Sometimes I have something very serious that I want to say to my husband, and I need to have one hundred percent of his attention. Past history has proven to me that if he isn't paying close attention he will only hear part of what I am saying. He hears what he wants to hear, or he just doesn't get all of it due to trying to do more than one thing at a time.
Now, multi-tasking is a gift that most men don't have, but they have been deceived by demons and other men who have told them that they do. I'm convinced this is a conspiracy to shut out the world of wives who are talking non-stop at them. That is not me. I am not one to inundate my world, nor my husband, with endless chatter. So, when I have something important to say I want him to stop what he is doing and listen carefully. If my husband does not shut off the TV, or if he doesn't stop what he is doing I can lay odds that later he will have everything that I said twisted and formed to shape what he thinks I said, not what I said.
There have been many times in our marriage that I have wanted to relate important (at least to me it is) stuff, but I just can't get him to stop and totally focus on me. I will, at this point, just stop and say, "Forget it." He will respond somewhat feebly that he is listening, but it takes no effort at all for him to go back to what he was doing. He's really not interested. He actually couldn't care less. He is doing what he wants to do, and I go away frustrated, sad, angry, and/or hurt.
I often hear Christians say, "Gee. God really never talks to me. I wonder why. My friends say that He talks to them, so why wouldn't He talk to me?" I think it's time to wake up and smell the coffee, dear one. God isn't going to talk to you if you're not going to stop and listen. As we have heard it said over and over, God is a gentleman. He's not going to come into your house without calling first and receiving an invitation. He knows where He's not wanted, and He will not intrude uninvited.
I must make certain that in such a busy world I must stop. Stop everything. Yes, it's possible for even the most busy person to stop. Take five. Sit alone with Him and listen. Read a verse. Then tomorrow take ten. Read a chapter. And we must always listen. We must open the door and ask Him to come in and give Him all our hospitality. I believe that if Jesus walks by and you are too busy vacuuming, too busy watching your shows on television, too busy with Facebook, or too busy with your work He is going to say, "Forget it. Maybe I'll come back later." Then again, maybe He won't.
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Saved or Rescued
Is there a difference in definition between "saved" and "rescued"? According to Webster there is very little. But, in reflection of certain situations, I believe there can be a difference, one that may be ever so slight, and yet ever so important. I even believe it can be the difference between life or death.
My dear friend Webster says that saved means to "deliver from sin". I admit that I was a little surprised for the dictionary to take this fairly religious point of view on the word. The second definition was to "deliver from danger". I looked up the word rescue and found, "to free from confinement or danger, to save, to deliver". The differences may not be enough for one to normally comment on, but I believe I see a difference.
A few days ago my husband and I were talking about a situation that we have with our adult son. His marriage is ending, he has no dependable transportation, no job, no place to go, and of course no money to achieve any of these. These problems, and many, many more, are long-standing, and over the years his cries for help and then abuse of the helper have caused him to alienate family and friends alike. He has, as the saying goes, burned all of his bridges and has no one to go to, and he has no where to go. His closest family has explained to him time and again that his hope is not in what his family or friends do for him. His hope, and at this point, his only hope is in Jesus Christ who can and will turn his life around. Our son has stedfastly refused to take this step in his life, and consequently his life is unbearable for him. His last phone conversation with me was to say that he has nothing to live for, and he wants to end his life.
There have been circumstances in this man's life that have caused him to believe that the world owes him, that his family owes him, and he has lived this way for so long that he knows nothing else. How does someone watch two hardworking parents all of his growing up years become an adult believing just the opposite of what he saw? I can't answer this. I can only rely on what I believe. I believe in a Savior that can lift a lost man up from his grave of sin and despair and plant him on solid ground.
Today I am recognizing more and more a generation of adult children with this same mindset. They don't want to work, let alone work hard. They don't want to do a job that they consider not theirs to do. They want at age 25 what our generation didn't have until we were 50, and they want it given to them. This generation of which I speak has been pampered and spoiled with money and technology, and they have come away believing that they deserve it simply because they breathe. We forgot to teach them that all these things in their lives wouldn't make them happy. The things only cause them to want more. There is only One way to happiness, and they don't seem willing to sacrifice to have it.
Yes. I forgot to tell him because I didn't know Christ until my son was 15 and his brother was 17. I didn't know the Truth, so how could I teach it to them? But I cannot take the guilt upon myself when I have presented the Truth over and over to them. As adults, my sons have continued to hear the Truth, then walk away to continue their lives of sin and depravity. They have made their choices, and I am not responsible for their false thinking and bad decisions. But I am responsible for praying for their salvation and deliverance. My job as a "mommy" is over. But my job as a believer in Christ demands my diligence in prayer, and it demands my unfailing and unconditional love for my sons whom I love beyond measure. My greatest comfort is knowing that their Creator loves them infinitely, and because of that love He will pursue them for as long as it takes for them to recognize how much they need Him.
I am continuing to pray, and I am expecting great things from God for my sons.
My dear friend Webster says that saved means to "deliver from sin". I admit that I was a little surprised for the dictionary to take this fairly religious point of view on the word. The second definition was to "deliver from danger". I looked up the word rescue and found, "to free from confinement or danger, to save, to deliver". The differences may not be enough for one to normally comment on, but I believe I see a difference.
A few days ago my husband and I were talking about a situation that we have with our adult son. His marriage is ending, he has no dependable transportation, no job, no place to go, and of course no money to achieve any of these. These problems, and many, many more, are long-standing, and over the years his cries for help and then abuse of the helper have caused him to alienate family and friends alike. He has, as the saying goes, burned all of his bridges and has no one to go to, and he has no where to go. His closest family has explained to him time and again that his hope is not in what his family or friends do for him. His hope, and at this point, his only hope is in Jesus Christ who can and will turn his life around. Our son has stedfastly refused to take this step in his life, and consequently his life is unbearable for him. His last phone conversation with me was to say that he has nothing to live for, and he wants to end his life.
There have been circumstances in this man's life that have caused him to believe that the world owes him, that his family owes him, and he has lived this way for so long that he knows nothing else. How does someone watch two hardworking parents all of his growing up years become an adult believing just the opposite of what he saw? I can't answer this. I can only rely on what I believe. I believe in a Savior that can lift a lost man up from his grave of sin and despair and plant him on solid ground.
Today I am recognizing more and more a generation of adult children with this same mindset. They don't want to work, let alone work hard. They don't want to do a job that they consider not theirs to do. They want at age 25 what our generation didn't have until we were 50, and they want it given to them. This generation of which I speak has been pampered and spoiled with money and technology, and they have come away believing that they deserve it simply because they breathe. We forgot to teach them that all these things in their lives wouldn't make them happy. The things only cause them to want more. There is only One way to happiness, and they don't seem willing to sacrifice to have it.
Yes. I forgot to tell him because I didn't know Christ until my son was 15 and his brother was 17. I didn't know the Truth, so how could I teach it to them? But I cannot take the guilt upon myself when I have presented the Truth over and over to them. As adults, my sons have continued to hear the Truth, then walk away to continue their lives of sin and depravity. They have made their choices, and I am not responsible for their false thinking and bad decisions. But I am responsible for praying for their salvation and deliverance. My job as a "mommy" is over. But my job as a believer in Christ demands my diligence in prayer, and it demands my unfailing and unconditional love for my sons whom I love beyond measure. My greatest comfort is knowing that their Creator loves them infinitely, and because of that love He will pursue them for as long as it takes for them to recognize how much they need Him.
I am continuing to pray, and I am expecting great things from God for my sons.
Thursday, October 6, 2011
I'LL DO IT MYSELF!
I have a husband who, bless his heart, thinks if I have come to him with a problem that I want him to fix it. I think this may be God's fault because I've read that most husbands think this way. But all I really want is to talk about it to someone. I just want him to listen to me, then I'll go take care of it. I wonder if the reason for this is that, usually, men just don't talk, bless their hearts, unless they have to. If they don't need help why would they talk?
Think about how God must look at this conundrum. On one hand He watches a woman telling her loving husband about the kid in the back of her class who just won't follow directions and can't keep his hands to himself. When she's finished her rant, dear, sweet, loving husband begins to recite a list of all the things that she needs to do to correct this youngster. He may even have the audacity to put this list in writing for her. "Follow these (my) guidelines (instead of yours), and you will have no more problems." This is what she hears him saying. Her next decision will probably be to never talk to him about her job ever again. "I'll do it my own way! What does he know about it, anyway?"
On the other hand is the loving husband who is home from work, tired, just wanting a little peace in his world, and she's got a problem, and, God forbid, she wants to talk. "Fine," he thinks to himself. "I can take care of this for her, and then I can get back to peace and quiet. This can't be too difficult. It's a child, for heaven's sake! Why can't she do this herself? No. I have to do it for her!"
Wanting to "take care of things myself" is typical in hundreds of different scenarios, not just between men and women. But I wonder if it is one of the biggest chasms between man and God. God is in control, but man wants to do it himself. God says to man, "Trust in Me." And man says, "I have to do something!" "How can it be resolved if I don't do something?"
The writer of Hebrews says, "Faith is leaning toward God in complete confidence and trust in His power, wisdom, and goodness." (Amp. Bible. italics added) Many times our faith needs feet and hands to accomplish God's power and wisdom, but first comes the faith, the knowledge of and intimate relationship with God the Father and His Son. When we "put on the armor of God" then we will know the power and wisdom that we need to answer our daily problems because the constant in our lives, the Holy Spirit, will guide us through. Yes, sometimes I may still need to talk it through to a friend. But all I will need in the end to solve or alleviate my problems will come from the Counselor, God. He does good work. Even at my best I'll probably make a mess. God's Word is the best resource I can ever need.
Think about how God must look at this conundrum. On one hand He watches a woman telling her loving husband about the kid in the back of her class who just won't follow directions and can't keep his hands to himself. When she's finished her rant, dear, sweet, loving husband begins to recite a list of all the things that she needs to do to correct this youngster. He may even have the audacity to put this list in writing for her. "Follow these (my) guidelines (instead of yours), and you will have no more problems." This is what she hears him saying. Her next decision will probably be to never talk to him about her job ever again. "I'll do it my own way! What does he know about it, anyway?"
On the other hand is the loving husband who is home from work, tired, just wanting a little peace in his world, and she's got a problem, and, God forbid, she wants to talk. "Fine," he thinks to himself. "I can take care of this for her, and then I can get back to peace and quiet. This can't be too difficult. It's a child, for heaven's sake! Why can't she do this herself? No. I have to do it for her!"
Wanting to "take care of things myself" is typical in hundreds of different scenarios, not just between men and women. But I wonder if it is one of the biggest chasms between man and God. God is in control, but man wants to do it himself. God says to man, "Trust in Me." And man says, "I have to do something!" "How can it be resolved if I don't do something?"
The writer of Hebrews says, "Faith is leaning toward God in complete confidence and trust in His power, wisdom, and goodness." (Amp. Bible. italics added) Many times our faith needs feet and hands to accomplish God's power and wisdom, but first comes the faith, the knowledge of and intimate relationship with God the Father and His Son. When we "put on the armor of God" then we will know the power and wisdom that we need to answer our daily problems because the constant in our lives, the Holy Spirit, will guide us through. Yes, sometimes I may still need to talk it through to a friend. But all I will need in the end to solve or alleviate my problems will come from the Counselor, God. He does good work. Even at my best I'll probably make a mess. God's Word is the best resource I can ever need.
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