Posted in Christian Service, Leadership, Life Inspiration

The God of Order

The chaos of life drives me to seek order. That is so not a familiar spirit in my soul. I am after all the gal who leaps and believes the net will appear. If I’m honest I can tell you that there have been several instances where the net did not appear because perhaps I jumped off the wrong cliff. I didn’t think things through, or perhaps half-heartedly listened to God, desiring to fulfil my own agenda.

But something happened, medically speaking, a few months ago that caused me to get my physical self in order which had an effect on my spiritual self. I decided to give in and see a doctor regarding the pain management of my Fibromyalgia. A diagnosis I was not willing to accept for a very long time, (years) until I was barely walking in the mornings. So short story… the doc prescribed two prescriptions, Cymbalta for the morning and Gabapentin for the night. (Not an endorsement, just a statement of fact.) and my life dramatically changed. I don’t say that for dramatic effect, something inside my brain changed from chaos to order. The pain was managed (to a degree). I want to be honest. I’m not pain free. But the most amazing thing about this experience was a desire for order. That too is a learning process.

This morning I read 1 Chronicles 15:12-15 regarding David’s decision to bring the Ark of the Covenant back to the children of Israel and from the house of Obed Edom where they had left it when God killed Uzza for touching it. (1 Chronicles 13:10)

David speaking to the servants of God:

 12 And said unto them, Ye are the chief of the fathers of the Levites: sanctify yourselves, both ye and your brethren, that ye may bring up the ark of the Lord God of Israel unto the place that I have prepared for it. 13 For because ye did it not at the first, the Lord our God made a breach upon us, for that we sought him not after the due order. 14 So the priests and the Levites sanctified themselves to bring up the ark of the Lord God of Israel. 15 And the children of the Levites bare the ark of God upon their shoulders with the staves thereon, as Moses commanded according to the word of the Lord.

The words “due order,” captured my attention. Getting things out of order cost a man his life. God’s plan to carry the Ark was specific with certain people, placed in certain positions for certain purpose.

Certain People

Much of the time when I have “leaped” and face planted it was because I was leaping off of someone else’s cliff. My impatience for waiting for God to position His person in place would lead me to assume roles that were not mine to assume. Case in point I would volunteer for anything that didn’t get immediately filled because I wanted the job done.

When David was attempting to return the Ark to the City of David, he looked only at the end location, not the journey. It never entered his mind that there was an order to the journey. The Levites, not Uzza were to carry the Ark. The Ark was also be born upon staves, not carried on a cart. God had certain people in place and David’s replacement of those people altered God’s plan.

Certain Positions

When David finally came to himself, and realized it was not about himself, but rather God’s will and way, he looked again at the order of God’s plan for the Ark’s return. He put the Levites in their place of baring the Ark on staves. When we read on through Chapter 15 we discover that his attention to the details were much greater! He appointed singers and musicians and all sorts of numbers of God’s people in the places for which they were chosen to serve. He did not leap and pray the net appeared, he planned. Glory to God I could learn! David’s attention to detail was right down to the robe he wore, and the linen ephod which thoroughly torqued his wife Michal off. He didn’t do it in the way of the people. He did it in the way of the Lord.

Certain Purpose

David’s original plan didn’t allow the people of God to fulfil their purpose. Man’s way is never better than God’s, and will never be completed.

I thought that I could overcome the pain of Fibromyalgia by pressing on in life. But God’s purpose was for me to get to the point where “I” couldn’t go on and had to depend on others. The same thing has happened in my life with this new revelation of order. There is a certain purpose in the order of God’s people. Preachers, Leaders, Teachers, Parishioners, Servants, everyone has a role. Roles are exclusive and appointed.

1 Chronicles 16:22 says “Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm.”

We may not understand the process, but there is for certain, certain people in certain positions for certain purpose. Ours is not to ask why… it’s to continue on the journey in proper order and allowing God to bless the end result.

On a side note: Michal, David’s wife wasn’t happy with David’s methods of rejoicing. An attitude that caused her to be barren from that point forward.  A lesson on messing with God’s people. I don’t want to lose the fruit out of my life for complaining about the way God conducts His business with His people.

Posted in Bible Journaling, Christmas, Life Inspiration

Searching for Christmas in the Chaos

chaos

It’s a rare day when I have silence in the house. I’m not complaining… just stating a fact. I have a happy, busy home with a revolving door of guests. But the busyness at Christmas shoots to a mock ninety decibel (meaning it’s both fast and loud). There’s not enough time in the day to accomplish the tasks at hand, or there not enough mind in my head, that may be a more accurate description. It just gets crazy! But this morning I’m enjoying one of those rare moments of time where it’s just me and Jesus, and we got our own thing goin’ this morning.  While I’m here I’m searching for Christmas in the chaos.

I want a “Mary” Christmas. And no, spellcheck didn’t fail me. There are three notable Mary’s in scripture that have my mind affixed on how I’d like my Christmas to be.

Mary # 1 (Luke 1:27>)

The chosen mother to the Christ child who had obedience without question. Wouldn’t that be a wonderful gift to give God in celebration of His birth. I struggle. I heard a statement from Steven Furtick (Pastor of Elevation Church) this morning who said “How many know that every time your heart tries to have faith, your mind tries to makes sense?”  There would have been no sense to make of Mary’s decision. It was a done deal with God and with her. She had been dealt that lot and had taken it on as a factual gift in obedience.

It’ likely did not stop her mind from going places it shouldn’t go. Like… “how on earth am I going to explain this to Joseph, my parents, my friends. During those days of others questioning her purity her mind had to have wondered why obedience had gotten her into such a trying place. But there’s no word of that in the scripture, only speculation on my heart. God just mentions her goodness, as if to say… leave her alone. She did as she was ask… you could learn.

Mary # 2 (Luke 8:2)

Mary Magdalene whom Jesus had healed of evil spirits had a wonderful Christmas Spirit about her. She loved to be around Jesus, she was found in service to Jesus and it was she who was found at His tomb to anoint His body. She told the disciples that she had seen the Lord after His resurrection. She was a busy woman! Not just during the holiday season but every day of the week because she was so thankful for having been healed of that terrible feeling inside. I should be so thankful. My busyness it’s just often that… busyness. Without purpose. Just a point “A” to point “B” kind of days. Every day of my life should be lived with the purpose of glorifying and serving Christ for taking that evil spirit that caused me such heartache and misery away.

Mary #3 (John 11:12)

Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus, who was also the same who anointed Jesus feet with the oil of the Alabaster box and wiped His feet with her hair. She who knew the power of worship and the worthiness of sacrifice. She aggravated the religious who seen her worship as a waste of money. What greater spirit of Christmas could there be than one who is willing to spare no expense for her Lord and Savior. It wasn’t about the money, it was about the sacrificial gift. Religious people try to make sense of faith, and it can’t be done.

So this morning while I went search for Christmas in the chaos I found my Mary Christmas, having a heart’s desire to live obedient, willing to not ask why… with a servants heart, willing to not ask how… and heart of sacrificial worship, willing to not ask when or where, just willing to be ready. The beautiful gift of Christmas came at the expense of the cross. Help me to keep that in view.