Foggy Days

Well, I haven't written in forever... ya know how life just has those crazy times, right now is definitely one of them.

It is Friday morning around 7:30 and I'm sitting here looking out the window and spending some time with God, as I normally do at this time.  One of my most favorite things about Virginia is the mountains... I have the perfect view of them from my dorm room.  I love dark blue silhouetted against the sky and the contrasting green leaves perfectly framing the view.  My favorite thing in the world is watching the sunset, and seeing it sink over the mountains lighting up the sky and clouds with deep colors of purple and orange and reds, just fills me with awe and wonder at the One who paints the breathtaking scene.  But sometimes, like this morning, it's so foggy, I can't even tell the mountains exist.  And it is almost a lonely feeling because I'm so accustomed to seeing them so clearly on the horizon.  But at the same time, I know that no matter how hidden those mountains are, they are still there, and when the fog lifts, they will be more beautiful than ever.  It reminds me of God and faith... so many times, there is fog in my life and I can't see God and I feel alone and afraid and blind.  But I know that He is there, unchanging and faithful.  No matter what my view is, He sees it all perfectly and clearly and with no fog.  I just praise God for that truth that I have in my heart and I am filled with such gratitude that even on the foggy days, God can fill my heart with joy and an understanding that He will never leave or forsake me and has plans for me that exceed my greatest expectations.  

           View from my window before sunset

                                Gorgeous sunset :)

This morning's foggy view

Romans 9

I've been reading through Romans lately, it is such an amazing book and packed full!  I wanted to write about Romans 9 because we also went through this chapter in Sunday school and our teacher made some great points I wanted to put down.  


But who are you, O man,  to answer back to God?  Will what is molded say to its molder, "Why have you made me like this?"  Has the potter no right over the clay, to make our of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use? Romans 9:20-21


That is only a portion of the chapter but it is so applicable to life and Paul asks questions that I know I have asked before.  I wonder sometimes why God made me the way I am and what purpose he has for me.  But the really cool thing is that when I am at my weakest, God's strength can be made known.  For I have no boast in myself, only in Christ and what he does in my life!  


But here are some of the points from Romans chapter 9:

• Mercy is not required or demanded, if God was totally just without mercy, we would all be damned.
• If we can't resist God's will then why does He hold us accountable?  
• Who are we to argue and question God, His ways and thoughts are so much higher than ours.
• God is God and it is His will not ours... He has a higher reason
• God wants to display His glory, He choses to sometimes do that through vessels of destruction... like how He used Judas to betray Christ to ultimately pay the price for our sins

In the second half of this chapter, Paul discusses Israel's unbelief.  There are also some good points to take from this:

• The Gentiles came in faith and knew that they were unrighteous --> therefore they attained righteousness (they didn't count themselves as worthy but as sinful and unworthy before a sovereign God)
• The Jews came by works and law and tried to attain their own righteousness --> therefore they did not attain righteousness

And lastly, going back to the beginning of the chapter, Paul says, "For I wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers." Romans 9:3

That is just unbelievable to me... Paul understands God's love for us and is therefore willing to be damned for the damned.  He has such an amazing Biblical knowledge and worldview!  I definitely cannot say that I have that kind of love for the lost that I would give up my eternity with Christ in order that they might be saved!  I don't know how to get to that point where I love the lost with the kind of love God shows me and them, but I pray God will teach me how.  

Mary or Martha?

Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary.  Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”  Luke 10:38-42

I was talking to my dad earlier today and he reminded me of this story and there really is a lot to be learned from it.  Mary and Martha: two sisters who loved Christ and both made decisions... Mary chose to sit at the Lord's feet and listen to his teaching, Martha busied herself with preparing and serving.  Serving is important and is a gift, but what matters is where your heart is.  Martha wanted the accolades for her service; she wanted to be noticed and appreciated and complimented and praised.  I see this in myself so much.  But see Martha misses out on the most important thing because she is busy with things of the world that don't even matter in the scheme of things.  She misses sitting at the feet of Jesus, gazing up at him and hearing his stories and being taught his wisdom!  When compared to that, preparing a meal and cleaning the kitchen isn't even important.  As Jesus says, Mary chose the good portion which will not be taken away from her.  I think we have to kinda analyze ourselves and ask if we are busying ourselves with things of this world and missing out on the important things or are we sitting at the feet of Jesus focusing on him with everything we have?

How to let your anger out (haha)

Circumcision of the heart

I have been pretty busy this week, and not much time to write... but I am reading through Romans right now.  I am on chapter 3 today, the one about God's righteousness.  It talks a lot about circumcision too, which is always kinda strange to read about but I think of it this way... in the Old Testament, they were physically circumcised as an act of the covenant.  But after Jesus came, the Old Covenant was wiped away and Jesus brought a new way of life.  We are no longer called to give sacrifices or to be circumcised physically, but I think we are called to be spiritually circumcised.  Circumcision is a cutting away of the flesh and after Jesus' ultimate sacrifice, we are called to circumcise our hearts and cut away our sinful flesh to live in a newness of life with Christ!  So even though all that stuff is from so long ago, it still applies to us as something we need to think about every day, reminding ourselves that we are a new creation in Christ, the old has passed away and the new has come!