{Five Minute Friday: Mighty}

It's Friday. Five minutes. Just writing whatever comes out. No edits necessary. If you have five minutes, join the party! Find out how here.

Ready? Go. 

My mind wanders back to small church sitting on the side of a country road. Song service (that’s what we called worship back then) was in full swing. The congregation was singing out the old chorus: "What a mighty God we serve. What a mighty God we serve. The angels bow before Him. Heaven and earth adore Him. What a mighty God we serve.” Of course, we sang it in a medley with Sing Hosanna. If y’all don’t know the song I’m singing in my head right now, well...let’s move on.

He is, isn’t He? Mighty.

I love what Scripture says in Zephaniah.

The Lord your God is with you, He is MIGHTY to save. He will take great delight in you. He will quiet you with his love. He will rejoice over you with singing. -Zeph. 3:17

I love the picture this verse paints. A mighty warrior juxtaposed with a loving God who delights in us and rejoices over us with singing. He is both. Always both. He fights for us and defends us with the same intensity and might with which He loves us and delights in us.

Let that sink in. And, take heart!

Stop.

{Five Minute Friday: Joy}

It's Friday. Five minutes. Just writing whatever comes out. No edits necessary. If you have five minutes, join the party!  Find out how here.

Go.

Always be joyful. 

What’s that now? Always? Yes, always.

That is one of those bits of Scripture that can be hard to swallow. I was taught that there are few instances where the word “always” or “never” really applies. But, there it is jumping off the pages of holy scripture. Always. Be. Joyful.

What about those days when circumstances threaten to overwhelm you? Yes, even then.

What about those days when you are exhausted physically, mentally, and emotionally?  Yes, even then.

What about that moment when you’ve just received devastating news? Yes, even then.

What about that week when you aren’t sure how you are going to make ends meet? Yes, even then.

What about those times when your heart is broken and hurting? Yes, even then.

That's hard. But, I've learned that we can choose joy because we have hope. We have hope because we belong to Jesus. The one and only Hope of all the World.

The heavenly hosts declared it from the very beginning: “Do not be afraid, I bring you glad tidings of great joy...the Savior is born.” Great joy. His name is Jesus.

Stop.

{Five Minute Friday: Crowd}

Linking up to 5-Minute Friday. Five minutes. Just writing. If you’re up for it, join us.  Find out how here.

Go.

I’m not normally one for a crowd. People can get lost in a crowd.

Jesus seemed to attract a crowd. Crowds followed him. Crowds that were full of curious people who wanted to get a look at Him. But Jesus had a knack for finding one. 

I remember the blind beggar lying on the side of the road as the crowd pushed through in pursuit of Jesus.  The blind guy shouted. The crowd disregarded him and even rebuked him, but Jesus heard him and saw him and healed him.

What about Zaccheus?  He climbed a tree so that he could just catch a glimpse of Jesus.  Jesus saw him and called him by name and invited Himself to lunch and saved him.

Then, there’s the woman who had been sick for years. Twelve years. She pushed her way through the crowd desperate to touch his clothes. Jesus knew that she was there and stopped in his tracks to address her, to heal her.

Yes, people can get lost in a crowd. Or, people may even prefer to blend into the crowd.  Then there are some, like the ones I’ve already mentioned, who will do whatever it takes to be found. And Jesus?  Well, he promises that we will find him when we seek him with all our hearts. Whatever. It. Takes. All that I am. All in.

Why? Because, He’s Jesus. I love Him so. I need Him desperately.

Stop.

{Five Minute Friday: Willing}

It's Friday.  So, I will write. It's been a while.  But, that's ok. Five minutes. No starting and stopping. No editing. Just writing. You want to join me?  I'd thought you'd never ask! Here's where you can find out how to join me (and lots of others). And, go.

Willing.  That’s the word.

Being willing, in my mind, has everything to do with surrender.  It’s submission. It’s letting go. It means being willing to lose my life for Him so that I can find it in Him. It means living with open hands and an open heart.

Willing.

Willing to be bold. Willing to be courageous. Willing to be obedient. Willing to love extravagantly. Willing to be generous. Willing to believe. Willing to trust. Willing to be His. All His.

The good news: If I am willing, then so is He.  He’s more than willing. He never asked anything more of me than for me to be willing. 

And, I am. I am willing to lay my heart and my life wide open in His hands so that He can  do with me what He will.

Stop.