Deuteronomy 5:12 > "Observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy, as the Lord your God has commanded you." (NIV)
Even as a child I knew this to be one of the Ten Commandments. I didn't know which one I just knew it was one of them. My take away on this was to rest on the Sabbath because the Lord did. That was enough for me. That meant I could have a wonderful excuse to do nothing all day! But it meant so much more than I expected.
This morning that fourth Commandment opened my eyes. Verse 15 says: "Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and that the Lord your God brought you out of there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore the Lord your God has commanded you to observe the Sabbath day." There is a reason we are to remember the Sabbath. In twenty two words it summed it up for me. It became very personal. Remember that you were slaves...the Lord your God brought you out...with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Do you see it? We are to remember what the Lord has brought us out of.
Egypt became a place of slavery for the Isrealites. A place of bondage. They were worked so hard. Despair had even crept in. This caused me to remember my personal Egypt, my personal place of slavery and bondage. We have all had one. To remember must mean that you've gone through it; that you're no longer there. Now that is something to shout about!
Have we forgotten what the Lord has brought us out of? We need to remember who or what we used to be. We need to remember just what the Lord has delivered us from! And don't forget that He did it with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. The Sabbath should be filled with praises to the Lord. How could we possibly not? That really humbled me.
Have I truly praised Him when I look back and remember just what He's brought me out of? He loved me so much that He brought me out with His mighty hand (nails driven into both) and an outstretched arm (to die on a cross). I know that I will never be able to thank God and praise Him nearly enough for what He has done for me. Oh, there's still much work to be done in my life. But God is not finished.
In awe of Him,
~Vonda
***Heavenly Father, I just want to say thank You for loving me so much that You did not leave me in Egypt. Thank You Lord for Your mighty hands that You allowed man to drive nails into, for stretching out Your arms to die on a cross. I can never repay such a debt. But Lord I surrender my life for You to use for Your glory. Help me to always remember who You are and that there is nothing that You cannot do. Deliverance is just one of Your many attributes. Thank You Father for still working on me......Amen
Friday, April 29, 2016
Sunday, April 17, 2016
There Are Times When "Martha" Is Needed
Michelle had been mentally side-tracked for a few days. She knew that "this" was not a good idea. However, even though she prayed about the situation it was still not her decision to make. She had to let go and give it to the Lord. He gave her the strength to do just that. It was not easy! But she had to surrender "this" to Him. Six days later, Michelle would be tested.
It was an ordinary work day for a propane company in February. Hectic! It was cold and the night was going to be even colder. The phones had been ringing off the hook. Finally, the day had come to an end. It was time to go home. (Had she known what was going to take place at home, she might would have opted to stay at work!) The breaking news on the radio that afternoon had been about a robbery close by. I'm not sure if she really heard the news or if she was too afraid to really hear it. One thing is for sure, it didn't matter if she heard it or not, "it" still happened.
Mom called to tell her, "You need to turn on the news right now. You need to watch it." Of course, she had no idea why. And then she saw. Things were about to become very scarey. Before she knew it, there were men carrying flashlights in her yard. She never had time to think. (Perhaps that in itself was a blessing.)
The only thing that I knew to do was to go and be by her side. When I got there I could tell she was close to having a breakdown. Who could blame her? There were men in law enforcement everywhere! She didn't fully understand what was happening. Yes, she had seen the news and she knew why they were there. Yet, it wasn't really clicking in her mind. She knew part of the story, she just didn't know all of it. She was scared.
As the night wore on so did the bitter cold. I don't think I will ever forget it! I know that Michelle won't. I'm not sure the officers will either. God was there that night. And He was at work. Up and down the ramp she and I went and not once did we fall. No one did! Not once did it ice over. Which was a miracle! The ramp leading up the back deck would always have ice whenever it was cold. But, not that night.
I had been reminded of Luke 2:8-9> "And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear."(ESV) The shepherds were afraid. Their normal night had been disrupted. No, it wasn't law enforcement that showed up! But, they were caught off guard. They never expected anything to happen. Michelle had never expected what happened that night at her house either. Just like the shepherds, she too, was afraid. Her night had been disrupted. The incredible thing is this, the shepherds did not run. They stayed! Fear tends to cause people to run. And yet they didn't. Because they didn't, they heard the most amazing news.
Well, Michelle didn't run either. And ya know what she did?? She made coffee. Two pots of coffee! Her goal was to make sure that everyone there could have a hot cup of coffee on such a cold night. Even though her world was turning upside down, she took the time to think of them, to serve them. After all, they were only doing their job. It wasn't personal.
She had become Martha. Martha always busied herself doing things. For Michelle that night, it gave her purpose. In Luke 10:40 it says: "But Martha was distracted with much serving." The thing I have heard most about this particular passage in the Bible is how Martha missed it. She was so busy preparing things that she missed hearing what Jesus had to say. I think that at first that she just wanted everything to be nice. But then it got the best of her. It became more important. In essence, Martha allowed herself to become too busy to sit, to listen, and to learn. She didn't have to be. She could have sat like Mary did at Jesus' feet. Martha's choice in being busy was never needed. However, for Michelle that night, being "distracted with much serving" was truly a good thing. She didn't have to think of what was happening. That particular distraction enabled her to serve with grace.
In John 12:2 it also says: "Martha served". This time, her serving was a good thing.
That night Michelle stayed busy serving. Up and down the ramp she went carrying cups, cream, sugar, and two coffee pots. Her night had been interrupted and she was scared. Oh she wanted to run!!! Her legs just wouldn't allow her, too. Instead she chose to stay and to serve. Yes indeed, Martha was needed that night!
I caught myself watching her and absolutely admiring her. I received a greater blessing just being there to serve beside her.
It was an ordinary work day for a propane company in February. Hectic! It was cold and the night was going to be even colder. The phones had been ringing off the hook. Finally, the day had come to an end. It was time to go home. (Had she known what was going to take place at home, she might would have opted to stay at work!) The breaking news on the radio that afternoon had been about a robbery close by. I'm not sure if she really heard the news or if she was too afraid to really hear it. One thing is for sure, it didn't matter if she heard it or not, "it" still happened.
Mom called to tell her, "You need to turn on the news right now. You need to watch it." Of course, she had no idea why. And then she saw. Things were about to become very scarey. Before she knew it, there were men carrying flashlights in her yard. She never had time to think. (Perhaps that in itself was a blessing.)
The only thing that I knew to do was to go and be by her side. When I got there I could tell she was close to having a breakdown. Who could blame her? There were men in law enforcement everywhere! She didn't fully understand what was happening. Yes, she had seen the news and she knew why they were there. Yet, it wasn't really clicking in her mind. She knew part of the story, she just didn't know all of it. She was scared.
As the night wore on so did the bitter cold. I don't think I will ever forget it! I know that Michelle won't. I'm not sure the officers will either. God was there that night. And He was at work. Up and down the ramp she and I went and not once did we fall. No one did! Not once did it ice over. Which was a miracle! The ramp leading up the back deck would always have ice whenever it was cold. But, not that night.
I had been reminded of Luke 2:8-9> "And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear."(ESV) The shepherds were afraid. Their normal night had been disrupted. No, it wasn't law enforcement that showed up! But, they were caught off guard. They never expected anything to happen. Michelle had never expected what happened that night at her house either. Just like the shepherds, she too, was afraid. Her night had been disrupted. The incredible thing is this, the shepherds did not run. They stayed! Fear tends to cause people to run. And yet they didn't. Because they didn't, they heard the most amazing news.
Well, Michelle didn't run either. And ya know what she did?? She made coffee. Two pots of coffee! Her goal was to make sure that everyone there could have a hot cup of coffee on such a cold night. Even though her world was turning upside down, she took the time to think of them, to serve them. After all, they were only doing their job. It wasn't personal.
She had become Martha. Martha always busied herself doing things. For Michelle that night, it gave her purpose. In Luke 10:40 it says: "But Martha was distracted with much serving." The thing I have heard most about this particular passage in the Bible is how Martha missed it. She was so busy preparing things that she missed hearing what Jesus had to say. I think that at first that she just wanted everything to be nice. But then it got the best of her. It became more important. In essence, Martha allowed herself to become too busy to sit, to listen, and to learn. She didn't have to be. She could have sat like Mary did at Jesus' feet. Martha's choice in being busy was never needed. However, for Michelle that night, being "distracted with much serving" was truly a good thing. She didn't have to think of what was happening. That particular distraction enabled her to serve with grace.
In John 12:2 it also says: "Martha served". This time, her serving was a good thing.
That night Michelle stayed busy serving. Up and down the ramp she went carrying cups, cream, sugar, and two coffee pots. Her night had been interrupted and she was scared. Oh she wanted to run!!! Her legs just wouldn't allow her, too. Instead she chose to stay and to serve. Yes indeed, Martha was needed that night!
I caught myself watching her and absolutely admiring her. I received a greater blessing just being there to serve beside her.
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