Step 3: . We made a decision to turn our life and will over to the care of God.
Scripture reading for today: Psalm 23
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters, He restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Psalm 23 NIV
A few devotionals ago, I talked about my friend who had the courage to express her wanting, her needing, her desiring – she said, “I feel alone.” Not even a half-hearted listener could miss the implications. She felt alone, but she longed for community. She desired a family that would love her unconditionally and support her unequivocally. She was having a rough time, and it felt bad. In her misery, she wanted company.
There’s a guy named Paul. Historians tell us that he wrote a number of the books in the Bible, including I and II Corinthians. I think Paul can relate to my friend.
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord and Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation, if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share In our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort. II Corinthians 1:3-7 NIV
Thought for today: Sometimes we cry out, like a newborn baby, and it seems that no one hears. Worse, we conclude that no one cares. What if there is more going on in our lives than we can know? What if there’s a larger purpose, a grander adventure, a greater “YES!” awaiting us – but for now, on this day – we must wait. It’s at times like this when a good decision comes in handy. The decision has been made, we’ve chosen to trust God with the messiness of our lives. Instead of re-visiting the decision, we can move forward to solve the problem – we feel in want, but we know God meets our needs. We feel bad, but we know there are more explanations than we possess at the moment. We can pause to prepare because first we decided to believe.
Thought for tomorrow: It is on days like this that it helps to remember, “The Lord is my shepherd.” The question that remains – will you follow? I hope today you will take a moment and speak of your wants and needs to the Father. Having come clean with the unmet desires of your heart, I pray that you will be willing to stick around and trust Him for the answer.
March 31
Teresa McBean
March 30, 2007
Step 3: . We made a decision to turn our life and will over to the care of God.
Scripture reading for today: Psalm 23
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters, He restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Psalm 23 NIV
“I shall not be in want.” Can you articulate what you want and need, or are you like me? Every Sunday after church my family sits down to a good old-fashioned family dinner – at the restaurant of our choice! Getting to the restaurant is the hardest part of our day. It goes like this –
“Where do you want to eat?”
“I don’t know, where do you want to eat?”
“I don’t know…”
Then, someone (never me) suggests a restaurant. This is followed by all the protests from the family members who don’t want to eat there; these are the same family members who didn’t know or care about our restaurant choice just moments ago. I never enter that discussion. I really don’t know where I want to eat. I just go where the crowd takes me.
When we don’t know what we need or want - when we are living as if we are “needless” and “want-less” – something is not right. Pia Mellody has written a wonderful book (which I highly recommend) called Facing Codependency. In this book she offers insights that are both profound and true about how find ourselves in a state of want-lessness.
Even newborns have a way of expressing a need – they cry. No one is confused when a healthy baby is in a state of want. We may not know the exact need, but we will go to any lengths to discover it and rectify the situation. That’s healthy. But what if that scenario is not normal? What if the baby is left to cry for hours on end? What if wet diapers aren’t changed regularly? What if hunger isn’t addressed consistently? What if this state continues? What if a young child is told to Shut up!” or “Don’t feel that way” or “You’re wrong to think that Daddy doesn’t love you. Daddy loves you, but sometimes he can’t help himself. That’s why he hits you so hard.” What if our every thought, feeling, need, and want is ignored? Will we learn to trust our instincts? Will we learn how to name our true emotions, our deepest desires, our basic needs? And if we can name them, have we experienced a life that leads us to reasonably expect that they will be met?
Thought for today: Not caring where you eat is no big deal if your family can be trusted to choose wisely. But not being able to recognize your wants and needs – that’s a big deal. Today, make a conscious choice to think about what you want and what you need. Pay attention to the hand of God moving in mysterious ways to provide for you.
Thought for tomorrow: Sometimes big pronouncements aren’t the best kinds of decisions. Big pronouncements may be too hard to swallow. Instead of deciding today to trust God with every single detail of your life – why not start smaller and see what happens? Ask God, “Lord, show me the way you’d have me go - today.” Perhaps tomorrow would be a good day to practice. Take just one day, and ask God: “How would you have me live today? If I truly trusted you with today, what would be my next right step?” Then take it. Then ask the question again, and take that step. If tomorrow seems like too big a decision, why not give him, say, tomorrow morning – til noon? Then re-evaluate. You could take it in one hour chunks. Blog me and let me know how it’s going. Did you decide on an hour, or a day? I’d love to hear from you….
March 30
Teresa McBean
Scripture reading for today: Psalm 23
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters, He restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Psalm 23 NIV
“I shall not be in want.” Can you articulate what you want and need, or are you like me? Every Sunday after church my family sits down to a good old-fashioned family dinner – at the restaurant of our choice! Getting to the restaurant is the hardest part of our day. It goes like this –
“Where do you want to eat?”
“I don’t know, where do you want to eat?”
“I don’t know…”
Then, someone (never me) suggests a restaurant. This is followed by all the protests from the family members who don’t want to eat there; these are the same family members who didn’t know or care about our restaurant choice just moments ago. I never enter that discussion. I really don’t know where I want to eat. I just go where the crowd takes me.
When we don’t know what we need or want - when we are living as if we are “needless” and “want-less” – something is not right. Pia Mellody has written a wonderful book (which I highly recommend) called Facing Codependency. In this book she offers insights that are both profound and true about how find ourselves in a state of want-lessness.
Even newborns have a way of expressing a need – they cry. No one is confused when a healthy baby is in a state of want. We may not know the exact need, but we will go to any lengths to discover it and rectify the situation. That’s healthy. But what if that scenario is not normal? What if the baby is left to cry for hours on end? What if wet diapers aren’t changed regularly? What if hunger isn’t addressed consistently? What if this state continues? What if a young child is told to Shut up!” or “Don’t feel that way” or “You’re wrong to think that Daddy doesn’t love you. Daddy loves you, but sometimes he can’t help himself. That’s why he hits you so hard.” What if our every thought, feeling, need, and want is ignored? Will we learn to trust our instincts? Will we learn how to name our true emotions, our deepest desires, our basic needs? And if we can name them, have we experienced a life that leads us to reasonably expect that they will be met?
Thought for today: Not caring where you eat is no big deal if your family can be trusted to choose wisely. But not being able to recognize your wants and needs – that’s a big deal. Today, make a conscious choice to think about what you want and what you need. Pay attention to the hand of God moving in mysterious ways to provide for you.
Thought for tomorrow: Sometimes big pronouncements aren’t the best kinds of decisions. Big pronouncements may be too hard to swallow. Instead of deciding today to trust God with every single detail of your life – why not start smaller and see what happens? Ask God, “Lord, show me the way you’d have me go - today.” Perhaps tomorrow would be a good day to practice. Take just one day, and ask God: “How would you have me live today? If I truly trusted you with today, what would be my next right step?” Then take it. Then ask the question again, and take that step. If tomorrow seems like too big a decision, why not give him, say, tomorrow morning – til noon? Then re-evaluate. You could take it in one hour chunks. Blog me and let me know how it’s going. Did you decide on an hour, or a day? I’d love to hear from you….
March 30
Teresa McBean
March 29 , 2007
Step 3: . We made a decision to turn our life and will over to the care of God.
Scripture reading for today: Psalm 23
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters, He restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Psalm 23 NIV
“I shall not be in want.” The Hebrew word in this passage for ‘want’ is ‘haser’. Literally, it means “to lack, be without, decrease, be lacking, have a need.” A possible paraphrase is - “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not lack – I shall not be without – I shall not decrease – I shall not be lacking – I shall not have a need.” Wow. That’s a big deal.
Early this morning, long before the sun peaked through my windows, my phone rang. A distraught parent had just heard from the police. Their precious daughter is in jail. This is her third DUI. She’s twenty three years old, a single mother, and an alcoholic. “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not lack.” These parents are wondering how to apply this scripture as they deal with some very tough issues.
Last week a young woman showed up in my office after a busy weekend. She’d wiped out her college fund – no small feat considering the amount saved. This money symbolized the hopes and dreams of her family. For them it spelled future and sacrifice. For her it spelled D-R-U-G-S. Her parents don’t know about the missing money, the drugs, or the ‘wanting’ of this young woman. They’re still thinking that they are a family who is not in want. They’d tell you they have everything they need – the perfect family. “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be without.” Soon these parents are going to wonder how to apply this scripture to their perfectly need-less life.
A few weeks ago my friend was struggling with a son who is driving her to distraction. He’s messing up; she’s trying to get it right as a parent - hard stuff. She says, “I feel so alone.” I know she follows the good shepherd. And yet she wants – her son to straighten out, her husband to continue to offer her support and encouragement, her friends to surround her, her church to uplift her. She’s working hard to figure out how to apply this scripture. Because like the rest of us, she assumes that if Psalm 23 is true, she shouldn’t feel so bad.
“I shall not be in want.” Don’t take it lightly. It’s a simple phrase, but not satisfying if viewed from a simplistic mindset. My friend, the follower of the good shepherd, expressed her perception of want – to her husband, to her friends, and to her church community. As she asked, she received. She was reminded that although she felt alone, the truth was, she was not alone. She had her husband, her friends, and her NorthStar Community. This is one special lady, because her next choice proved pivotal. She still felt alone. But she chose to trust the process of following. She chose to believe that she was not alone. She allowed her community to show her a new way of believing, thinking, and trusting. She was choosing to follow because of her decision (to trust in God) IN SPITE of her feelings.
The story doesn’t end there; just as your story doesn’t end with you! Today, another precious woman called me and said, “I feel so alone.” I listened to her story. The longer I listened, the more I discovered that she was expressing a feeling, not a fact. She was not alone. So with fear and trepidation I ventured an observation, “It sounds to me like you’re feeling alone, but you’ve given me several examples that indicate that in fact, you are not alone.” Silence.
“You are right.” (I love those words.) She proceeded to give me another example. She told me about a girlfriend who had told her, “You are not alone. You have me. You have your NorthStar Community. We’ll get through this together.” Guess who spoke those words of comfort? Yep. My friend who had lived those words.
Was the loneliness real? You bet. Did she have a need, a want, a lacking? If so, could it be that even in the need, the want, the lacking, the Father’s gracious hand was providing? Did God allow her a moment of longing, so that in a few weeks she could experience the joy of compassionate caring for another who also felt alone?
Thought for today: As we conclude our time together, ask God to show you His hand in your life. What we feel, what we want, what we desire, what we perceive we lack, fluctuates. One time I dreamed that a Barbie doll house would satisfy my every longing. But times have changed. What hasn’t changed is the very nature and character of God. Ask Him to reveal His presence to you today. Perhaps today is the day you’ll begin to realize that even your unmet desires are part of a bigger picture, a grander purpose, an epic adventure that yet awaits you. Perhaps all this renewal of mind will aid you in making your decision about step three.
Thought for tomorrow: My God will meet all your needs, according to His riches in glory.
March 29
Teresa McBean
Scripture reading for today: Psalm 23
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters, He restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Psalm 23 NIV
“I shall not be in want.” The Hebrew word in this passage for ‘want’ is ‘haser’. Literally, it means “to lack, be without, decrease, be lacking, have a need.” A possible paraphrase is - “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not lack – I shall not be without – I shall not decrease – I shall not be lacking – I shall not have a need.” Wow. That’s a big deal.
Early this morning, long before the sun peaked through my windows, my phone rang. A distraught parent had just heard from the police. Their precious daughter is in jail. This is her third DUI. She’s twenty three years old, a single mother, and an alcoholic. “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not lack.” These parents are wondering how to apply this scripture as they deal with some very tough issues.
Last week a young woman showed up in my office after a busy weekend. She’d wiped out her college fund – no small feat considering the amount saved. This money symbolized the hopes and dreams of her family. For them it spelled future and sacrifice. For her it spelled D-R-U-G-S. Her parents don’t know about the missing money, the drugs, or the ‘wanting’ of this young woman. They’re still thinking that they are a family who is not in want. They’d tell you they have everything they need – the perfect family. “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be without.” Soon these parents are going to wonder how to apply this scripture to their perfectly need-less life.
A few weeks ago my friend was struggling with a son who is driving her to distraction. He’s messing up; she’s trying to get it right as a parent - hard stuff. She says, “I feel so alone.” I know she follows the good shepherd. And yet she wants – her son to straighten out, her husband to continue to offer her support and encouragement, her friends to surround her, her church to uplift her. She’s working hard to figure out how to apply this scripture. Because like the rest of us, she assumes that if Psalm 23 is true, she shouldn’t feel so bad.
“I shall not be in want.” Don’t take it lightly. It’s a simple phrase, but not satisfying if viewed from a simplistic mindset. My friend, the follower of the good shepherd, expressed her perception of want – to her husband, to her friends, and to her church community. As she asked, she received. She was reminded that although she felt alone, the truth was, she was not alone. She had her husband, her friends, and her NorthStar Community. This is one special lady, because her next choice proved pivotal. She still felt alone. But she chose to trust the process of following. She chose to believe that she was not alone. She allowed her community to show her a new way of believing, thinking, and trusting. She was choosing to follow because of her decision (to trust in God) IN SPITE of her feelings.
The story doesn’t end there; just as your story doesn’t end with you! Today, another precious woman called me and said, “I feel so alone.” I listened to her story. The longer I listened, the more I discovered that she was expressing a feeling, not a fact. She was not alone. So with fear and trepidation I ventured an observation, “It sounds to me like you’re feeling alone, but you’ve given me several examples that indicate that in fact, you are not alone.” Silence.
“You are right.” (I love those words.) She proceeded to give me another example. She told me about a girlfriend who had told her, “You are not alone. You have me. You have your NorthStar Community. We’ll get through this together.” Guess who spoke those words of comfort? Yep. My friend who had lived those words.
Was the loneliness real? You bet. Did she have a need, a want, a lacking? If so, could it be that even in the need, the want, the lacking, the Father’s gracious hand was providing? Did God allow her a moment of longing, so that in a few weeks she could experience the joy of compassionate caring for another who also felt alone?
Thought for today: As we conclude our time together, ask God to show you His hand in your life. What we feel, what we want, what we desire, what we perceive we lack, fluctuates. One time I dreamed that a Barbie doll house would satisfy my every longing. But times have changed. What hasn’t changed is the very nature and character of God. Ask Him to reveal His presence to you today. Perhaps today is the day you’ll begin to realize that even your unmet desires are part of a bigger picture, a grander purpose, an epic adventure that yet awaits you. Perhaps all this renewal of mind will aid you in making your decision about step three.
Thought for tomorrow: My God will meet all your needs, according to His riches in glory.
March 29
Teresa McBean
March 28, 2007
Step 3: . We made a decision to turn our life and will over to the care of God.
Scripture reading for today: Psalm 23
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters, He restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Psalm 23 NIV
My parents did a lot of things well. But they did some things GREAT. Under this category falls the celebration of Christmas. No matter what (seasons of financial feast or famine) - Santa didn’t skimp at the Jones’ house. When Santa has an excellent track record for delivering the goods, kids get pretty excited. We couldn’t wait for Santa to come. We were so excited on Christmas Eve that my parents had to go to great lengths to keep us in bed – at least for a few hours. Eventually my weary parents would drop off to sleep. One of the kids would rouse the others and the four of us would bolt for the Christmas tree. This was usually around four in the morning. I cannot think of a Christmas when my every need and want was not met. (There was that time when Santa left the light on my bike and the batteries ran out and were never replaced. I’m almost over that.)
But here’s the thing about needs and wants. They keep changing. As passionately as I longed for the Barbie doll playhouse, the ten speed bike, the desk set with a blotter in pink, the doll that was practically alive, the new clothes, the new books, the jewelry, etc….was it enough? Did a time come when I said, “Hey, folks, enough is enough. Last year, I got all I needed. This year, make sure Santa knows – I am not in want. “ That never happened. Every year brings a new set of needs and wants. But this passage says that I shall not be in want. So what does this mean?
Thought for today: It’s easy to write a devotional series designed to convince you that God is worthy of our trust. It would be a piece of cake to passionately preach on how God meets our every need. But you’re no fool. Easy talk of how God prospers us and blesses us, while true, isn’t the full story. You deserve better than someone like me trying to appeal to your basic instincts of lust and desire.
Thought for tomorrow: We’re almost finished with our month of devotionals focused on step three – making a decision to turn our life and will over to the care of God. Be prepared. God and Santa are not the same individual. Santa is all about bringing good boys and girls what they want; God is all about giving all his children (both the naughty and nice) what they need.
March 28
Teresa McBean
Scripture reading for today: Psalm 23
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters, He restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Psalm 23 NIV
My parents did a lot of things well. But they did some things GREAT. Under this category falls the celebration of Christmas. No matter what (seasons of financial feast or famine) - Santa didn’t skimp at the Jones’ house. When Santa has an excellent track record for delivering the goods, kids get pretty excited. We couldn’t wait for Santa to come. We were so excited on Christmas Eve that my parents had to go to great lengths to keep us in bed – at least for a few hours. Eventually my weary parents would drop off to sleep. One of the kids would rouse the others and the four of us would bolt for the Christmas tree. This was usually around four in the morning. I cannot think of a Christmas when my every need and want was not met. (There was that time when Santa left the light on my bike and the batteries ran out and were never replaced. I’m almost over that.)
But here’s the thing about needs and wants. They keep changing. As passionately as I longed for the Barbie doll playhouse, the ten speed bike, the desk set with a blotter in pink, the doll that was practically alive, the new clothes, the new books, the jewelry, etc….was it enough? Did a time come when I said, “Hey, folks, enough is enough. Last year, I got all I needed. This year, make sure Santa knows – I am not in want. “ That never happened. Every year brings a new set of needs and wants. But this passage says that I shall not be in want. So what does this mean?
Thought for today: It’s easy to write a devotional series designed to convince you that God is worthy of our trust. It would be a piece of cake to passionately preach on how God meets our every need. But you’re no fool. Easy talk of how God prospers us and blesses us, while true, isn’t the full story. You deserve better than someone like me trying to appeal to your basic instincts of lust and desire.
Thought for tomorrow: We’re almost finished with our month of devotionals focused on step three – making a decision to turn our life and will over to the care of God. Be prepared. God and Santa are not the same individual. Santa is all about bringing good boys and girls what they want; God is all about giving all his children (both the naughty and nice) what they need.
March 28
Teresa McBean
March 27, 2007
Step 3: . We made a decision to turn our life and will over to the care of God.
Scripture reading for today: Psalm 23
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters, He restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Psalm 23 NIV
Daily devotions are so…private. No one needs to know the answer to this question. If decide that the Lord is your shepherd, do you know what to expect? When I was growing up, I rarely went to church. After I was married, my husband informed me that we were going to church. This came as news to me. Shhhh! We have a secret. Don’t spread this around, we’re not proud of this, but it is the truth: we never talked about God or any spiritual matter of any importance before we got married. I know, I know. Don’t email me and suggest all those good books available about healthy dating for Christians. We’ve been married almost thirty years. We confess! We did it wrong! Don’t do it the way we did – discuss this and other important issues before you get yourself hitched. But the truth remains, his sudden interest in all things God-related startled me. I didn’t know what to expect. I was afraid to ask. I did have some knowledge of the twenty-third Psalm…”The Lord is my shepherd…” but I lacked understanding. I don’t think I am alone. People were pretty confused about what it meant to accept Jesus as the son of God in Jesus’ day too. Some even thought he was demon-possessed. In response, Jesus explained what it means to be one for whom the Lord is their shepherd.
Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The miracles I do in my Father’s name speak for me, but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.” John 10:22-32 NIV
I’ve been finding my way back to God for many years. My experience has been that the good shepherd finds a way to speak to me, if I am willing to listen. He’s never disrespected me by forcing his will upon me. He never got behind me and pushed (like sheep most of us can’t be driven – remember day one – sheep can only be led, not driven). Instead, he has invited us to join him in his grand epic adventure.
Thought for today: I was once a very reluctant follower. I didn’t know what to expect, and my fears held me back from running hard toward the Father. I was afraid to even begin the journey because I fully expected to disappoint him. I’ve learned a sacred truth in my spiritual pilgrimage, and I count it a privilege to share it: entering into a love relationship with God is not a position secured by performance and good behavior. You’ve had a place in His heart since before the first star was hung in the sky.
Thought for tomorrow:
I am your Creator. You were in my care even before you were born. Isaiah 44:2 CEV
You saw me before I was born and scheduled each day of my life before I began to breathe. Every day was recorded in your Book! You know me Inside and out, you know every bone in my body; You know exactly how I was sculpted from nothing into something. Psalm 139:15-16 (order reversed and taken from both the Living Bible and The Message)
March 27
Teresa McBean
Scripture reading for today: Psalm 23
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters, He restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Psalm 23 NIV
Daily devotions are so…private. No one needs to know the answer to this question. If decide that the Lord is your shepherd, do you know what to expect? When I was growing up, I rarely went to church. After I was married, my husband informed me that we were going to church. This came as news to me. Shhhh! We have a secret. Don’t spread this around, we’re not proud of this, but it is the truth: we never talked about God or any spiritual matter of any importance before we got married. I know, I know. Don’t email me and suggest all those good books available about healthy dating for Christians. We’ve been married almost thirty years. We confess! We did it wrong! Don’t do it the way we did – discuss this and other important issues before you get yourself hitched. But the truth remains, his sudden interest in all things God-related startled me. I didn’t know what to expect. I was afraid to ask. I did have some knowledge of the twenty-third Psalm…”The Lord is my shepherd…” but I lacked understanding. I don’t think I am alone. People were pretty confused about what it meant to accept Jesus as the son of God in Jesus’ day too. Some even thought he was demon-possessed. In response, Jesus explained what it means to be one for whom the Lord is their shepherd.
Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The miracles I do in my Father’s name speak for me, but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.” John 10:22-32 NIV
I’ve been finding my way back to God for many years. My experience has been that the good shepherd finds a way to speak to me, if I am willing to listen. He’s never disrespected me by forcing his will upon me. He never got behind me and pushed (like sheep most of us can’t be driven – remember day one – sheep can only be led, not driven). Instead, he has invited us to join him in his grand epic adventure.
Thought for today: I was once a very reluctant follower. I didn’t know what to expect, and my fears held me back from running hard toward the Father. I was afraid to even begin the journey because I fully expected to disappoint him. I’ve learned a sacred truth in my spiritual pilgrimage, and I count it a privilege to share it: entering into a love relationship with God is not a position secured by performance and good behavior. You’ve had a place in His heart since before the first star was hung in the sky.
Thought for tomorrow:
I am your Creator. You were in my care even before you were born. Isaiah 44:2 CEV
You saw me before I was born and scheduled each day of my life before I began to breathe. Every day was recorded in your Book! You know me Inside and out, you know every bone in my body; You know exactly how I was sculpted from nothing into something. Psalm 139:15-16 (order reversed and taken from both the Living Bible and The Message)
March 27
Teresa McBean
March 26, 2007
Step 3: . We made a decision to turn our life and will over to the care of God.
Scripture reading for today: Psalm 23
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters, He restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Psalm 23 NIV
Jesus loved to tell stories. Here’s one of his stories.
“What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should be lost.” Matthew 18:12-14 NIV
I’ve heard it said that we get our first ideas about who God is and who He is not by looking at our earthly parents. I squirm at the thought. I have three children and it would be a shame if their only perspective of God came from their experiences with their father and me. We’ve done our best – but I’m not in denial – we have had limitations as imitators of Christ. I’m comforted, slightly, to know that we are not the only models that they have of God – we’re just the first. Have you gotten stuck in the rut of unbelief because of the limited examples and experiences you’ve had that reveal the true character of God?
Jesus told a story to a crowd of people that reveals the heart of His Father. He told his listeners that God cared not just for the masses, he cared for even one lone sheep. He didn’t count heads and decide whether the numbers were significant enough for Him to make an appearance. This God that is far beyond our understanding was willing to make himself available for just one. Would a celebrity of our day make an appearance for just one? Would a political candidate show up at a rally where just one would attend? Would a teacher come to school every day with an awesome lesson plan for just one? Would a pastor preach to a congregation of just one? God would. Not only would he do it, he would be thrilled to do so.
Truly. His Son said so – he should know.
Thought for today:
He (Jesus) had equal status with God but didn’t think so much of himself that he had to cling to the advantages of that status no matter what. Not at all. When the time came, he set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave, became human! Having become human, he stayed human. It was an incredibly humbling process. He didn’t claim special privileges. Instead, he lived a selfless, obedient life and then died a selfless, obedient death – and the worst kind of death at that: a crucifixion. Philippians 2:6-8 The Message
Thought for tomorrow: Like Father, like son. Who do you want to grow up to be like?
March 26
Teresa McBean
Scripture reading for today: Psalm 23
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters, He restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Psalm 23 NIV
Jesus loved to tell stories. Here’s one of his stories.
“What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should be lost.” Matthew 18:12-14 NIV
I’ve heard it said that we get our first ideas about who God is and who He is not by looking at our earthly parents. I squirm at the thought. I have three children and it would be a shame if their only perspective of God came from their experiences with their father and me. We’ve done our best – but I’m not in denial – we have had limitations as imitators of Christ. I’m comforted, slightly, to know that we are not the only models that they have of God – we’re just the first. Have you gotten stuck in the rut of unbelief because of the limited examples and experiences you’ve had that reveal the true character of God?
Jesus told a story to a crowd of people that reveals the heart of His Father. He told his listeners that God cared not just for the masses, he cared for even one lone sheep. He didn’t count heads and decide whether the numbers were significant enough for Him to make an appearance. This God that is far beyond our understanding was willing to make himself available for just one. Would a celebrity of our day make an appearance for just one? Would a political candidate show up at a rally where just one would attend? Would a teacher come to school every day with an awesome lesson plan for just one? Would a pastor preach to a congregation of just one? God would. Not only would he do it, he would be thrilled to do so.
Truly. His Son said so – he should know.
Thought for today:
He (Jesus) had equal status with God but didn’t think so much of himself that he had to cling to the advantages of that status no matter what. Not at all. When the time came, he set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave, became human! Having become human, he stayed human. It was an incredibly humbling process. He didn’t claim special privileges. Instead, he lived a selfless, obedient life and then died a selfless, obedient death – and the worst kind of death at that: a crucifixion. Philippians 2:6-8 The Message
Thought for tomorrow: Like Father, like son. Who do you want to grow up to be like?
March 26
Teresa McBean
March 25, 2007
Step 3: . We made a decision to turn our life and will over to the care of God.
Scripture reading for today: Psalm 23
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters, He restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
Psalm 23
In case you haven’t noticed, Jesus is a very polarizing force in history. During his time on earth, he was both beloved and betrayed. He had a relatively brief period of public ministry – about three years, and then he was crucified. Of course, the story didn’t end there – three days after that heart-wrenching death, he arose from the grave. He hung out for awhile, returning to his disciples, re-teaching and re-casting his vision for their future (and his). During the time following his resurrection and prior to His return to heaven, Luke, a doctor and chronicler of the life and times of Jesus, said this about Jesus in Luke 24:45, Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. Think about it. These were his disciples, his desperately devoted followers. These guys had left everything for him! They still needed Jesus to open their minds so they could understand the scriptures. If the disciples, taught by the master himself, needed all this coaching, do you think that we can expect to need some remedial assistance too? Listen to the voice of Jesus.
“If any of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will you not take hold of it and lift it out?” How much more valuable is a man than a sheep!” Matthew 12:11-12 NIV
The context of this conversation is vital. Jesus was just about to violate the rule of law of the Sabbath, in favor of obeying the spirit of that same law. His enemies, hoping to catch him in an act of wrongdoing, used this as an excuse to plot his death. Jesus, knowing this, withdrew from that place.
The fact that He was healing the sick escaped the attention of his accusers. Let’s not make the same mistake. The Lord is our shepherd. A good shepherd tends his flock – feeding them, watering them, and protecting them from harm.
Thought for today: Have you wandered from the protection of your good shepherd? Have you forgotten that your safety is found in the shadow of the Prince of Peace? Have you been looking for love, peace, rest, and respect in all the wrong places? Ask the Lord to show you today how you have been a virtual enemy of the good shepherd. Ask him to reveal to you the ways you’ve lost your focus. Listen to his voice, speaking gently to you about the important truths that have escaped your attention. Ask Jesus to open your mind, so that you can understand the scriptures. Ask him to give you an unquenchable thirst for his word, and an unwavering commitment to peer intently into it. Expect an answer.
Thought for tomorrow: How much more valuable is a man than a sheep!” Matthew 12:12 NIV
You are far more valuable to God than you may realize. You can trust him with your life.
March 25
Teresa McBean
Scripture reading for today: Psalm 23
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters, He restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
Psalm 23
In case you haven’t noticed, Jesus is a very polarizing force in history. During his time on earth, he was both beloved and betrayed. He had a relatively brief period of public ministry – about three years, and then he was crucified. Of course, the story didn’t end there – three days after that heart-wrenching death, he arose from the grave. He hung out for awhile, returning to his disciples, re-teaching and re-casting his vision for their future (and his). During the time following his resurrection and prior to His return to heaven, Luke, a doctor and chronicler of the life and times of Jesus, said this about Jesus in Luke 24:45, Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. Think about it. These were his disciples, his desperately devoted followers. These guys had left everything for him! They still needed Jesus to open their minds so they could understand the scriptures. If the disciples, taught by the master himself, needed all this coaching, do you think that we can expect to need some remedial assistance too? Listen to the voice of Jesus.
“If any of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will you not take hold of it and lift it out?” How much more valuable is a man than a sheep!” Matthew 12:11-12 NIV
The context of this conversation is vital. Jesus was just about to violate the rule of law of the Sabbath, in favor of obeying the spirit of that same law. His enemies, hoping to catch him in an act of wrongdoing, used this as an excuse to plot his death. Jesus, knowing this, withdrew from that place.
The fact that He was healing the sick escaped the attention of his accusers. Let’s not make the same mistake. The Lord is our shepherd. A good shepherd tends his flock – feeding them, watering them, and protecting them from harm.
Thought for today: Have you wandered from the protection of your good shepherd? Have you forgotten that your safety is found in the shadow of the Prince of Peace? Have you been looking for love, peace, rest, and respect in all the wrong places? Ask the Lord to show you today how you have been a virtual enemy of the good shepherd. Ask him to reveal to you the ways you’ve lost your focus. Listen to his voice, speaking gently to you about the important truths that have escaped your attention. Ask Jesus to open your mind, so that you can understand the scriptures. Ask him to give you an unquenchable thirst for his word, and an unwavering commitment to peer intently into it. Expect an answer.
Thought for tomorrow: How much more valuable is a man than a sheep!” Matthew 12:12 NIV
You are far more valuable to God than you may realize. You can trust him with your life.
March 25
Teresa McBean
March 24, 2007
Step 3: . We made a decision to turn our life and will over to the care of God.
Scripture reading for today: Psalm 23
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters, He restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
Psalm 23
Once, I was delivering a message at NorthStar Community – where I have been give the job title “minister.” I was talking about a personal spiritual struggle and this outburst of truthfulness elicited an unsolicited response. A visitor to our community came up and with great passion and no small amount of agitation and expressed her profound shock that I would dare suggest that I struggle.
“How can you say that? You’re a minister! You’re not supposed to struggle!” I’m not sure where this lady got her information. I only know this: if ministers don’t struggle, then I must not be a minister! I struggle – not all the time, but sometimes. If I’m brutally honest, I’d say I struggle with some degree of regularity. I’m ok with that and here’s why -
Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Matthew 9:35-36 NIV
My good shepherd knows that I will struggle and He loves me anyway. When I am harassed and helpless - He is filled with compassion. This good shepherd - the son of God - came for the very purpose of bringing good news to me – a desperately devoted follower who sometimes feels simply desperate. We, like sheep, were created to need The Shepherd. Although it is true that I am often powerless, it is always true that He is powerful beyond all comprehension. If you’ve felt like a lost sheep lately, will you take the time now to accept the compassion of the great healer himself – Jesus?
Thought for today: Sometimes it’s easy to get the false impression that step three is a once-and-done kind of proposition. You decide, God concurs. Bam. You’re in the fold. My experience is more like the laundry at my house. In a home full of adolescents and adults who like to run and jump and get really dirty, we need daily laundry runs to keep up with all our dirty clothes. When I get busy and distracted and forget to throw in the laundry each day, this chore quickly becomes messy and unmanageable. I get really cranky when this happens. I’m being honest here when I say this – I have days when I forget that I ever decided to trust God. And you know what? Very quickly my life gets messy and unmanageable, and I get really cranky.
Thought for tomorrow: So like my laundry, I’ve found myself in need of a daily decision: is today a day when I decide to trust God with my life, or is it one of those days when I grow forgetful – and choose to ignore God’s voice?
March 24
Teresa McBean
Scripture reading for today: Psalm 23
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters, He restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
Psalm 23
Once, I was delivering a message at NorthStar Community – where I have been give the job title “minister.” I was talking about a personal spiritual struggle and this outburst of truthfulness elicited an unsolicited response. A visitor to our community came up and with great passion and no small amount of agitation and expressed her profound shock that I would dare suggest that I struggle.
“How can you say that? You’re a minister! You’re not supposed to struggle!” I’m not sure where this lady got her information. I only know this: if ministers don’t struggle, then I must not be a minister! I struggle – not all the time, but sometimes. If I’m brutally honest, I’d say I struggle with some degree of regularity. I’m ok with that and here’s why -
Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Matthew 9:35-36 NIV
My good shepherd knows that I will struggle and He loves me anyway. When I am harassed and helpless - He is filled with compassion. This good shepherd - the son of God - came for the very purpose of bringing good news to me – a desperately devoted follower who sometimes feels simply desperate. We, like sheep, were created to need The Shepherd. Although it is true that I am often powerless, it is always true that He is powerful beyond all comprehension. If you’ve felt like a lost sheep lately, will you take the time now to accept the compassion of the great healer himself – Jesus?
Thought for today: Sometimes it’s easy to get the false impression that step three is a once-and-done kind of proposition. You decide, God concurs. Bam. You’re in the fold. My experience is more like the laundry at my house. In a home full of adolescents and adults who like to run and jump and get really dirty, we need daily laundry runs to keep up with all our dirty clothes. When I get busy and distracted and forget to throw in the laundry each day, this chore quickly becomes messy and unmanageable. I get really cranky when this happens. I’m being honest here when I say this – I have days when I forget that I ever decided to trust God. And you know what? Very quickly my life gets messy and unmanageable, and I get really cranky.
Thought for tomorrow: So like my laundry, I’ve found myself in need of a daily decision: is today a day when I decide to trust God with my life, or is it one of those days when I grow forgetful – and choose to ignore God’s voice?
March 24
Teresa McBean
March 23, 2007
Step 3: . We made a decision to turn our life and will over to the care of God.
Scripture reading for today: Psalm 23
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters, He restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
Psalm 23
Perhaps you can relate to my story. Recently, I lost my God-confidence. Do you remember the scene in Peter Pan when one of his fellow lost boys misplaced his marbles? I felt like that guy. I completely lost my God-confidence, and feared that I would never find it. Oh, I looked for it; I wondered where I left it; I shamed myself for losing it; I even looked for someone to blame for taking it. Nothing happened – I was still without my God-confidence – and feeling very, very lonely. I wondered about my step three experience – had I really “decided” – if so, then why did I feel so decidedly unfound? Then I stumbled across this scripture.
For this is what the sovereign Lord says: I myself will search for my sheep and look after them. As a shepherd looks after his scattered flock when He is with them, so will I look after my sheep. I will rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on a day of clouds and darkness. I will bring them from the countries, and I will bring them into their own land. I will pasture them on the mountains of Israel, in the ravines and in all the settlements in the land. I will tend them in a good pasture, and the mountain heights of Israel will be their grazing land. There they will lie down in good grazing land, and there they will feed in a rich pasture on the mountains of Israel. I myself will tend my sheep and have them lie down, declares the Sovereign Lord. I will search for the lost and bring back the strays. I will bind up the injured and strengthen the weak… Ezekiel 34:11-16
I stopped reading. I felt lost; I thought perhaps in some subtle way I had strayed; I hurt as one injured does; and I certainly was weak! But what good news! Because the Lord, the good shepherd, says to me, and to you, that he will look after us, he will rescue us, he will bring us from afar – to our own land. He will give us a safe place to rest and an abundant place to eat. God himself will seek out and find us. It’s not up to us to work out our own path of restoration. God does that. My mind jumped ahead to the New Testament, an old favorite verse of mine, forgotten in the land of lost where I had just moments ago resided. In a blink of an eye – I recaptured my marbles – well, my God-confidence at least! (My kids are pretty sure that my marbles are still missing!)
Thought for today: …for it is God who makes us both willing and able to act according to his good purpose. Philippians 2:13
Thought for tomorrow: Maybe you can’t relate to me. But if you can, may I suggest that for today, stop running around like a lost sheep. Sit quietly, bow you head, and listen for the voice of the good shepherd. Do you hear Him? He’s wooing you. He’s calling you back. He’s saying, come, find your way back to me. It is here that you will discover all that you truly need. It is possible for me to live without my marbles, but it has proven impossible for me to live peacefully apart from God. I’ve spent a lot of time blaming myself and others for my restless spirit. I’m choosing to set all that blame aside for today – and instead, ponder this wondrous thing – there is a God who is wooing me.
March 23
Teresa McBean
Scripture reading for today: Psalm 23
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters, He restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
Psalm 23
Perhaps you can relate to my story. Recently, I lost my God-confidence. Do you remember the scene in Peter Pan when one of his fellow lost boys misplaced his marbles? I felt like that guy. I completely lost my God-confidence, and feared that I would never find it. Oh, I looked for it; I wondered where I left it; I shamed myself for losing it; I even looked for someone to blame for taking it. Nothing happened – I was still without my God-confidence – and feeling very, very lonely. I wondered about my step three experience – had I really “decided” – if so, then why did I feel so decidedly unfound? Then I stumbled across this scripture.
For this is what the sovereign Lord says: I myself will search for my sheep and look after them. As a shepherd looks after his scattered flock when He is with them, so will I look after my sheep. I will rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on a day of clouds and darkness. I will bring them from the countries, and I will bring them into their own land. I will pasture them on the mountains of Israel, in the ravines and in all the settlements in the land. I will tend them in a good pasture, and the mountain heights of Israel will be their grazing land. There they will lie down in good grazing land, and there they will feed in a rich pasture on the mountains of Israel. I myself will tend my sheep and have them lie down, declares the Sovereign Lord. I will search for the lost and bring back the strays. I will bind up the injured and strengthen the weak… Ezekiel 34:11-16
I stopped reading. I felt lost; I thought perhaps in some subtle way I had strayed; I hurt as one injured does; and I certainly was weak! But what good news! Because the Lord, the good shepherd, says to me, and to you, that he will look after us, he will rescue us, he will bring us from afar – to our own land. He will give us a safe place to rest and an abundant place to eat. God himself will seek out and find us. It’s not up to us to work out our own path of restoration. God does that. My mind jumped ahead to the New Testament, an old favorite verse of mine, forgotten in the land of lost where I had just moments ago resided. In a blink of an eye – I recaptured my marbles – well, my God-confidence at least! (My kids are pretty sure that my marbles are still missing!)
Thought for today: …for it is God who makes us both willing and able to act according to his good purpose. Philippians 2:13
Thought for tomorrow: Maybe you can’t relate to me. But if you can, may I suggest that for today, stop running around like a lost sheep. Sit quietly, bow you head, and listen for the voice of the good shepherd. Do you hear Him? He’s wooing you. He’s calling you back. He’s saying, come, find your way back to me. It is here that you will discover all that you truly need. It is possible for me to live without my marbles, but it has proven impossible for me to live peacefully apart from God. I’ve spent a lot of time blaming myself and others for my restless spirit. I’m choosing to set all that blame aside for today – and instead, ponder this wondrous thing – there is a God who is wooing me.
March 23
Teresa McBean
March 22, 2007
Step 3: . We made a decision to turn our life and will over to the care of God.
Scripture reading for today: Psalm 23
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters, He restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
Psalm 23
Sheep don’t wake up every morning with the intentions of escaping their shepherd – or their flock. As we learned yesterday, sheep love to hang with each other, and they come when the shepherd calls! But what happens when they unintentionally wander too far afield? What happens when they get out of range of their shepherd’s voice? Even more distressing – what happens when they get paired with a sloppy shepherd?
In the absence of other data, I think we tend to assume that God is like the authority figures of our “seen world” experiences. Sometimes we’ve been shepherded sloppily – and this makes trusting God hard. If we’re going to make a decision involving trust, there is nothing wrong with asking the question: can I safely trust God with my life? Ask away. But remember, it is possible that human shepherds, sloppy in the sheperding skills, may have led you to some false beliefs about who God is, how He loves, what He desires, and where He wants to lead us.
Thought for today: My people have been lost sheep; their shepherds have led them astray and caused them to roam in the mountains. They wandered over mountain and hill and forgot their own resting place. Whoever found them devoured them. Jeremiah 50:6-7
Thought for tomorrow: “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you And not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11 NIV
It’s in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for. Long before we first heard of Christ and got our hopes up, he had his eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living; part of the overall purpose he is working out in everything and everyone. Ephesians 1:11 The Message
March 22
Teresa McBean
Scripture reading for today: Psalm 23
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters, He restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
Psalm 23
Sheep don’t wake up every morning with the intentions of escaping their shepherd – or their flock. As we learned yesterday, sheep love to hang with each other, and they come when the shepherd calls! But what happens when they unintentionally wander too far afield? What happens when they get out of range of their shepherd’s voice? Even more distressing – what happens when they get paired with a sloppy shepherd?
In the absence of other data, I think we tend to assume that God is like the authority figures of our “seen world” experiences. Sometimes we’ve been shepherded sloppily – and this makes trusting God hard. If we’re going to make a decision involving trust, there is nothing wrong with asking the question: can I safely trust God with my life? Ask away. But remember, it is possible that human shepherds, sloppy in the sheperding skills, may have led you to some false beliefs about who God is, how He loves, what He desires, and where He wants to lead us.
Thought for today: My people have been lost sheep; their shepherds have led them astray and caused them to roam in the mountains. They wandered over mountain and hill and forgot their own resting place. Whoever found them devoured them. Jeremiah 50:6-7
Thought for tomorrow: “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you And not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11 NIV
It’s in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for. Long before we first heard of Christ and got our hopes up, he had his eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living; part of the overall purpose he is working out in everything and everyone. Ephesians 1:11 The Message
March 22
Teresa McBean
March 21, 2007
Step 3: . We made a decision to turn our life and will over to the care of God.
Scripture reading for today: Psalm 23
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters, He restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Psalm 23
Anyone interested in hiring a good shepherd? Today we aspire to be actors, lawyers, financial planners, doctors, computer gurus, mechanics, rock stars…pretty much anything but a shepherd. But back in the day, way back when the scriptures were being crafted, to be a shepherd was a pretty big deal. It was also a big deal to be shepherd-less.
Moses said to the Lord, “May the Lord, the God of the spirits of all mankind, appoint a man over this community to go out and come in before them, one who will lead them out and bring them in, so the Lord’s people will not be like sheep without a shepherd.” Numbers 27:15 NIV
Would you agree that if Moses says his people need a shepherd then he is implying that his people are like sheep? Sheep receive more attention in the bible than any other animal. By 3000 B.C. sheep were domesticated – probably before cattle. They were important in every area of an Israelite’s life – civic, religious and domestic. Abel, one of the sons of Adam, was the first recorded shepherd (Gen. 4:2). Shepherd’s had such an arduous task of sheep-herding that any decent shepherd knew every individual sheep by name. A shepherd -much like a parent of the very young – couldn’t leave those critters alone for a second without fear of them wandering off and getting lost.
Sheep are always led, never driven. (This will be a very important point to remember.) Sheep are gregarious – we would call them extroverts! They do not like to be alone. A happy sheep requires a minimum of four other sheep to hang with. That’s what the experts say. (How do they know this?) Another thing about sheep - they are easily led – even astray. They will follow whoever is at the front of the pack – to their own peril! That’s why sheep need a good shepherd to keep them from danger. They also are defenseless when it comes to their natural habitat predators. Scientists believe that sheep intuitively know that their only safety comes in staying together. Shepherds are often the only line of defense between a sheep and another animal looking for a tasty meal.
A good shepherd cares deeply for the herd. Shepherds have several tools that assist them in effective shepherding: a sling (think David and Goliath), a rod (a stick about 30 inches long with a knob on one end), a flute (to play for amusement and to calm the sheep), and a staff (a walking cane with a crook on the end.) I’ve never been a shepherd, but I’m told that a shepherd sometimes uses the crook to hoist lost sheep out of gullies and such. For certain, the shepherd’s job was always to get the sheep safely home – often in spite of themselves.
God himself is compared to a shepherd:
But he brought his people out like a flock; he led them like sheep through the desert. Psalm 78:52 NIV
And just in case we miss that comparison, we, His people, are like sheep:
Know that the Lord is God. It is He who made us, and we are His; we are His people, the sheep of his pasture. Psalm 100:3 NIV
Thought for today:
“Look at the proud! They trust in themselves, and their lives are crooked. But the righteous will live by their faithfulness to God.” Habakkuk 2:4 NLT
Thought for tomorrow: When one decides to turn their life and will over to the care and control of God, it just may be the single most important decision they ever make. It’s a decision made in humility – recognizing one’s need for a shepherd. So I ask you: are you in need of a good shepherd?
March 21
Teresa McBean
Scripture reading for today: Psalm 23
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters, He restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Psalm 23
Anyone interested in hiring a good shepherd? Today we aspire to be actors, lawyers, financial planners, doctors, computer gurus, mechanics, rock stars…pretty much anything but a shepherd. But back in the day, way back when the scriptures were being crafted, to be a shepherd was a pretty big deal. It was also a big deal to be shepherd-less.
Moses said to the Lord, “May the Lord, the God of the spirits of all mankind, appoint a man over this community to go out and come in before them, one who will lead them out and bring them in, so the Lord’s people will not be like sheep without a shepherd.” Numbers 27:15 NIV
Would you agree that if Moses says his people need a shepherd then he is implying that his people are like sheep? Sheep receive more attention in the bible than any other animal. By 3000 B.C. sheep were domesticated – probably before cattle. They were important in every area of an Israelite’s life – civic, religious and domestic. Abel, one of the sons of Adam, was the first recorded shepherd (Gen. 4:2). Shepherd’s had such an arduous task of sheep-herding that any decent shepherd knew every individual sheep by name. A shepherd -much like a parent of the very young – couldn’t leave those critters alone for a second without fear of them wandering off and getting lost.
Sheep are always led, never driven. (This will be a very important point to remember.) Sheep are gregarious – we would call them extroverts! They do not like to be alone. A happy sheep requires a minimum of four other sheep to hang with. That’s what the experts say. (How do they know this?) Another thing about sheep - they are easily led – even astray. They will follow whoever is at the front of the pack – to their own peril! That’s why sheep need a good shepherd to keep them from danger. They also are defenseless when it comes to their natural habitat predators. Scientists believe that sheep intuitively know that their only safety comes in staying together. Shepherds are often the only line of defense between a sheep and another animal looking for a tasty meal.
A good shepherd cares deeply for the herd. Shepherds have several tools that assist them in effective shepherding: a sling (think David and Goliath), a rod (a stick about 30 inches long with a knob on one end), a flute (to play for amusement and to calm the sheep), and a staff (a walking cane with a crook on the end.) I’ve never been a shepherd, but I’m told that a shepherd sometimes uses the crook to hoist lost sheep out of gullies and such. For certain, the shepherd’s job was always to get the sheep safely home – often in spite of themselves.
God himself is compared to a shepherd:
But he brought his people out like a flock; he led them like sheep through the desert. Psalm 78:52 NIV
And just in case we miss that comparison, we, His people, are like sheep:
Know that the Lord is God. It is He who made us, and we are His; we are His people, the sheep of his pasture. Psalm 100:3 NIV
Thought for today:
“Look at the proud! They trust in themselves, and their lives are crooked. But the righteous will live by their faithfulness to God.” Habakkuk 2:4 NLT
Thought for tomorrow: When one decides to turn their life and will over to the care and control of God, it just may be the single most important decision they ever make. It’s a decision made in humility – recognizing one’s need for a shepherd. So I ask you: are you in need of a good shepherd?
March 21
Teresa McBean
You Don't Need a Google ID to Comment :-)
Posted By Nikie
FYI I just learned that you don't have to use a Google ID to post comments on our blog. If you choose "OTHER" when choosing an Identity...you can then enter your name.
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FYI I just learned that you don't have to use a Google ID to post comments on our blog. If you choose "OTHER" when choosing an Identity...you can then enter your name.
Help for newbies is available! Just click on the link "Help! Blog?! What?!". Remember to Post your comments and questions if you have them.
Has anybody checked out our Podcast? Having trouble? Did it go well? Post your comments and questions.
March 20, 2007
Step 3: . We made a decision to turn our life and will over to the care of God.
Scripture reading for today: Psalm 22, Proverbs 13
Misery loves company. At least that’s true for me. In Psalm 22, David crafts a psalm that is right up my alley. He starts out fussing at God for being so distant, praises God for his saving power, moves on to a self-pitying tirade (“But I am a worm, not a human being; I am scorned by everyone, despised by the people. All who see me mock me…”), expresses appreciation for God’s provision for him, rushes back to his own personal tale of woes, begs God to come quickly and save him, bargains with God that he will publicly praise him – and then actually does it. You can almost hear the switch click as David slips into worship. All the things He can remember about God’s character he begins to sing in these final verses.
And in the midst of this reading, my misery finds company. I am comforted by the fact that believing doesn’t have to mean being perpetually perky. I am renewed as I realize that one can worship God AND feel far away from His saving touch – simultaneously.
If I were God, I couldn’t handle all this messiness! Fortunately for all of us – I am not God.
Thought for today: Sometimes when I’m in a funky place, I don’t want to hear the theologically sound answer – I just want to know that someone understands my pain. I don’t even want someone to give me a gentle and kind word of correction – I just want someone to listen to my story. There will come a time when the theologically sound answer is not only what I want, but what I desperately need. A gentle and kind word of correction is one of the grandest acts of love that can be bestowed upon another – properly timed. One of the things I love about God is His masterful timing. He knows when to let us vent, and when to reel us in. I want to encourage you today – although we humans don’t always have God’s impeccable timing – God himself does. May today be a day you take your messy ball of yarn called life to Him, so that you too, like David, can experience God’s perfecting timing.
Thought for tomorrow: The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. Psalm 23:1 Today’s NIV
March 20
Teresa McBean
*New...Don't Have Google Account...publish your comments as "Other" and enter your information.
Scripture reading for today: Psalm 22, Proverbs 13
Misery loves company. At least that’s true for me. In Psalm 22, David crafts a psalm that is right up my alley. He starts out fussing at God for being so distant, praises God for his saving power, moves on to a self-pitying tirade (“But I am a worm, not a human being; I am scorned by everyone, despised by the people. All who see me mock me…”), expresses appreciation for God’s provision for him, rushes back to his own personal tale of woes, begs God to come quickly and save him, bargains with God that he will publicly praise him – and then actually does it. You can almost hear the switch click as David slips into worship. All the things He can remember about God’s character he begins to sing in these final verses.
And in the midst of this reading, my misery finds company. I am comforted by the fact that believing doesn’t have to mean being perpetually perky. I am renewed as I realize that one can worship God AND feel far away from His saving touch – simultaneously.
If I were God, I couldn’t handle all this messiness! Fortunately for all of us – I am not God.
Thought for today: Sometimes when I’m in a funky place, I don’t want to hear the theologically sound answer – I just want to know that someone understands my pain. I don’t even want someone to give me a gentle and kind word of correction – I just want someone to listen to my story. There will come a time when the theologically sound answer is not only what I want, but what I desperately need. A gentle and kind word of correction is one of the grandest acts of love that can be bestowed upon another – properly timed. One of the things I love about God is His masterful timing. He knows when to let us vent, and when to reel us in. I want to encourage you today – although we humans don’t always have God’s impeccable timing – God himself does. May today be a day you take your messy ball of yarn called life to Him, so that you too, like David, can experience God’s perfecting timing.
Thought for tomorrow: The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. Psalm 23:1 Today’s NIV
March 20
Teresa McBean
*New...Don't Have Google Account...publish your comments as "Other" and enter your information.
March 19, 2007
Step 3: . We made a decision to turn our life and will over to the care of God.
Scripture reading for today: Psalm 21, Proverbs 12
An honest witness tells the truth, but a false witness tells lies. The words of the reckless pierce like swords, but the tongue of the wise brings healing. Proverbs 12:17-18 Today’s NIV
I’ve spent a lot of years listening to lots of people share their opinions about who God is and what He is up to in this world. Here’s a sampling of some opinions I’ve heard in recent weeks:
I think God has abandoned me.
God is punishing me unfairly.
When God was handing out the good stuff, he skipped me.
God is so far away.
God doesn’t care about my problems.
When I pray, it feels like there’s a glass ceiling between my prayers and God – I feel very far away from Him.
God could have stopped these bad things from happening to me and he did not.
What God? God is for the weak. (A sentiment I happen to agree with. Unlike mankind, who seems to despise weakness, God does not. God is FOR the weak. But I digress.)
God is disappointed with ____ (me, my child, my spouse, etc.)
Step three is our opportunity to make a decision about who we think God is – it’s important to know the character of the one in whom we’re being asked to cast our lot with. I believe that many of us take the attributes of the people who have been most influential in our lives (for good or evil) and heap them onto our image of God. Pause to prepare. If that is true for you, how close do you think your opinions of God align with what is true of God?
Thought for today: I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. John 14:18 NIV
Scripture is a great place to seek out a sense of who God is. I found great comfort in John 14:18 when I discovered it for the first time. God won’t leave us as orphans – God comes to us. He doesn’t make us search for him in a game of heavenly hide-and-seek. He comes to us. He desires relationship with us. That’s a God I want to get to know.
Thought for tomorrow: Why not take some time this year to explore who God is, recognizing that we all have opinions about God that may be, well, wrong.
March 19
Teresa McBean
Scripture reading for today: Psalm 21, Proverbs 12
An honest witness tells the truth, but a false witness tells lies. The words of the reckless pierce like swords, but the tongue of the wise brings healing. Proverbs 12:17-18 Today’s NIV
I’ve spent a lot of years listening to lots of people share their opinions about who God is and what He is up to in this world. Here’s a sampling of some opinions I’ve heard in recent weeks:
I think God has abandoned me.
God is punishing me unfairly.
When God was handing out the good stuff, he skipped me.
God is so far away.
God doesn’t care about my problems.
When I pray, it feels like there’s a glass ceiling between my prayers and God – I feel very far away from Him.
God could have stopped these bad things from happening to me and he did not.
What God? God is for the weak. (A sentiment I happen to agree with. Unlike mankind, who seems to despise weakness, God does not. God is FOR the weak. But I digress.)
God is disappointed with ____ (me, my child, my spouse, etc.)
Step three is our opportunity to make a decision about who we think God is – it’s important to know the character of the one in whom we’re being asked to cast our lot with. I believe that many of us take the attributes of the people who have been most influential in our lives (for good or evil) and heap them onto our image of God. Pause to prepare. If that is true for you, how close do you think your opinions of God align with what is true of God?
Thought for today: I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. John 14:18 NIV
Scripture is a great place to seek out a sense of who God is. I found great comfort in John 14:18 when I discovered it for the first time. God won’t leave us as orphans – God comes to us. He doesn’t make us search for him in a game of heavenly hide-and-seek. He comes to us. He desires relationship with us. That’s a God I want to get to know.
Thought for tomorrow: Why not take some time this year to explore who God is, recognizing that we all have opinions about God that may be, well, wrong.
March 19
Teresa McBean
March 18, 2007
Step 3: . We made a decision to turn our life and will over to the care of God.
Scripture reading for today: Psalm 19 and 20, Proverbs 11
In a recovery ministry, I get to watch families deal with events that any sane person would acknowledge as very shame inducing. It’s embarrassing to acknowledge that your child has been stealing from the family business to keep up with gambling debts. It’s extremely embarrassing to see dad’s face on the front page of the local newspaper because he got arrested in a prostitution drag net. It’s mortifying to have mom show up for a parent/teacher conference drunk as a skunk.
“God is very disappointed in you, and so am I.” This is the best words a father could come up with after he bailed his adult child out of jail. And hey, I’m not slamming dear old dad. All of us have the inclination to take God and lower him to our level. Disappointment is a natural, normal human emotion when one runs face-to-face with the shattering of all illusions.
But natural and normal isn’t God’s way.
Thought for today: Do not be afraid; you will not suffer shame. Do not fear disgrace; you will not be humiliated. Isaiah 54:4
Thought for tomorrow: Sometimes giving human attributes to heavenly God makes us afraid to cast our lives into his hands. Fear not. He will not shame us, humiliate us, or disgrace us. He will, however, heal us, restore us, renew us, and fulfill his promises to us.
March 18
Teresa McBean
*Click on the Help! Blog?! What?! link to learn more about blogging.
*Click on the We're Podcasting! link to learn how to get Teresa's messages for your IPod.
Scripture reading for today: Psalm 19 and 20, Proverbs 11
In a recovery ministry, I get to watch families deal with events that any sane person would acknowledge as very shame inducing. It’s embarrassing to acknowledge that your child has been stealing from the family business to keep up with gambling debts. It’s extremely embarrassing to see dad’s face on the front page of the local newspaper because he got arrested in a prostitution drag net. It’s mortifying to have mom show up for a parent/teacher conference drunk as a skunk.
“God is very disappointed in you, and so am I.” This is the best words a father could come up with after he bailed his adult child out of jail. And hey, I’m not slamming dear old dad. All of us have the inclination to take God and lower him to our level. Disappointment is a natural, normal human emotion when one runs face-to-face with the shattering of all illusions.
But natural and normal isn’t God’s way.
Thought for today: Do not be afraid; you will not suffer shame. Do not fear disgrace; you will not be humiliated. Isaiah 54:4
Thought for tomorrow: Sometimes giving human attributes to heavenly God makes us afraid to cast our lives into his hands. Fear not. He will not shame us, humiliate us, or disgrace us. He will, however, heal us, restore us, renew us, and fulfill his promises to us.
March 18
Teresa McBean
*Click on the Help! Blog?! What?! link to learn more about blogging.
*Click on the We're Podcasting! link to learn how to get Teresa's messages for your IPod.
March 17, 2007
Step 3: . We made a decision to turn our life and will over to the care of God.
Scripture reading for today: Psalm 18, Proverbs 10
You know about Moses, right? He was an Old Testament hero. If Moses were around today, he’d have made it into the final round of God’s version of “American Idol” – in fact, he did make it there –
By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of gteater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward. By faith he…By faith he…By faith…Hebrews 11:24-29 NIV
Chapter 11 in the book of Hebrews is scripture’s version of the American Idol All-Star finals. It’s the place where the author of Hebrews sort of gathered up all of God’s top performers and paraded both them and their accomplishments before us.
Thought for today: The Lord replied, ”My presence will go with you and I will give you rest”'
Then Moses said to him, “If your presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here.” Exodus 33:14-15
Moses, a hero of the faithful, spoke honestly with God about his doubts. You’d expect a bona fide hero to say, “Sir, yes Sir. Thank you Sir.” He did not. Once you make a decision to turn your life over to God’s care and control – you don’t become a robot. You’re still you. A decision like this is one more step in the process of coming to believe – it is not a magic pill, a lobotomy, or an easy way to rid yourself of all those hurts, habits and hang-ups that are trailing around behind you like a well-worn and smelly security blanket.
Thought for tomorrow: I recommend taking Hebrews 11, go to the back of your bible (most have a concordance in the back listing key words/names in scripture and where you can find them) and look up each hero mentioned. Turn to all the places their names are referenced in the Bible and make notes about what you find. I suggest two columns: 1. Hero for sure and 2. Why I’m surprised God chose them. I want you to notice that these men and women didn’t make it into the heroes chapter by being good, behaving best, or even simply by not messing up. “By faith…” is why they are there. They believed.
March 17
Teresa McBean
Scripture reading for today: Psalm 18, Proverbs 10
You know about Moses, right? He was an Old Testament hero. If Moses were around today, he’d have made it into the final round of God’s version of “American Idol” – in fact, he did make it there –
By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of gteater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward. By faith he…By faith he…By faith…Hebrews 11:24-29 NIV
Chapter 11 in the book of Hebrews is scripture’s version of the American Idol All-Star finals. It’s the place where the author of Hebrews sort of gathered up all of God’s top performers and paraded both them and their accomplishments before us.
Thought for today: The Lord replied, ”My presence will go with you and I will give you rest”'
Then Moses said to him, “If your presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here.” Exodus 33:14-15
Moses, a hero of the faithful, spoke honestly with God about his doubts. You’d expect a bona fide hero to say, “Sir, yes Sir. Thank you Sir.” He did not. Once you make a decision to turn your life over to God’s care and control – you don’t become a robot. You’re still you. A decision like this is one more step in the process of coming to believe – it is not a magic pill, a lobotomy, or an easy way to rid yourself of all those hurts, habits and hang-ups that are trailing around behind you like a well-worn and smelly security blanket.
Thought for tomorrow: I recommend taking Hebrews 11, go to the back of your bible (most have a concordance in the back listing key words/names in scripture and where you can find them) and look up each hero mentioned. Turn to all the places their names are referenced in the Bible and make notes about what you find. I suggest two columns: 1. Hero for sure and 2. Why I’m surprised God chose them. I want you to notice that these men and women didn’t make it into the heroes chapter by being good, behaving best, or even simply by not messing up. “By faith…” is why they are there. They believed.
March 17
Teresa McBean
We're Podcasting
posted by Nikie
Hey ya'll! I just got word that today's daily devotional should be available soon and I'll post it in a few. Meanwhile I wanted to let you all know that we are now Podcasting. I'm so excited! Now we can listen to Teresa's messages anytime and anywhere.
To add The NorthStar Community Podcast to your subscriptions follow these steps:
Open Itunes (It can be downloaded for free from http://www.itunes.com/).
Select "Advanced" from the menu.
Select "Subscribe to Podcast".
Copy and paste this feed into the box that opens: http://nscpodcast.podbean.com/feed/
Click ok.
Your first episode should begin to download in the Podcast section.
Podcasts can be listened to from your computer or an IPod/mp3 player or they can be burned to a CD.
Happy listening!
Return to Daily Devotional
March 16, 2007
Step 3: . We made a decision to turn our life and will over to the care of God.
Scripture reading for today: Psalm 17, Proverbs 9
This is a great devotional written by Dr. Ryan. Before you proceed, let me point out one itsy bitsy detail. He’s talking about believers – those who have decided. Remember: coming to believe gives us the capacity to find our freedom. The process of developing the skill sets to access all of God’s big promises to us is just that – a process. Before we come to believe in a deciding-kind-of-way, none of us has this capacity. The capacity to: find our freedom, know and do God’s will, have the mind of Christ, etc. – that comes after the decision…
I love Dr. Ryan’s honesty – this is hard stuff, even for those who decide.
Christians do not believe about life that 'what you see is what you get'.
Quite to the contrary, Christians believe that many things we cannot now see are still part of God's plans for us. Some days we cannot see (or maybe even imagine) what it would be like to be completely recovered. But we know that this is God's plan for us. God is committed to our full recovery. As this text puts it, God will not be done with us until we are 'like him'. That is as 'recovered' as you can get. The clarity of God's plan for us can give us hope. It may be a difficult journey, but you can get somewhere from here. We can make it because God is involved in the process of our transformation. This hope can give us a kind of purity of purpose and vision. Because God is committed to our full recovery, we are not alone with our hopes and dreams. Because God is committed to our full recovery, we have a power greater than our own to help with the struggle. Because God is committed to our full recovery, we can find rest and courage in the purity of God's vision for us. Because God is committed to our full recovery, we can let go of our pathetic little idol gods and turn to the true and living God. When we worshipped a god-of-impossible-expectations, we became driven and compulsive. When we worshipped a god-who-abused, we became fearful and frozen. When we worshipped a god-who-keeps-his-distance, we fought despair. As we begin to see God as loving, we come to believe that we are lovable. As we begin to see that God wants us to let go of our self-destructive behaviors in order to live more fully, we come to believe that we are precious and valuable.*
Thought for today: Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure. 1 John 3:2-3
Thought for tomorrow: Take some time today to journal. Put on your thinking cap. Think about all the things we’ve learned at NorthStar, our support groups and our bible studies. Think about the limitations of the human spirit, and write out a list of things that might naturally make it difficult to hope based on unseen things. Tell God this, and thank him for his supernatural provision.
March 16
Teresa McBean
*Dale and Juanita Ryan, on line devotional from Rooted in God’s Love, March 13th
Scripture reading for today: Psalm 17, Proverbs 9
This is a great devotional written by Dr. Ryan. Before you proceed, let me point out one itsy bitsy detail. He’s talking about believers – those who have decided. Remember: coming to believe gives us the capacity to find our freedom. The process of developing the skill sets to access all of God’s big promises to us is just that – a process. Before we come to believe in a deciding-kind-of-way, none of us has this capacity. The capacity to: find our freedom, know and do God’s will, have the mind of Christ, etc. – that comes after the decision…
I love Dr. Ryan’s honesty – this is hard stuff, even for those who decide.
Christians do not believe about life that 'what you see is what you get'.
Quite to the contrary, Christians believe that many things we cannot now see are still part of God's plans for us. Some days we cannot see (or maybe even imagine) what it would be like to be completely recovered. But we know that this is God's plan for us. God is committed to our full recovery. As this text puts it, God will not be done with us until we are 'like him'. That is as 'recovered' as you can get. The clarity of God's plan for us can give us hope. It may be a difficult journey, but you can get somewhere from here. We can make it because God is involved in the process of our transformation. This hope can give us a kind of purity of purpose and vision. Because God is committed to our full recovery, we are not alone with our hopes and dreams. Because God is committed to our full recovery, we have a power greater than our own to help with the struggle. Because God is committed to our full recovery, we can find rest and courage in the purity of God's vision for us. Because God is committed to our full recovery, we can let go of our pathetic little idol gods and turn to the true and living God. When we worshipped a god-of-impossible-expectations, we became driven and compulsive. When we worshipped a god-who-abused, we became fearful and frozen. When we worshipped a god-who-keeps-his-distance, we fought despair. As we begin to see God as loving, we come to believe that we are lovable. As we begin to see that God wants us to let go of our self-destructive behaviors in order to live more fully, we come to believe that we are precious and valuable.*
Thought for today: Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure. 1 John 3:2-3
Thought for tomorrow: Take some time today to journal. Put on your thinking cap. Think about all the things we’ve learned at NorthStar, our support groups and our bible studies. Think about the limitations of the human spirit, and write out a list of things that might naturally make it difficult to hope based on unseen things. Tell God this, and thank him for his supernatural provision.
March 16
Teresa McBean
*Dale and Juanita Ryan, on line devotional from Rooted in God’s Love, March 13th
March 15, 2007
Step 3: . We made a decision to turn our life and will over to the care of God.
Scripture reading for today: Psalm 16, Proverbs 8
There are some promises God gives to those who decide to turn both life and will over to his care…
I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh. Ezekiel 11:19
God promises us a heart transplant. God promises to change us. Our stone hearts will be removed and in their place will be put a heart of flesh. A heart of stone is a dead heart. It is closed to honest, intimate relationships. A heart of stone is unmerciful with itself and with others. But we do become attached to our hearts of stone. And we find ourselves fearing God's promised transplant. Our stone hearts have one thing in their favor - they allow us to feel strong and to appear strong to others. A stone heart is a protected heart. It seems invulnerable. You cannot wound a heart of stone. God's offer of a heart transplant is a promise of life. A heart of flesh is alive. Only a flesh heart can feel joy. Only a flesh heart can celebrate. Only a heart of flesh can give and receive love. But, the vulnerability of a heart of flesh scares us. A flesh heart does not seem as well protected as a heart of stone. It can feel joy, but it can also feel pain. You can wound a heart of flesh. God promises to change us. God will remove
our hearts of stone and give us hearts of flesh.*
What’s the state of your heart?
Thought for today:
For those who find me find life and receive favor from the Lord. But those who fail to find me harm themselves; all who hate me love death. Proverbs 8:35-36
Thought for tomorrow:
OK, boys and girls. Here’s your test. Are you lost or found? Do you take care of yourself, or harm yourself? Plan to succeed or deliberately sabotage? How you answer these questions will help you understand whether you’ve made a step three decision – or not.
March 15
Teresa McBean
Scripture reading for today: Psalm 16, Proverbs 8
There are some promises God gives to those who decide to turn both life and will over to his care…
I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh. Ezekiel 11:19
God promises us a heart transplant. God promises to change us. Our stone hearts will be removed and in their place will be put a heart of flesh. A heart of stone is a dead heart. It is closed to honest, intimate relationships. A heart of stone is unmerciful with itself and with others. But we do become attached to our hearts of stone. And we find ourselves fearing God's promised transplant. Our stone hearts have one thing in their favor - they allow us to feel strong and to appear strong to others. A stone heart is a protected heart. It seems invulnerable. You cannot wound a heart of stone. God's offer of a heart transplant is a promise of life. A heart of flesh is alive. Only a flesh heart can feel joy. Only a flesh heart can celebrate. Only a heart of flesh can give and receive love. But, the vulnerability of a heart of flesh scares us. A flesh heart does not seem as well protected as a heart of stone. It can feel joy, but it can also feel pain. You can wound a heart of flesh. God promises to change us. God will remove
our hearts of stone and give us hearts of flesh.*
What’s the state of your heart?
Thought for today:
For those who find me find life and receive favor from the Lord. But those who fail to find me harm themselves; all who hate me love death. Proverbs 8:35-36
Thought for tomorrow:
OK, boys and girls. Here’s your test. Are you lost or found? Do you take care of yourself, or harm yourself? Plan to succeed or deliberately sabotage? How you answer these questions will help you understand whether you’ve made a step three decision – or not.
March 15
Teresa McBean
March 14, 2007
Step 3: . We made a decision to turn our life and will over to the care of God.
Scripture reading for today: Psalm 14 and 15, Proverbs 7
During my year of decision, I came across this: Obey my commands and live! Guard my instructions as you guard your own eyes.” Proverbs 7:2 NLT And I thought – I don’t have a clue how to do this. Some days my eyes would droop with boredom as a read scripture. (Sorry. It’s true.) I didn’t get a lot of what it meant. I had very little historical background. I was kind of wandering around in my own wilderness experience. So I decided to change up my routine. Let me show you what I mean. I had always been a voracious reader. But during this year, I decided that reading about scripture might be cheating – so I decided to limit my studies simply to scripture. (I don’t necessarily recommend this. But I needed to do this for me – because I’m a big cheater and I might disengage my brain and just decide some expert knows best.) This proved to be not very simple. But I did it. On any given day, I might have come across this Psalm.
O Lord, how long will you forget me? Forever? How long will you look the other way? How long must I struggle with anguish in my soul, with sorrow in my heart every day? How long will my enemy have the upper hand? Turn and answer me, O Lord my God! Restore the sparkle in my eyes, or I will die. Don’t let my enemies gloat, saying, “We have defeated him!” Don’t let them rejoice at my downfall. But I trust in your unfailing love. I will rejoice because you have rescued me. I will sing to the Lord because he is good to me. Psalm 13
Then I’d whip out my school supplies and take notes. I’d ask myself – what can even a dummy like you deduce from this text? So here’s what I might have written about Psalm 13.
13:1 I’m not alone in this feeling of isolation I have. Even a guy who got his writings in the bible asked this kind of question. I wonder if this means that God doesn’t mind it if we’re honest with him. Hmmmm…it has to mean that, or else God clearly could have edited this out. Teresa’s take away: I need to start getting more honest with God.
13:2 My notes say this is from David. I remember him. He was the giant killer. Goodness! I look him up in my concordance, read all about him and find out that scripture says he’s a man after God’s own heart – God loved David. He was also a murderer, adulterer, and apparently a very poor parent. This totally blows my mind. I don’t get this. How can such a messy dude be so loved by God? This is more than I can process. I’m going to ask someone about this…
13:3 David thinks God can restore sparkle. I thought that was the job of a good anti-depressant!
13:4 What a human guy! Even this king worried about what others thought. He had enemies. He didn’t want to be put in a position of shame. I get that. I’m still wondering though, how God could love him.
13:5 I’m noticing a pattern. I saw this in Lamentations too. These guys poor out their guts, but them seem to always circle their wagons back to this point – I trust in your unfailing love. I wonder if this is more of a decision than a firmly held belief. It seems like to me that these guys really wrestle with fear, and anxiety, and a sense of God being far away – but they keep coming back to a decision to believe that God is who He says he is. I don’t know why this makes me feel better about myself, but it does.
Then off I would go. There was laundry to do. A difficult relationship to navigate. Babies to feed. My coach to call.
Thought for today: What school supplies would you need in order to commit to the process of investigating God?
Thought for tomorrow: I’m begging you. Dig. Think. Ask. Ponder. Practice. Get coaching. You can do it.
March 14
Teresa McBean
Scripture reading for today: Psalm 14 and 15, Proverbs 7
During my year of decision, I came across this: Obey my commands and live! Guard my instructions as you guard your own eyes.” Proverbs 7:2 NLT And I thought – I don’t have a clue how to do this. Some days my eyes would droop with boredom as a read scripture. (Sorry. It’s true.) I didn’t get a lot of what it meant. I had very little historical background. I was kind of wandering around in my own wilderness experience. So I decided to change up my routine. Let me show you what I mean. I had always been a voracious reader. But during this year, I decided that reading about scripture might be cheating – so I decided to limit my studies simply to scripture. (I don’t necessarily recommend this. But I needed to do this for me – because I’m a big cheater and I might disengage my brain and just decide some expert knows best.) This proved to be not very simple. But I did it. On any given day, I might have come across this Psalm.
O Lord, how long will you forget me? Forever? How long will you look the other way? How long must I struggle with anguish in my soul, with sorrow in my heart every day? How long will my enemy have the upper hand? Turn and answer me, O Lord my God! Restore the sparkle in my eyes, or I will die. Don’t let my enemies gloat, saying, “We have defeated him!” Don’t let them rejoice at my downfall. But I trust in your unfailing love. I will rejoice because you have rescued me. I will sing to the Lord because he is good to me. Psalm 13
Then I’d whip out my school supplies and take notes. I’d ask myself – what can even a dummy like you deduce from this text? So here’s what I might have written about Psalm 13.
13:1 I’m not alone in this feeling of isolation I have. Even a guy who got his writings in the bible asked this kind of question. I wonder if this means that God doesn’t mind it if we’re honest with him. Hmmmm…it has to mean that, or else God clearly could have edited this out. Teresa’s take away: I need to start getting more honest with God.
13:2 My notes say this is from David. I remember him. He was the giant killer. Goodness! I look him up in my concordance, read all about him and find out that scripture says he’s a man after God’s own heart – God loved David. He was also a murderer, adulterer, and apparently a very poor parent. This totally blows my mind. I don’t get this. How can such a messy dude be so loved by God? This is more than I can process. I’m going to ask someone about this…
13:3 David thinks God can restore sparkle. I thought that was the job of a good anti-depressant!
13:4 What a human guy! Even this king worried about what others thought. He had enemies. He didn’t want to be put in a position of shame. I get that. I’m still wondering though, how God could love him.
13:5 I’m noticing a pattern. I saw this in Lamentations too. These guys poor out their guts, but them seem to always circle their wagons back to this point – I trust in your unfailing love. I wonder if this is more of a decision than a firmly held belief. It seems like to me that these guys really wrestle with fear, and anxiety, and a sense of God being far away – but they keep coming back to a decision to believe that God is who He says he is. I don’t know why this makes me feel better about myself, but it does.
Then off I would go. There was laundry to do. A difficult relationship to navigate. Babies to feed. My coach to call.
Thought for today: What school supplies would you need in order to commit to the process of investigating God?
Thought for tomorrow: I’m begging you. Dig. Think. Ask. Ponder. Practice. Get coaching. You can do it.
March 14
Teresa McBean
March 13, 2007
Step 3: . We made a decision to turn our life and will over to the care of God.
Scripture reading for today: Proverbs 6
After about ten years of “doing church” – I almost threw in the towel. I decided that either the way I was going about practicing my faith was wrong (hard for me to believe) OR there was no God. So, I cut a deal with the God of my limited understanding. I told him that for one year I was going to give Him a chance to prove himself to me (how arrogant) or I was done with religion. Even I realized this wasn’t the most respectful conversation in the world, so I “sweetened the pot” in order to try to win God’s approval of this plan. I promised him that each morning I’d wake up and ask only one question, “Lord, if you exist and if I were completely convinced, how would I live this day?” And I did it. Here is some of what I learned.
First – I realized that if God existed, then it made sense for me to learn more about Him. I had been in church, heard the sermons, attended bible studies and conferences and workshops; but I hadn’t really become a student of scripture. I sort of audited all of the classes. When I asked the daily question, I decided that a convinced believer would stop copping out and taking everything pass/fail. So when my babies went down to bed and Pete was at work or out of town, I studied. (Of course, I got a lot of school supplies to do this with – you know I love ‘em!) Remember that this is exactly how interns become doctors, guys who love cars become mechanics, hacks become Tiger Woodish, etc.
Second – I quit all my church committees. This was radical. But I couldn’t find anywhere in scripture where it said I should be up at church working all the time – to the exclusion of spending time on my intimate, personal relationship with God. (Don’t misinterpret me – I did this for a season. There’s plenty in scripture to guide us and instruct us about our need for community and supporting the work of our church community in particular. But I had gotten all out of wack, and a serious re-evaluation time was essential.) I replaced all those committees with practice. I considered this my apprenticeship. When I read instructions for how to live in scripture, and I asked the daily question, I proceeded as best as my heart could discern. Although I ditched several committees, I did find myself working in a prison ministry. I found myself spending more time teaching my children about God and less time plopping them in front of Sesame Street. I made meal plans and actually went to the grocery store (Pete enjoyed this season). I spent a lot of time in conversation with others about God stuff. Each day was a different day. I was asking a question each morning, and every day brought new challenges. Again, this was the same kind of practicing that all of us do when we’re pursuing a new skill set.
Third – I got some good counseling. I found out something about myself during all this study and practice time. I realized that I had some potentially fatal flaws in my character and in my thought life. My studying and practicing was frustrating. I needed help. I decided to go to a spiritual mentor who could guide me in unpacking some of my reactions to this new way of living. I joined a small group. I intentionally sought relationships with a few people who I knew could assist me in this grand experiment. I truly don’t think parts one and two would have been sustainable without this key component to this decision making process. This is the same kind of feedback a young intern would receive. I got some good coaching.
Thought for today: Why am I telling you all this? Because I want you to really think about whether you ’ ve ever decided to turn your life and will over to God. I had been a faithful, committed, active member of my church for ten years when I began this experiment. I believed. I was baptized. I simply had never decided to turn my life and will over to God. Can you relate?
Thought for tomorrow:
Commit to the Lord whatever you do and your plans will succeed. Proverbs 16:3 NIV
The year passed without me noticing. I still wake up every morning and ask the same question. I am still living by steps one, two and three – with varying degrees of “success”. In fact, let me close with this thought. If you had asked me in the beginning how I would have described a successful outcome for that first year, I would have said this: “Well, I think I’ll become a sweeter, kinder, gentler person. I’m pretty sure I’ll become an introvert. I probably will acquire a dainty laugh and no longer struggle with an addiction to peanut butter. I’m sure my husband and children will adore me. I’ll probably learn how to become a frugal shopper. I’m pretty sure I’ll be unrecognizable – the new me truly will be new. Off with the old.”
It hasn’t happened. Hindsight is always 20/20 – and with the clarity that I have at the moment, I’ll say this. I think God is doing something in and with and through me. I’m not at all sure how to measure it. Nor do I care to. I just know that this is a cool way to live. It’s a good life. It’s not perfect. It is perfectly messy. Some days I slip, and forget to ask the question. Many days of slipping has taught me that they are never my best days. I know I’m going to grow forgetful, but I’ve learned to trust in God’s nearness, even when I wander. You should try it. Maybe you don’t want to try it for a year, but you could try it for today…
March 13
Teresa McBean
Scripture reading for today: Proverbs 6
After about ten years of “doing church” – I almost threw in the towel. I decided that either the way I was going about practicing my faith was wrong (hard for me to believe) OR there was no God. So, I cut a deal with the God of my limited understanding. I told him that for one year I was going to give Him a chance to prove himself to me (how arrogant) or I was done with religion. Even I realized this wasn’t the most respectful conversation in the world, so I “sweetened the pot” in order to try to win God’s approval of this plan. I promised him that each morning I’d wake up and ask only one question, “Lord, if you exist and if I were completely convinced, how would I live this day?” And I did it. Here is some of what I learned.
First – I realized that if God existed, then it made sense for me to learn more about Him. I had been in church, heard the sermons, attended bible studies and conferences and workshops; but I hadn’t really become a student of scripture. I sort of audited all of the classes. When I asked the daily question, I decided that a convinced believer would stop copping out and taking everything pass/fail. So when my babies went down to bed and Pete was at work or out of town, I studied. (Of course, I got a lot of school supplies to do this with – you know I love ‘em!) Remember that this is exactly how interns become doctors, guys who love cars become mechanics, hacks become Tiger Woodish, etc.
Second – I quit all my church committees. This was radical. But I couldn’t find anywhere in scripture where it said I should be up at church working all the time – to the exclusion of spending time on my intimate, personal relationship with God. (Don’t misinterpret me – I did this for a season. There’s plenty in scripture to guide us and instruct us about our need for community and supporting the work of our church community in particular. But I had gotten all out of wack, and a serious re-evaluation time was essential.) I replaced all those committees with practice. I considered this my apprenticeship. When I read instructions for how to live in scripture, and I asked the daily question, I proceeded as best as my heart could discern. Although I ditched several committees, I did find myself working in a prison ministry. I found myself spending more time teaching my children about God and less time plopping them in front of Sesame Street. I made meal plans and actually went to the grocery store (Pete enjoyed this season). I spent a lot of time in conversation with others about God stuff. Each day was a different day. I was asking a question each morning, and every day brought new challenges. Again, this was the same kind of practicing that all of us do when we’re pursuing a new skill set.
Third – I got some good counseling. I found out something about myself during all this study and practice time. I realized that I had some potentially fatal flaws in my character and in my thought life. My studying and practicing was frustrating. I needed help. I decided to go to a spiritual mentor who could guide me in unpacking some of my reactions to this new way of living. I joined a small group. I intentionally sought relationships with a few people who I knew could assist me in this grand experiment. I truly don’t think parts one and two would have been sustainable without this key component to this decision making process. This is the same kind of feedback a young intern would receive. I got some good coaching.
Thought for today: Why am I telling you all this? Because I want you to really think about whether you ’ ve ever decided to turn your life and will over to God. I had been a faithful, committed, active member of my church for ten years when I began this experiment. I believed. I was baptized. I simply had never decided to turn my life and will over to God. Can you relate?
Thought for tomorrow:
Commit to the Lord whatever you do and your plans will succeed. Proverbs 16:3 NIV
The year passed without me noticing. I still wake up every morning and ask the same question. I am still living by steps one, two and three – with varying degrees of “success”. In fact, let me close with this thought. If you had asked me in the beginning how I would have described a successful outcome for that first year, I would have said this: “Well, I think I’ll become a sweeter, kinder, gentler person. I’m pretty sure I’ll become an introvert. I probably will acquire a dainty laugh and no longer struggle with an addiction to peanut butter. I’m sure my husband and children will adore me. I’ll probably learn how to become a frugal shopper. I’m pretty sure I’ll be unrecognizable – the new me truly will be new. Off with the old.”
It hasn’t happened. Hindsight is always 20/20 – and with the clarity that I have at the moment, I’ll say this. I think God is doing something in and with and through me. I’m not at all sure how to measure it. Nor do I care to. I just know that this is a cool way to live. It’s a good life. It’s not perfect. It is perfectly messy. Some days I slip, and forget to ask the question. Many days of slipping has taught me that they are never my best days. I know I’m going to grow forgetful, but I’ve learned to trust in God’s nearness, even when I wander. You should try it. Maybe you don’t want to try it for a year, but you could try it for today…
March 13
Teresa McBean
March 12, 2007
Step 3: We made a decision to turn our life and will over to the care of God.
Scripture reading for today: Psalm 12 and 13
I’ve been pretty consistently beating the drum about re-learning, re-thinking, renewed believing. For me, this re-education process has been an essential part of my decision to “come to believe” and I suspect that this principle is true for others too. Let me speak frankly (and I pray gently) to you about something that really bothers me.
It disturbs me down to my core that we seem to be so reluctant to dive into the deep end of the pool when it comes to finding our way back to God. Let me explain. If you were going to be a physician, you’d expect to have to study and work diligently to gain the skill sets to be a decent doctor. The mechanics that regularly interpret my complaints about my car (“It’s making a whirring noise.”) have certificates hanging on their walls demonstrating their commitment to learning the language of ladies who show up at their shops in need of a car repair. If we want to play golf, tennis, football or lacrosse – most of us receive some kind of instruction and coaching.
First – we receive instruction. The doctors and mechanics go to class, the athletes go to camps, every student reads books on the subject they are seeking to understand.
Second – we practice what’s been preached. We take tests, apprentice, stand at the base line and hit balls, hang out at the driving range, practice our stick work in lacrosse and our tackles on the football field.
Third – people give us feedback. Sometimes we appreciate the input, often we chaff under the instruction. It’s only in hindsight that most of us come to appreciate those that have pushed us to achieve beyond what we currently believe we can accomplish.
Thought for today: All this is good stuff. But it’s just seen world learning. How are we doing in the area of heart transformation? Are we willing to go to any lengths to figure out what it means to turn our lives over to God’s care and control? I’m just asking. More on this topic tomorrow.
Thought for tomorrow:
Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground. Psalm 143:10-11 NIV
March 12
Teresa McBean
Scripture reading for today: Psalm 12 and 13
I’ve been pretty consistently beating the drum about re-learning, re-thinking, renewed believing. For me, this re-education process has been an essential part of my decision to “come to believe” and I suspect that this principle is true for others too. Let me speak frankly (and I pray gently) to you about something that really bothers me.
It disturbs me down to my core that we seem to be so reluctant to dive into the deep end of the pool when it comes to finding our way back to God. Let me explain. If you were going to be a physician, you’d expect to have to study and work diligently to gain the skill sets to be a decent doctor. The mechanics that regularly interpret my complaints about my car (“It’s making a whirring noise.”) have certificates hanging on their walls demonstrating their commitment to learning the language of ladies who show up at their shops in need of a car repair. If we want to play golf, tennis, football or lacrosse – most of us receive some kind of instruction and coaching.
First – we receive instruction. The doctors and mechanics go to class, the athletes go to camps, every student reads books on the subject they are seeking to understand.
Second – we practice what’s been preached. We take tests, apprentice, stand at the base line and hit balls, hang out at the driving range, practice our stick work in lacrosse and our tackles on the football field.
Third – people give us feedback. Sometimes we appreciate the input, often we chaff under the instruction. It’s only in hindsight that most of us come to appreciate those that have pushed us to achieve beyond what we currently believe we can accomplish.
Thought for today: All this is good stuff. But it’s just seen world learning. How are we doing in the area of heart transformation? Are we willing to go to any lengths to figure out what it means to turn our lives over to God’s care and control? I’m just asking. More on this topic tomorrow.
Thought for tomorrow:
Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground. Psalm 143:10-11 NIV
March 12
Teresa McBean
March 11, 2007
Step 3: We made a decision to turn our life and will over to the care of God.
Scripture reading for today: Psalm 10 and 11, Proverbs 5
“O Lord, why do you stand so far away? Why do you hide when I am in trouble?” Psalm 10:1 NLT
I’ve said it a million times, but I think it’s worth saying again: healthy families are wildly different, creative blends of people. Healthy families have problems just like dysfunctional families do – but healthy families are more solution-focused. Healthy families skip over the blaming, shaming, and finger pointing and move right on to the next question: where do we go from here?
Dysfunctional families are eerily similar in their patterns of relating to each other and their world. In dysfunctional families: problems fester and solutions are rarely sought, children learn that they can’t trust the adults to protect them, someone is usually to blame, feelings of hopelessness and helplessness are common.
It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that unhealthy families are breeding grounds for raising codependents-in-training. (If you don’t have a working knowledge of the nature of codependency, check out our Insight Journal on this topic.)
Codependents-in-training find it particularly difficult to believe that God is near. Obviously the psalmist joins the rest of us in struggling with this false belief. Just because this isn’t true doesn’t mean we don’t FEEL as if it is true. It’s ok to have these feelings; it’s normal to have these thoughts. But. (The truth always follows the “but”…) But “coming to believe” and “making a decision” require us to rethink our firmly held – and often erroneous – views of God, ourselves and others.
Turning our lives over to God is going to require each of us to learn how to “let go and let God”. It’s not easy. If you’re struggling with relinquishing control, perhaps this thought will help. Although it is not easy to learn new ways of living…it is also really really hard and stressful to try to chart your own course. Right? Aren’t you tired of being tired? It’s exhausting carrying on as if you’re the captain, co-captain, chief cook and bottle washer all rolled into one (very frazzled) person.
Thought for today: I want to leave you with something to ponder. While we were in California this week, all my codependency issues raised their ugly little heads. This happened while riding down route 110 late at night, jet-lagged, headed to a strange city in an even stranger state. I just had the urge to boss Pete (the driver) and Scott (the navigator) around. I’m sure my guys will claim that I do this all the time. But I’m serious – I really wanted to hoot and holler and nag and control – more than usual. I’m an excellent backseat driver – trust me, this would have been over the top. But I didn’t. I asked a question: “Do you guys need me for anything?”
“NO!” They responded in unison.
So I did what any recovering person can do: I laid my weary head back, closed my eyes and fell asleep. I’m not suggesting that we all start sleep-walking through life. I am asking you to consider a radical new way of thinking: we don’t need to fix other people’s problems, guide other people’s destinies, inventory other people’s choices (or even comment on them). Take a load off. Be still. Rest. Stop meddling. If you ask God, “Do you need me for anything?” – what do you think he’d say???? There’s a huge difference between needing and wanting. God wants relationship with us – He does not need us to make sure the world keeps rotating. Chill.
Thought for tomorrow:
Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth. Psalm 46:10 NIV
March 11
Teresa McBean
Scripture reading for today: Psalm 10 and 11, Proverbs 5
“O Lord, why do you stand so far away? Why do you hide when I am in trouble?” Psalm 10:1 NLT
I’ve said it a million times, but I think it’s worth saying again: healthy families are wildly different, creative blends of people. Healthy families have problems just like dysfunctional families do – but healthy families are more solution-focused. Healthy families skip over the blaming, shaming, and finger pointing and move right on to the next question: where do we go from here?
Dysfunctional families are eerily similar in their patterns of relating to each other and their world. In dysfunctional families: problems fester and solutions are rarely sought, children learn that they can’t trust the adults to protect them, someone is usually to blame, feelings of hopelessness and helplessness are common.
It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that unhealthy families are breeding grounds for raising codependents-in-training. (If you don’t have a working knowledge of the nature of codependency, check out our Insight Journal on this topic.)
Codependents-in-training find it particularly difficult to believe that God is near. Obviously the psalmist joins the rest of us in struggling with this false belief. Just because this isn’t true doesn’t mean we don’t FEEL as if it is true. It’s ok to have these feelings; it’s normal to have these thoughts. But. (The truth always follows the “but”…) But “coming to believe” and “making a decision” require us to rethink our firmly held – and often erroneous – views of God, ourselves and others.
Turning our lives over to God is going to require each of us to learn how to “let go and let God”. It’s not easy. If you’re struggling with relinquishing control, perhaps this thought will help. Although it is not easy to learn new ways of living…it is also really really hard and stressful to try to chart your own course. Right? Aren’t you tired of being tired? It’s exhausting carrying on as if you’re the captain, co-captain, chief cook and bottle washer all rolled into one (very frazzled) person.
Thought for today: I want to leave you with something to ponder. While we were in California this week, all my codependency issues raised their ugly little heads. This happened while riding down route 110 late at night, jet-lagged, headed to a strange city in an even stranger state. I just had the urge to boss Pete (the driver) and Scott (the navigator) around. I’m sure my guys will claim that I do this all the time. But I’m serious – I really wanted to hoot and holler and nag and control – more than usual. I’m an excellent backseat driver – trust me, this would have been over the top. But I didn’t. I asked a question: “Do you guys need me for anything?”
“NO!” They responded in unison.
So I did what any recovering person can do: I laid my weary head back, closed my eyes and fell asleep. I’m not suggesting that we all start sleep-walking through life. I am asking you to consider a radical new way of thinking: we don’t need to fix other people’s problems, guide other people’s destinies, inventory other people’s choices (or even comment on them). Take a load off. Be still. Rest. Stop meddling. If you ask God, “Do you need me for anything?” – what do you think he’d say???? There’s a huge difference between needing and wanting. God wants relationship with us – He does not need us to make sure the world keeps rotating. Chill.
Thought for tomorrow:
Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth. Psalm 46:10 NIV
March 11
Teresa McBean
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