Are We Baby Birds?

       At our old house there were a couple of different times that I had the opportunity to watch a bird nest as it was being built to when it was abandoned.  In between I had the privilege of watching a family born and raised.  This morning I pondered a mother bird feeding her babies, first with food coming from her own ‘stomach’ and then providing other soft food.  The mother regurgitates the food into her babies mouths not just to give them sustenance but because they need her digestive enzymes to help process the food.  Later, when the babies’ bodies can handle the food better, she brings soft ‘live’ food.

       It made me think about ‘the church’ today and how many people attending gatherings are relying on their leaders: pastors/ teachers/ elders to do all the work (of reading the Bible, praying, learning, and seeking His face) and then to regurgitate it out to them during the service or Bible study.  That’s what they’re paid for after all, right?  We can’t handle the Word on our own so we need our leaders to predigest it and give it to us in a form we can handle.  I don’t think it’s supposed to be that way.  Even later when we can digest somewhat better, we still want them to give us all our food (soft food of course).

And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. 1Cor. 3:1,2

       Paul speaks to those who still want to be fed like babies as being carnal or unregenerate and unable to ‘digest’ the real food.  We certainly need leaders to teach the Word, but they are not to be our main or only source of learning of the Word.  We are supposed to be reading/ learning it at home.  King David spoke about meditating on the Word day and night, hiding the Word in his heart, delighting in the Word and obeying it’s precepts.  We should do the same.

       Did you know, there was actually a time in history when it was forbidden for common people to own or read a Bible because they were considered too ignorant (re: stupid) to understand and therefore they might not obey the God’s rules (as dictated by the local church) or -God forbid- begin to question their local leaders?  The Lord bless all our leaders who teach us well and encourage us to read the Word on our own.  And remember that Jesus sent us the Holy Spirit to teach us. (John 14:26)

For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles (words) of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. For every one that useth milk is unskillful (inexperienced, ignorant) in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe (infant, simple minded, immature). But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. Heb. 5:12-14  (Then Paul continues in chap. 6 to write they should be moving on from the basic doctrines already taught.)

       It is time to give our leaders a break from our expectations to be fed only by them.  We need to mature and start eating the solid meat of the Word on our own first and then be supplemented by the mouths of others.  The Lord gave us intelligence AND He sent His Holy Spirit to teach us.  Can there be a greater teacher than God Himself? 

May God give every Christian leader wisdom and guidance in leading us on the right path.

Yesterday

       To understand my post today you will need to know how my day went yesterday.  As usual, I woke up aching along with pain in the joints, but I am used to that and I know one day the Lord will heal me.  Then driving my son to school I found out a precious lady passed away late Monday.  Next, my 9 am allergy appointment turned into 2 ½ hours of unexpected tests which left me barely enough time to pick up my son for an appointment and then back to school.  An x-ray for me and a very long, drawn out oil change (I got’er done though!) in which everything went wrong left me exhausted and back on the go instead of on the break I desperately needed.  The rest of the day was pretty much the same right up until 11:30 pm when I finally crawled into bed.

       It wasn’t that it was a horrible day worse than any other day I’ve had, but it was emotional, unexpected and frustrating in many ways I didn’t even list.  So there I was in bed having spent only snippets of time with the Lord saying my ‘goodnight’ to Him.  After a sarcastic remark from me He was kind enough to let me know how He feels about me- of course making me feel a little worse for my remark.  I mentioned He might want to be careful because the mood I was in might cause me to tell Him ‘where to go’.  That’s when He said, “Where could you tell me to go that I’m not already there!”

       That short line of truth made me laugh, and then laugh some more.  In fact, I didn’t stop laughing for several minutes as I pondered His response.  It was exactly what I needed to release the tension and frustration of the day.  He cares so much for me that He met me where I was at, loved me, and helped me through the gloom.  My precious Lord knew precisely what I needed and when.

       My greatest desire is that everyone would know the Lord intimately, and interact with Him the way He wants to.  He won’t force His way into your life or heart, but if you are willing He can be a bigger part of it than you ever thought possible- at least that is my experience.  The Lord will be as big a part of your life as you allow Him to be.

My life with Him gets better every day and it can for you too.

The Best They Can Do

       Friday my hubby had to get some testing done- an ultrasound and x-ray for a shoulder problem.  They gave him a ‘disclaimer’ to sign saying the tests are only 80% ish accurate.  Now, I knew tests could never be 100%, but I did not suspect they could fail 20% of the time!  So I’m thinking that in 2011 with all our technology, computer analysis and knowledge, the percentage of accuracy should be mid to upper 90’s, but apparently not.

       It’s a good thing God doesn’t run by the world’s standards.  We know that if He says something it will come to pass 100% of the time.  We know that what He said is 100% the truth.  We might make errors or interpretive mistakes, but God does not err.  He is omniscient\ all-knowing. (Job 28:24; Ps. 147:5; 1John 3:20)  He knows all the past, He knows all the present, and He knows all the future. (Is. 46:9)

God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good? Num. 23:19 

The LORD is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works. Ps. 145:17 

       We will never completely understand God or His ways*, but He tore the ‘veil’ between us and Him (Mat. 27:51) so that we can have a real relationship with Him, all the time.  And we can count on Him to be righteous and holy in all He does, and to ‘make it good’.  (Rom. 8:28)  In reality, we don’t always see it that way, at least I haven’t in the past, but I’m beginning to believe it now.  All the things I truly thought I would not survive?  Well, I’m still here and only a little ‘worse for wear’.  The learning and growing I have done along the way is valuable and my closer relationship to Him- priceless.

       So unlike our technology which fails us or cannot be accurate all of the time, we can count on our Lord who will never fail us (Heb. 13:5) or be less than 100% accurate.  It is great to know there is one person we can count on 100% of the time… even if it doesn’t look like it at the present.  From my own personal experience there is far more peace ‘that passes all understanding’ (Php. 4:7) when I trust God with everything- good and bad- in my life. 

       The world and the best it can offer will never compare to our God.  He is the greatest, most powerful person in the universe, He is on our side walking with us on our journey, and we can count on Him all the time.  100%... no disclaimer needed!

*God thundereth marvellously with his voice; great things doeth he, which we cannot comprehend. Job 37:5 

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
Is. 55:8 ,9