Affirmed by Christ: Thoughts on Luke 10

As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him.  She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”

In Luke Chapter 10, we read about these sisters, Martha and Mary, who Jesus came to visit while traveling with his disciples. Now take a minute and think about what you would do if Jesus came to your home? What would you do to prepare? If you’re like me, you’re probably thinking of all the things you would need to clean, including the mountain of clothes strewn all over your room. That makes perfect sense that we want to bring our best to Christ. But what does bringing your best look like? Martha is rushing about trying to make everything perfect for Jesus while Mary simply sits at His feet. Now Martha is obviously irritated at this point. I mean come on; she’s preparing everything. She’s trying her best to present her best. What is Mary doing? Sitting there. I’ve read this story multiple times and almost every time I have, I right off the bat side with Martha. I relate to her emotions. I relate to her striving. Why would it be okay for Mary to sit with Jesus when Martha is working to please Jesus?

I don’t think I fully understood Martha as a woman until I experienced those emotions we see in this story. I don’t think Martha was just trying to please Jesus, I think she was trying to please Martha by relying on who Martha is rather than who Jesus is. I really struggle when I have nothing to do. Today is the first day I’ve stopped to consider why that’s so. Behind every action we take there is a motive. Have you ever stopped to think what the thoughts behind your actions are? As I sat lost in thought today feeling out of place with nothing to do, it dawned on me why uncertainty always seems to find me in these moments—I find not only my passion, but my purpose and worth in what I do. I seek contentment and completeness in activities, other’s opinions of me, my abilities, what I bring to the table. This is what Martha does. She literally invites Jesus to her table instead of doing as Mary did and going to sit at Jesus’ feet. Y’all, that is for real not the way to be thinking!! I need to be looking at what God brings to the table! I need to be sitting at the feet of Christ, seeking his wisdom. Because on my own, I will always fall short of expectations. I will always be discontent with simply me. Those bad fruits like envy, self-pity, and worry will rule in my heart and mind when I find my significance in who I am. But when I allow God to do what He does best—reign as eternal King of my thoughts and life—my emotions will not have that control over me. I won’t compare myself to others so much and I won’t go through the week with such highs and lows but will rather stay firmly grounded on the most stable and faithful rock, my Lord Jesus.

 “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

I am a firm believer that names have deep meaning in our lives, so I was curious what the name Martha meant. The name Martha is an Aramaic baby name that means “lady.” The word lady comes from the Old English word hlǣfdige which, according to trusty google, is a lady who has authority or who wins the devotion of a lover. Y’all, the name “lady” is much more than simply a hostess. It’s a name commanding confidence and respect. It’s a name that implies uniqueness in the ordinary. This may be stretching things a bit, but when Jesus says, “Martha, Martha,” it’s kind of like he’s reminding her who she is, truly is anyways. That Martha is an exceptional and assured individual because, the Martha he created is worth more than what she can do or what she brings to the table. She is confident in who her creator is, she finds her value in who He is, and she puts him as her top priority. Jesus is reminding Martha of what is eternal and who she was created to be. He is reminding her that it must be Jesus over everything for Martha to ever feel whole—not only does he demand it, but he deserves it.

Infinite and perfect in all His ways. he will overshadow our small offerings with himself if we only allow him to. Don’t let self-seeking keep you from pursuing Christ whole-heartedly and loving others and him as you are called. It’s a day by day thing. It’s waking up and deciding to pursue the one who has already declared his devotion and love for you in his word. Chase Jesus, find who you are in who he has affirmed you to be—his child forever and ever. 

-Heather

Devotion Series: Worth the Wait

“Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in Him.”

Psalm 62:5

So much of life is about waiting. Waiting to graduate, waiting for that special someone, waiting for test results, waiting for the dream job. We wait, twiddling our thumbs, heaving heavy sighs, and fretting inwardly in frustration. We ask ourselves why we’ve got to live this way. Why doesn’t God just come through already? Sometimes God doesn’t answer our prayers in our timing and that isn’t always easy for us to understand.  Luke 1 tells us of a man who experienced this very situation. Zechariah, a priest whom the angel Gabriel appeared to, was given the news that his wife Elizabeth was going to bear a son in her old age. Zechariah had prayed to God for years asking Him for a child and because of this he struggled with Gabriel’s message. Still, even with Zechariah’s doubting, God answered his prayer in His perfect timing. God’s memory is perfect. He remembers our prayers. He never forgets them and may move in response long after we first bring our requests to Him. Sometimes His answer is “no”, but other times it is “wait”—and His response is always given and measured with love. Zechariah learned this. He prayed earnestly to God for a son and God gave him even more. His son John would grow up to be the very prophet who would announce the arrival of the Messiah, Jesus.  Oh, dear friend! He is doing so much more than you know! His plans are greater than our plans and His desires for us are so much better, so much more fulfilling than anything we could ever conjure up ourselves. Waiting is one of the best teachers. In it we learn the virtue of patience and develop endurance. We learn to trust God’s love and goodness for what it is, not some airy far off kind of love, but a close and intimate love that sees us for who we are and yet calls us with arms wide open, “Come to me and trust what I have in store.” Waiting doesn’t have to be dreary and depressing. In the waiting we can rejoice, relying on His faithfulness and knowing that His ways are higher than ours. Zechariah’s experience demonstrates this truth and encourages us to pray. God’s timing is rarely in line with our own, but it is always worth waiting for.   

-Heather 

Freely Give: The Struggles of Being a Cheerful Giver

“Freely you have received; freely give.” Matthew 10:8

I don’t know about you, but I struggle with giving of myself. Mentally and emotionally, giving can be draining. I struggle to give a listening ear to others when I’m dealing with a burden of my own. I struggle to give of my time when I feel overworked and stressed. I struggle to extend kindness and love to those who have hurt me. I asked myself why I wrestle with this, why something so beautifully explained and lived by Jesus could be so difficult. Mark 12 tells us of a poor widow who comes to the temple to make an offering. Many rich people throw in large sums of money, but she only puts in two small coins. Jesus then calls His disciples and says, 

“Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.” Mark 12:43 (NIV)

From this story we learn the God sees what man overlooks, even the smallest offering. No one else took notice of the widow, but Jesus did and He commended her for her willingness to give. Although the portion she gave was inadequate in the world’s eyes, she gave in faith, believing that God could use it. Those two coins were a true sacrifice and give us a glimpse of a heart that genuinely sought to surrender everything to God. And we don’t even know her name. That’s giving freely. That’s resting in the unlimited resources of our Maker. 

I think that’s why I struggle at times. I’m not resting in God’s resources. We are nourished by the precious truth of who we are in Christ. As His children, He fills us with those resources! He supplies us with His mercy, love, patience, wisdom, and truth. From this sacred place, we can freely give to others without fear of falling of becoming empty. Jesus makes us whole! We overflow because He never stops giving to us! We can give of our time, our resources, our hearts. We can love others hard, knowing that Christ is the source of all that we need. When people fall short, when things go wrong, when we have a bad day, we can turn our eyes to Jesus and He will fill us up again.

Father, I pray that each day I would be filled with You and that I would give from Your strength, rather than my own. Let your love shine through me. May I be a cheerful giver. You are faithful to take care of me.

-Heather Grace

"Hope and a Future"

    "'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord. 'Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, to give you hope and a future." If you are a Christian or even someone who is around Christians a lot, chances are you have received a card for some big event in your life that has Jeremiah 29:11 written on it. Whether it be a graduation, wedding, or any other life changing time of celebration, we Christians are always quick to bring out this verse. In the good and exciting times, this message is a wonderful reminder that God is taking care of us and making our paths straight. But in the hard times, it just doesn't seem to cut it. Sometimes, we look around at our lives and we ask, "Why did you let it happen this way, God? What about those plans to prosper me? What about that 'hope and a future' you promised?"
     Recently I came into one of these hard times. On Sunday, February 4th, I lost my uncle very unexpectedly. I was in a state of grief and shock, and to make matters worse, the next day was the start of a new semester of school. Life kept moving on and I had to grit my teeth and move on with it. I had to be okay, to continue living like nothing had happened, and for the first few days, I kept it together pretty well. But that Thursday of his memorial service, I couldn't save my tears for the shower anymore. It was a beautiful service filled with the promise of heaven, but part of me couldn't help wondering why things had happened the way they did. In the midst of my grief, I saw nothing but harm in the situation. I felt empty inside, like all my hope was just a tiny speck at the end of a tunnel of darkness. And most of all, I couldn't help but wonder why my uncle wasn't going to be a part of my future. But in these last few weeks, I have been reminded by God that the promise of Jeremiah 29:11 is one that exceeds the here and now. One that is eternal.
     I think that many non-believers and struggling Christians alike think of Jeremiah 29:11 as one of the great stock phrases of Christianity. It is popular, easy to remember, and makes you feel good when the timing is right. But when it isn't, it almost loses its meaning for us. This can happen sometimes because we think of it as a stand-alone statement when really it is only a small part of a much bigger story. At the time the book of Jeremiah was written, the people of Israel were suffering under Babylonian captivity and the prophet Jeremiah was writing to encourage them to take heart in their time of despair. Instead of singling out verse 11, we can see God's true promise for His people (us included) by reading verses 10-14:

“Thus says the Lord: ‘When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will visit you, and I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord. ‘Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,’ declares the Lord, ‘and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you,’ declares the Lord, ‘and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile.’”

     As you can see, God is not promising here for us to have happiness and prosperity on earth. He does want us to be happy and prosperous, as that was His original plan for us before the fall of man in the Garden of Eden. But a day is coming when His true plan will be complete. A day when the Lord will come back and gather His children from every corner of the Earth and restore them to their heavenly home. Sin separated us, and just like in Babylon, we have suffered in our exile. We do not have a timeline of seventy years like the Israelites did, but we know that God’s plan is in action because phase one--sending His Son Jesus to overcome death and the grave and save us from our sins--is already complete. If we want to see the promise of God fulfilled, we have to look past our present troubles, acknowledging our sin and calling upon Him to save us because, as the verse said, He will hear us and let us find Him in our seeking. In this difficult time, I know that God's perfect will was satisfied when He called my uncle Danny home because even though it has caused mourning for the family that he has left behind, he is now experiencing the fulfillment of God's presence. A future in heaven is stretched before him, each moment more glorious than the last. He is in perfect condition, at perfect peace in the Father’s arms. Instead of expecting God to bless us with humanity’s version of a good and successful life, we as Christians must strive to be satisfied in whatever our situations may be because every passing day is one step closer to our restoration. Even as tragedy comes and the comforts of this world all fade away, God has given us a hope of salvation and a future that reaches to all of eternity.

-Hope

Rejection, Pain, and the Time In-Between

     Rejection has a way of making even the happiest people sorrowful. Its poisonous flow cuts through skin and bone and in seconds it reaches the core of our chests, blocking oxygen and weighing heavy and hollow. Breathing is no longer effortless, but rather becomes as chore. Every breath is intentionally unforgiving as heartache reminds us that love is doubly edged. One side is beautiful and exciting, sparking with potential, while the other is etched with hazardous pain. What is one to do when rejection comes calling? When life is good and things are going your way, it’s easy to acknowledge God’s goodness and omniscience. But when life gives you sour lemons and you’re left bawling your eyes out choking on the seeds of insecurity and doubt, a desperate panic envelops the deepest parts of your heart and you are left in utter confusion. It’s in this pain that a crucial decision must be made. Is this heartbreaking moment going to define me or grow me? Pain is not meant to be ignored. It must be felt in order to bring healing. Pain is not the enemy, but rather reminds us who our enemy is.

     As Ephesians 6:12 says, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”

     Pain is our reminder that our true enemy is trying to bring us down until we are stuck in our broken places. To survive this pain we must look at it as a gift. Yes, I agree that sounds utterly stupid and ridiculous, but God can work good into anything, even pain. Pain is a meeting place for the Lord and His children. When we invite God into the pain, He replaces our faltering strength with His. Even as the pain begins to heal we are left with scars. Scars that are seen and felt when we least expect them. In this in-between time in which chaos is king and life isn’t glamorous, but rather looks more like under our couch with Oreo crumbs, broken tortilla chips, and unidentifiable objects mingled with lint, our pain and the memories of it must be used for good.

      How do we use this piercing feeling for good when it’s hard enough to just function normal? How do we invite God into this time? We invite His nearness with prayer. Even when words fall flat and nonexistent off our lips and empty hurt leaves us quiet, we pray. Sometimes the best thing to pray is simply a passage of scripture. No, it doesn’t take the rejection or pain away, but it helps us to heal and come out better because of it. Let His words of life fill you up with air rich and pure. Allow His mercies to wrap around you and fill up those empty holes with the tender truth that Jesus is right here with you. Through every moment and every struggle He sees, He knows, and He will be your refuge.

Psalm 91 says:

 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
    will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress,
    my God, in whom I trust.”

For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler
    and from the deadly pestilence.
 He will cover you with his pinions,
    and under his wings you will find refuge;
    his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.
 You will not fear the terror of the night,
    nor the arrow that flies by day,
 nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness,
    nor the destruction that wastes at noonday.

 A thousand may fall at your side,
    ten thousand at your right hand,
    but it will not come near you.
 You will only look with your eyes
    and see the recompense of the wicked.

 Because you have made the Lord your dwelling place—
    the Most High, who is my refuge—
 no evil shall be allowed to befall you,
    no plague come near your tent.

For he will command his angels concerning you
    to guard you in all your ways.
 On their hands they will bear you up,
    lest you strike your foot against a stone.
 You will tread on the lion and the adder;
    the young lion and the serpent you will trample underfoot.

 “Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him;
    I will protect him, because he knows my name.
 When he calls to me, I will answer him;
    I will be with him in trouble;
    I will rescue him and honor him.
 With long life I will satisfy him
    and show him my salvation.”

     We must let Him into our dark hurt of today and He will open the door wide to a much brighter tomorrow. No, the pain still doesn’t feel good and I pray that it ends today, but even if it doesn’t we are whole because of Him. Those scars are no longer seen as hurt and flaw, but rather as evidence that there is healing in God’s grace and victory because of the cross. Pain doesn’t have to define you, it can grow you. From knowing God, to seeing Him. It changes everything.

-Heather Grace

My Testimony: A Story "To Be Continued..."

     On the surface, my story is black and white. My testimony of salvation began when I was five years old, and I barely remember my life before it happened. I can't tell you the specific date fourteen years ago that I surrendered my soul to Christ, but I do know that I had seen some older kids at my church get baptized and it made me curious. I only remember fragments of the night, like feeling God tug on my heart while I was taking a shower and praying with my mom and my twin sister in bed. One might even argue that it isn't my own story at all since my sister and I were saved together with our mom helping us form the prayers from our tiny hearts. I didn't have all the answers, and I still don't, but I knew I was a sinner. I knew I was dirty and that only Jesus could take that away. That night I was saved, but it's only the beginning of the story, the tiny spark that resulted in a testimony of God’s strength in weakness.

     Talking about sharing my testimony has always made me feel a bit uncomfortable. I used to think it was because I didn’t want to mess up and miscommunicate something important, and while that is still a slight issue, I know now that the main reason is because there's always been a part of me that doesn't want to come to shed light on my own vulnerability. Some of my earliest memories are feelings of uncontrollable weakness. When I was a child, I had extreme sensitivities to loud noises and certain textures, and this caused years of pain and embarrassment. I wanted desperately to feel like a normal kid, and I felt a sense of shame that made me do things to hide my problems, like telling my elementary school teachers every year that I got hurt on the bouncy castles at PTA night because I didn't have the words to describe my sensory overload outbursts and didn't want people to think I was acting like a baby. I didn't know it then, but looking back, I know that I felt broken, like there was something wrong with me and the other kids were somehow better than I was because they didn't have the same problem that I did. Eventually God brought music into my life, and being able to feel and control sound for myself greatly diminished my sensory issues to the point that no one could even tell I ever had them. I finally felt normal and I knew that I had God to thank, but my sin nature coupled with my independent streak caused me to build up walls around myself and around my heart. I told myself and everyone else that nothing bothered me and that I didn't need anyone’s help. I felt invincible, and even though I thought I was still surrendering to God every day, I was only holding Him at arm’s length. I had promised myself that I would do everything in my power to never have to feel vulnerable again, but I was forgetting that vulnerability was the very reason I needed salvation in the first place. I was saved, but I was still surrendering in shame instead of basking in the joy of my Savior.

   2 Corinthians 12:9 says, “But He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you and my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly in my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.” In my struggle to suppress my weaknesses, I was forgetting that God’s plans are made perfect in weakness. God never chooses the strongest people to show His power because then those who saw what happened would think that the power came from man. Instead he uses the opposite of what is expected; Saul the persecutor became Paul the defender of the faith, and Moses the stutterer became the voice of his people. God is using me, the little girl who felt confusion and anguish in noise, to make a joyful noise for Him. Not only that, but He has also given me a mind that can sort through the roaring chaos inside to find the words to communicate in writing what my spoken words fail to convey. I know that it's a part of His plan for me as the girl who tried to be invincible to show others that ultimate joy is found in embracing a weakness that is wrapped in the stronghold of the Father’s arms. 

   I cannot tell you the ending of my testimony, because it hasn’t happened yet. A testimony of salvation is something witnessed that can be shared as evidence for God’s grace, and every day of my life is another part of the showering of love that God has given me to share with others. Until I get to heaven, my testimony will continue to grow and change, but I pray that it will be everything it needs to be so that others will come to Christ and form testimonies of their own. Every part of my life so far fits together perfectly to demonstrate to me what God has in store for eternity, and in the good and the bad I will strive to seek His presence and feel His plans in motion. For now, by the grace of God, this story is “to be continued,” and I hope to let Him use my weaknesses in making something beautiful and eternal unfold.