by tascha |
Sunday’s and today’s “be still and know” posts both come from the messages yesterday.
Last evening the preacher spoke from Psalm 119:33-40 about several attitudes of King David that caused him to have such a close relationship with God.
Amid the points such as: be teachable, desire understanding, bend your ear towards listening to God, and others…. the point that I suppose stood out the most to me was the last one.
Coming from verse 40: Behold, I have longed after thy precepts: quicken me in thy righteousness…
and focusing in on the word quicken, he went on to give an example of it…
**At the end of music camp where where his granddaughter attended this past summer, he and his wife went to here the grand performance that would close the 2 weeks. Not really knowing what to expect, they were pleasantly greeted with beautiful music well-performed by dedicated teenagers.
What impressed the evening on him most was the obvious love and enthusiasm the conductor had! He described him as taking the wand and pointing vigorously at the different sections and waving it up and down and all over to direct the various instruments in their different parts of the music. The way he was gesturing to convey what he meant left me tired. {lol} To think of a man moving with such vigor for an entire symphony is exhausting. He had an evident joy for the music… for leading the orchestra. And the students played with equal enthusiasm to the point they were not still but moving and swaying with the music during the entire performance.**
This… this obvious enthusiasm and excitement was used to describe the word: quicken.
And David used quicken to describe how he wanted to live righteousness-with enthusiasm!
And it got me to thinking…. about my children {of course!}. How it brings an unspeakable joy and thrill to my heart when my children are happy to see me.
But I think especially of those few months as small babes when they cannot express their joy verbally… and their whole little, tiny bodies express it for them. Their arms wave, their faces nearly split from smiling, their little legs just pump like they are trying to push themselves into orbit { 🙂 }.
My heart melts, and I just enjoy holding them.
When I have obvious [meaning others notice it] enthusiasm for whatever I am doing …simply BECAUSE I am serving the Lord… could that not bring God a little bit of a “parent thrill”?
I realize that I am giving God my finite emotions, but we know that God joys in knowing His children obey His word, desire to serve Him, have His joy… and He patterned the Christian relationship after “father & child” for a reason.
Maybe He wanted us to have the opportunity to know more about Him as we teach and train children for His glory.
And today, I am trying to be enthusiastic about some housework I need to get done! { 😉 }
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Let’s connect on FACEBOOK!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
I’m also on Instagram!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
and I’m on Twitter!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
by tascha
Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. Those by the way side are they that hear…But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience. from Luke 8:4-15, the parable of the Sower
These verses, this story, was in my scheduled Bible reading for today. I intensely wish for my own life to bring forth fruit, and I know it requires patience to see it.
But just as fiercely I wish for my own children to receive the Seed of the Word of God [become saved] and also bear fruit.
Only on the “good ground” is the Word received AND fruit is born. As a mother, my prayer is for my children’s hearts to be good ground… I am not a farmer, but I do know a few things about the general type of soil needed to grow good crops.
First it must also be rich in nutrients. All plants of the earth require different minerals to produce their various fruits. We must allow God to prepare the soil of our children’s hearts through consistent Bible reading [family devotions are a wonderful way to do this!], Bible memorization, and Scripture verses displayed where they can read them [when they can read!] Only through the principles learned thus will an honest and good heart be produced. [Mark 10:18]
It must also be moist. A dry heart is less likely to hold onto a seed. Moist soil is soft and pliable. We must ask for and then allow the Spirit of God [rivers of living water- John 7:39] to regularly and consistently pour water into our children’s lives. Our children need to see the Spirit’s work in our own lives. We must teach and exemplify the truths and principles found in Scripture to help their hearts to remain tender until such time as they understand their personal need for accepting Jesus.
It must also be able to receive sunlight daily. As saved parents, we are light to our children. [Matthew 5:14-16] Our testimony affects how our children receive God. This is a scary thought. My children see me at my absolute worst and know if I strive to allow God’s love to shine through me even during the frustrations and difficulties or if it is an act. And we must also be diligent to surround our children, as much as possible, with others’ whose lights shine brightly for the Lord.
And last of all, it needs to be in a good location to receive nutrients and water and light. When we neglect to take our children to church or read the Bible at home or speak of the Spirit leading us throughout the day, how can they know?
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Let’s connect on FACEBOOK!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
I’m also on Instagram!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
and I’m on Twitter!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
by tascha |
or How many do I serve?
How do you measure greatness?
I have a quote in my Bible:
Your greatness is not measured by how many servants you have
but by how many men [people] you serve.
I am not sure where I heard it. I failed to write that part down.
Is this not what Jesus taught? sometimes I need to be reminded. I have no illusions of actually having servants {laughing hysterically}, but do I treat my family as my servants? Or do I delight in serving them?
Mark 10:43b, 44 …but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister: and whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all.
Mark 9:34b-35 …for by the way they had disputed among themselves, who should be the greatest. And he sat down, and called the twelve, and saith unto them, If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all.
These are just some thoughts {among others} that have convicted me recently.
When I truly seek to serve God with my day, I will readily serve my family–with a smile in my heart!
I will be willing to serve others as He makes opportunity in my life; and I will teach my children that real JOY comes from serving God [without even telling them! though we ought to express it verbally, too].
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Let’s connect on FACEBOOK!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
I’m also on Instagram!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
and I’m on Twitter!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
by tpiatt
Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.
Proverbs 31:28
What a wonderful encouragement to have your own children and husband notice and proclaim the goodness they see!
I have been called blessed by others, who see my children and know God sees children as a blessing. But the best is when my children tell me they are glad I am their mom! {This is most definitely NOT an every day occurrence. hehe}
I am definitely not the example I ought to be, but occasionally my husband tells me he is glad he married me. That brings a joy to my heart that tells me any all the overwhelming days and sometimes over-thinking nights do count for something… the “doing good” for my husband.
I, and you, may never receive public accolades in the market or wherever; but if our people are happy and tell us they like being around us… well, I would say we’re on the right path.
[one caveat: This is not something that happens daily in the life of a woman striving to please God. This one verse is not the goal of a Godly woman’s life. It is merely the occasional by-product. There are wonderful women of God who never see these praises. That does not mean her life is a waste! This one verse is not the goal of a Godly woman’s life. It is merely an occasional by-product.]
If you have ever heard kind words from your husband or children, you are indeed blessed! If you have not, keep pressing on… God sees and ultimately, HIS glory and heavenly rewards are what will matter one day.