Bullets to my Soul

Howdy People!

I'd like to share this picture.

I love this picture. S can see what I see, even though she doesn't understand it, but she loves the view. I try to imagine what that was like. She's taken from her normal world (everything from 3ft) to something strange, but fun and exciting (everything from 7ft). We were at the Taste of Forsyth. I knew that she didn't really know how to hold on yet, so I was holding her up by her legs, but even if she did, I wouldn't let go. Without knowing it, she had complete trust in my abilities to keep her safe.

There was so much stuff there for her to see. As she looked around from that high, she probably saw the bounce-o-rama on the other side of the parking lot. She also might have seen the band, the balloons, and any number of things. What S didn't understand was the amount of time and energy (either on my shoulders, in the stroller, or walking) that it would take to make the journey.

As a Christian, it's hard for me not to state the similarities to our lives, mainly our relationship to the Heavenly Father. Many times, at least in my life, I have felt as if I didn't understand anything. I could walking holding His hand, or in a stroller (completely helpless). I may feel close to the Father, he may even have me on His massive shoulders, but the world just looks strange from any of these points. I hold on tight, even though I know He has me in His hands. When I am that close, I can feel His compassion for me. I can feel how He longs to be with all His children, and to take care of them.

From His shoulders, I can see where I want to be. I can see helping the poor, adopting more children, helping human trafficking victims, and enjoying time with Jesus in heaven (what I call the bounce-o-rama for adults). I just don't know how I am going to get there. Sometimes, I can feel Him leading me closer, and other times, the destination feels so far away. It's probably because I thought I could get there faster by running away and doing my own thing, only to get lost in the world, then crying out for Him to find me again.

There's a word I want to focus on. Compassion. Compassion is defined as a feeling of deep sympathy and sorrow for another who is stricken by misfortune, accompanied by a strong desire to alleviate the suffering. Jesus felt compassion for the people. Three times the word compassion is used in Matthew, twice in reference to people's suffering. Basically, he saw hungry people and fed them. 4,000 one time and 5,000 another time. The first time he uses compassion is when Jesus sees this crowd of people trying to get somewhere, but they don't have the right leaders or the right goals, so He began to teach them the truth.

Like my God, I feel compassion for these children with no homes, no families, no hope, and no savior. Jesus doesn't first recognize that He is "loving others" (2nd greatest commandment) in order to "love God" (1st greatest commandment), He just does. I've had conversations about too much focusing on "loving others" but the Bible says Jesus felt compassion for these people, then, as the definition says, alleviated their suffering. I think it's because of my relationship with the Father that I have this passionate desire to rescue these children with no families. I want to let them know, they can have a family, and they can be a part of a much bigger family of God. There is a video of a song on YouTube. Here is the link - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J4eZybIXpm8 - The lonely children out there are like bullets to my soul.

In Luke 15: 1-7, Jesus tells the people of the lost sheep that was found, and that all of heaven rejoiced. This journey we embarked on in January of 2008 has had many rejoicing moments brought about by S. I have just a glimpse of what our Father in heaven feels when a child returns to Him. And I cannot wait to experience it again, and again, and again, and again, and again, and... you get the picture. It may not be in our near future, but it may be in our near future. I do not know what God has in store for our family, I do not understand what we can see, I know Kelly and I are compassionate for children, and I know our journey is not complete until we reach the pearly gates, so until then we await His call.

God is waiting for you too. He wants to carry you on His shoulders. He wants to take tare of you. Most of all He wants you not to perish. God provided a way not to perish, but first we have to understand why we are perishing. God's law, the Ten Commandments (and other various laws), are the standard. Most of us have lied, or lusted after people, or worshiped something other than God. Since we have broken the law, we are subject to God's punishment. God's punishment for sin is death, eternal death in a place called Hell. The way out is adoption into His family. Adoption has a steep price. The adoption of the world cost the death of Jesus Christ, God's son. Our choice is to repent of our ways and trust in God's sacrifice for us. That's the first step into joining God's family. There is no prayer, there is no altar, there is only your choice. I pray for you who read this, and I pray that your choice is made to join the Kingdom of God. Remember this, no matter what, I love you, and so does God.

Interlude: Children of God (Brief Musings of a Father)

Sasha sometimes freaks out about doing something she doesn't understand or doesn't want to do. She will wiggle, fight, toss, go dead weight on the floor, and it is a struggle to get her to where she needs to be. Basically, having to pick her up off the floor, fighting her to sleep, feeding her, taking her to other people's houses, church, and all that takes genuine effort. Sometimes, Sasha doesn't throw any fits, and it's so much easier for her to enjoy the trip, sleep, or the food. - God's will for our lives.

Another thing I've noticed is how many children play with boxes. You or I buy this huge, awesome, thrilling and exciting toy, and the child opens the package and plays with the box. They will crawl through the box, chew on the box, hide in the box, play peekaboo through the box... pretty much everything you can do with a box, the child will do. It's cute when we see it. We take lots of pictures and laugh along with them having fun. But the thought occurred to me, how much more fun would they have if they knew what the toy did? - The world is the box we play with, the toy is what God has for us.

Journey of the Psalms: Steadfast

Read Psalms 13.

In this Psalm, the psalmist is on the verge of despair. He knows that he cannot last longer on his own endurance. He is letting God know about his feelings, not really asking for information. He longs for God's presence. He wants God to intervene, to give him strength. The psalmist ultimately knows God will take care of him. He trusts in the steadfast love, which has been evident since the promise to Abraham from God.

Steadfast describes an object as unwavering, fixed in place position, or firmly established. Here is a point that needs to be emphasized. GOD'S LOVE IS UNMOVING, NEVER-CHANGING, AND FIRMLY ESTABLISHED. There is nothing we can do to lose God's love. In the Psalm, the enemy sees the appearance that God is not with the psalmist, and the enemy is gloating. However, the psalmist knows God is there. He even sings to Him.

We need to take a lesson from the psalmist. There are times when we all feel like God is not with us. When we feel this way, we need to test ourselves to see if we are relying on our own power. When we are constantly relying on God, we cannot be using our own power or endurance. Even if we "pass the test" we need to realize God has a plan for our lives, and we need to sing to Him, thanking Him for His promise, the fulfillment of His promise through Christ, and the future fulfillment of His promise through the Second Coming. That makes me want to sing!

Journey of the Psalms: Pure

Read Psalms 12.

The psalmist despises the world in which he lives. He attempts to paint a picture of how people are acting. Basically, no one can be trusted. All lie for gain. The gain is due to taking advantage of the poor and needy. As despicable as it is, people are exalted for it. The psalmist couldn't have painted a more accurate picture of today's world.

The world praises those who make profit as others' expense. They are compensated highly for saving money by using child labor, cheap labor, or cheaper products. Anything that saves a company money to realize more gain is recognized as a great achievement.

The psalmist knows Who to trust. He knows Whose Words are pure. He knows Whose Word will last. The gain promised by God is not another lie. God made a promise to Abraham, and the psalmist trusts in that promise. The promise is now available to all, through Jesus Christ.

God cares for the poor, the needy, the helpless, the abandoned, the fatherless, the orphans, the widows, the homeless, and the forgotten. God has given commandments concerning them. In Deuteronomy, God said, "You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in your land." Many other Scriptures ring of taking care of the needy.

Here is my question. Who is more needy - a person without Christ or a person without wealth, food, water, shelter, etc...? God saw this ultimate need. It's in all of us, this need of a savior. God came to earth as a man, Jesus Christ, and gave all of Himself, his pure being, so that we could become part of the Kingdom of Heaven. God showed us, by the ultimate sacrifice of Himself, what we should do for others.

This is a challenge. In a society that fosters setting and achieving goals, dreams, etc..., how do we look out for our neighbor? We have to change our goals to God's goals.

Journey of the Psalms: Foundation

Psalms 11.

When I was a child (and up until I went to college), whenever there was a tornado warning, or similar storm, my family would get to the basement. We took refuge as close to the foundation as possible. The foundation is safe during the storms, if it is the right foundation. The Psalmist knows the righteous foundation. God is the foundation you can trust for all the ages. He is unmovable. He is the pinnacle of stability. In Him, I put my trust. On Him, I build my life.

Jesus talked about building your life on the foundation of God, and the foundation of the world. Jesus says using God as a foundation for life, is like building a house on rock, and using the world as a foundation for life, is like building a house on sand. The house on the rock will weather the storms, but the house on the sand will fall. This does not mean we will not have troubles. This does not mean a tree will not break our house. It means we have a foundation always to run to during the storms.

What else is foundation? According to Webster, foundation is "a cosmetic, as a cream or liquid, used as a base for facial makeup." This is an interesting theology. Paul says we need to put on Christ daily. Christ is our foundation. In other words, we have to put on our foundation, if people are going to see God.

Journey of the Psalms: Breaker

Psalms 10.

We have all seen it. A situation where wicked and unrighteous men and women are taking whatever they want when they want it. Types of governments, types of classes, types of families... all of these are systems created by mankind that oppress the poor and fatherless, by creating them and neglecting them. There are those who benefit from the systems. There are those who use the benefits they receive to help others. This Psalm is about those who only benefit themselves. The Psalmist has seen over and over again the wicked mocking God and succeeding. He asks what many of us ask when we witness or are oppressed by such situations. Where is justice? Why is God not acting? Why does God hide His face when the wicked oppress, and then boast that God will do nothing? These are honest questions that stem from out belief in who God is. I believe God is just. The Psalmist does too.

The Psalmist also knows a day of reckoning is coming. He knows these men and women will get what they ultimately deserve. The Psalmist wants them to repent. He wants them not to suffer for all eternity. The Psalmist knows how great God is, and how great it will be to be present with Him through eternity. The Psalmist's heart ultimately hurts for the evildoers. The Psalmist wants justice, but also calls for repentance. If the wicked man repents, there is rejoicing in heaven.

I feel the Psalmist's heart. He feels the active injustice the wicked are causing. He feels that if God were to show the wicked who was boss, then they will repent. He wonders why God doesn't show His face. I believe I know why. God calls His people to be His ambassadors. We are to shine His light in our actions. In Corinthians, Paul tells us that we are living letters to the unrighteous. I feel the Psalmist is praying for the souls of the wicked. It's something I haven't really thought. I've heard to love your enemies, but it really didn't hit home until now.

Journey of the Psalms: Everlasting

Psalms 9.

David was a man with problems. Problems caused mainly by sin, but through people and countries who hated Israel, and it's God. But David knew the secret. He tells us that everything will pass away and only God will remain. All that these people disagreed upon, all that the agreed upon, all goes away. All will disappear. David makes it clear that his trust is in that which will at last time... God.

We need to put our trust in the everlasting. God has shown me this week that things that are so pressing now do not really matter in the grand scheme of things. God has it under control. He is He. I trust in Him who will not destruct. I find it very comforting that in the end God is all there is.