Relationships

I heard a two-part podcast today that I think could be incredibly helpful to any number of us - check it out here and here. It's by Alistair Begg, one of my favorite teachers, and part of a series he's been doing on marriage and relationships. It'll take about an hour to hear the whole thing - but it'll be worth it.

Enjoy. :)

Valentine's day

Last year something was read before we worshiped through song on Valentines Day. I'd like to reproduce that here since it is Valentine's Day yet again. Here it is:

Today, as you all know, is Valentines day. Whether you like it or not, enjoy the holiday, hate the holiday or are indifferent to the holiday, you have thought about romance this week. It has been everywhere, on billboards, in ads on television, radio and the newspaper, and people are talking about it. For each of us, our hearts are in different places. Some have recently been broken, and this holiday is reminding us of what could have been and is met with tears. Others' hearts are cold, possibly jaded from some previous hurt. For some, our hearts may have just received that spark, kindling feelings that were not there before or bringing feelings that had been smoldering to life. For some of us, our hearts are burning brightly with a passion for another which is returned. And still some of us may be feeling unrequited love, our hearts going out to someone who doesn't even know we exist. For many of us, our hearts have been in different places as the years have gone by on valentines day. Life is fluid -- the days go by and our passions change. What might be so important to us today may mean nothing to us tomorrow. Yet there is one thing that has never changed since the beginning of time, and that's God love for us. He gave each of us the ultimate Valentine's Day gift when He sent His only son to die on our behalf. On your behalf. He knew you before you were knitted in your mother's womb, and because He wanted to spend eternity with you, He sent His one and only son to die on the cross. All He asks is that we return that love.

So in just a minute we're going to be worshiping Him through song. Tonight, let's bring Him more than a song. Love makes us all into fools. Who here hasn't done something in the name of love that, looking back, was extremely foolish in the eyes of the world? Yet, we didn't care, we had eyes only for that individual we were being a fool for. As David said, after having marched back into Jerusalem before the Ark of God, after having stripped his robe and danced as a fool for those watching, but with a glorious love for God, " I will become even more undignified than this, and I will be humiliated in my own eyes." So tonight, as we serenade God, remember those words of David, and remember that, no matter where our hearts are tonight, God's love for us burns bright. Don't let His love be unrequited. Give yourself over to Him. Have eyes only for Him. Love makes us fools, and we don't care. Tonight, as you sing and dance, have eyes only for the one you love, who loved you first, before you were ever born. Let these songs, no, let your heart be your valentine to God tonight.

The Good Shepherd

"Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst. The sun will not beat upon them, nor any scorching heat. For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; he will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes."

Revelation 7:16-17



(the Lamb at the center of the throne)

"The I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing in the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders."

Revelation 5:6a



I'm reading through Revelation right now (if you weren't picking that up) and it's rocking my world!

To be honest those "springs of living water" are sounding very nice right now. Erica (wife) and I are now both jobless. I lost my job in July and in response to God's consistent prodings Erica quit her job two weeks ago tommorow. Unfortunately, or at least uncomfortably for us, the prodings came in as a "don't stay here anymore" rather than a "go specifically to this place." Neither of us have any real leads on where to go next for work. And honestly the prospect of paying all the same bills with no income starts to feel a little overwhelming. The "sun" and "scorching heat" feel to be "beating upon" us in this season.

Honestly even the "hunger" and "thirst" from this passage speak to my heart too. He's teaching me to be hungry, to need Him. I see moments where I'm really hungering after Him and seeking Him but then, between those moments, I get distracted by every other thing I can fill my stomach with, spoiling my appetite. I want to want more of Jesus, I know I need more of Him. So I've been asking for a hunger for Him in my life. And He's been turning that up!

So, this passage from Revelation really spoke to me. The promise that our shepherd will lead us into a place where we don't hunger or thirst for anything, we'll have all of Him to fill all of our needs! And where the sun and the things of this life will pass away and not beat down on us anymore.
I'm also celebrating the blessing that it is to share in His suffering for now. I found it really interesting that "the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd." The dependency we're commanded to have on Christ as we lean on Him in our suffering is the dependency He had as He leaned on the Father's grace in His suffering. And through depending on Him in our suffering, we get to know His heart and His voice more closely. "I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me- just as the Father knows me and I know the Father- and I lay down my life for the sheep." John 10:14-15
~also~
"When he has brought out all his own, he goes ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do now recognize a stranger's voice." John 10:4-5

So, we still don't have any answers or leads for jobs, but we'll keep seeking God's voice in the trial.