incredible grace
By judys | July 28, 2010
Meet our two dogs, Tucker (on the left) and Sadie. Both are Golden Retrievers from the same breeder but from different bloodlines. Tucker is the well-mannered, calm, [more] obedient one and has outgrown chewing everything in sight. He reminds us of Shadow in Homeward Bound: calm, composed, patient, and wise. Sadie spends every waking moment at full throttle. Always bouncing off the walls, she is impulsive, hard to contain, and forever in trouble for chewing something else to shreds. Unquestionably ADHD. She reminds us of Chance in Homeward Bound. She inhales her entire bowl of dry dog food in 20 to 30 seconds. I am not kidding.
Last Friday both dogs escaped. They were gone all weekend and the sadness grew each day. We looked and looked and put “Lost Dog” signs up all over the place. Nothing. On Monday I called the County Animal Shelter. Great news! They’d been found and brought in! And for a few greenbacks each they could be ours again.
A few greenbacks, huh? How many are we talking here?
Now I hate to admit it, but I had second and third thoughts about “redeeming” one of our dogs–I won’t mention which one. I mean, how much more sane our lives would be! I mentioned to Barb this idea of just picking up one dog. She said it was “tempting.” And we’d be saving money, too!
Well, don’t worry, we ended up paying for and picking up both dogs. But now that Miss Mayhem is back and going full tilt, I’m asking myself, “What was I thinking?”
Here’s where I’m going with this. I was practicing conditional redemption toward my dogs. One has pleasing behavior and a more likable personality, so I was inclined to redeem that one but not the other.
Aren’t you glad the Lord Jesus did not redeem us on the basis of our condition? either on how good we were or how likely we were to improve?
Ephesians 1:3-14 is one of the places where God’s plan for our redemption is spelled out. Read this again carefully, because there we find nothing at all about conditional redemption. It was His love, kindness, and grace that initiated our redemption and adoption. Who we were or who we’d become made us not one bit more inviting or repulsive to Him.
Whenever I take a good look at me I hear myself saying, Thank You, Lord, for Your incredible, inexhaustible grace. You chose me knowing full well how wretched I was. And You redeemed me knowing how miserably I’d progress toward Christ-likeness. But You took me anyway. Thank You, Thank You, Thank You!
Blessings,
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truck loads
By judys | July 21, 2010
Truckers have a saying: If you have it, it came on a truck.
Well, they’ve got a point. After all, what do you have that didn’t come on a truck? Not much. And their idea, I suppose, is that once we take note of all the benefits trucking delivers… we’ll be thankful… and grumble less about all the big trucks on the road.
Their slogan reminds me of 1 Corinthians 4:7, “What do you have that you did not receive?” Ultimately, everything we have came from God, whether tangible or intangible.
As I reflect on all that He’s given, one thing in particular stands out. It’s something all Christ-followers have received. Jesus said in John 6:46, “No one can come to Me, unless the Father who sent Me draws him.” If it were not for our Heavenly Father drawing us, we wouldn’t be following Christ! And where would that leave us?
O Father, thank You for providing redemption and forgiveness through the death of Your Son. But thank You for not stopping there. For I would not be Your worshiper if You had not also drawn me to Your Son. Everything I have received — even this drawing — is from You. How I thank You!
Blessings,
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toddler laws
By judys | July 20, 2010
Have you been around any 3-year-olds lately? Their view on what is whose is pretty simple. Check this out.
Well, humorous as all this is, I’m ashamed to say I find too much of these values about stuff still lurking in me. What about you?
I wish instead I could fully and finally operate on the principles expressed by these statements:
“I will place no value on anything I have or may possess, except in relation to the kingdom of Christ. If anything will advance the interests of that kingdom, it shall be given away or kept only as by giving or keeping of it I shall most promote the glory of Him to whom I owe all my hopes in time and eternity.” +
“Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ.” #
“Hold everything in your hands loosely, otherwise it hurts when God pries your fingers open.” %
“The LORD gives, and the LORD takes away. May the name of the LORD be blessed!” ^^
Blessings,
* “Restating Implied, Perspective and Statutory Easements,” Michael V. Hernandez. Real Property, Probate and Trust Journal, (American Bar Association, Spring 2005).
+ David Livingstone, Scottish missionary-doctor to Africa in the 1800’s. http://www.wholesomewords.org/missions/ilivingstone.html.
# Saul of Tarsus, Philippians 3:8, NLT.
% Corrie Ten Boom, holocaust survivor, quoted by Charles Swindoll in Living Above the Level of Mediocrity, p.114
^^ Job, after he had lost every material possession, Job 1:21.
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all things laid bare
By judys | July 11, 2010
Their scam was “successful” because enough people thought they were in the dark. They figured no one of consequence was watching.
O Lord, before You all things are laid bare. Nothing is hidden that will not be revealed. You see in secret and reward accordingly. Enable us to be men and women of integrity, not out of concern for who is watching, but out of reverence for Your holiness.
Blessings,
* This account taken from Day by Day with Charles Swindoll, Thomas Nelson Publishers.
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at what price greatness?
By judys | July 4, 2010
So into the history books he goes, smashing numerous records along the way. But, I ask, “At what price greatness?”
You see, Stowe began his journey accompanied by another record-seeker, Soanya Ahmad, then 23. But ten months into their voyage, a persistent case of what they thought was seasickness forced Soanya to abandon the trip and she was taken to land by another vessel. Turns out she was pregnant. She gave birth to their son Darshen in the following months. Stowe remained at sea, though, in search of the record books. Seeing Darshen would have to wait till he was 23 months old. In the lonely interim, Soanya received a verdict against Stowe for unpaid child support in the amount of $10,000.
For Darshen I ask, “At what price greatness?” Neither father nor son knew the other’s voice when they first met. Darshen learned to roll over, crawl, walk, run, feed himself, throw a ball, and talk… without his dad. Mr. Stowe wasn’t there for the early smiles, laughter and songs. Much less the bonding.
Is it just me, or is something wrong with this picture? Record books are great, I guess, but I just keep asking myself, “At what price greatness?”
Mulling over this story has brought me to this question: Does my Heavenly Father look at some of the life-choices I make and think, “Where in the world did he come up with out-of-whack priorities like those?”
We’re all so busy about many things, pressing hard for this or that, but… “At what price greatness?”
Blessings,
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