Relationship Repellant

There is a modern day expression that I find less than appealing when I hear it: It is what it is...

You must purposefully decide
On the surface, it would appear that this is a reality check way of saying, if I can't change it, I must accept it. While this may be true about grass being green and the rain falling when you plan on going to the beach, I find it to be an appalling form of checking out of responsibility and accountability when applied to human choices, behaviours, attitudes, mindsets, and the real life results that manifest from purported choices, behaviours, attitudes and mindsets. While you and I can do nothing about the grass or the rain, we certainly can be held to account for our behaviour, and the intentions that underlie our actions. We are, after all, more than capable as human beings to think, process, choose, and even predict plausible and probable outcomes when we purposely decide what we will think, then say, and then do.

Go to sleep

Talk to the hand, not my heart

Now, let us get crystal clear. You may be drugged dear reader! I am dead serious... I mean you are dead, seriously. You may be in a perpetual fugue state of unconsciousness, numbed by your own lack of accountability. You may be living, it is what it is, on the inside. You may also believe and live into the philosophy of I am who I am and I am never going to change, not for anyone; you remain the same in a homeostatic state of status quo. This is clearly a shame, for you and for everyone that lives within your gravitational pull. Your mode of being becomes relationship repellant because if you are what you are, you is what you is, while you stay the same and never move from your tiny spot on the map, everyone who is growing, learning, changing, advancing, will pass you by... this is a sad state, at first for the ones moving ahead and leaving you behind... but it becomes a perpetual purgatory for you, if you refuse to grasp the concept of true love in relationship. And here is the concept: You've got to give a little to get a lot. You've got to flex and meld and mold and shape yourself into something alive, awake, aware... you and I, we are what we are until God gets a hold of us and then, and only then, can we become someone spectacular to behold.

Wicked hearted
God asks for our participation in becoming more like him by stirring in us a desire to reach for heavenly heights by feeling, thinking, processing, searching, researching, asking, finding, course correcting, choosing, to be like Jesus. You have, heard of Jesus, right? That guy/god that never sinned, the one that lived perfectly as an example for wicked hearted people like you, and me? You read that correctly, you have a wicked heart. Look at yourself... what part of your life do you have bragging rights to? Isn't it time you woke up from your slumber and decide that today is the day you no longer accept your own sorry story of status quo?

Seeds sown in our yesterdays
Being accountable and responsible in relationship is all that matters in life. Here is our only reality-we all must pay the piper. Our intentions invariably show up in our words and actions and each day, we are rewarded for the seeds we have sown in our yesterdays... the choices are always ours, awake or asleep, alive or dead, heaven or hell.

It is what it is... or is it?

Fearlessness

There is no fear in love: but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth not is made perfect in love (1 John 4:18)

Fear and love are incompatible. Fear is torment-think of a bully harassing you endlessly. Love is perfect-think of love grabbing a hold of that bully by the scruff of the neck and tossing it out the door, on your behalf!

Fearless in Christ Tattoo
My son has a tattoo on his shoulder. It is Jesus' crowned with thorns head, hanging low, eyes closed. The portrait is his final It is finished statement of sacrificial love for an undeserving world of sinners, an unpopular term, since no one wants to admit to their own very dark and dastardly ways. There is an inscription in Hebrew under Jesus' head that reads Fearless in Christ. And my son is. This is what he sent me this morning, as a reminder of who he has become:

He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defence; I shall not be moved (Psalm 62:6)

Contentment

Sacrifice made beautiful

This verse gives me a sense of the purest contentment dear reader. I am a mom and I love my manchild like crazy! When he was a little boy, excited to run to class when the school bell rang, I had to accept the facts: I am not going to be with him every minute of the day, keeping him safe and warm, dry and comfortable. I am not going to be able to defend him against the pain of loss, disappointment, hurt or even physical injury: in fact, he injured himself many a time under my watch! As parent, it is my job to watch and encourage him to learn and grow, get stronger from life lessons as an accountable young man and sometimes, watch him walk away... because he is not mine, he belongs to another.

Not moved
What I have learned is that God loves my son far more than I ever can or will, and thats a whole lot of love. What I have learned is that he is in far more capable hands when I entrust him to God. What I know, is that my son knows, from whence  he hails, and he knows that in this life, God is his rock, salvation, and defence: he is committed to not be moved from this foundational faith in God, on which he firmly stands.

Now, let us turn our eyes to you dear one:

• Is fear your tormentor?
• Is it wreaking havoc in your life? 
• Are you tired of feeling afraid? 
• Lastly, are you willing to give up this vestige, this old worn out coat of lies, and trust in love? 

The two, love and fear, which is torment, are incompatible

Why not try love, dear one? Love casts out all fear... God is love, to know him is to be made, perfect

And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him (1 John 4:16).

Someone

 Never feel alone

Do you know someone who is this to you, dear reader?

A salve, a balm, a hand that holds, a voice that soothes… 

Is someone this to you, dear one?

A reminder, a call to greatness, a gentle push in the right direction...

How about?

A call to arms, an inspiration, a revelation...

Lastly, is there someone who?

Lights the path, salts your soul, undeniably, irrevocably, faithfully, stands sentinel, never leaving your side...

The me that is supposed to be

I know Someone like this, and because I know Him, He has placed many someones just like Him, in my life. 

     

     When I am hurt, they are a salve and balm, healing agents to my wounded brokenness. They hold my hand and speak soothingly, comforting me when I need a kind touch and sweet words.

     When I need to recall who I am and why I am here, they remind me, calling me to my greatness, the me that is supposed to be. With a gentle push, I again travel in the right direction.

     When it is time to fight the good fight, I am called to arms, to equipping. Inspired words of revealed truth have me clothing myself: the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shoes of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the spirit. I become battle ready.

Lastly dear one, lastly... we need light, don't we, to see the path we are on? We need salt too, so that we do not lose our strength, or our flavour for life? And God knows, we, you and I, need this more than ever, Someone to stand sentinel, guarding us, lovingly by our side, forever and always, come what may? 

Someone watching, loving, waiting

I know Someone just like this, and you can too. I know many someones just like this, and you can too. We are never alone, even when we choose to be. There is always Someone watching, loving, waiting for you and for me, to see and accept their glorious gift of grace. 

Jesus is Someone, the Someone. You can know Him, like I do, and never feel alone again. 

     

HIStory

I AM

HIStory
In Christian circles, the word history is used thusly: HIStory. Speaking plainly, history is a reference to Gods story

Pick this idea up, here and now
When I think of Jesus' words, that he is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last (Revelation 22:13), I see that God, also known as The Author of Life You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. We are witnesses of this (Acts 3:15), created words that quite charmingly, and cleverly, point to Him in every way imaginable. Pick this idea up, here and now: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God (John 1:1)

It is impossible for you to not understand me
This, all of this, points us to a mind boggling revelatory concept... God is in the mix, in our midst, in the fray, in our day, in our genes, in our thoughts, in our essence, in our... everything. I speak to you as though you might very well understand what I am going on about. I am presuming and assuming, supposing and suggesting, that it is impossible for you to not understand me: not just my words, my meaning. Why oh why would God be called the Word, the Author of life, the First and Last unless of course, He has some kind of master plan, some coded come find me, and yet I'm not hiding, mysterious ways that only the hungry and thirsty for Him, discover? 

There is a blueprint dear reader, it is The Bible. All of the answers are in there, outside of you and me, waiting for us to trip upon the truth in astounding ways.

This is the covenant I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord. I will put my laws in their hearts, and in their minds will I write them (Hebrews 10:16).

Embarrassing inordinate self-absorption 
Right: his laws are put in our hearts, written on our minds. So here is the reason for this writing, in case you were wondering? I am all too human. I spend an embarrassing, inordinate amount of time thinking about myself. I can get preoccupied pretty easily with my here-and-now daily reality, and this is when my emotions take me for a rollercoaster ride. And then I remember to honour God, with my thoughts, with my attention, with my questions: how would you like me to serve you today Father? How can I make you proud this minute, Daddy? This is when the sun shines brightly in on me, heating my skin and warming my heart. 

You see dear reader, it is all about Him, loving us, knowing us, wanting us to be love in His world, making HIStory something worthy of who He is. If God loves you and I this much, it means it is about you, about me, about that guy or girl sitting across from you in the bus, in the coffee shop, or idling in rush hour traffic in the car next to you.

Let us make HIStory, together
HIStory, is about Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ was all about us. Think on this a moment. God is love (1 John 4:8). Love never fails (1 Corinthians 13:8). When you and I remain in love, remain in God If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you (John 15:7) we can never, ever fail!

Now, I have a proposal for you. Let us make history together. Let us make our lives about Him, the one and only true God of the universe. Let us make HIStory our story, today, shall we?

Are you in?