Monday Morning Memo: Talk Less?

I love to talk.  That statement will not be a shock to those of you who know me personally.  I’m very rarely at a loss for words…whether they have meaning or not…I usually can think of something to say.  Sometimes this is a blessing and sometimes a curse, because too much talking can easily lead to putting my foot in my mouth by saying the wrong thing.

 

It probably doesn’t help that sometimes people actually pay me to talk.  Isn’t that crazy?  I am paid to stand in front of them and do what I love to do.  That just blows me away.  When I think about it, I feel humbled and incredibly blessed.

 

I was thinking about this one day when I read a section of scripture in the Bible.  Matthew 17:1-5 says, “Six days later Jesus took Peter and the two brothers, James and John, and led them up a high mountain to be alone.  As the men watched, Jesus’ appearance was transformed so that his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as light. Suddenly, Moses and Elijah appeared and began talking with Jesus.  

 

Peter exclaimed, ‘Lord, it’s wonderful for us to be here!  If you want, I’ll make three shelters as memorials – one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.’

 

But even as he spoke, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, ‘This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy.  Listen to him.’”

 

You see, Peter and I have a lot in common.  I think he loved to talk too, and in this account, he couldn’t wait to jump in, take charge and tell Jesus his idea.  Yep, that would be me.  But did you catch what the scripture says right after Peter shares his thoughts?  It says, “But even as he spoke”.  So, before Peter is even done talking, God interrupts him and tells him to be quiet and listen to what Jesus has to say. 

 

Wow.  I wonder how often God has tried to get across to me that I should be quiet and listen because Jesus has something important to tell me…but I’m too preoccupied with trying to get my point across to Him.  How often do I just keep rambling on and on and I neglect to hear what He has to say to me?  Maybe what I’m trying to tell Him…wouldn’t seem so urgent…if I was listening to what His thoughts were first. 

 

It makes me wonder what our world would be like, if more of us made a point to do more listening to our Heavenly Father.  I can’t help but think it would be a better place…a place with less stress because our thoughts and ways would be more in line with what He wants for us.  Maybe we wouldn’t get off course so easily, if we listened before we talked…listened before we acted. 

 

Today I’m going to try to talk less and listen more.  I really do want to know what Jesus is trying to tell me.  Plus, it just might give my husband a break too…so I’ll be killing two birds with one stone J

Monday Morning Memo: Heavenly Prime?

I have no idea how you are…but you have probably figured out by now that I’m not a good “wait-er”.  If I get in my head that something should happen, I usually think it should happen now.  Or better yet…it should have happened yesterday!

 

I think I can blame our world for some of the reasons I feel this way because we live in an instant society.  Many things I own in my kitchen are there because I want to do things faster.  I own an electric mixer because I don’t want to take the time to stir something by hand.  I own a microwave, because heaven forbid, I would have to wait for something to heat up on the stove.  I own an instant pot, because I want to cook our meal in the fraction of the time that it would take in the oven.  And of course, I own an Air Fryer because that takes much less time to heat up and clean-up is quicker too.  It’s a win-win!

 

Then, I’m sure many of you have Amazon Prime and usually don’t have to wait more than 48 hours to have something delivered to your door.  Doesn’t it just fry your goose when you go to order something and it says it can’t be sent via Amazon Prime?  You mean you have to wait three additional days for it to ship?  Outrageous!

 

Don’t you wish God had Amazon Prime?  Oh, I’m sure it wouldn’t be called that, but it could be called Heavenly Prime.  When we need an answer quickly, we could just go to our computer…pull up www.heavenlyprime.com...put our order in and within 48 hours our prayer would be answered.  We could even sign up for updates to be sent to us so we would know exactly when our answer would arrive.  Oh, and if the answer we received wasn’t exactly what we thought it should be, we could send it back, no questions asked.  Ahhhh, what a life that would be!

 

But that’s not reality, is it?  Unfortunately, many times in our lives the only answer we receive from God is to wait.  Ughhhh, I often find that difficult to do.   “Wait patiently for the Lord.  Be brave and courageous.  Yes, wait patiently for the Lord” Psalm 27:14. “Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for him to act” Psalm 37:7a.  “But if we look forward to something we don’t yet have, we must wait patiently and confidently” Romans 8:25. “Then Abraham waited patiently, and he received what God had promised” Hebrews 6:15.  Those verses are just a few reminders of how we should wait. 

 

My difficulty in waiting pretty much goes along with my times when I lack trust…which I wrote about last week.  One feeds the other.  But I’m thinking that each time we can successfully wait on God…trusting His timing and His answers…we get one step closer to looking like Him.  And isn’t that what our goal should be?

 

I love the verses in Psalm 5:1-3 which say, “O Lord, hear me as I pray; pay attention to my groaning.  Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God, for I pray to no one but you.  Listen to my voice in the morning, Lord.  Each morning I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly.”  I find it amazing that the King of Kings wants to hear my requests (yes, even when I am groaning) and then I am to wait expectantly.  Because once I have fervently prayed to Him, I am to wait…believing He will work all things for His good and His glory…and in His timing.  

 

Well, I still wish I could sign up for Heavenly Prime…but since I can’t…I’ll keep working on waiting, praying and believing.  My answers may not come in 48 hours…but whenever they show up…I’ll know they are perfect for me and won’t need to be returned!

Monday Morning Memo: No Excuses

Have you ever noticed how often we tend to use the word “but” in our day?  I know it’s time to get up…but I’m just too tired.  I love my job…but my boss is just too hard on me.  I’m so thankful for my kids…but they sure drive me crazy sometimes.  I know the person who works next to me needs the Lord…but I’m sure I’m not the one to tell him.  We say one thing…but we often feel the need to clarify what we said.

 

I’ve been thinking a lot about the word “but”.  The reason is I’ve heard myself say it over and over again.  I know I just need to trust…but…and then I’ve given an excuse as to why it’s too hard.  I know I need to trust God for my family’s or friend’s difficulties…but…I love them so much and I want to just fix things. I know I need to trust God with my health…but…I’ve been through so much and what if I get worse?    I know I need to trust God for whatever happens today and tomorrow…but…I’m so scared of what might occur that will be out of my control.

 

Bingo.  I have a hard time trusting God…because I want to be in control.  To completely trust Him, means I take my hands off any situation I am facing, and allow Him to be the One with the steering wheel.  It means I don’t just say I trust Him, and then keep taking the reins back over, trying to manipulate Him to do what I think is best.  It means I trust Him to work out every detail…in His timing…and for His honor and glory.

 

When I look at this logically, I have to ask myself, Why?

 

1.      Why wouldn’t I trust Him with my health, since He is the One who “made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb.”  (Psalm 139:13)

  

2.    Why wouldn’t I trust Him with my family or friends, since believe it or not, He loves them even more than I do.  Not only did He create me, He created them too, and knows everything about them.

3.    Why wouldn’t I trust Him with my today and my tomorrow, since His Word tells me to, “Trust in the Lord with all my heart; do not depend on my own understanding.  Seek his will in all I do, and he will show me which path to take.”  (Proverbs 3:5-6)

 

So today… I. Will. Trust. God.  Period.  No ands, ifs or buts.  No excuses, no rationalizations, no manipulation.  He alone is worthy of my complete trust, and honestly, He really doesn’t need any help from me J

 

What about you?  Do you find yourself saying that you trust God…but…your actions show something entirely different?  Why not leave the driving to Him today.  Your path may not take you where you think you should go…but…I’m confident your destination will put you exactly where He wants you to be. 

Monday Morning Memo: The Look

 

Oh, I remember it well.  I don’t think it happened often…but then again maybe it did, and it is just a part of my past which I have conveniently forgotten.  I’m guessing it took place at some point in your years of growing up also because, more than likely, all of us at some point were the recipients of “the look”.

Yep, we’ve all been there.  Maybe it was when we were sitting in church and whispering and giggling with our friends took precedence over listening to the sermon.  Maybe it was when we were out in public with our parents and our behavior looked more like we were raised by wolves instead of by hard-working adults.  Regardless of the situation, many of us can remember those times when all our mom or dad had to do was give us “the look”…and we knew we better straighten up or sitting down might be rather painful for awhile 

Memories of those days came flooding back to me one day when I was reading scripture.  It was a passage which I have read many, many times before, but on this particular day, a sentence jumped off the page at me.  It was the story of Peter denying that he knew Jesus three different times.  We pick up the story in Luke 22:59 when someone recognizes Peter for the final time, “About an hour later someone else insisted, ‘This must be one of them, because he is a Galilean, too.’  But Peter said, ‘Man, I don’t know what you are talking about.’  And immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed.  At that moment the Lord turned and looked at Peter.  Suddenly, the Lord’s words flashed through Peter’s mind: ‘Before the rooster crows tomorrow morning, you will deny three times that you even know me.’”

What stood out to me when I was reading was the fact that the Lord gave Peter “the look”.  I just can’t imagine the despair which went through Peter at that moment.  Jesus had forewarned him…but I doubt Peter thought he was capable of doing such a thing.  But he did…and as a result, all Jesus could do was look into his eyes.  Immediately, Peter felt shame like he had never known before.  Jesus didn’t scream or yell...all He did was look.

I wonder what Jesus was thinking as He looked at Peter.  Peter’s actions weren’t a surprise to Him, so we know He wasn’t shocked.  And, I have a hard time believing that Jesus was thinking, “I told you so, Peter.  I told you that you would fail me.  Way to go Peter…can’t you do anything right?”  I just don’t think His thoughts were condemning.  If I had to guess, I’m thinking that maybe the words which were going through His mind were, “Peter, even though you deny me…I will never deny you.  My grace and love are sufficient, even when you choose to turn away from Me.”

I’m so thankful that those same thoughts are true for me too.  Just like Peter, there have been times when I have let Jesus down…doing things which aren’t pleasing in His sight or neglecting to stand up for Him when given the opportunity.  I’m sure in those moments, He has given me His look…a look not filled with revenge but with grace and love…a look which I don’t deserve…but He’s freely given.

Maybe you are struggling today because you feel like you have done things which can’t be forgiven.  Maybe your past continues to haunt you and you picture Jesus giving you a look of disgust and rejection.  Take time to look into His eyes once again…His grace and forgiveness are sufficient to cover your transgressions.

After he denied His Lord three times, Peter was the one chosen to give the first sermon, explaining from Scripture who Jesus really was and why he had died.  Many were saved because of his words.  If the Lord could continue to use Peter in mighty ways even after his failings…He can surely use you and me for His glory.  So, look up my friend…His loving eyes are fixed on you!

 

“I will instruct you and teach you 

in the way you should go;

I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.”

Psalm 32:8