What Are You Questioning?

 

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Seldom, but sometimes I sit down at my keyboard and ponder what to write. Usually, something is already itching at my fingertips and words come out without effort. Today, I pondered.

I consider myself a follower. Yes, I follow Jesus – and I love that I love my Leader!

But I’m a follower with leadership skills and abilities, so sometimes, when I’m following, I want to tell my leader(s) “better ways” to get the tasks done. Some call it being bossy.

Being a follower, one who can follow instructions – I crave instructions for the most complicated things in life. Don’t tell me how to better make a pan of lasagna, though I’m open to suggestions. But those complex things, like how does a person resolve anger issues or put their past to bed – those need step by step directions! Maybe implausible, because we’ll heal somewhat differently, even if there are basic principles that would help us all.

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Sometimes I get frustrated with self-help books and want to scream at the author, “Just tell me what to do!”

Life doesn’t always work that way.

Even here with my blog posts, some readers may want answers to life’s great questions. I can share with you the answers I’ve personally discovered, but they may not be YOUR answers. The only One with all the answers is the One I hope to point you to with every post I share.

“It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honor of kings is to search out a matter.”

-         Proverbs 25:2 KJV

And in case you didn’t know, you ARE a king.

Revelation 1:5-6 tell us that Jesus “loves us and washed us from our sins in His own blood and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.”

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God wants you to have all the answers, and He uses us to help each other. But the most important thing He wants from you is your heart and He longs to give you His. He wants to talk WITH you, He wants to do life with you. He wants to give you the best life possible, He wants to heal all your hurts. He wants to set you free. He wants to live in you – and He wants you to live in Him. He wants you to put Him first because He put YOU first. Yep – there’s that intimacy thing again.

I can point you to Him all I want.

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But till you sit down with Him and have those conversations you’ve been avoiding, you’ll still ache. You’re not hiding. Not really.

Is it time yet? Are you TIRED ENOUGH YET of carrying the weight of your troubles?

God isn’t mad at you. Not at all. Run to Him. Be healed. Get alone with Him.

Psalm 139 describes the God’s perfect knowledge of everything about you. Read it here:  Psalm 139

I Wonder...

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When I say the Name of Jesus, what thoughts come to mind immediately? What feeling or emotions surface with those thoughts? What is it you think I’m about to communicate?

I’m curious, especially about those of my friends and acquaintances that don’t have or feel solid in a personal relationship with Jesus. But, even those of you who believe in Jesus with all your heart; what do you think when I say Jesus?

When I say His Name…

Do you expect me to get “preachy” on you?

Do you think I’m judging you or condemning you?

Do you feel defensive or on guard?

Do you cringe, wishing I’d not said His Name?

Do you feel that I think I’m somehow better than you?

Do you think my life doesn’t line up with your definition of what a Christian should be, perhaps wondering why I’d even mention His Name?

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Or do you welcome what might follow?

Do you have questions you’re dying to ask someone, but hold them back because you think your listener will think you should already know the answers?

Do you hope I’ll pray for you or give you some nugget of spiritual insight?

Do you not even notice His Name when I say it?

None of the above, or…..do I not mention His Name when I’m around you?

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I’m a question-asker from way back. It’s been joked that on my tombstone it’ll read, “But wait, I have one more question!” If you know me, you’ve probably figured out that I question most everything, whether out loud or not. Sometimes I think I push too hard or probe too deeply, perhaps looking for problems where there aren’t any. Maybe I’m perceived as just being “too nosey”. Or maybe I’m even thought of as one who can’t stand the silence and needs to fill it with words and to pull my listener into a conversation with questions that I don’t even really care about.

I wonder about the things that go on inside my own head; in your thoughts and in all the experiences I walk through, I wonder what’s going on around me, as well.

My mind is a maze of wonder. Sometimes I love that about myself, other times it frustrates me. My mind is seldom quiet unless I purposefully pursue that silence.

Though I’m certainly no Solomon, I marvel at the Queen of Sheba’s experience with him:

“And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the Lord, she came to prove him with hard questions.

And she came to Jerusalem with a very great train, with camels that bare spices, and very much gold, and precious stones: and when she was come to Solomon, she communed with him of all that was in her heart.

And Solomon told her all her questions: there was not any thing hid from the king, which he told her not.

And when the queen of Sheba had seen all Solomon's wisdom, and the house that he had built,

And the meat of his table, and the sitting of his servants, and the attendance of his ministers, and their apparel, and his cupbearers, and his ascent by which he went up unto the house of the Lord; there was no more spirit in her.

And she said to the king, It was a true report that I heard in mine own land of thy acts and of thy wisdom.

Howbeit I believed not the words, until I came, and mine eyes had seen it: and, behold, the half was not told me: thy wisdom and prosperity exceedeth the fame which I heard.

Happy are thy men, happy are these, thy servants, which stand continually before thee, and that hear thy wisdom.

Blessed be the Lord thy God, which delighted in thee, to set thee on the throne of Israel: because the Lord loved Israel for ever, therefore made he thee king, to do judgment and justice.” - 1 Kings 10:1-9 (KJV)

So, can you help me out?

When I say Jesus – what do you think or anticipate? 

 

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Love With Me

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With one foot here in the reality we see and one in the heavenlies, unseen by carnal eyes, knowing where my allegiance is pledged, I daily dance between the two. I note that I’m heavier here on Earth, literally. There are burdens here weightier than gravity itself. It’s so liberating to exhale on the other side and allow the heaviness to lift, setting it free.

I yearn to discover what it’s like to mentally and spiritually live there continuously, whilst walking here among the mortals, without being accused of being so heavenly minded that I’m no earthly good.

Do I even know anyone, personally, who honestly revels in this freedom? (Please take the minute to comment below if you are one of those people and tell me how you do it!)

One of my sister writers (Donna Martin) made mention that our worth isn’t determined by our I.Q., but by what we allow to grow in our hearts. If we approach life through what our hearts can embrace versus what our minds can conceive and understand, how different will our lives look?

Yes, I’ll admit I’d like to understand everything. But what if everything isn’t meant to be understood? Or what if everything isn’t meant to be understood….yet?  I ponder so many what ifs…. We will always enjoy mystery.

I find simple things so mesmerizing. A baby’s smile, ripples on water, dancing leaves, sunshine reflecting off most anything, harmonies, delicate flower petals, sometimes it’s nothing in particular that can hypnotize me, demanding an almost trance-like attention, as if I’m being teleported to another dimension. Is it merely the ADHD? Or is it deep calling out to deep? Does a part of me leave Earth for a glimpse of heaven?

I suppose it’s the part of me that’s probably buried in everyone, whether they know it or not, that longs to be part of something bigger, that allows me to connect with God and His splendor; His peace and the awareness that there’s more to life than what I see with my eyes.

Today, I ponder wonder itself. And I marvel over everything wonderful in my life. The divine entwined with the tangible; the known with the unknown and the accepted with the rejected, all within my grasp….

Just how powerful am I? How marvelous and wonder-filled is my existence? As surely as God loves me, His love resounds within me and boldly breaks out of me like an avalanche, toppling over everything in its way – until it reaches you. What will you do with it? Will you let me love you with this tender, yet passionate love? Will you surrender to it and embrace it? Or will you run from it; hide from it? Will you deny it? Yes, it’s overwhelming, but don’t be alarmed. When my inhibitions fade, and I’m no longer afraid to open up, I’m vulnerable, too.

Will you be vulnerable with me? Or leave things broken, just as they are?