Heaven and Hell

Every Sunday morning I "attend" church on line.  I've not found a church locally  that fits for me.  This is a church out of Nashville, Tennessee.  Tennessee is my old stomping grounds, I lived in East Tennessee for just over 15 years.

I enjoy these services, aside from the convenience for me the worship segment is usually off the chain good.  The message is always relevant and thought provoking, even life changing at times.

This month, October they have been doing a series titled "Monsters".  Basically, this is dealing with the little thinking monsters that we get in our lives that keep us from our purpose in Christ.

Today's monster, "Me, me, me Mummy".  The title about sums it up.  As you might guess it's dealing with being self-centered, and not being who Christ called us to be.  Servants in love to one another, whether that be family, friends or stranger.  It's not associated with being a "bad" person or being malicious our whole society is set up on the basis of self gratification.  Heaven knows I've contributed my share of self-centered behavior and/or thought.  As Christ followers we're called to something much higher.  Christ creator, King, God came to us as a lowly man and He served. The ultimate act of service He laid down His life so you and I can have life.  Abundant life not just once we get to Heaven, but here in the "land of the living".   We are promised this life eternal if we simply become like a child and believe in Him and what He did for us.

I want to be a better servant and follower of Christ.  I desire to become less about me, and more about others.  I trust Christ Jesus to help me become more like Him and less like the selfish me.  I know it takes time to bring about some changes, but I am confident with Christ all things are possible, and as the word promises, He is faithful and will complete that which He has begun in those who believe.

One illustration the Pastor gave that really struck a cord in me, prompting me to share this with who ever might read this is titled, "Heaven and Hell".  The story goes like this:

A man spoke to the Lord about Heaven and Hell.  "I will show you hell, said the Lord.  And they went into a room that had a large pot of stew in the middle.  The smell was delicious and around the pot sat people who were famished and desperate.  All were holding spoons will long handles that would reach into the pot, but because the handles of the spoons were longer than their arms, it was impossible to get the stew to their mouths.  Their suffering was terrible.

"Now I will show you Heaven", said the Lord.  And they went into an identical room.  There was a similar pot of stew and the people had the same identical spoons, but they were well nourished, talking and happy.

At first the man did not understand.  "It is simple", said the Lord.  "You see, they have learned to feed each other".

Philippians 2:4 ESV

"Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.  Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others".

From Glory to Glory

Fall has officially arrived. Fall is my season, I love so much about it. It is a time of change, a closing if you will. The last hurrah before giving way to frost, snow and freezing temperatures.

This year it symbolizes the closing of a chapter (a big chapter) in my life. A new marriage that failed and failed horribly. At times, I thought I was going to die. Perhaps not in a literal sense, but the pain of this loss was harsh and relentless. Nothing about it made much sense. I found myself questioning myself about a great many things. Fast forward...

I wrote that a year ago, it remained sitting silent in my drafts all this time. Now, it's Fall again. Last Fall brought a freak snow storm that broke trees and power lines and put countless numbers of people without power for days and in some cases weeks. This season seems to be as it should be, the colors are beginning to burst. This isn't really news though...it's really not about the season at all.

All that pain I mentioned earlier wasn't quite finished. But now, now it's all so different. I'm actually thankful my marriage dissolved. I realized had I stayed in this marriage by now I would have had no sense of self-worth because I would have been reminded constantly how little I really meant. How low my value as a woman, a human was. At least to my ex.

Enters God. Crying my heart out to God after being abandoned, after feeling my own smallness, realizing how alone I had really been I had no one to go to but God. How thankful I now am for this. Through this experience I learned how really close to me God was. Because of Christ my God and I can talk almost face to face. He allowed all my layers to be peeled back, leaving me so vulnerable and exposed. It was through this undressing I could feel God holding me, hovering over me and protecting me. Hiding me under the shelter of his wings.

Things are far from perfect, I still have a lot of work to do on myself, but the good news is I am not the one doing the work. I just have to be open to allow God to bring about the changes in me to restore me to His purpose. It is not without pain, sometimes honesty that cuts like a knife. Though always a healing touch, a Holy Spirit whisper of deep personal healing. Even though I do not see my wholeness completely, I know in Him I am whole.

Sometimes, we just have to throw all trust issues aside and just allow God to do His work in us. Christ is faithful to complete what He has begun in us. I have learned God is faithful in ALL seasons. Knowing this is worth all the loss, all the pain. The word is truth when it says, weeping my endure for a night but joy comes in the morning.

I can see the sun beginning to kiss the morning horizon.