Monday, June 20, 2011
FIRST, PRAY!
It was a long time ago when I learned about "first." To give you an idea about how long ago it was, I was folding the diapers of Peggy and Lynn and watching a TV daytime serial. I don't remember the name of the serial, but it's been gone for a very long time. It was over 50 years ago as both girls are now past 50 years old.
Anyway, I wasn't the happiest camper in those days; money was tight and no one would hire a mother with two children. My husband, Jerry,a dentist just out of the Navy, was headed back to school so could no longer keep working. We were flat broke, with no money to live on and no money for school. School was very important as he had just been accepted, one of two students, to the Minnesota University's Orthodontic Program. Now what do we do?
While folding those diapers--remember cloth diapers?--my doorbell rang. A smiling woman stood there, someone I didn't know. I had no concern; we hadn't heard of stranger-danger in those days and I was a bit lonely. I invited her in.
I can't remember anything outstanding about her opening comments; I only remember what we finally spoke about. She asked me, "Do you ever talk to God about your fears?"
"No, I guess I don't really know how. How do you go about starting to pray?"
"Well," she said, "First,you must ask God. Asking God of something is part of praying. So now, first, you pray and ask God to teach you to pray. He will, you know, He really will. Whatever you want or need the first thing you always do is--pray."
I never forgot this. Sometimes I momentarily have to be reminded of the importance of First, Pray!, but it always comes back to me as the perfect solution.
My relationship with God has been pretty good over the years, with bad moments, of course, and also great moments. Recently, however, I have noted how my prayer life as flattened out. I know God is there. I know He wants me to pray, and I do pray for other people when asked. I like to pray and have been somewhat disappointed that I haven't been as excited about prayer as I used to be. God and I have a comfortable arrangement, but the excitement is missing. Sort of like marriage once and awhile. We can forget to keep the fire glowing, and it's a shame because it's so easy to do. Special thoughtfulness doesn't cost a dime, and it pays off so nicely. But back to my prayer life-----.
I took that stranger's advice, and I prayed, "God, please show me how to pray. And how to have a closeness to you." And God did show me, both things. Over the years, I have been very grateful to that "angel" in disguise who came to my door and said, "First, Pray!"
Now, this morning, I went to God once again. I admitted I had been convicted. I knew God had been waiting for me for a long time to come to Him with my heart as well as my words. My service to God may just be in small services, but it always will be to pray.
There are so many things to pray for: God wants everyone saved--so pray.
God wants us to live humbly in contemplation--so pray. He wants rulers and governments to rule well and do so without selfish concerns--so pray. God wants Satan to be thwarted again and again--so pray. God wants our churches to be alive with Him--so pray. God wants us well and healing--so pray. God wadnts men and women to become available to serve the world--so pray. God wants churches to be jump-started with compassion and love--so pray. God wants the church's ministers and leaders to witness holiness and purity--so pray. First, pray!
God wants me to pray. I'm part of the problem. So, I must pray, for I cannot throw a single stone at anyone else. Lord, forgive me for my stubborn blindness and irrational disability by not listening for your call.
And God, I shall try to remember, always, to FIRST, PRAY!
Your servant, jo
Anyway, I wasn't the happiest camper in those days; money was tight and no one would hire a mother with two children. My husband, Jerry,a dentist just out of the Navy, was headed back to school so could no longer keep working. We were flat broke, with no money to live on and no money for school. School was very important as he had just been accepted, one of two students, to the Minnesota University's Orthodontic Program. Now what do we do?
While folding those diapers--remember cloth diapers?--my doorbell rang. A smiling woman stood there, someone I didn't know. I had no concern; we hadn't heard of stranger-danger in those days and I was a bit lonely. I invited her in.
I can't remember anything outstanding about her opening comments; I only remember what we finally spoke about. She asked me, "Do you ever talk to God about your fears?"
"No, I guess I don't really know how. How do you go about starting to pray?"
"Well," she said, "First,you must ask God. Asking God of something is part of praying. So now, first, you pray and ask God to teach you to pray. He will, you know, He really will. Whatever you want or need the first thing you always do is--pray."
I never forgot this. Sometimes I momentarily have to be reminded of the importance of First, Pray!, but it always comes back to me as the perfect solution.
My relationship with God has been pretty good over the years, with bad moments, of course, and also great moments. Recently, however, I have noted how my prayer life as flattened out. I know God is there. I know He wants me to pray, and I do pray for other people when asked. I like to pray and have been somewhat disappointed that I haven't been as excited about prayer as I used to be. God and I have a comfortable arrangement, but the excitement is missing. Sort of like marriage once and awhile. We can forget to keep the fire glowing, and it's a shame because it's so easy to do. Special thoughtfulness doesn't cost a dime, and it pays off so nicely. But back to my prayer life-----.
I took that stranger's advice, and I prayed, "God, please show me how to pray. And how to have a closeness to you." And God did show me, both things. Over the years, I have been very grateful to that "angel" in disguise who came to my door and said, "First, Pray!"
Now, this morning, I went to God once again. I admitted I had been convicted. I knew God had been waiting for me for a long time to come to Him with my heart as well as my words. My service to God may just be in small services, but it always will be to pray.
There are so many things to pray for: God wants everyone saved--so pray.
God wants us to live humbly in contemplation--so pray. He wants rulers and governments to rule well and do so without selfish concerns--so pray. God wants Satan to be thwarted again and again--so pray. God wants our churches to be alive with Him--so pray. God wants us well and healing--so pray. God wadnts men and women to become available to serve the world--so pray. God wants churches to be jump-started with compassion and love--so pray. God wants the church's ministers and leaders to witness holiness and purity--so pray. First, pray!
God wants me to pray. I'm part of the problem. So, I must pray, for I cannot throw a single stone at anyone else. Lord, forgive me for my stubborn blindness and irrational disability by not listening for your call.
And God, I shall try to remember, always, to FIRST, PRAY!
Your servant, jo
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
GOD COMMANDS
Good Morning!
From my journal written yesterday, I dare use for myself a comparison with Saul. King just before King David, and David's father-in-law, Saul was not quite the king that God wanted for his people. Saul had a propensity of taking things into his own hands. He wasn't stubborn, exactly, he just moved too quickly without too much thinking. Many times over he made foolish, costly mistakes.
Samuel, prophet plus at the time, told Saul, "That was a fool thing to do," when Saul sacrificed the burnt offering to God before the priest was there in order to war against the Philistines right then! The war would not wait, nor would Saul, so he did the sacrifice himself. With this act, Saul destroyed the foundation between himself and God.
In many other instances, Saul hemmed and hawed concerning God's way or his own way. The throwing of the Urim and the Thummim by a priest was the way the Israelites determined God's will. According to the throw, if it came up the Urim, they were to go east and if it was the Thummim, west, for example.
Today, we don't use a Urim or a Thummim. I wish we did as it would be so much easier to determine what it is that God wants of us. We pray for God's leading and watch for God's approval--or disapproval--having faith that God wll show us. Sometimes he pops a door open, for our assurance. Sometimes He slams a door shut. Some folks have more certainty about God's will than others do. Most of us move by faith that God will intercede if our decision is going against Him, unless (and this is a big unless)God's motive is to teach us to wait longer.
God is very big on waiting, and God is very big on commands. When God tells us to "wait," it is a one word command. It is not just an idea. It is a sentence all by itself and the subject of that sentence is the noun YOU! The you, of course, is silent, but always in a command the subject is the word "you," silent or not. And I know that God means me! God's talking to me! And I'm to wait!
So, besides the grammar lesson (sorry to rant, I'm an English major) we need to remember that in many instances when we do not hear or understand what God commands, God may be commanding, "Wait!" Also something to remember-----a command is usually given with force, determination, and power. Our God is powerful and means business.
Waiting has not been near big enough in my history, although God seems to be working on waiting with me these days. Yes, He does like us to wait for He tells us that even Saul knew, the hard way, that it would have been better for him to wait.
Waiting is very hard. When I was a kid, I waited for summer, for Christmas, for my birthday, and for the next time I could buy some penny candy. Today, I wait for the results of some maddening test taken to determine what is going on with my---whatever. There always seems to be something.
Finally, one day, I'll wait for God to take me home to be with Him. In the meantime, how can I make you smile, God?
I thank and praise you, Lord, for this reader right now reading this.
Until later, Jo
From my journal written yesterday, I dare use for myself a comparison with Saul. King just before King David, and David's father-in-law, Saul was not quite the king that God wanted for his people. Saul had a propensity of taking things into his own hands. He wasn't stubborn, exactly, he just moved too quickly without too much thinking. Many times over he made foolish, costly mistakes.
Samuel, prophet plus at the time, told Saul, "That was a fool thing to do," when Saul sacrificed the burnt offering to God before the priest was there in order to war against the Philistines right then! The war would not wait, nor would Saul, so he did the sacrifice himself. With this act, Saul destroyed the foundation between himself and God.
In many other instances, Saul hemmed and hawed concerning God's way or his own way. The throwing of the Urim and the Thummim by a priest was the way the Israelites determined God's will. According to the throw, if it came up the Urim, they were to go east and if it was the Thummim, west, for example.
Today, we don't use a Urim or a Thummim. I wish we did as it would be so much easier to determine what it is that God wants of us. We pray for God's leading and watch for God's approval--or disapproval--having faith that God wll show us. Sometimes he pops a door open, for our assurance. Sometimes He slams a door shut. Some folks have more certainty about God's will than others do. Most of us move by faith that God will intercede if our decision is going against Him, unless (and this is a big unless)God's motive is to teach us to wait longer.
God is very big on waiting, and God is very big on commands. When God tells us to "wait," it is a one word command. It is not just an idea. It is a sentence all by itself and the subject of that sentence is the noun YOU! The you, of course, is silent, but always in a command the subject is the word "you," silent or not. And I know that God means me! God's talking to me! And I'm to wait!
So, besides the grammar lesson (sorry to rant, I'm an English major) we need to remember that in many instances when we do not hear or understand what God commands, God may be commanding, "Wait!" Also something to remember-----a command is usually given with force, determination, and power. Our God is powerful and means business.
Waiting has not been near big enough in my history, although God seems to be working on waiting with me these days. Yes, He does like us to wait for He tells us that even Saul knew, the hard way, that it would have been better for him to wait.
Waiting is very hard. When I was a kid, I waited for summer, for Christmas, for my birthday, and for the next time I could buy some penny candy. Today, I wait for the results of some maddening test taken to determine what is going on with my---whatever. There always seems to be something.
Finally, one day, I'll wait for God to take me home to be with Him. In the meantime, how can I make you smile, God?
I thank and praise you, Lord, for this reader right now reading this.
Until later, Jo
Friday, March 25, 2011
ANYTHING GOES!
Using THE MESSAGE again this a.m. for my journaling, I ran across 1 Corinthians 10:23which reminds me, "Anything goes. Because of God's immense generosity and grace, we don't have to disect and scrutinize every action to see if it will pass muster."
Our daughter, Lynn, and son-in-love, Gary Bolmgren, from Richfield,MN are with us right now for a visit and we had just been talking about how important it is to not carry old burdens around, but to trust that God has dealt with them. We are to let old mistakes go and not continue to be bothered by them.
That having been said, I got into THE MESSAGE to do my journaling for the day. Because of the scripture and the earlier discussion, I felt I had to share this very important discovery about God which I knew about, but until I could link it to a very old unsatisfying action of mine, I had never really seen it.
This is the story: Many years ago, when I was a new Christian, I wanted to serve and obey God in whatever way I was asked. I began by being responsible for people to be in the baby nursery, toddlers and twos, and the three year olds. It involved lots of calling and assigning of willing mothers and dads, but was a great pleasure for me.
The lovely woman who helped us in the nursery had immigrated from the Black Forest area in Germany with her family, and was wonderful with our crib babies. The church sponsored them and was very lucky to have her serve there.
However, there was a problem that grew into a real costly situation for the church. Permeating in the warm nursery was the unmistable strong smell of body odor and the young families with babies refused to come. As the nursery volunteer arranger, I, frankly, didn't quite know how to handle it.
I spoke to the pastor and to the Sunday School Superintendent and we collectively weren't sure what to do, either. So, I volunteered to speak with this otherwise very lovely woman and arrange for a visit to her home.
The morning of this visit, I woke to a blizzard type snow-fall, but wanting to be obedient to the Lord, I headed out for this new development of homes quite distant from my home and the church. On the way, I slid and slid, barely moving through the wind-driven snow. "An old Minnesotan like me can handle this," I spoke aloud, trying to puff up my nearly absent confidence.
"Oops!" and away the car slid nearly hitting, barely missing a big tanker truck, heading the same direction as I, toward the new people in their new homes in the new settlement waiting for the new oil for their new furnaces.
"What am I doing out in this?" I thought to myself. But suddenly I was on the right road, in the right neighborhood, and there was the house, at last.
We gave each other a hug in meeting. She had made a strudel and it was delicious. We had a nice conversation. She had no "other" friends and told me I was the first to come and see her new home. Then, I remembered why I was there, and understood: In her cold home they were using very little heating fuel. Other country's bathing habits are far different than our own. The heat in the nursery made the poor woman sweat!! And now what was I to do? It was hard to admit why I had come, but I supposed that I must.
I had brought some little necessities with me for her. I didn't open the bag, but I began to speak to her about the situation in church. Her face was a blank, the smile having disappeared. But, I explained the best I could and told her I would help her any way she would ask. I told her that we loved her work and needed her in the nursery.
She didn't answer me, but sat in silence, staring straight ahead.
Soon, I thought it best to say goodbye, leave the small bag of necessities, and go.
I cried on the way home and many times after that throughout the years. Had God tried to stop me with the blizzard and the near accident? Should I have stayed home?
Maybe God hadn't requested me to go to her. What if it wasn't His will?
She and her family left the church.
For many years I worried about this lovely lady. Eventually, I looked up their unusual name in the phone book and called. I left a message asking her to forgive me for not being a better friend. She didn't call me back, but that's OK.
Then, yesterday, I read the scripture from 1 Cor.10, and something fell into place, just like those little metal balls that roll around and around and eventually fall into the correct slot. I can now believe that I did what God asked. I just didn't have a clue beforehand how God was going to use it! I also wonder, was the blizzard God saying, "Go back!" Or was the blizzard that tricky Satan who's always trying to trick us into thinking, "It's God talking!" Was it God's will and Satan's trick? Maybe. Maybe not.
At any rate, with God, "Anything goes! Because of God's immense generosity and grace, we don't have to disect and scrutinize every action to see if it will pass muster." I passed muster but, I'll not know for sure who did what until Paradise!
If any of you out there in internet land have a grief that's hard to let go of--I hope this reassures you. With our God, anything goes as long as His grace and generosity hold out. And that will be for forever.
Until the next time! jo
Our daughter, Lynn, and son-in-love, Gary Bolmgren, from Richfield,MN are with us right now for a visit and we had just been talking about how important it is to not carry old burdens around, but to trust that God has dealt with them. We are to let old mistakes go and not continue to be bothered by them.
That having been said, I got into THE MESSAGE to do my journaling for the day. Because of the scripture and the earlier discussion, I felt I had to share this very important discovery about God which I knew about, but until I could link it to a very old unsatisfying action of mine, I had never really seen it.
This is the story: Many years ago, when I was a new Christian, I wanted to serve and obey God in whatever way I was asked. I began by being responsible for people to be in the baby nursery, toddlers and twos, and the three year olds. It involved lots of calling and assigning of willing mothers and dads, but was a great pleasure for me.
The lovely woman who helped us in the nursery had immigrated from the Black Forest area in Germany with her family, and was wonderful with our crib babies. The church sponsored them and was very lucky to have her serve there.
However, there was a problem that grew into a real costly situation for the church. Permeating in the warm nursery was the unmistable strong smell of body odor and the young families with babies refused to come. As the nursery volunteer arranger, I, frankly, didn't quite know how to handle it.
I spoke to the pastor and to the Sunday School Superintendent and we collectively weren't sure what to do, either. So, I volunteered to speak with this otherwise very lovely woman and arrange for a visit to her home.
The morning of this visit, I woke to a blizzard type snow-fall, but wanting to be obedient to the Lord, I headed out for this new development of homes quite distant from my home and the church. On the way, I slid and slid, barely moving through the wind-driven snow. "An old Minnesotan like me can handle this," I spoke aloud, trying to puff up my nearly absent confidence.
"Oops!" and away the car slid nearly hitting, barely missing a big tanker truck, heading the same direction as I, toward the new people in their new homes in the new settlement waiting for the new oil for their new furnaces.
"What am I doing out in this?" I thought to myself. But suddenly I was on the right road, in the right neighborhood, and there was the house, at last.
We gave each other a hug in meeting. She had made a strudel and it was delicious. We had a nice conversation. She had no "other" friends and told me I was the first to come and see her new home. Then, I remembered why I was there, and understood: In her cold home they were using very little heating fuel. Other country's bathing habits are far different than our own. The heat in the nursery made the poor woman sweat!! And now what was I to do? It was hard to admit why I had come, but I supposed that I must.
I had brought some little necessities with me for her. I didn't open the bag, but I began to speak to her about the situation in church. Her face was a blank, the smile having disappeared. But, I explained the best I could and told her I would help her any way she would ask. I told her that we loved her work and needed her in the nursery.
She didn't answer me, but sat in silence, staring straight ahead.
Soon, I thought it best to say goodbye, leave the small bag of necessities, and go.
I cried on the way home and many times after that throughout the years. Had God tried to stop me with the blizzard and the near accident? Should I have stayed home?
Maybe God hadn't requested me to go to her. What if it wasn't His will?
She and her family left the church.
For many years I worried about this lovely lady. Eventually, I looked up their unusual name in the phone book and called. I left a message asking her to forgive me for not being a better friend. She didn't call me back, but that's OK.
Then, yesterday, I read the scripture from 1 Cor.10, and something fell into place, just like those little metal balls that roll around and around and eventually fall into the correct slot. I can now believe that I did what God asked. I just didn't have a clue beforehand how God was going to use it! I also wonder, was the blizzard God saying, "Go back!" Or was the blizzard that tricky Satan who's always trying to trick us into thinking, "It's God talking!" Was it God's will and Satan's trick? Maybe. Maybe not.
At any rate, with God, "Anything goes! Because of God's immense generosity and grace, we don't have to disect and scrutinize every action to see if it will pass muster." I passed muster but, I'll not know for sure who did what until Paradise!
If any of you out there in internet land have a grief that's hard to let go of--I hope this reassures you. With our God, anything goes as long as His grace and generosity hold out. And that will be for forever.
Until the next time! jo
Thursday, March 10, 2011
BELIEVE ME?
Hello, again!
In Galatians 1:11-12, Paul is emphatic! He's saying,"Believe me!" because the church in Galatia was listening and believing a "gospel" other than the truth, and Paul was indignant. He told them, "I didn't receive this news through the traditions, and I wasn't taught it in some school. I got it straight from God, received the message directly from Jesus Christ." (The Message) So, believe me!
It got me to wondering--are my words to the great outside believed? Are they worth believing? I, personally, followed no traditions. I wasn't taught these beliefs in school. I rarely went to Sunday School as a child to my regret. I wasn't churched as a youngster. I had three children before I came to know the truth about Jesus, that He died so the world would have a way to be reconciled to God. I have no scars like Jesus does to prove I know the truth. I have nothing to make anyone listen to anything I say.
Nothing but a changed heart, and along with it a passion. Here I am, the one who was faithless in believing that Jesus had power for me, for my life. I clung to my own belief--myself--for a long time. And repeatedly found myself in a streak of losses toward my goal of "being a good person." Then, Jesus beat me at my own game! I came to realize I wasn't ever going to be good in my own right, and that's one reason why Jesus came to this earth, why He died on the cross. Then, I tripped on my own pride so badly one day that I realized I needed Him, and His goodness.
So here we are, Jesus and me! He's the good guy; I'm His shadow, and sometimes His hands and feet, and I hope, His mouth.
And that's when I came to another truth--Because he's in my heart, and I in His, I could, at last, be considered good. Everything He has is for my use, even His goodness! And that's the truth! I hope you believe me!!
See you soon! jo
In Galatians 1:11-12, Paul is emphatic! He's saying,"Believe me!" because the church in Galatia was listening and believing a "gospel" other than the truth, and Paul was indignant. He told them, "I didn't receive this news through the traditions, and I wasn't taught it in some school. I got it straight from God, received the message directly from Jesus Christ." (The Message) So, believe me!
It got me to wondering--are my words to the great outside believed? Are they worth believing? I, personally, followed no traditions. I wasn't taught these beliefs in school. I rarely went to Sunday School as a child to my regret. I wasn't churched as a youngster. I had three children before I came to know the truth about Jesus, that He died so the world would have a way to be reconciled to God. I have no scars like Jesus does to prove I know the truth. I have nothing to make anyone listen to anything I say.
Nothing but a changed heart, and along with it a passion. Here I am, the one who was faithless in believing that Jesus had power for me, for my life. I clung to my own belief--myself--for a long time. And repeatedly found myself in a streak of losses toward my goal of "being a good person." Then, Jesus beat me at my own game! I came to realize I wasn't ever going to be good in my own right, and that's one reason why Jesus came to this earth, why He died on the cross. Then, I tripped on my own pride so badly one day that I realized I needed Him, and His goodness.
So here we are, Jesus and me! He's the good guy; I'm His shadow, and sometimes His hands and feet, and I hope, His mouth.
And that's when I came to another truth--Because he's in my heart, and I in His, I could, at last, be considered good. Everything He has is for my use, even His goodness! And that's the truth! I hope you believe me!!
See you soon! jo
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