God Plus Nothing

This week I watched some of the news with my oldest boys. I wanted them to see the terrible situation in Japan, so that we could talk about it and pray together for the country. We couldn't quite believe the devastating pictures we were seeing. I told the boys that we needed to pray. And we needed to thank God that he was sovereign and ask for Him to help. My eldest asked why God didn't just stop it, and I said I didn't fully know, but that God was still in control. My boy looked puzzled. I know he was thinking 'How can God be in control of such a bad thing?' And I felt puzzled. But I wanted them to know that God is in control, all the time.

I'd heard this recently in a preaching series from Job, by PJ Smythe*. He said that Job didn't worship God because He was blessed with children and prosperity. Job didn't worship God because he had property and good health. He worshipped God because He was God. When all Job had was taken away, he still worshipped God. PJ asked which way do we live our lives?

'God + something = worship',  or 'God + nothing = worship'.

The two are very different. One is living in an understanding of God's sovereignty.  And the other is not. The 'God + something' way of life is saying that we will worship God if we have something else added on. I wonder what the 'somethings' are that I want, before I will worship God? Could it be that I worship God if I have good health or if my prayers for healing get answered? Or is it if I understand certain situations or if the kids are being good? Do I worship God if I've had a peaceful night's sleep, or if I know the answers to the "Why?" questions in life or if I'm not experiencing a natural disaster? These are all definitely good things to worship my Heavenly Father for, like it says in the book of James, 'every good and perfect gift is from God'. But what if I don't have these things, do I still worship Him? Do I acknowledge His sovereignty at all times, in all things?


God is ultimately sovereign over the good and the bad that happens. Either He is actively instigating it or permitting it to happen. Knowing that He is God and He is in charge of it all; the good and the bad, is hard to understand. I find it easy to worship God for all His answered prayer and blessings in my life. But sometimes I put clauses in, like the ones above, as to whether I worship God or not. If it's going well, I may praise Him more. But I realise that He is to be worshipped regardless of the situation. Regardless of my emotions. Regardless of whether I understand or like what's going on. And I want my boys to see me worshipping God at all times, during all situations. I want them to know that He is God. He is in charge. His sovereignty rules.

"...he who is the blessed and only Sovereign,
           the king of kings and Lord of lords..."
                                        1Timothy6v15

"At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head.

       Then he fell to the ground in worship and said:

“Naked I came from my mother’s womb,
      and naked I will depart.
The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away;
       may the name of the LORD be praised.”

In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing."

                                         Job 1v20-22

*PJ Smythe's preach; http://godfirst.co.za/node/806

Incomparable

When I attempt to have a worship time, a grown up worship time on my own, I sometimes find myself singing songs from my childhood; "My God is so Big, so Strong and so Mighty, there's nothing that He cannot do." I don't think I have as yet, launched into the actions alone in the kitchen, but maybe I should give it a go. My boys now sing a song they have learned from COGs, the kids work at our church; "Our God is a Great Big God...and He holds us in His hands". I try to remember the wonderful worship songs that I know from the wealth of songwriters at our church, but I do seem to get stuck on the chirpy little ones that are quite simple and easy to remember. 

I think that maybe God likes to remind me of some simple easy truths through these bouncy musical numbers. I don't think I dwell enough on just how big God is. I come to Him with my prayers; about me, and my life, and my boys and my marriage, and my problems and my needs. And I don't always remember that I come before God Himself. I come to the creator of the world. It's not actually about me, and my life. It's about Him. I don't always stop to consider His wonderful magnitude. His awesome creativity. And just how amazingly big He is. Big is such an understatement. But for simplicity's sake it will do.  

I read the following chapters and verses today which made me dwell on God's bigness. I had a bible study with a friend, via the wonderful medium of text! We sent each other verses which made us stand in awe of God's bigness and sovereignty. By the end of it I felt small like grass, and amazed that such a Great Big God would also have abundant love and lavish grace for those who fear Him. Isaiah 45v18-25, Job 38&39, Isaiah 40v9-31

I am also reminded of Andrew Wilson's "Incomparable" book, and in particular a quote from Nicky Gumble;On 20th August 1977, voyager II, the inter-planetary probe launched to observe and transmit to earth data about the outer planetary system, set off from earth traveling faster than the speed of a bullet (90,000 miles per hour). On 28th August 1989 it reached planet Neptune, 2,700 million miles from the earth. Voyager II then left the solar system. It will not come within one light year of any star for 958,000 years. In our Galaxy there are 100,000 million stars, like our sun. Our galaxy is one of 100,000 million Galaxies. In a throw away line in Genesis, the writer tells us, ‘He also made the stars’ (Genesis 1:16). Such is his power.’

Today my song shall be "My God is so Big, so Strong and so Mighty, there's nothing that He cannot do." And I will attempt some actions whether the kids are with me or not.

 

The Other Husband (Part Two)

...continued from Part One

So the husband may at times be in a different zone to me and the boys. He may be physically busy or mentally busy. He may find himself ill, the kind of ill where you have to keep bringing him toast in bed. And ask the boys to play secret agents in an attempt to keep them quiet so he can sleep. He may be tired. He may be working late or away from home. He may have done a hard day's work and need some downtime. He may be serving someone else. And sometimes he may just not notice my needs or meet my expectations.

God's grace is available for all such ocassions. But I am only able to show grace if I am dwelling in My Beloved's presence, experiencing His grace, His word and His truth. At times, I don't do this though. Instead I attempt to show the husband 'my grace', in place of God's grace. My grace quickly forgets, and quickly runs out, and is actually downright selfish and isn't really grace at all!

In our early married days, in these moments I would go quiet on the husband. I've stopped that now after he brought to my attention that it felt like I was punishing him. Or I would say all was fine, and give a smile. But it was ever so fake, and we both could see that. (We once watched a film, where FINE was an acronym for Freaked out, Insecure, Neurotic and Emotional, which pretty much summed it all up!). God in His grace, over the years has used many ways to show me how I can live in the good of that grace and let it affect all my relationships.

This includes how I relate to the husband. Do I only love him when he is being all that I need him to be, when he's meeting all my expectations? Do I only love him because I want to be loved in return? Do I only love him when he is ticking all the boxes? Do I only love him when he is well, and energetic and attentive? Do I only love him when he is helping out with the boys? Or do I love him unconditionally, like the vows I took, said I would? Do I love him with a selfless love? Do I love him with the unconditional love that Jesus has modelled to me? Do I want my boys to see examples of selfless and unconditional love? Do I remember that God's grace is sufficient for me even when I haven't done any of this? Mmm...time to delve deeper into God's grace and go love the husband.

"My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you."

                                                            John 15v12

"Love is patient, love is kind.

       It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 

 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered,

      it keeps no record of  wrongs. 

 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 

       It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

 Love never fails.."

                                                           1 Corinthians 13v4-8

The Other Husband (Part One)

The husband is a wonderful man. He's committed to me and our family, he reads a marriage or parenting book every 6 months or so. He asks me whether I am feeling more like his wife or "just a mum" on a regular basis. He listens when I ask for a date night. He puts the coffee and sweetener in my mug and boils the kettle so that its ready for when I need it, and makes me laugh so much.  However there are the odd occasions when he is not quite in the same zone as me. He may be in the work zone, the tired zone, the ill zone or the iPhone zone. He may be unable to be at home due to work commitments. He may have worked so hard that he falls asleep when he's at home. He may be at home in body but not quite in mind.

And this is when I need to remember that I am my beloved's and He is mine. And by My Beloved, I mean Jesus. According to God's word, I am part of the church, and the church is the bride and the bridegroom is Jesus. He has made me spotless and righteous. He is an attentive husband to me. He is never too busy. He is never asleep.  He is available to me at all times. He knows me so very well. He loves me. He understands me. He chose me. He is consistent. He is faithful. And He is never on an iPhone.

I often go to the husband first when I should go to My Beloved. I sometimes try to be content in the husband's love, when I actually need to dwell in My Beloved's love. I seek acceptance from the husband, whereas it is My Beloved who accepts me fully. I expect alot from the husband, whereas it is My Beloved who will actually fulfil all my needs.  This is always true and would be true even if God hadn't blessed me with a wonderful husband at all.

"As a young man marries a young woman,

          so will your Builder marry you;

as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride,

         so will your God rejoice over you."

                                              Isaiah 62v5

Click here for Part Two

Amazing Grace...

The husband came home from work the other day and asked me how my day had been. Now I know perfectly well that from the tone I was using, and the slightly heavy cupboard-door closing that was going on in the kitchen, that he could assess for himself how my day had been. And maybe that was what had even prompted him to ask.  

I proceeded to tell him my day had been rubbish and that I had been a rubbish mum. The husband deals very well with these slight over exaggerations of mine. Firstly he gives me a hug, because it's his love language. Secondly he asks the boys if they can think of any ways they may have caused 'fun mum' to turn into 'slightly crabby mum'. After they have said sorry, he then asks me if there is anything I need to repent of. And lastly he says "Grace". I'm usually slightly annoyed with him by this point. My pride doesn't want me to repent. And my self pity wants me to wallow and write the whole day off.

However the husband is right. And he's right because he understands Grace. He has read up on it and he has listened to Terry Virgo's four talks on it. http://kingschurch.org.nz/?s=virgo So after eating a little chocolate and thinking that might help me. And after wasting some time in front of the TV, thinking that might help me. I asked the husband to pray for me and I listened to the first talk.

Wow! The more I understand what living by grace actually means, the more releasing it is. The more freeing it is. The more wonderful it is. To know that God accepts and loves me completely as I am and that I cannot earn righteousness by being 'Super mum'. Neither can I lose it by being 'Crabby mum'. Righteousness is a free gift. I may have made a few bad decisions throughout the day which I need to repent of, but that doesn't change how my father in heaven views me. It doesn't mean I am a 'rubbish mum'. It means I am a sinner who needs grace. And that grace is available to me. (To be continued...)
    
"For if, by the sin of the one man, death reigned through that one man,
       how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace
and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ."
                                                                                   Romans 5v17

"Aint No Mountain High Enough"

My boys are being taught many things by the husband. Two of these are climbing and risk taking, which seem to go hand in hand. My eldest will spot the highest part of a park and set himself the challenge to reach it and then wave at me. I then have to casually wave back without any fear on my face, take a photo and smile at the other mums who are relieved its not their child. Seeing as he's the eldest, he often sets the example to his three brothers. So I find the 5yr old at the top of the shed, the baby on top of the DVD cupboard, and when we drive past the new stadium being built, the 3yr old proudly claims that he will one day climb it!

It got me thinking that my eldest especially, doesn't really see the limitations in things. I recently heard Keith Hazel preach on limitations. And how we shouldn't allow limitations to restrict us. Joseph was sold into slavery and ended up in prison for years, but didn't allow these limitations to limit his belief in God or God's destiny for him.

I often hide behind limitations, and I see others doing the same. We hide behind limitations of our character, of our feelings, or how tired we are, or the impossibility of things in the natural, or how many kids we have. We hide behind the limitations the enemy may whisper to us. We hide behind the limitations of finance, or we let limitations direct our prayer life.

The bible is very clear on limitations. I've been reading Mark recently, where I've been struck by the way people refused to let limitations stop them from getting a touch from Jesus. When a paralyzed man wanted a touch from Jesus, he and his four friends didn't allow a busy room to be a limitation. They climbed on the roof and dug their way through and lowered him down in front of Jesus. When Jesus saw their faith, He healed the man and forgave His sins.

God has been challenging me lately to pray through limitations. It's really helping me to keep my view point focused not on the hopeless situation or my limitations but on a limitless God.

        Jesus looked at them and said,

           “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

                                                                                                    Matthew 19v26

        Surely the arm of the LORD is not too short to save,

           nor his ear too dull to hear.

                                                                                                     Isaiah 59:1

The 3yr Old Crashed The Car; How Do You Tell The Husband?

Yesterday I spent the morning writing a comic with my eldest about Team Super; a group of Super heroes who save the world by firing bogeys onto a volcano to put out the lava. Followed by 2 hours at the dentist, playing 'I Spy' with the boys using the other people in the waiting room as topics for I spying;  like "N for that man's nostrils". This morning I spent an hour in a cold and wet park, running up and down the zip wire path, pushing my own kids and three random french kids, before bribing all four little people with doughnuts and drinks to do the supermarket shop with me. And this afternoon, I had to ring the husband to ask what the appropriate punishment was for a three year old who crashed our car?! He had climbed over the front seat and somehow managed to put the handbrake down with his foot, so the car quickly rolled down the car park into a metal bar. I then had to listen to the husband say it wasn't a punishable offence, as it wasn't an act of disobedience; it was an accident and accidents happen.

God is so good. But today I can't quite put my finger on the one particular God moment to highlight in this blog post, perhaps someone else will have some insight or a verse to sum it up?