Yeah! It's finally Friday! I just love the weekends. They seem to bring hope & happiness. Even in the quietness of my kitchen, as I drink my coffee with my favorite Bible (while everyone else is still sleeping) I'm thinking happy thoughts about what the next 3 days will bring. (And we don't even have any BIG things on our agenda yet).
Have you ever noticed how a small intentional smile can change your mood - your attitude - and perhaps reset your very steps? No parent thinks it's fun to discipline their children. It's certainly not a "happy or smile-able" moment in our house when that is taking place! But almost immediately after the cries have subsided, JP will come up to me and give me the most intentional, adorable, long-lasting smile. He'll look so intently at my eyes (and not let me look elsewhere I might add) that I feel his smile in my heart. Then he says, "You happy now?" I know he's looking to make sure that he & I are good after I've punished him. He's just seen my face and my tone not happy and directed at him - so he's looking to make sure that I can still smile back at him and ease his sweet little heart. Of course, I scoop him up and we hug and I kiss his sweet little face and say, "Of course I'm happy! And I love you very much!"
Did you know that we - God's children - can be happy too, even after God punishes us? Take a look....
Deuteronomy 33:29 (ESV)
Happy are you, O Israel! Who is like you, a people saved by the Lord,
the shield of your help, and the sword of your triumph!
Moses is blessing all the tribes of Israel - right before he dies I might add. And after he blesses each individual tribe - he says this. Of course they have just taken the journey of their life! And not just one of "over the mountain and through the woods" trying to get to grandma's house - but through the seas, the deserts, and through perilous lands! And through that journey they disobeyed many many times! And God punished them many many times! And yet - right before they walk into the Promised Land - Moses says, (in JP's words) You happy now! And why should they be happy? Because they were a people saved by the Lord!
My sweet friends - we too are a people saved by the Lord! We have Him as both our shield and our sword! JP recently got a pretend sword with a sheath as a favor at a birthday party. This was several weeks ago - but it has become one of his favorite toys. He loves to pull the sword out of the sheath really fast and say, "On guard!" Then he takes this battle-type stance with his legs and waits. I love the visual of this! The Lord is not just our shield - but he is our sword of victory & triumph!
If you are still feeling the tears of your punishment, if the sting of your sins is still on your hinny - you can still smile! You can still be happy! Look intently into the eyes of your Savior and know that He has saved you. Recall all that He has saved you from - small battles & big ones too. Reflect on your past prayers and cries and see just how good the Lord is! And if those are not enough to make you happy - then how about Him saving us from an eternal death! Don't diminish this! Let this verse be what resets your very steps this morning. Take what Moses said to the children of Israel and let the Holy Spirit say it to you! "Happy are you! Who is like you, a people saved by the Lord, the shield of your help and the sword of your triumph!"
Today - smile. Be happy - even with tears still rolling down your face. Take the sword out of it's sheath and say, "On guard!" For just as the Lord fought battles for the Israelites - He fights and wins them for you too!
The children of Israel had a long road ahead of them. They were just about to enter the land that the Lord had promised them. They still had a lot of work to do to conquer it and make it their own. But before all that - Moses gives them this reminder - to be happy because the Lord had saved them. We too have a lot on our plate. We too still have wars to be fought and places to conquer! But, we are a people who the Lord has saved. We are a people whose battles have been fought by the Lord. So in spite of all that you still have going on today - all your irons in the fire, I'm going to look you right in the eyes through this email and ask you like JP, "You happy now?" Moses told the children of Israel to be and we can certainly follow their lead.
I love you all dearly!
Your sis in the faith,
Pen
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1 comments:
I really enjoyed reading your blog a bit this afternoon...I really liked your side bar post....timely words for me right now with where I am (in a bit of a "stuck" mode). I also checked out your church website and listened to your husband's video and all I can say is he has some guts! Expostional Preaching through Song of Solomon! WOW! Awesome!!! I bet he gets a packed house. Ha!n I'm kidding and I suppose I shouldn't joke about it. Sorry, couldn't help myself. I am excited about following your blog and I would love to ask you how you currently balance ministry and young children and....sanity??? Ha, half kidding.
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