Thursday's thoughts

Journal entry today.....

1 Samuel 4:5

"When the ark of the LORD's covenant came into the camp, all Israel raised such a great shout that the ground shook. Hearing the uproar, the Philistines asked, " What's all this shouting in the Hebrew camp?"

As much as the Israelites got it wrong, as many times as they betrayed the Lord and worshiped other gods, as much as they whined and complained and lived in doubt and disbelief.....one can not say that they weren't a passionate people.

The Israelites had passion. Scripture makes that very clear. It seems like whatever it is that they did, they did it with everything (even if it was wrong!).

I look at the Israelites and then to my own life and culture and generation and the same can not be said for our lives. We live in a society where people don't get excited for much of anything. We're too busy to get excited. We're too busy getting stuff done, living to make a buck, lives jammed full of activities and programs and school activities, working overtime, volunteering at PTA and church events.

Even when the stuff we are doing is good....we have become so distracted by it that we forget to even enjoy it.

"As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!^" “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

Even when something great is staring us in the face...we often times miss it, not appreciating it. Jesus was in Martha's home, but she couldn't enjoy the moment because she was too distracted. 

I have been Martha. I still struggle to be a Mary. To live in the moment. To enjoy and see and recognize and feel what is in front of me instead of thinking about what will be in front of me later. 

What good will all the accomplishments be in our lives if we are too busy making accomplishments that we never stopped to enjoy them? 

Where has all our passion gone?

The Israelites had passion. They were fervent. They were SO excited that their praises shook the ground and the Philistines took notice.

Do I have that kind of passion for the Lord? Does darkness perk up and take notice of my victory shouts? Do I even give a victory shout when the Lord has done something in my life? Or just because He is God?! Does my zeal and fervor for the Lord create such a commotion that others feel it too? That the ground shakes under my dancing feet?!

Or, I am just living politely passive? Never to get too excited, or show too much emotion because people will think that is weird. Never to utter praises higher than my talking voice because I am self conscious that others will hear. Do we hold back in church when inside we want to raise our hands and shout for joy or cry at His goodness, but we hold it in...because that would draw glances?  

When did we start placing other people's opinion of us higher than the Lord's opinion of us? When did we start living more for man than for God? 

"Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord." Romans 12:11

Fervor-great warmth and earnestness of feeling , or intense heat.

Many years ago I came across this verse and immediately the Lord gave me a mental picture of those old Looney Toons cartoons from my childhood with Tweetie Bird and Roadrunner and Bugs Bunny. In my head I saw the Foghorn Leghorn Rooster getting his butt lit on fire and running around frantic and shouting with a smokey backside until he sits down in a bucket of water and the fire sizzles out. 

That's how the Lord wants me to live out this verse. That's what it means to me. To be so on fire and passionate for God that I can't sit down, that I can't stop shouting! His Spirit and goodness just compels me to run around like a crazed rooster with my butt on fire! 

Before I moved to Africa Bekah and Holly covertly bought me a leather bracelet and inscribed on it are the words..."Girl on Fire." 

Yes, on the surface it appears to have a Hunger Games reference (fancy that!)....but really it is to daily remind me to be a Girl on Fire for God. Like Foghorn Leghorn. It is my Romans 12:11 reminder.  

That's how I want to live. I want to dance for the Lord like David. I want to sing boldly, just like my children, even if I'm out of tune. I want to make a great stir for the Lord. I want the ground to shake and reverberate from the sound of my praise! I want darkness to tremble when they hear my great shout. 

Because no one else is more deserving.