction based on sexual desire: the affection and tenderness felt by lovers.

And hear it defined as a transitive verb.

 “1: to hold dear: cherish 2: to feel a lover’s passion, devotion or tenderness for.”

These definitions cause me to think about my relationships with God, my husband, my mother, siblings, and friends…AND with “things”.  I get a serious nudge from the Holy Spirit. I am commanded not to love the world or the things of it. Arghhh. That comes uncomfortably close! My preoccupation with my clothes, my household furnishings, my car, my “expertise” at painting or calligraphy. Anything that becomes a focus in place of my allegiance to God is the wrong way to spend my “love.”

Now that I have made these art pieces, when I look at the words I chose much comes to mind.

Beginning with words starting with theh letter C there is much to ponder.

God’s love for me will never change. He is CONSTANT. My prayer: ‘Lord, help me love You in return with constancy.’

“For I, the LORD, do not change; therefore you, O sons of Jacob, are not consumed.” Malachi 3:6

I continue to marvel that Beloved Spouse decided to ask me to dance in that “social dance” class at college. I am indeed CHOSEN. What a happy thing it has been these many years with him. And even greater joy is to be called the child of God. I’m CHOSEN by the Creator of the Universe! Amazing!

“See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are,…” 1 John 3:1

The relationship between two people who “love” each other requires COHESION to weather the storms of life. Thankfully God has blessed Beloved Spouse and me with the gift of learning to “cohere” in spite of our totally different personalities and ways of doing things.

“But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” Proverbs 18:24

I am so thankful that God has promised to help me when I have no strength of my own. He will CARRY me in His bosom as His beloved lamb.

“Like a shepherd He will tend His flock, in His arm He will gather the lambs and carry them in His bosom; He will gently lead the nursing ewes.” Isaiah 40:11

God knows every thought of my mind and every trouble in my heart. He has given me His own dear presence as COMFORT in this fallen world.

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” 2 Corinthians 1: 3-4

And then there is the letter D. Let’s dive in to the ways “D” words develop our theme. (Pardon the alliteration… I love to play with words and sounds.)

Have you heard the song by Chris Rice Deep Enough to Dream?  He sings about dreaming of heaven. When I think of the love that God has lavished on me that will give me that deep and everlasting joy of His presence, I know love. His love for me is DEEP and it is such a wonderful thing to DREAM of my eternity with Him enjoying every delight of heaven.

Question: What comes to your mind when you ponder the words written by each letter so far? Can you see the connection to LOVE?

Pretend for Real

Posted on by Karyn Jeffrey

“Let’s pretend” is a phrase I used a lot when I was a child. I grew up in a quirky old house that had low walls and wide pillars on the front porch. One of the pillars had an old hook nailed to it. Coated by years of paint, its purpose was obscure, but we neighborhood kids, in repeated times of “let’s pretend,’ used it as the reins of an imaginary steed. Sitting astride the wall, kicking our heels and clinging to the hook we rode into amazing adventures.

Several trees marched along a lava rock retaining wall that angled upward from the front corner of the lot to the much higher back. We used the wide spreading branches of the old apple trees to be forts. By using boards scavenged from the decrepit garage, we laid walkways across the gap between the ever-rising sidewalk and the tree branches. Thus we were able to enter “tree houses” and pirate aeries. “Let’s pretend we’re pioneers” would lead to gathering weed grasses as “wheat” to make “bread”—mud “loaves.”

We used “The Green Thing” (an old green bedspread) as a theater curtain, a queen’s cape, a “coffin drape” for the “dead” heroine at the pretend “funeral.” My friend Mary’s un-used family garage was the venue for all sorts of “let’s pretend.” We would drape ourselves in friend Betty’s teenage sister’s old prom dresses as we performed dramatic stage shows.

The hours and days were happy as we played various versions of “let’s pretend.” It never really turned us into wild west Pony Express riders, jousting knights or rugged pioneers. And we were never movie queens. But in those games we took on a different “life” and played out imaginary life events. For a while we were able to be different than our usual selves. We tried out how it might feel and be to have that “pretend” life. Pretend is a tool that plays a vital role in a child’s development into adulthood. Imagining lets us inhabit and try out different realities. It makes us aware of what being someone other than ourselves might be like.

Now that I am a grown up, I regularly face the need to forgive another person because I think he or she has wronged me. The tool of “let’s pretend” has helped me come to a place of genuine forgiveness and healing.

When I have been wronged (or think I have) my sinful inner attitude of anger and bitterness builds up a wall of resentment that breaks my fellowship with Jesus and ruins my relationship with the offender. No matter how justified I think I am in my indignation, the Holy Spirit faithfully prods me to repentance. The Lord’s Prayer is convicting when I am honest before the Lord.

 

I am practicing my italic lettering. Just had a super lesson from the Calligraphy Guild’s president, Shelby. Learned so much, but as you can see, I’m not there yet!

When I get going in my outrage, I rehearse all the bad actions to myself. Thankfully the Spirit nudges me to stop and choose a different path. God desires me to be like Himself.

Jesus completely forgave those who put Him to death. He has forgiven my sin entirely.  So His desire that I forgive as He has is not unreasonable. Thankfully, He has made me a new creature in Christ Jesus and is in the process of conforming me to the Savior’s image.

So here is where “let’s pretend” comes in. When I am pondering and praying about my anger and resentment, I can use this “thought exercise” to change my response.  I can pretend that I like the person who has “done me wrong.” My imagination can help me pretend kind and Christ-like actions. As I pretend, my view of the “offender” changes. I can see what may have motivated the offending action. And the amazing thing about pretend is that it can help develop a new path, a new way to behave.

Of course, I will have to choose that path. I will have to make a conscious effort to forgive and let go of resentment. But imagining what a good path looks like or how a right attitude will feel helps me choose the God-pleasing, obedient response of forgiveness. The Holy Spirit is faithful to give me the strength to choose this good way.

Part of what helps me forgive is knowing that God will judge fairly in the end, but right now, My part is to choose to forgive, even if the offender never apologizes (or cannot). The Final Judgement will set all things right. I want to be right with God on that day and so choosing not cling to my bitter unforgiving attitude is the only thing I can do. And, joy of joy, my different, Christ-like attitude is not pretend! The Holy Spirit is making it real. He helps me give real forgiveness. And He works real healing in my inner man.

QUESTION: What are you clutching to your spiritual chest? Who do you need to forgive? Can you begin by pretending how it would feel to be living in harmony rather than sinful discord?

Faith- Really?!

Posted on by Karyn Jeffrey

Faith is complicated. And simple. Many times I’ve heard phrases like, “just have faith” or “I’m a person of faith.”  What does the speaker (or the meme-maker) mean? I venture to guess that the first suggests that the speaker is exercising “positive thoughts” about some desired situation yet to be resolved. The second seems to say that she considers herself to be moral, upright and one who thinks about “spiritual” things with some regularity.

what is ‘FAITH’, really?

 

But the truth is that FAITH depends on what or to whom it is applied. I believe many people are not totally clear about just what ‘faith’ means.

Here is the main part of the definition I found on www.dictionary.com.

Noun

  • Confidence or trust in a person or thing:
  • Belief in God or in the doctrines or teachings of religion.
  • Belief in anything, as a code of ethics, standards of merit, etc.
  • A system of religious belief: the Christian faith; the Jewish faith.

Notice that the first definition requires confidence or trust of something or in someone. Let me give you an example.

I can stand staring at a chair and declare most emphatically “I have faith that chair will hold me if I sit on it.” But until I actually sit on the chair, my ‘faith’ is just words. Until my action matches my declaration, I don’t really have ‘faith’. The one who has true faith knows what he believes about the object of his faith and is willing to completely trust himself to that object with its implicit message: “I will support you”.

In the case of the chair, we need to know how it is made. We need to know it will be capable of holding us up if we sit in it. If it is made of flimsy material or the joints aren’t glued or screwed adequately it cannot hold us without collapsing. It cannot support us even if we say with vehemence and stern authority that we have faith in it. If the object of our faith is untrustworthy our faith is useless and downright dangerous.

It is the same with our need to know just what it is that will happen to us when we die and where we will spend eternity. Many people have a vague ‘faith’ that their good deeds will outweigh their bad actions. Others think “everybody goes to heaven” with ‘faith’ that God won’t send any one to hell or maybe there isn’t a real hell. Others avoid thinking about the subject altogether. The truth is that we all will die and we all will face the judgement of Almighty God. Where we spend eternity will be the result of what and who we trust.

Eternity is long and the afterlife is real. A real heaven and a real hell exist. There IS a God to whom we will bow and answer for our deeds. On that solemn Day of Judgement what will we say? Jesus says He is the Way to a right relationship with God, but how do we know Who and what is Jesus? Can we trust Him with our soul and eternal destiny? I urge you to read the Gospel of John (especially chapter 10) for a clear answer to that question.

Being a Christian says that I trust or believe specific things about Jesus Christ that will influence my life and my eternal destiny. What is it exactly that I believe and trust about Jesus?  Upon what is my ‘faith’ based?

The Apostle Paul succinctly states it in 1 Corinthians 15:3-4:

“For I delivered to you, as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.”

God is perfect and holy, we have sinned and deserve His wrath as punishment. Jesus- God Himself- came to live among us as a real man.  He was crucified and God the Father laid all our sins on Him.  He died in our place under God’s wrath so we do not have to face that terrible judgement. He raised from the dead and lives forever so that we can have eternal life. His perfect life, His death in our place and His resurrection assure only those who believe in Him that they have been saved from their sin and will live forever. There is no other way to approach God and to be sure of our entrance into Heaven.

 “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way narrow that leads to life…” Matthew 7:13-14.

God urges you to seek Him NOW while you are being moved to approach Him. You don’t know that you will have the next minute of life, let alone time enough to decide about what you believe. Once you are dead it will be too late.

So if I believe this about Jesus, how does faith act? It takes God’s Word, The Bible, seriously. It hears what God says and obeys what He has commanded. It believes the promises He has made. We obey Him when He says “have no other gods before me.” Exodus 20:3.  We believe Him when He declares “the peace of God which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4: 7.  These are examples of exercising the faith we have been given by our gracious Heavenly Father.

“For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.” Ephesians 2: 8-9

QUESTION:  So do you just say you have ‘faith’ in Jesus without really being clear what it is that you trust and believe? Do you act on your faith? What does your faith show itself to be genuine?

What are the chances?

Posted on by Karyn Jeffrey

“What a coincidence!” “What are the chances?” So many times I’ve said or heard those surprised remarks when events have come together in ways that seem completely unlikely. Events that amaze us in this way make us think, consciously or not, that they have come about completely at random. My mental picture is of a galaxy-sized green felt gaming table with hands shaking a pair of dice, tossing them and “ta-dah: a pair of sixes!”

Is there really such a thing as “chance”?

But on serious reflection, my belief in God makes this silly picture utter nonsense. What I believe about
God makes and enormous difference in what I believe about how life unfolds. My beliefs shape what I think when I’m running late for an appointment and stalled a traffic light. It changes my vision of the timing of all the transactions and details needed to sell my house, find a new one and make a major move. My convictions about God and His character colors my response to this winter. It seems endless with more snow and cold that has stretched into March. “Where is spring?!”

When face with events that come together in very beneficial and unexpected ways I am turned again to contemplate my amazing Heavenly Father.

The Scriptures say “He has made everything that was made.” (John 1:3) He has named every star (Psalm 147:4) and knows every hair on my head (Matthew 10:30). Scripture declares that Jesus holds every molecule of the universe together “by the word of His power.” (Hebrews 1:3) It says He has set the bounds of the seas (Proverbs 8:29), turns the hearts of men and women where He desires (Proverbs 16:9) raises up kings and puts others down. (Psalm 75:7).

God asks Job piercing questions that vividly show the limits of puny human powers in the face of the Almighty God. I am stopped cold by the force of the comparison of who I am in relation to this vast, inscrutable and almighty Being.

If God orchestrates the rise and fall of nations and kings, if He controls the wind the waves with just a word, if He holds back the ocean by His decree, why would I ever think that two events colliding in a surprising way in my life are “coincidence.”?

He created all things. He upholds all things. He has made me His child by His Son, Jesus’, merciful sacrifice in my place. So why would He leave the unfolding of my life to “chance”?

Is there really such a thing as “chance” in the face of the reality of our Almighty God? “Chance” is not chance even on the gaming tables of every casino in the world. God knows and directs those dice rolls, roulette spins and poker hands. He is using every human action, every weather event, every purpose and plan we make to accomplish His will.

what a contrast to believing “chance” rules the universe!

This knowledge give me tremendous peace. Faced with so many unexpected twists and turns in life, from small “where are my keys?!” moments to “I have cancer?!” shocks, God is there. He has planned and is ruling every detail. He is not a diabolical, cruel puppet-master, but as the good and gracious One who made me, loves me and loves the world He created. He has plans that will come to pass as He chooses. And every event will glorify Him and be for my good. (Romans 8:29)

QUESTION: What or who do you believe controls the events of life?

Do you rest in the living God who keeps and leads you every step toward eternity?

 

Here is a poem by one of my favorite poets: William Cowper, 1731-1800. It is from his series of poems called the “Olney Hymns.” Olney Hymns LXVIII

Satisfied- Not Stuffed – Not Starved

Posted on by Karyn Jeffrey

What can compare to the wonderful sensation of being satisfied at the end of a delicious meal? One is not still vaguely hungry, nor stuffed to painful misery. Satiety is that “goldilocks place” of being filled “just right.” It is tricky trying to balance our eating so that we hit that spot regularly.

Have you ever eaten at one of those “all-you-can-eat” buffets? I have and there is just something about all that alluring food that I am drawn to eat. And eat. And eat. When I finally come to my senses and push back from the table I am miserably stuffed. A grim pall comes over me as I remember how long this bloated, belly-bursting feeling will take to pass. Why did I do it? What was I thinking?

Or maybe you have had days that were so busy from the moment your feet hit the floor until late afternoon that you didn’t eat. You were so engrossed or entangled that you waited too long to eat. Now you are light-headed, ache-y stomached, raving hungry and grouchy. You are, in my daughter’s made up word, “hangry.” That dreadful place of low-blood sugar induced anger at little or nothing.

Comparison can be made to our spiritual lives. The Holy Scriptures are our necessary spiritual food.

We will starve without a regular diet of reading, hearing and meditating on them. It is difficult to get a good balance on the amount of Scripture we regularly read. We are not like boa constrictors. They devour their prey in one large bite and then go for weeks or months without eating again. Physically and spiritually we need to eat much smaller meals much more often. A binge-eating episode at the buffet is really hard on our physical body. And, although it can seem pretty “holy” to read a long passage or even a whole book of the Bible at one sitting, it is like eating at the buffet. There are times when it is helpful to read a long passage. If you are beginning a study of a particular aspect or book of Scripture, reading for an overview is helpful. But for daily spiritual nourishment, we need to be more moderate.

The opposite approach is also a problem. Taking one small verse (or even a phrase) and considering that adequate spiritual nourishment is rather like eating a single soda cracker and thinking you have the nutrition you need for the day or even the week.  Many Christians think that the single verse at the top of the page of a little devotional book plus the short homily that accompanies it is enough to grow on spiritually. I would challenge that notion. It is entirely too easy to take little bits of Scripture out of context and be badly mislead about what God is communicating. Think of that little story about someone who uses the “point and read” method of daily devotion. She opens the Bible and points to the verse she is going to feed herself on today. It reads: “And he threw the pieces of silver into the temple sanctuary and departed, and he (Judas) went away and hanged himself.” Matthew 27:5 Well, that isn’t terribly uplifting, so she tries again. “…then Jesus said to him, ‘go and do likewise.’ “ Luke 10:37b It is so easy to misunderstand God if we only listen to a single sentence or two of His Word to us.

Are you being satisfied by what is on your spiritual plate? Will it help nourish your inner man?

May I suggest a way to eat a more satisfying spiritual “meal”?  Get your Bible out. Now open your little devotional booklet. Find today’s verse in the selection in the Bible itself. Go digging for the context by reading the verses that come before and after the one in your devotional. It should be obvious where the paragraph or thought starts and ends.

Using the two verses I just noted, here is what I mean. Open your Bible to Matthew 27. Find verse 5 and then “back up” until you come to where the thought begins. Verse 1 starts to tell this part of the story. Begin reading there and it will be obvious that you should read until verse 10. When you have read that amount, there is much to consider that will feed you spiritually. Now try the verse in Luke 10. If you “back up” to verse 30 and read through verse 37, you will have a really nutritious spiritual “meal.” This amount of reading can be very satisfying without leaving you starved or stuffed.

QUESTION: What are your spiritual eating habits?

Are you feeding on God’s Word in a way that nourishes your soul or are you starving and spiritually anorexic?

Will you commit to reading more substantial portions of Scripture? I pray that you will be well-fed and spiritually robust because of your diet of God’s Word.

Craving Joy

Posted on by Karyn Jeffrey

What is the goal of my life? What am I seeking? I think I and all other human beings universally seek joy and happiness. We want something to make our lives meaningful and delightful. Our pursuit takes us to the mall or the auto dealer, to the casino or lottery machine, to the computer porn screens and sexual encounters of every description. Others of us turn to jobs, family, travel and “experiences” as sources of validation and “happiness.” There are those who constantly change homes, remodel or build bigger, better ones in the pursuit of ultimate satisfaction. But it is quite obvious that every one of the ways we try to grasp joy is a vapor that slips through our fingers. The Preacher, speaking in the book of Ecclesiastes says:

“All that my eyes desired did not refuse them. I did not withhold my heart from any pleasure, for my heart was pleased because of all my labor and this was my reward for all my labor. Thus I considered all my activities which my hands had done and the labor which I had exerted and behold all was vanity and striving after wind and there was no profit under the sun.“ Ecclesiastes 2:10-11

In this season—very late winter— I have been tempted to grouse and complain about the snow and gloom that just seem to hang on and on. Most folks here in the Inland Northwest are feeling the same. This particular winter has been a rough one. Snow. Lots of snow. Gray skies. Lots of gray skies. To be fair, there have been some lovely breaks–when the world was freshly frosted with snow making a fairyland of an ordinary neighborhood. And when the drizzle of “precipitation” has broken to a wash of glorious blue sky. But mostly, it has been a “long, dark winter.” Definitely no obvious JOY in my attitude or heart.
During this glum time, I have been pondering my faith—where is the evidence that it is real? I’ve wondered about my worship and the reality of my life “in Christ.” What does it all mean? Is it real? Am I kidding myself and just living and believing what I was raised to believe and do? Why do I not experience joy and satisfaction that Scripture says are the lot of the believer in Christ?

“Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you and that your joy may be made full.” John 15:9-11

Don’t get me wrong. I have a deeply settled conviction that God exists. He is real and knowable. He has spoken authoritatively to the creatures of His creation. What I am fussing about is my response to all this. I know that He in His sovereign might has reached down and transformed my “dead-in-sin” heart to a “new creation” heart that will live forever. But somehow, my love to this wonderful God seems so tepid. I keep loving my own interests and daily thoughts more than Him and His Word. Where is the joy Jesus says is mine? What does it feel like? What is it?
I’ve just begun listening to an audio version of John Piper’s book, Desiring God. In it he lays out a case for being a “Christian Hedonist”—one who craves and seeks the joys and delights of God Himself.

Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines hedonism as:
1: the doctrine that pleasure or happiness is the sole or chief good in life

That is an amazing thought that my spiritual life should be marked by the pursuit of pleasure and happiness in God as my overriding goal and passion. I want to be saying with the Psalmist

“All my springs of joy are in You.” Psalm 89: 7b

I’m eager to finish this book. I am being challenged and somehow, I think that as my gaze turns toward Jesus my questions will be answered more fully. Already, I know that my faith in Jesus is real. I know I am not kidding myself about the reality of God and His Heaven and His promises and His Word. Yes, I was raised to this, but all these have borne the scrutiny of skepticism and intellectual thought.
Now I am looking to wade into these waters of joyous hedonism. I am eager and excited to find delight in God alone. I have the sense that I am on the verge of a very amazing time in my life.

Question: What is your goal in life? Will you seek to know, love and enjoy God above all else? Will you experience the “joy of the LORD” today?