Life Hack

I don't remember where I saw or read this housekeeping hack, but it sure makes a difference--and it's so simple! When I walk in to a room I simply ask, "What bothers me about this?" Maybe it's a pair of shoes on the floor, a magazine, pillow or blanket out of place. Sometimes it's dirty dishes, clutter, or crumbs. Whatever it is, even if I just fix one thing each time I pass from one place to the next I make progress.

The same is true in the rest of our lives. If we would stop to ask, "What bothers me about this ____ (relationship, situation, job, etc)" and allow God to work in and through us, we could do away with a lot of unnecessary static and clutter. It's hard to evaluate ourselves and our lives, but the introduction of social media, technology, and smart phones has created more distractions.

Instead of getting angry, writing people off, or giving them the silent treatment, stop and ask, "What bothers me about this?" Prayerfully consider the thoughts and desires of your heart. Be ready to confess, repent, deal with, or simply discuss life issues--and keep your eyes open for God's incredible, healing work.

The Faithful Hammer of God

This blog has, perhaps, gotten carried away with insights from Bible reading and failed to reflect personal application lately. Maybe I'm looking at life differently, or maybe it's my age, but God has been hammering a few spots lately.

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Last spring I contacted a book publisher about my recently finished thesis on domestic abuse. You may already know the story, so skip ahead if you will. After a month of silence, she expressed interest but let me know it would need to be rewritten in book form--and I had 6 weeks to get it done. Throughout the process, God impressed on my heart and mind His provision and intervention.

Book available: here  Website: here  Facebook: here

There is no earthly way I could have completed the project. I'm still not sure how it all came together and I had concerns even after it was published that it said what it should, but God moved people (including me and this brain), circumstances, and the project along. The Truth is His. The timing is His. The outcome is His. One morning, near the end of the project, my computer died. Software? Gone. Hardware? Gone. Memory? Gone. One thing after another, hour after hour, rewrite after rewrite, discouragement after discouragement, encouragement after encouragement, God kept it going. Hammer. Ping. Clash. Clatter. Smash. Pressure. Heat. Stretching.

Remain committed to previous commitments? Bang. Respond lovingly when you're tired and your mind is strained? Ping. Take correction and criticism gracefully? Wham. Listen to sermons, podcasts, radio, filtering for content and Truth? Clunk. Read endless blog posts and web pages weighing secular versus biblical material? Clang. Endure physical pain and discomfort from sedentary hours? Thwack. Take on unwanted weight? Thud.

My prayer and desire is that I remember, not my effort, but God's grace. I have had opportunities to speak and present book material since then and it has been extremely rewarding. What fun to see "ah-hah!" lights come on for people who begin to see the deceit and destruction of abuse-related situations, knowing it's possible they've only seen a small part of the problem because so much was hidden. They've been manipulated. Even more precious are comments and written correspondence  from women in abusive marriages who read and respond to God's grace as it applies to domestic abuse and their own lives.

I am certainly not an expert on all things related to domestic abuse, but by combining the truth of God as it relates to the unique dynamics of abuse, women find hope. They see themselves, their relationship and situation differently. They learn to think about and respond differently. And God in His goodness brings change through His Word. It's a marvelous, God-given work!

There's another, more difficult area of my life God took in hand recently. As I'm able, I will address it in a future post. What I do know is that He is faithful, able, loving, and intimately aware of how to mold, shape, and use me for His purpose and good work.

But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.(Ephesians 2:4-10 NASB)

The Danger and Deceit of Partial Obedience

Although it isn't rocket science, one of the most influential factors in parenting even small children was the use of Scripture. We didn't beat our children over the head or cram it down their throats, we simply used it as our authority. God said that my job, as a mom (or dad), is to train and discipline our children. I told them that and it made me accountable. As they saw me giving up other opportunities or priorities to train and discipline them, they were more receptive to hear what God had to say to them. After all, if I say one thing (God says Moms are to ____) but I obviously don't obey God myself, then why should they obey either one of us?

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The same thing happened in the life of Samuel and King Saul. Samuel received a message from the Lord (utterly destroy King Agag and the Amalekites). He delivered the message to Saul who then partially obeyed, partially came up with his own, "better," plan. God made it clear to Samuel that Saul had blown it, and Samuel was grieved, so grieved that he cried out to the Lord all night.

Have you been there? A grown child, spouse, or friend sins boldly against God. You see not only the pride and unbelief, but the consequences that could result. The one you love, invested in, watched, taught, and intervened for has turned his/her back on God and doesn't see it; doesn't care.

Samuel's response was so, so excellent! It's worth learning from.After a time of prayer and grieving:

• Samuel got up early the next morning meet Saul. He didn't shy away from the encounter. He didn't procrastinate or make excuses. As soon as he was able, he determined to find Saul and work it out. "Samuel rose early in the morning to meet Saul..." (1 Sam. 15:12)
• He did what it took to find Saul. He wasn't discouraged by the fact that Saul had moved on; Saul had already built himself a monument (note: there was no altar for God, just a declaration of Saul's prowess and might). "...it was told Samuel, saying, 'Saul came to Carmel, and behold, he set up a monument for himself, ten turned and proceeded on down to Gilgal.'"(1 Sam. 15:12)
• Samuel wasn't put off by or distracted by Saul's cheery greeting and desire to paint things pink. "'Blessed are you of the LORD! I have carried out the command of the LORD.'"(1 Sam. 15:13)
• Samuel asked a question regarding the evidence of disobedience, giving Saul an opportunity to come clean and repent. "What then is this bleating of the sheep in my ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?" (1 Sam. 15:14)
• Saul blameshifted, denied responsibility, excused his disobedience and touted partial obedience. "'They have brought them from the Amalekites for the people spared the best of the sheep and oxen, to sacrifice to the LORD your God; but the rest we have utterly destroyed.'" (1 Sam. 15:15)
• At this point, Samuel nearly interrupted Saul with real, actual, words of the Lord (instead of Saul's selfish, watered down, deluded interpretation). "'Wait, and let me tell you what the LORD said to me last night.'" ( 1 Sam. 15:16) 
• He reminded Saul of who he was and how that changed with God's call on his life. "Is it not true, though you were little in your own eyes, you were made the head of the tribes of Israel? And the LORD anointed you king over Israel." (1 Sam. 15:17)
• He restated God's command: "'the LORD sent you on a mission and said, "God and utterly destroy the sinners, the Amalekites, and fight against them until they are exterminated."'" (1 Sam. 15:18)
• And gave Saul another opportunity to confess and repent. "'Why then did you not obey the voice of the LORD, but rushed upon the spoil and did what was evil in the sight of the LORD?'" (1 Sam. 15:19)
• Saul repeated his answer, replacing God's command with his desired interpretation, "I did obey the voice of the LORD, and went on the mission on which the LORD sent me, and have brought back Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites..." (1 Sam. 15:20)
• Saul adds blameshifting (again) and throws the name of God back at Samuel  "But the people took some of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the choicest of the things devoted to destruction, to sacrifice to the LORD your God at Gilgal." (1 Sam. 15:21, emphasis added)
• Samuel lays it on the line, calling Saul out with a few powerful words (1 Sam. 15:22-23).
• In response, Saul says, "Ok, yeah, you're right, I sinned. Just forgive me and let's do this sacrifice. I'm going to worship God and move on." (1 Sam. 15:24).Notice, there is no corporate worship, no desire for fellowship, the focus is on outward doing and fixing as a substitute for heart change.
• Samuel, praise the LORD, continued with loving confrontation. He refused to be used, bullied, or manipulated. He will not take the easy out. "But Samuel said to Saul, 'I will not return with you; for you have rejected the word of the LORD, and the LORD has rejected you from being king over Israel." (1 Sam. 15:26).
• In response, Saul assaults Samuel. Reaching out, he grabbed Samuel roughly and completely enough to tear his clothing. (1 Sam. 15:27).
• Samuel then used Saul's violence as evidence of coming consequences."So Samuel said to him, 'The LORD has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today and has given it to your neighbor who is better than you.'" (1 Sam. 15:28).
• Samuel continued, his final words to Saul, words that may have echoed for years to come, words Saul fought the rest of his life, words that declare God and His character: "Also the Glory of Israel will not lie or change His mind; for He is not a man that He should change His mind." (1 Sam. 15:29)
• Again, Saul says, "I'm sorry..." just don't make me look bad. Come with me, let's do this. (1 Sam. 15:30).

Samuel went with Saul at that point, but he there is no record of conversation or moving on. After this encounter, "Samuel went to Ramah, but Saul went up to his house at Gibeah of Saul. Samuel did not see Saul again until the day of his death...."1 Sam. 15:34-35.

That's really long, but the point is, we have to make God's Word the authority. Allowing our children to make excuses, wriggle out from under the consequences or blame others does nothing more than train them for a life of disobedience. It's not easy. It requires constant attention, intervention, honesty, inconvenience, and hard, fast love, but it's God's calling on our lives if we belong to Him. Samuel was not responsible for Saul's choices, but he was responsible to uphold the Word of God, to represent Him accurately, and to enact consequences that were in his realm of responsibility.

Are you a Samuel or a Saul? It will be evident in your words and choices. God gives repeated opportunities to cry out to Him, confess our sin, and change. Maybe this is yours....