Many times in our lives we have heard the quintessential phrase: Wait on the Lord and you will never go wrong. Which is true, of course. Time after time we have stumbled into a nasty situation because of Sara's syndrome, you know, the one in Genesis... Aw come on! Don't you know that one? OK, let me give you a little Sunday school lesson:
Genesis 15 tells the pact between Abram and God: Abram's descendants will outnumber the stars in the sky. But, there is a little problem. Abram does not have kids and he is getting older. Sarai, knowing that it will be impossible for her to bear children (after all she is not a spring chicken anymore and her looks are not exactly as a beauty pageant contestant) decides to "help" God and gives her slave Hagar to Abram. Thus, in time, Ishmael is born. The consequences of not waiting on the promise are still among our mist today (Middle East crisis anyone?). So what happened that Sarai decided to play God instead of letting Him do the work? Her circumstances became the reality and the force that moved her.
Today the same lesson applies to each and every one of us. The circumstances around us become greater than the Word that was spoken to us many eons ago. And instead of trusting on the One that is the WORD (for a reminder of this read John 1:1-4 (NIV) In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men) we go along biting the nails that are left on our fingers, trying new ways to "help" God. Listen, when we don't STEP ASIDE and LET GOD BE GOD, we are headed for trouble. How many times we have done the will of our hearts when it comes to our professional life, our dreams, our vision, our emotional life? Every time we do this on our own we end up hurting God, the people we love and ourselves. Then we go into prayer and have the audacity to say "God why did You let this happen?" Is est simplex... Because you went into the situation hook, line and sinker without God. What happened to the instruction WAIT ON THE LORD?
Just a final thought before I go and fix my Thanksgiving lunch. Beloved, waiting on the Lord might be difficult and hard (It ain't a walk on the beach, trust me), but if we have decided to walk with God as Noah did, then cultivate a relationship with the I AM. Get to know Him, after all, don't people say that to know Him is to love Him? I bet that after that happens, your trust in God goes up. He may not do what you expect, but He will do what is needed in your life. Wait on the Lord, and trust me, you will never go wrong.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Walking in Grace
"This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him, yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin."
1 John 1:5-7 (New International Version)
It's three days before Christmas. I am all alone in the house, since my son is in the States visiting his paternal family, and my sister and niece are in a cruise trip in the Caribbean. Only God, my dog Azabache and I remain here. I don't like being alone. You see, when you are alone, your masks fall on the floor and the reflection that looks back from the mirror tells you of places hidden in the heart that you would love to see buried down. In those places, my weaknesses dwell. I don't want to see my weaknesses. What would my brothers and sisters n the faith would think of me? That I lack faith? That I am not spiritual enough? That my relationship with God is superficial? That I don't pray enough, or that I am not the warrior I let the rest of the world see?
You see, I don't want them to know that even believing and praying and fasting... I am vulnerable. That beneath it all, I have fears too. But oh! A little light flickers in the darkness of my doubts. That light is called GRACE. The grace Christ gives me screams to the heavens that I can come as I am. The grace He gives me says that there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1). Instead of condemning me for my mistakes, He forgives me and takes me out of the hiding place to get me to His side. And better yet, the masks I tried to hide who I am fall down and let authenticity takes their place.
When authenticity takes the place of the lie, that is when the body of Christ takes an important role. A brother or a sister that have been walking this path happens to be depressed, or maybe sad, or maybe has some doubts or fears, or feels weary. The natural answers to these states of mind are: "Have you prayed lately?" "Don't let Satan maul your spirit, you are in victory!", "Maybe you should fast more" or the classic "Maybe you did something and God is punishing you for your sins"... Let me tell you this concept that I have discovered recently: if we say that we are connected to the Spirit of the Lord, walking in light, but we hide from God and the rest of the world our sins, our battles, and our tribulations, we are just behaving like the Pharisees in Jesus' time: over religious and over critical. And Jesus hates the lack of authenticity because that takes away our spiritual vision. If we are honest with God and the rest of the world, then we can all walk in light. If we want to pretend that we do not have sins, battles, problems, that we get hurt or are hurt, then we should change churches, because simply put, that is NOT TRUE. Only when we decide to walk in transparency and be honest, the grace of God steps in and THEN we are able to pray for one another and help one another to grow.
So, the final question is: when I take a look in the mirror and see my reflection, will I let God go into the hidden places of my heart? You know, my answer is YES. Only then am I going to be able to have a closer relationship with God, and only then can I help my brother or sister that is in need. The best gift you can give this Christmas is to put the mask down and be who you are meant to be in Jesus because the truth shall set you free.
1 John 1:5-7 (New International Version)
It's three days before Christmas. I am all alone in the house, since my son is in the States visiting his paternal family, and my sister and niece are in a cruise trip in the Caribbean. Only God, my dog Azabache and I remain here. I don't like being alone. You see, when you are alone, your masks fall on the floor and the reflection that looks back from the mirror tells you of places hidden in the heart that you would love to see buried down. In those places, my weaknesses dwell. I don't want to see my weaknesses. What would my brothers and sisters n the faith would think of me? That I lack faith? That I am not spiritual enough? That my relationship with God is superficial? That I don't pray enough, or that I am not the warrior I let the rest of the world see?
You see, I don't want them to know that even believing and praying and fasting... I am vulnerable. That beneath it all, I have fears too. But oh! A little light flickers in the darkness of my doubts. That light is called GRACE. The grace Christ gives me screams to the heavens that I can come as I am. The grace He gives me says that there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1). Instead of condemning me for my mistakes, He forgives me and takes me out of the hiding place to get me to His side. And better yet, the masks I tried to hide who I am fall down and let authenticity takes their place.
When authenticity takes the place of the lie, that is when the body of Christ takes an important role. A brother or a sister that have been walking this path happens to be depressed, or maybe sad, or maybe has some doubts or fears, or feels weary. The natural answers to these states of mind are: "Have you prayed lately?" "Don't let Satan maul your spirit, you are in victory!", "Maybe you should fast more" or the classic "Maybe you did something and God is punishing you for your sins"... Let me tell you this concept that I have discovered recently: if we say that we are connected to the Spirit of the Lord, walking in light, but we hide from God and the rest of the world our sins, our battles, and our tribulations, we are just behaving like the Pharisees in Jesus' time: over religious and over critical. And Jesus hates the lack of authenticity because that takes away our spiritual vision. If we are honest with God and the rest of the world, then we can all walk in light. If we want to pretend that we do not have sins, battles, problems, that we get hurt or are hurt, then we should change churches, because simply put, that is NOT TRUE. Only when we decide to walk in transparency and be honest, the grace of God steps in and THEN we are able to pray for one another and help one another to grow.
So, the final question is: when I take a look in the mirror and see my reflection, will I let God go into the hidden places of my heart? You know, my answer is YES. Only then am I going to be able to have a closer relationship with God, and only then can I help my brother or sister that is in need. The best gift you can give this Christmas is to put the mask down and be who you are meant to be in Jesus because the truth shall set you free.
Entering The Favor of the King
Before a girl's turn came to go in to King Xerxes, she had to complete twelve months of beauty treatments prescribed for the women, six months with oil of myrrh and six with perfumes and cosmetics.
Esther 2:12 (New International Version)
Do not be fooled by the text, mind you. The treatments might have been exclusively for women, but for every person that is entering a journey of intimacy with the Lord, this is a must.
Allow me to look back in history and the surroundings of this passage. The Book of Esther tells the story of palace intrigue and genocide thwarted by a Jewish queen of Persia. Even though this book never mentions the name of God, the reader can identify and see clearly the loving kindness and care of the Lord with His chosen people. But for that to happen, the Lord chose a girl, Hadassah, later Esther, to bring redemption to them.
The Bible mentions that Hadassah was beautiful and full of grace, enough to capture the attention of Hegai, the king's eunuch and the one in charge of the care of the women in the harem. But despite the beauty, she needed to be fully prepared in order to gain favor from King Xerxes and be in the position to save her people after. Esther 2:12 establishes that she spent six months with oils of myrrh and six months with perfumes and cosmetics. Now, this is interesting because myrrh, an exotic biblical spice, was used in purification and beautification rites, but it was also used in burial spices. So, why use oils of myrrh first and then perfumes and cosmetics? What was the purpose?
Six months of oils of myrrh
This is the first season of her one year preparation for just ONE night that would decide it all. To use myrrh is to prepare the body for death. To what did she need to die to? Hadassah had to die to her people, her customs, her way of live, in order to become what the king needed. And so, the season of the myrrh took away all her impurities to become holy before Xerxes. The same way that God, in the beginning of our journey to a deeper intimacy with Him, let us discover the little or big things that need to die in order to become holy. The season of the myrrh becomes clear in Romans 14:8 "if we die, we die to the Lord". Once all that disturbs the relationship between God and us is removed of our system, the next season begins.
Six months of perfumes and cosmetics
Now don't get me wrong, this is not your typical makeover on the Estee Lauder counter at JC Penny's. After dying to her former self, and the myrrh takes over the natural odor of her flesh, Esther undergoes another round of treatments. This time the season belongs to the perfumes (probably included frankincense and other spices) and cosmetics. This is the season of intimacy, as frankincense is used mostly over the fire to release its fragrance. Esther learns everything she needs to know about the king: his desires, what he prefers, what he dislikes, kingdom protocol, et all. And for us, this season represents becoming a sweet aroma unto the Lord, bowing before Him and focusing on Him. We get to know the Lord through His word,prayer, worship,praise and fellowship. Our needs fade as we concentrate on Him and Him alone. Then, the moment comes...
Esther had one chance, after all that time, to impress the king and gain his favor. We have the opportunity of a lifetime to present ourselves to the King of Kings. This is the time the Lord is calling us to get ready, and take positions. This is not the time to keep quiet and pretend nothing happens around us. This is the season to change, to be submerged in His Glory, to rise to His Loving Arms in praise. Because on that moment, when His eyes locks with yours and nothing else matters, life as we know it changes FOREVER. "And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?" (Esther 4:14b, New International Version)
Esther 2:12 (New International Version)
Do not be fooled by the text, mind you. The treatments might have been exclusively for women, but for every person that is entering a journey of intimacy with the Lord, this is a must.
Allow me to look back in history and the surroundings of this passage. The Book of Esther tells the story of palace intrigue and genocide thwarted by a Jewish queen of Persia. Even though this book never mentions the name of God, the reader can identify and see clearly the loving kindness and care of the Lord with His chosen people. But for that to happen, the Lord chose a girl, Hadassah, later Esther, to bring redemption to them.
The Bible mentions that Hadassah was beautiful and full of grace, enough to capture the attention of Hegai, the king's eunuch and the one in charge of the care of the women in the harem. But despite the beauty, she needed to be fully prepared in order to gain favor from King Xerxes and be in the position to save her people after. Esther 2:12 establishes that she spent six months with oils of myrrh and six months with perfumes and cosmetics. Now, this is interesting because myrrh, an exotic biblical spice, was used in purification and beautification rites, but it was also used in burial spices. So, why use oils of myrrh first and then perfumes and cosmetics? What was the purpose?
Six months of oils of myrrh
This is the first season of her one year preparation for just ONE night that would decide it all. To use myrrh is to prepare the body for death. To what did she need to die to? Hadassah had to die to her people, her customs, her way of live, in order to become what the king needed. And so, the season of the myrrh took away all her impurities to become holy before Xerxes. The same way that God, in the beginning of our journey to a deeper intimacy with Him, let us discover the little or big things that need to die in order to become holy. The season of the myrrh becomes clear in Romans 14:8 "if we die, we die to the Lord". Once all that disturbs the relationship between God and us is removed of our system, the next season begins.
Six months of perfumes and cosmetics
Now don't get me wrong, this is not your typical makeover on the Estee Lauder counter at JC Penny's. After dying to her former self, and the myrrh takes over the natural odor of her flesh, Esther undergoes another round of treatments. This time the season belongs to the perfumes (probably included frankincense and other spices) and cosmetics. This is the season of intimacy, as frankincense is used mostly over the fire to release its fragrance. Esther learns everything she needs to know about the king: his desires, what he prefers, what he dislikes, kingdom protocol, et all. And for us, this season represents becoming a sweet aroma unto the Lord, bowing before Him and focusing on Him. We get to know the Lord through His word,prayer, worship,praise and fellowship. Our needs fade as we concentrate on Him and Him alone. Then, the moment comes...
Esther had one chance, after all that time, to impress the king and gain his favor. We have the opportunity of a lifetime to present ourselves to the King of Kings. This is the time the Lord is calling us to get ready, and take positions. This is not the time to keep quiet and pretend nothing happens around us. This is the season to change, to be submerged in His Glory, to rise to His Loving Arms in praise. Because on that moment, when His eyes locks with yours and nothing else matters, life as we know it changes FOREVER. "And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?" (Esther 4:14b, New International Version)
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