Lenten Curation 2016

Broken for You

March 23, 2016

This is the last post of Lent 2016. This project has been such a pleasure! I hope you will join us next year and each year after, as we meet in the middle here, during Lent.

His Body was Broken for You

This is Holy Week — the time when Christians commemorate the week leading up to the crucifixion, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ — when He was broken for you and for me. Here at the Meet Me in the Middle Project we have been thinking of how the in-between times, the times of waiting, point to this important event.

Life is full of waiting. The Bible is full of waiting too. The people of Israel were waiting for a Messiah. Jesus was waiting to fulfill the prophecies. His disciples were waiting for His Kingdom to come in power and glory. The Pharisees and religious leaders were waiting for a chance to discredit Him and, finally, to kill Him. After His body was placed in the tomb, the women were waiting to anoint His dead body properly. And God was waiting for just the right time to demonstrate His love and power by creating the most unlikely solution to the problem of sin and death.

So often, we want to rush ahead of the waiting. We often hate “the middle.” I know I do. Right now, our family is at a crossroads. My husband will soon leave military life and enter the civilian world. In a few months, we will be leaving the home we have known for the last four years and settling in a new place. Our hearts are feeling restless to move on, but our bodies are still here. Some days, this in-between time feels excruciating.

Maybe someone you love has a difficult diagnosis? This is painful too. We don’t like having that “stuck” feeling because we want everything healed, fixed, and resolved, especially for the people we love. And when the diagnosis won’t come, or the healing is slow, or the illness isn’t ever going to resolve, we feel so helpless.

Some of you might be at home with little ones, wishing you could get past diapers and sleep schedules. Some of you might be aching just to hold your own little one, but your body won’t obey your orders or respect your wishes. Some of you might be looking for a special someone to share your life with, but you keep coming up empty. Often, where we find ourselves waiting is the last place we want to be.

How can we hold on to hope when the waiting goes long?

I know the answer and yet, at the same time, I don’t. I know the Truth, but I haven’t yet figured out how to stay there, peacefully. The Truth is a great encouragement nonetheless: all the threads of waiting are tied together, in Jesus.

The Arrival of Jesus is Always on Time

If we are packing the groceries in the car, the last thing we want to do is break an egg. Yet, as they say, we can’t have an omelette without breaking a few eggs.

There are times when brokenness is ordained.

Jesus was called to be broken for us. We are called to be broken for Him. And living in a fallen world means that brokenness here on earth is inevitable. In fact, God does His best work among the broken — that’s where He can just. plain. show. off. Because nothing is broken by chance. Nothing is broken without purpose. God is always working to fulfill His great and wonderful plan, on our behalf.

Easter reminds us that God is constantly ready to surprise us with His plans and His abilities to fulfill them. Are you feeling broken? Don’t worry, that means that you are poised and prepared to become what He intends for you to be.

I’m sharing this post at Kristin’s Three Word Wednesday:

Meeting Jesus in Marriage

March 16, 2016

I was blessed to attend the wedding of this sweet newlywed couple, my niece and nephew, Caitlyn and Jace. Theirs was one of the loveliest ceremonies that I have ever attended! The family support was evident, the pastor’s sermon was phenomenal, and the love between these two was palpable. With their commitment to Christ front and center, we really did see two become one, just as it should be, and I am grateful to have been there.

‘Praise the Lord! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns. Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready; it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure’— for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.

And the angel said to me, ‘Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.’ And he said to me, ‘These are the true words of God.’

Rev 19:6a-9, ESV

Marriage is symbolic of our life in Christ. John the Baptist called Him “the Bridegroom” (John 3:22-30) and in Revelation 19 we hear that He is “Faithful and True” (Revelation 19:11). We are told to cleave to Christ, as a bride to a groom, forsaking all others for Him (Luke 14:25-33). In coming together with Jesus, we are one in the Spirit (1 Cor 6:17). And in the light of eternity, the Second Coming of Jesus is portrayed as a great marriage feast, where He returns to consummate His relationship with His Bride, the Church (Rev 19:6-10).

Jesus is not just a king; he is a betrothed King—an engaged King. And soon he will be a married King. His betrothed bride is the people of God—the people who trust him, elect from every race and nation, the church. He came the first time 2,000 years ago to die for his bride—to pay a dowry, as it were, with his own blood. And he will come a second time to marry her and take us—his church—into the gardens and the chambers of his love and joy forever.

—John Piper

Meeting Jesus in Marriage

God gave marriage as a sign to point to relationship with Christ (Eph 5:22-32). But earthly marriages? Some give an amazing witness to the faithfulness of God and the love of Christ. But many don’t reflect accurately the relationship we are to have with Christ. Marriage can be a reminder of the brokenness of this world. Like trying to peer into a cracked mirror, relationships here on earth can distort the view of Jesus. When we look for Jesus in marriage, sometimes He is hard to see.

What does it mean when your marriage isn’t the perfect picture of relationship with Christ? How can we meet Jesus in the middle of a mess?

It’s easy to get discouraged when conflict with another person brings out the worst in you or when they let you down. But the Lord is so amazing — in every circumstance, He is always at work. So, we can see Him reflected in wonderful marriages, but if we look closely, we can see Him reflected in difficult marriages, too. Here’s how:

Difficult relationships humble us, which makes us more like Jesus, who was humble (Phil 2:1-11).
Sometimes those closest to us can try our patience, and in doing so they provide excellent opportunity for growth (James 1:1-4).
Feeling at our wits end over a spouse? This reminds us to rely on the strength of Christ, rather than our own (Phil 4:13).

The Lord is always at work, redeeming and refining. If times are hard, it can also be hard to see Jesus working, but He is. Some people meet Jesus in their singleness. And others fulfill God’s plan by meeting Jesus in marriage.

The truth is that all of our relationships are a gift from the Lord, even the tough ones (James 1:17). And God does not hand out one-size-fits-all gifts — He gives us exactly what we need, so we can be grateful to the Father for every gift/person (spouse, child, sibling, parent, friend, co-worker) that He brings into our lives (1 Thess 5:18).

As a footnote, thank you to Caitlyn and Jace for sharing their pictures with us. It was wonderful to be in attendance at the wedding of this young couple. The love and joy that Jace expressed toward Caitlyn reminded me of the way that Jesus loves and enjoys us.

I’m sharing this post at Kristin’s Three Word Wednesday:

He fills my life with good things

March 9, 2016

The Lord's plan is to fill our lives with good. Sometimes the good things are sweet, sometimes the Lord's plans for us might seem bitter. What if we...

Thank you to Liz’s Goodies for the pictures for this wonderful before & After collage!

He fills my life with good things…

Let all that I am praise the Lord;
with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name.
Let all that I am praise the Lord;
may I never forget the good things he does for me.
He forgives all my sins
and heals all my diseases.
He redeems me from death
and crowns me with love and tender mercies.
He fills my life with good things.
My youth is renewed like the eagle’s!

Psalm 103:1-5, NLT

I met Liz through my friend Tracy who is always talking about her. No wonder. Liz is a homeschool mom who has created a business that serves as a creative outlet, a second income, a ministry to others, and an enrichment for her entire family. Liz is an amazing baker, but Liz’s Goodies is more than a business, it has become a wonderful family project that fills their lives with good things.

The Lord is like that — His plan is to fill our lives with good. Sometimes the good things are sweet, like the delicious pie fillings that Liz added to these empty shells.

Sometimes the Lord’s plans for us do not feel so sweet. Are there health problems that linger? Is there bitterness in an important relationship? Are you in financial turmoil? Is the job just not working out? Yet, God’s Word says:

He fills my life with good things…

What if we accepted everything from His hand as good? Because He is good and He fills out lives with good, we can trust that everything is working together for our good (Romans 8:28). Jesus came so we could have a “rich and satisfying life” (John 10:10, NLT).

Our greatest need has been met in Jesus — rescue from sin and death — the rest of the worries and cares of this life pale in comparison to that truth. We are an eternal people and nothing on this earth separate us from “the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38-39, NLT). This knowledge is both rich and satisfying, should we choose to walk in it.

Can we trust God that He will bring good from the health problems?
Can we trust that God is at work when that relationship isn’t working?
Can we be faithful with our finances and trust Him to prosper us during tough times?
Can we choose to see the good in the unhappy workplace?

Join me this week — let’s accept all of God’s gifts as good.

Thank you to Liz’s Goodies for the pictures for this wonderful Before & After collage!

I’m sharing this post at Kristin’s Three Word Wednesday:

Jesus Gives New Life

March 1, 2016

Jesus Gives New Life

For everyone who believes on His Name, Jesus gives new life (2 Cor 5:17). If you have accepted the work of Christ as the only way for you to be at peace with God, as the only way for you to be right at all, then you have been given a new life!

The butterfly has long been a symbol for new life in Christ. During its life cycle it undergoes an amazing transformation! But sometimes, symbols like this that can leave us confused and discouraged. Often I look at myself and wonder, Where is my new life? I still feel like that worm in the Before picture. No progress! Some ~~days~~ ~~weeks~~ seasons are one step forward, two steps back! When do I really get to the After? When am I going to transform so I can take flight??

The truth is that, in this life, we are always a bit like the worm, and we are always a bit like the butterfly. Two processes are being depicted by the life cycle of the butterfly: justification and sanctification (immediate, saving grace and gradual, growing righteousness). This Gospel is true in the now and in the not yet.

In the now: When God justifies us, He makes us like that butterfly, immediately. He accepts us and gives us a new identity — like the pretty butterfly, He makes us a totally new creation (2 Cor 5:17). He declares us to be not-guilty and perfect because of the atoning sacrifice of Jesus, who was not-guilty and perfect (Hebrews 10:14). God is not bound by time, so right now He can declare us not-guilty on the future Day of Judgement. “The blood of Jesus has made us right with God now, and certainly we will be rescued by Him from God’s wrath in the future” (Romans 5:9, VOICE).

In the not yet: While we are in this world, we cannot live completely not-guilty and perfect lives — we still make mistakes. For all practical purposes, we live as worms and not butterflies throughout our time on earth, and that’s ok. God is not surprised by our flaws and weaknesses, in fact He is glorified by them because they teach us how we must rely, so completely, on Him (2 Cor 12:9). Still, we have to remember that we won’t be perfect in this life. We can’t be perfect this side of heaven. But we can be humble, just like our little friend, the worm.

And God’s promise is that, in the end, He will absolutely finish the work of making us into beautiful butterflies (Phil 1:6). That is what the Scriptures mean when they say, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him” (1 Cor 2:9, ESV). Life feels uncertain at times, but we can be certain of this: Jesus Gives New Life!

When your life seems to taunt you, showing you how stuck you are, when everything around you is begging to be finished, remember that God is at work right here in the middle. He is very present. His timing is perfect. His plans are certain. His love is strong.

Oh! You might be wondering why I called the little creature in the Before picture a “worm” and not a caterpillar. Caterpillars are not worms, but they are worm-like. This Before & After reminds me of a song by John Newton, who is most famous for his hymn “Amazing Grace.” The song about the worm describes the process of sanctification. “I Asked the Lord” always brings tears to my eyes, it explains that God wants to make us more and more like Him, even if the process is a little painful. You can read the words here or you can listen while you read the lyrics via Youtube (if the video doesn’t appear, please refresh your browser and, if you are reading this via email, you’ll need to visit the website to see the video).

I shared this post at Kristin’s Three Word Wednesday:

God Wrote Your Story

February 24, 2016

My friend Jodi is a scrapbooker, a diligent keeper of stories. She treasures the special moments, takes the pictures, and keeps the photos all organized till she can find a few minutes for herself. She saves up these memories in neat little boxes, collects just the right stickers and papers, and buys special tape and fancy scissors. And she bides her time. When she finds a few hours to craft, she lovingly arranges the pictures so that they retell those memories. She curates her family’s story.

God Wrote Your Story

The Lord is the best keeper of stories. He is the Author of all life. He plans our special moments before we are born. His scrapbook is full of stories about us, His children. He knows us so well. He sees all the messes that we are going to make, before we make them, and He loves us anyway. In fact, He sent Jesus Christ to make sure that all of our stories, even the hard ones, have a happy ending: “We have been made right in God’s sight by faith. We have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us” (Romans 5:1, NLT).

You saw me before I was born.
Every day of my life was recorded in your book.
Every moment was laid out
before a single day had passed.
Psalm 139:16, NLT

Did you ever think about how God wrote your story? Next time you take pictures to post on Facebook — pictures of your family on vacation, or dinner with friends, or your new haircut — remember that all of your story was written before you were born. God has left nothing to chance. He is always at work to fulfill His plans for you. He makes it so you can grow in wisdom and love and peace. He wants you to walk closely with Him everyday. He will stop at nothing to meet you in the middle.

My good friend Kristin has a link-up called 3 Word Wednesday. She is joining us on this project, so we are joining her too!