Just over two weeks ago we got the devastating news that our nearly 20 yr old granddaughter had died. It appeared she had taken her own life. It made no sense. She was into everything and had all sorts of plans for the future. Only after an extensive police investigation is it clear it was unintentional....but it has been so painful... such a waste of a wonderful, creative, zany, clever young woman. I have never had such a level of grief before - but at the same time we have been 'graced' to pray, hold onto the Word, declare the goodness of God, stand tall and not be crushed... I have been amazed at how we have felt a calm, solid, safe foundation under our feet, our hearts. It is clear our spirits have been anchored in 'The Rock of Ages' while our souls have gone through the roller-coaster of pain, confusion, anger, grief... At times I felt my body ached all over with what I was carrying. But underneath this calm. So amazing.
And people have prayed and loved and given, and prayed and loved, and hugged and cried... such an outpouring of love. My husband said, "It is as times like this you realise how many people love you." Our three sons and their families gathered in Wellington (Ellie's dad had to fly home from Paris!) and in spite of the terrible reason for us all to be together... it was wonderful to spend 5 or 6 days grieving, remembering, sharing stories, eating together, wandering a beach or the waterfront... We have all bonded together on a whole new level.
This grace is astounding. Steve, Ellie's father, felt he could not fly back... it felt too hard. But he came. He felt he could not go to the funeral... but he came. He couldn't imagine himself carrying out the casket... but he did. He was 'graced' beyond what he could imagine himself doing! So have we been. This is the mercy of God. This is who he is.
I believe we have found him to be more 'able' than we had needed to before. "He is able to make all grace abound to you..." Yes - he is able. People think we are being strong. But it is not of ourselves. We know that deeply.
And almost daily people tell us how amazing the funeral was. That is because it was filled with hope and with love. The Word was declared over and over... as well as lovely stories of a delightful girl. We sang and prayed about HIM... as well as wept and held each other in our grief. Her mum, Mia, said at the final prayer time at the committal - "I always knew she was not mine to keep, so I give her to you Jesus. I know you will take good care of her." Amazing - from a mum with an only child. So much grace. We give glory to him... and anticipate more and more of his goodness coming out of this heartache.
Wednesday, May 29, 2013
Saturday, May 18, 2013
Love mercy...
I have been pondering on a verse in Micah 6:8
And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly (do the right thing by everyone) and to love mercy.
And to walk humbly with your God.
Love mercy…love mercy.
I think - often we love justice, or we love righteousness, or we love repentance more than we love mercy. Mercy is harder. Mercy is a divine attribute that doesn’t come easily to us. Love mercy… If we find ourselves feeling indignant and angry at the behaviour of others and always wanting to put them right – we may need to ask the Lord to teach us how to love mercy. It is the way of love. It leads to blessing and the great joy of seeing what we say come to pass.
Why are we required to ‘walk humbly with our God?’ Because mercy and humility are entwined. The humble are aware of their own failings and can be merciful about the faults of others. When we find ourselves lacking mercy – we need to look closely at our measure of humility. The new covenant speaks mercy – mercy – mercy on the lost and blind and deceived. Mercy, not judgement. Paul said in Romans 2 – ‘The kindness of God leads us to repentance. Don’t you realise that?’ Mercy, mercy, mercy. James said in Ch.2:13 – 14 “Speak and act as those who are going to be judged (weighed up – assessed) by the law that brings freedom – (he has been talking about the royal law of love), because judgement without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgement.”
Mercy is far, far superior to judgement. I have come to believe that our loving Father does not go round looking for minuscule faults to judge, but rather is looking for the tiniest hint of turning or longing for grace that will invite his mercy. And then he runs towards us….
In the Tabernacle that God instructed Moses to build - there is the Most Holy place – where the high priest went once year with the blood of a perfect slain lamb. And right in the centre was a place called ‘The mercy seat.” It was the lid or cover of gold laid over the Ark of the Covenant. There were two cherubim at either end, all gold. And the Lord said “I will meet you there – at the mercy seat.” The place of meeting with our Most Holy God is a place of mercy. We meet him there – because the blood of Jesus has been spilt in that place, once, for all, to enable us to constantly receive mercy. But if our heart is in a place of judgement against others – how can we come close to the mercy seat? We in fact stand outside the curtain. Outside of the realm of grace. Can I recommend if you find yourself often angry at the lives of others – that you study ‘the mercy seat’ in the Old and New Testament – and how God meets us in mercy – so you can learn to bring others to that place of mercy and plead his blood over them.
For Jesus died for them – his mercy is extended to them, as much as to us. ‘Once, for all.’ “Freely you have received… freely give.” What did Jesus say as they nailed him to that cruel cross… “Father forgive them – they know not what they do.” It’s a great prayer to keep praying – in any situation that offends and wounds us.
I’ve been talking this week by email with someone who has a business partner who has hurt and stifled her over and over again. She has felt trapped and deeply angry and has only been able to speak complaint and judgement about her partner. I have been trying to help her forgive and bless. I wrote to her and said, “It could be that this behaviour that hurts you has come out of an earlier relationship and the fear and control you experience is a protective measure… an unconscious instinct.” This turned a light on – and she said, “Yes, I think that it is. I feel more compassion now and I am speaking forgiveness and blessing more easily.”
Be merciful as your Father is merciful. This is the picture Jesus brought to us. And we must live by this royal law of love. It has the power of the throne behind it. As we speak mercy and blessing all of heaven is behind us. It will change lives. It will change our heart.
I think - often we love justice, or we love righteousness, or we love repentance more than we love mercy. Mercy is harder. Mercy is a divine attribute that doesn’t come easily to us. Love mercy… If we find ourselves feeling indignant and angry at the behaviour of others and always wanting to put them right – we may need to ask the Lord to teach us how to love mercy. It is the way of love. It leads to blessing and the great joy of seeing what we say come to pass.
Why are we required to ‘walk humbly with our God?’ Because mercy and humility are entwined. The humble are aware of their own failings and can be merciful about the faults of others. When we find ourselves lacking mercy – we need to look closely at our measure of humility. The new covenant speaks mercy – mercy – mercy on the lost and blind and deceived. Mercy, not judgement. Paul said in Romans 2 – ‘The kindness of God leads us to repentance. Don’t you realise that?’ Mercy, mercy, mercy. James said in Ch.2:13 – 14 “Speak and act as those who are going to be judged (weighed up – assessed) by the law that brings freedom – (he has been talking about the royal law of love), because judgement without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgement.”
Mercy is far, far superior to judgement. I have come to believe that our loving Father does not go round looking for minuscule faults to judge, but rather is looking for the tiniest hint of turning or longing for grace that will invite his mercy. And then he runs towards us….
In the Tabernacle that God instructed Moses to build - there is the Most Holy place – where the high priest went once year with the blood of a perfect slain lamb. And right in the centre was a place called ‘The mercy seat.” It was the lid or cover of gold laid over the Ark of the Covenant. There were two cherubim at either end, all gold. And the Lord said “I will meet you there – at the mercy seat.” The place of meeting with our Most Holy God is a place of mercy. We meet him there – because the blood of Jesus has been spilt in that place, once, for all, to enable us to constantly receive mercy. But if our heart is in a place of judgement against others – how can we come close to the mercy seat? We in fact stand outside the curtain. Outside of the realm of grace. Can I recommend if you find yourself often angry at the lives of others – that you study ‘the mercy seat’ in the Old and New Testament – and how God meets us in mercy – so you can learn to bring others to that place of mercy and plead his blood over them.
For Jesus died for them – his mercy is extended to them, as much as to us. ‘Once, for all.’ “Freely you have received… freely give.” What did Jesus say as they nailed him to that cruel cross… “Father forgive them – they know not what they do.” It’s a great prayer to keep praying – in any situation that offends and wounds us.
I’ve been talking this week by email with someone who has a business partner who has hurt and stifled her over and over again. She has felt trapped and deeply angry and has only been able to speak complaint and judgement about her partner. I have been trying to help her forgive and bless. I wrote to her and said, “It could be that this behaviour that hurts you has come out of an earlier relationship and the fear and control you experience is a protective measure… an unconscious instinct.” This turned a light on – and she said, “Yes, I think that it is. I feel more compassion now and I am speaking forgiveness and blessing more easily.”
Be merciful as your Father is merciful. This is the picture Jesus brought to us. And we must live by this royal law of love. It has the power of the throne behind it. As we speak mercy and blessing all of heaven is behind us. It will change lives. It will change our heart.
Friday, May 10, 2013
THE PROBLEM WITH JUSTICE
Have you ever known that burning cry for justice? It is a normal response to being offended and sinned against. Because we were made in the image of God… justice is part of our DNA... We were created to live in a just and loving world. This is part of what it means to have ‘eternity in our hearts’. Eternity will have perfect justice.
But our enemy robbed us of that environment when sin entered the world at the Fall. But we still want it – we ache for it. We want them to own up – to pay – to apologise – to put things right… to restore our soul again. The thing we believers become blind to - is that none of this looks like Jesus, and none of this actually brings us peace of mind and heart. A friend of mine just 36 hours ago told me of her sister who is physically ill with the emotional pain of anger and unforgiveness. She just keeps saying, “I cannot let it go. Justice must be done!”
Scripture tells us repeatedly to seek justice for the oppressed and the needy. Many do noble work for justice on behalf of others – it is part of bringing God’s Kingdom rule on earth. We are called to do this. But there is a great danger in this pursuit of justice. And there is one unavoidable exception to this rule.
The great danger is that pursing justice can turn into seeking revenge – and we become blind to our own sinful responses to the situation. Our hearts become hardened and hateful and warped. We become oblivious to our own condition because we are so focussed on the wrong that has been done. We need a light to go on for us if we are trapped here.And the light is found in looking at Jesus.
And the unavoidable exception to seeking justice, is that we may zealously seek it for others, but not for ourselves. Listen to 1 Peter 2:23 “When they hurled their insults at him, Jesus, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.” Jesus never sought justice for himself. Instead He entrusted himself to the only one who judges justly. His Father in Heaven. He entrusted himself… That is our answer – our only answer.
Romans 12:14 on says - “Bless those who persecute you, bless and do not curse. Do not repay evil for evil… Do not take revenge, my friends, leave the judgement up to God … if your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty give him a drink… do not be overcome by evil, overcome evil with good.” We are always ‘overcome by evil’ when we retaliate or repay or withhold or shun. The New Covenant is no longer ‘an eye for an eye’.
Luke 6:27 on - Love your enemies; do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you… do to others as you would have them do to you. v. 33 Love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the most High (a true reflection of your Father) because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.”
BUT IT IS SO HARD WHEN WE HAVE BEEN DEEPLY HURT OR UNJUSTLY TREATED!
I read this wonderful little sentence recently: “A deep sense of injustice is often part of the hard shell around the sweet fruit of forgiveness.”
The only way to crack that painful sense of injustice is to do what Jesus did. Hand it over to our Father - entrust our reputation, our redress, our restoration to Him. We do what the cross did – we cancel the debt they owe us – and let it go. “I let go my demands, I cancel the debt. You owe me nothing.” Only the grace of Jesus can enable us to do that. But it is possible, because he lives in us.
A while ago I came across a verse in Jeremiah 32:40 “I will make an everlasting covenant with them: I will never stop doing them good, and I will inspire them to honour me, so they will never turn away from me. I will rejoice in doing them good…” This verse turned a light on for me. I saw that it was the nature of God in his covenant love to NEVER stop doing me good. And he delights in doing me good. So when testings and trials and hard relationship things happen I keep saying to myself – “God intends doing me good. So this has got to be good for me.” And I keep saying to the Father – “Show me your goodness in this. It is here somewhere… please let me see it.” And time and again I see it – because I am now intent on finding it. It turns me from getting mired in hurt and blame and feeling crushed by what others do. It is what that word ‘entrusted’ means. Jesus entrusted himself to the Father’s good purposes in his terrible suffering. So can we. I recommend it as one of those truths that sets us free to forgive and bless.
But our enemy robbed us of that environment when sin entered the world at the Fall. But we still want it – we ache for it. We want them to own up – to pay – to apologise – to put things right… to restore our soul again. The thing we believers become blind to - is that none of this looks like Jesus, and none of this actually brings us peace of mind and heart. A friend of mine just 36 hours ago told me of her sister who is physically ill with the emotional pain of anger and unforgiveness. She just keeps saying, “I cannot let it go. Justice must be done!”
Scripture tells us repeatedly to seek justice for the oppressed and the needy. Many do noble work for justice on behalf of others – it is part of bringing God’s Kingdom rule on earth. We are called to do this. But there is a great danger in this pursuit of justice. And there is one unavoidable exception to this rule.
The great danger is that pursing justice can turn into seeking revenge – and we become blind to our own sinful responses to the situation. Our hearts become hardened and hateful and warped. We become oblivious to our own condition because we are so focussed on the wrong that has been done. We need a light to go on for us if we are trapped here.And the light is found in looking at Jesus.
And the unavoidable exception to seeking justice, is that we may zealously seek it for others, but not for ourselves. Listen to 1 Peter 2:23 “When they hurled their insults at him, Jesus, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.” Jesus never sought justice for himself. Instead He entrusted himself to the only one who judges justly. His Father in Heaven. He entrusted himself… That is our answer – our only answer.
Romans 12:14 on says - “Bless those who persecute you, bless and do not curse. Do not repay evil for evil… Do not take revenge, my friends, leave the judgement up to God … if your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty give him a drink… do not be overcome by evil, overcome evil with good.” We are always ‘overcome by evil’ when we retaliate or repay or withhold or shun. The New Covenant is no longer ‘an eye for an eye’.
Luke 6:27 on - Love your enemies; do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you… do to others as you would have them do to you. v. 33 Love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the most High (a true reflection of your Father) because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.”
BUT IT IS SO HARD WHEN WE HAVE BEEN DEEPLY HURT OR UNJUSTLY TREATED!
I read this wonderful little sentence recently: “A deep sense of injustice is often part of the hard shell around the sweet fruit of forgiveness.”
The only way to crack that painful sense of injustice is to do what Jesus did. Hand it over to our Father - entrust our reputation, our redress, our restoration to Him. We do what the cross did – we cancel the debt they owe us – and let it go. “I let go my demands, I cancel the debt. You owe me nothing.” Only the grace of Jesus can enable us to do that. But it is possible, because he lives in us.
A while ago I came across a verse in Jeremiah 32:40 “I will make an everlasting covenant with them: I will never stop doing them good, and I will inspire them to honour me, so they will never turn away from me. I will rejoice in doing them good…” This verse turned a light on for me. I saw that it was the nature of God in his covenant love to NEVER stop doing me good. And he delights in doing me good. So when testings and trials and hard relationship things happen I keep saying to myself – “God intends doing me good. So this has got to be good for me.” And I keep saying to the Father – “Show me your goodness in this. It is here somewhere… please let me see it.” And time and again I see it – because I am now intent on finding it. It turns me from getting mired in hurt and blame and feeling crushed by what others do. It is what that word ‘entrusted’ means. Jesus entrusted himself to the Father’s good purposes in his terrible suffering. So can we. I recommend it as one of those truths that sets us free to forgive and bless.
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