The Broken Violin

"In that day I will restore David's fallen tent. I will repair its broken places, restore its ruins, and build it as it used to be." Amos 9:10-12

"The principle, value, and use of brokenness even in this present order of things is illustrated by J.R. Miller in one of his books. He tells of a world-famous violinist who hired the services of the most renowned violin maker of his day. At t he time appointed, the violinist returned to take delivery of the instrument he had authorized. Taking it in his hands, he skillfully drew the bow across the strings. Great disappointment swept over his face. The quality of tone did not satisfy his artistic ear. Raising the violin over his head, he smashed it to pieces on the table, paid the agreed price, and left.

After a period of time the artist again visited the violin maker. Picking up a violin that was lying on the table, once again he drew the bow across the strings. This time he was charmed by the ravishing beauty of the tone. With astonishment he learned that this was the same violin he had broken to bits. The violin maker had painstakingly gathered up the pieces of the shattered instrument and, skillfully assembling them, had made again the broken violin. Now the beauty and brilliance of its tone met the exacting demand of the artist's ear." (Don't Waste your Sorrows, Paul E. Billheimer).

The violin may not look the same, but the music it plays is all the sweeter. Thus, is the gift of brokenness.

A Soldier

I'm thinking of what it means to be a soilder of the Lord. I know we are called to fight, to fight on behalf of ourselves, and on behalf of others. How do we take up arms? Is it to worship, to read the Word, or to serve? Is it to dance out, cry out, shake your fists in the atmosphere and pray that the spirit within will put the enemy to flight. Is it to love courageously and freely?

"You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world." 1 John 4:4

Listen to Amy Carmichael's soldiers prayer:

"From prayer that asks that I may be
Sheltered from winds that beat on Thee,
From fearing when I should aspire,
From faltering when I should climb
higher,
From silken self, O Captain, free
Thy soldier who would follow Thee.

From subtle love of softening things,
From easy choices, weakenings,
(Not thus are spirits fortified,
Not this way went the crucified).
From all that dims Thy Calvary,
O Lamb of God, deliver me.

Give me the love that leads the way,
The faith that nothing can dismay,
The hope no disappointments tire,
The passion that will burn like fire.
Let me not sink to be a clod:
Make me Thy fuel, Flame of God."

Emerging Joy!

"When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dreamed. Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Then it was said among the nations, 'The Lord has done great things for them.' The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy. Restore our fortunes, Lord, like streams in the Negev. Those who sow with tears will reap with songs of joy. Those who go out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with them." Psalm 126

Finding Joy is digging deeper than you think.
Soil dark, leaves crisp.
Tending, pruning, plucking hidden remains.
Light emerging, tender growth,
Flowers blooming , seeds shooting...
Sharp contrast! It sprouts out!
And all the while the dirt is muddy,
Your hands are messy, but life
comes forth. This color scheme
from deepest green.
Wondering? Soar the elements!
Planting, watering from height
and depth, feeling this life, living
this death. And the two emerging
joy from pain? Comrades different,
yet the same...Lord of all creation!

Fertile Land

"What kind of land do they live in? Is it good or bad? What kind of towns do they live in? Are they unwalled or fortified? How is the soil? Is it fertile or poor? Do your best to bring back some of the fruit of the land." (It was the season for the first ripe grapes.) Numbers 13: 19-20

Why is land so important to God? "God the creator, Genesis tells us, 'looked at everything he had made, and he found it very good.' We recognize this goodness in the fertility of the soil, natural harbors, scenic beauty, the availability of water, and the subsurface riches of coal, oil, gold, iron and other substances. The land has a God-given goodness and is one of the gifts through which God sustains us." (Combating Modern-day Feudalism: Land as God's gift by Walter Rybeck and Ronald Pasquariello).

Why did God say he was giving the Israelites the land of Canaan, but they had to go take possession of it? Perhaps God was testing their belief in the Sovereignty of His Word and Promises. "Do you hear how Israel transgressed and offended God? Do you see their unbelief? Do you notice how they accused God of going back on His Word? Yes, on that day, the Israelites sinned greatly because they did not belive God's promise to give them the land of Canaan. They did not believe what God had promised Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, and Moses. They were like so many today who say, "We believe in God and the prophets!" yet they do not really believe God and they do not believe the prophets, because they do not believe what God has promised through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures! Unbelief is a terrible sin before God." (Israelites Unbelief, TWOR@iname.com).

I'm reminded of Caleb and Joshua. Out of all the Israelites, they were the only two from their generation that God would allow to enter into the promise land. Of Caleb He said, "I will give him and his descendants the land he set his feet on, because he followed the Lord wholeheartedly." Deuteronomy 1:36

God wanted to give the Israelites a fuitful, fortified, and fertile land, but there were obstacles they needed to overcome. What are the obstacles you are facing today that may be inhibiting you to receive the promise of God for your life?

Romance

"I delight greatly in the Lord;
my soul rejoices in my God,
For he has clothed me with garments of
salvation and has arrayed me
in a robe of his righteousness,
as a bridgegroom adorns his head
like a priest, and as a bridge adorns
herself with her jewels.
For as the soil makes the sprout come up
and a garden causes seeds to grow,
so the Sovereign Lord will make
righteousness and praise spring
up before all nations." Isaiah 61: 10-11

This chapter reminds me of worship, marriage, and travel. I guess the romance of life.

I know it's really about a sacred romance. I find the romance in worship as I call out to my beloved to delight in me, and he calls back that he delights in me and more than that! I commune deeply during worship as the Lord dances over me with words and spirit drawing me nearer to him...

I think of the romance of my wedding: secretly waiting for my betrothed, washing, dressing, and preparing to meet him. Being brought to him and given to him. Pronouncing love and vows that the promise of death will only separate. The intensity of the eyes meeting with just the two of us, but in a room full of captive people...waiting to celebrate our union!

I think of the romance of travel. The beauty, color and lushness of culture. The wonder of new language and new people. The mystery and greatness of God hovering over each country and expressing his attributes, his uniqueness, his diversity in such subtle and at times dramatic ways!

Yes, I'm reminded of the romance of God today. I am in Worship. I am in Marriage. I am in Culture, and I am dancing in wonder in these places. Thank you God for inviting me to dance, to worship and to express what your heart is speaking to mine. I am in love with you and I desire you above all else! Spring Up Oh Lord! The Bride, and The Nations are captivated by you!

To Be Human

I've been asking myself what does it mean to be fully human, but also realizing we have the Spirit of God living in us.

I did a word search in the Bible on the word Human and this is what I came up with:

to have being
living
body
sickness
power
kindness
sacrifice
decisions
testimony
standards
origin
form
nature
man/woman
argument
terms
ancestry
wisdom
court
point of view
reasons
heart
effort
covenant
likeness
traditions
commands
death/birth
Father/Mother

These are all aspects of being human...

Lord, make us more fully human, as Jesus was fully human and filled with all the wisdom, stature and favor of God.

Amen

Transference

"Transference occurs when a person takes the perceptions and expectations of one person and projects them onto another person. They interact with the other person as if the other person is that transferred pattern.

In the way we tend to become the person that others assume we are, the person who has patterns transferred onto them may collaborate and play the game, especially if the transference gives them power or makes them feel good in some way.

Typically, the pattern projected onto the other person comes from a childhood relationship. This may be from an actual person, such as parent, or idealized figure or prototype. This transfers both power and also expectation. If you treat me as a parent, I can tell you what to do, but you will also expect me to love and care for you. This can have both positive and negative outcomes" (ChangingMinds.org).

"Extreme forms of transference can turn into full-blown obsession if not dealt with. Transference meltdowns can result in accidents, dangerous choices, nightmares, fantasies, stalking someone, psychotic reaction, and sometimes violence" (Transference: Are you a biological time machine? Michael G. Conner Psy.D.)

This is an incredibly challenging area of relationships. We need the grace to take back the transference and to submit it to Christ and possibly to others depending on the nature and intensity of the feelings and expectations. This is very bold indeed, but very wise and useful for building up the body of Christ instead of tearing it down...This is indeed a labor of love and will be rewarded!