spiritual formation

Do the Word

~ mercyfortheday ~ Leave a comment

The Bible is pretty clear about some things we should and shouldn’t do. But sometimes, it’s easy to overlook the instructions. It’s easy to disregard the commands when they aren’t what we want to do. But if we say we’re believers, then wouldn’t we want to obey what we read in the Bible? Wouldn’t we?

If I’m called to be a doer of the Word, then what does the Word say that I should do?

I’ve read through some of the commands that we should obey if we say we’re followers of God. I read them through the lens of the happenings of my week. Here’s what I discovered about myself.

Be kind. When the unexpected call came that my appointment was canceled at the last minute, I was two minutes away from my destination. I had to turn around and go home. I wanted to be frustrated, but I knew the situation was not her fault. There was nothing to do but reschedule. I told her that I would pray for her, because she was now facing some unexpected decisions. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you. Ephesians 4:32

Honor those in authority over you. Those at work who are in authority made an unpopular decision last week. Some people are reeling from the news. Trying to figure out how to move on. I don’t want to be disrespectful, but I was invited to voice my opinion. My words need to reflect a heart of respect for those in authority over me. So when the time came for me to speak, what did I do? I was prepared to share my thoughts on the decision, but I felt led to keep my opinion quiet. So my conversation went another direction. I was able to end the discussion on a high note instead of dragging down the leadership. Slaves must always obey their masters and do their best to please them. They must not talk back or steal, but must show themselves to be entirely trustworthy and good. Then they will make the teaching about God our Savior attractive in every way. Titus 2:9-10

Do good to those in need. I was stopped at a red light, and I saw the person standing at the street corner. She was holding a sign that said she was homeless. I know times have been tough for a lot of people this year, but I’ve seen her there for at least four years. What am I supposed to think? Is this a scam or are times that tough for some people? I was torn trying to decide whether her need was legitimate or not. Call me a skeptic or distrustful. I honestly wasn’t sure whether to look her straight in the eye or look the other way. But it isn’t my job to decide if her need is real. I need to obey God when and if he instructs me to help people holding a homeless sign. I ended up driving away. Was it because I didn’t feel led to give or because I didn’t even stop to pray about what I should do? Father, forgive me if I have sinned. Give to those who ask, and don’t turn away from those who want to borrow. Matthew 5:42

Don’t be anxious. He went to an emergency dental appointment. I heard rumblings in my head of annoyance and felt anxiety in my heart. I wondered about the cost. What is covered by insurance? What will have to be paid out of pocket and up front? I made stew with my thoughts. But I did actually pray as he walked out the door to the appointment. Then the call came. Nothing to worry about at this point. We’ll just monitor it. All the x-rays and tests showed no change from previous years. The cost was minimal. Ahh. Relief flooded through me. The stew of worry was turned to a prayer of thankfulness. Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Philippians 4:6

Be doers of the word, and not hearers only. Otherwise, you are deceiving yourselves. James 1:22

I can’t say I was perfect this past week. But as events happened and words were spoken, I stopped to reflect on my words and actions. Did I respond as a follower of Christ or as one who lives for myself? As long as I have breath in me, I know there will always be room for improvement.

I find that a lot of what I do is respond to events and words I’ve heard. Do I respond from the viewpoint of a doer of the word? Are my motives pure? Do I treat others unjustly? How do I respond to negative news? How do I deal with the happenings of current events? When all the information I hear about the upcoming election is negative, how do I respond? When the pandemic shut down the world, did I shut down? Am I doing the Word in my daily life?

Because what is in my heart is what comes out of my mouth. Was the word in my heart at the right moment?

As believers, we can’t just hear the word and then do nothing. We must act on the Word of God. We must live the Word of God. Because we are deceiving ourselves, if we think we can get by with just hearing the Word. We must allow the Word of God to infiltrate our thoughts and words and actions. Oh. It isn’t easy. But if we consistently and actually open the Bible and read it, God will speak truth and correction to us. Then we are responsible to put His Word into action.

But everyone who hears these words of Mine and doesn’t act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. Matthew 7:26

Solid Ground

~ mercyfortheday ~ Leave a comment

The neighbors are having a year. And it’s not one they want to repeat. Their oldest son got his driver’s license and his first car. Then coronavirus hit and they haven’t left their house much at all. Their air conditioner died its final death and had to be replaced. A huge tree fell on their house, causing major damage. It split their deck in two. A couple of windows and gutters had to be replaced. Their old roof was replaced last week. This week was set aside for repairing the chimney. The final step will be to replace the stucco on the chimney.

I’ve watched the workers as they’ve been installing the scaffolding for the chimney repair. The installation is quite daunting. The team is made of five or six workers. They’ve been working for two days now setting up the three story scaffolding. It’s tall and unwieldy. I bet a strong wind could knock it over. But we don’t want that. It would fall on my house.

But this scaffolding. It’s an interesting situation. I noticed last week the first level had been installed during the roof replacement. Three of the scaffolding legs were secured on level ground. The fourth leg was not. Only part of it was touching the thick board it had been set on. I knew that would be trouble once people were standing on the scaffolding. I was assured that all four legs would be secured before the work began. One could only hope.

Now for the past two days, these workers have been steadily working to secure the scaffolding. And it has rained both days. Work has stopped for hours on end. But once the rain stops, these workers reappear to meet their goal. A strong place for workers to be safe.

I notice this scaffolding as it towers in the air. It has supports screwed to the sides in multiple places. To strengthen it. To steady it. To anchor it. It is set up to withstand the weight and burdens it will hold in the coming days. It has been prepared for a heavy load.

The next day, the real work starts. The scaffolding is now in place and secured. The worker climbs up the tall scale as if he does this every day. And he does. Later in the morning, I notice the destruction that has taken place in preparation for the rebuilding of the new chimney. The two old ugly chimney pipes stand bare. Surrounded by pieces of concrete blocks. The worker is dismantling each piece in preparation for the repairs. It’s tedious but necessary work.

And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God. Titus 2:12

I think of my soul. I think of the repair work God has been performing on me for years. He’s working to secure my soul for eternity. I must be willing to let him continue. For it is a daunting task he has laid out. The tearing down of old feelings and haunting hurts. The dismantling of my fears and rejections. The displaced dreams and sorrows. The hidden sins and wayward leanings. The old is going away. The new is being built.

The dismantling of the old chimney prepares a way for the new one to be strong and steady for many years. It will secure the future of the entire house. But it is a big job. This work that is taking place.

The worker works from the inside out. He tears out all the old concrete blocks, blowing away all the dust and debris. He lays down solid new concrete blocks and cements them in place. Perfectly aligned and secured. The work is immaculate. It will withstand many storms and seasons.

The remaining work will make the outside of the chimney as beautiful as the inside. Some may think the inside doesn’t require beauty, but to the worker who has learned the trade, it is a requirement. To him, the completion of his work is beautiful. It is his pride and joy. Sure. It will be covered by the stucco that will be on display for the world. The finished exterior will be seen and admired by the homeowners and neighbors. But the chimney builder knows the truth of what is inside. The true work that has been laid for a solid safe working chimney.

This rebuilding of my innermost being is meant to replace the unstable layers of humanity that have built up. The old belief system is being chipped away, so a biblical foundation can be laid on solid ground. Oh. It’s hard work. There will be sweat and tears. Blood and guts. But the end result will be a solid framework to draw me closer to God and deeper into His Word.

But the builder knows that the work he is doing on the inside will only be seen by him. The outer work, though seen by the rest of humanity, was also created by this builder. But the outside wasn’t made to last. So it crumbles and wrinkles. Parts wear out and are worn. But the inside. That is where the true work is done for eternity. And only the builder can see the work. Oh. Others can see the results of the work. They may notice. They may not. But the work of the spirit will be what makes eternity. The outside view will be an afterthought.

The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart. 1 Samuel 16:7

Beauty and strength lie on the inside for the builder to behold. Only the builder knows the true worth of his work.