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"God is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though
the earth should change,
though the mountains shake in
the heart of the sea;
though its waters roar and foam,
though the mountains tremble
with its tumult.
Selah"
The one thing that is unchanging in this world is that everything changes. You can count on it, bet on it, be absolutely certain of it. Everything changes.
Sometimes we welcome the change; sometimes not. But even if the change is one we have wished for, hoped for, or worked hard for, change involves a certain uncertainty. The mighty "what if" rears its ugly head and we start second-guessing our plans, or God's plans for us.
But this passage reminds us to relax. Let it be. God's got it covered. It (whatever "it" is) is in God's hands, in His control. Though the earth itself should change - earthquakes, hurricanes, floods, we have Someone who is our refuge, our strength, our ever present help in times of trouble.
It seems, though, that sometimes that's the only time we seek His face, isn't it? When things are going well we sort of put God on the back burner, don't we? Oh, we may go to church, Evening Prayer, Bible study...and then we go about our business. We pop God in a box and say, "ok, just stay there until I need you, ok?" And then when calamity or change strikes, we grab Him out of the box and say, "Hey, where were you when I needed you?"
So even though this passage talks about turning to God in times of trouble, I submit that we also need to turn to God in times of joy and happiness and contentment. God is in the walk in the park. He's in the quarter found on the sidewalk. He's in the bubble bath, the massage, the chat with a friend. God is in the getting up on time in the morning so you don't have to rush to get to work, but can instead write a bit on one's blog. God is in the purring kitten, the pup cuddled under the covers with you at night, the kiss from a loved one. God is in the smile from a stranger, the stars, the very breath we take. God is.
If your life is in a state of change, as mine is right now, remember that God's got it covered. Do not fear, for though change may come and shake us to our very roots, God is there in the midst of it - our refuge, our strength, our help.
Verse 10 in this psalm reminds us: "Be still, and know that I am God!" Yes, Lord, yes.
Blessings, Phoenix
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
September 28, 2010 - Psalm 36: 5,6 - Animals
"Your steadfast love, O Lord, extends to the heavens,
Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains,
your judgments are like the great deep;
you save humans and animals alike, O Lord."
This Sunday is the blessing of the animals at church. I will bring both my dogs. I love this passage, and even though scholars may disagree with its meaning, I take it to mean that God saves animals too.
Yes, I believe animals have souls. How can I look into Jasper's eyes and think there is no soul there? How can I look at Valentino's sweet little face in the morning and believe there is no soul there? No, anyone who has loved an animal, I think, will agree with me. People have people souls. Dogs have dog souls. Cats have cat souls. I don't know...maybe cockroaches have cockroach souls (but I have to wonder about that). I believe that any living creature that God made has a spark of the Divine in them. Every living creature. Man, in our selfish ego, somehow think God belongs to us alone. Does it not make more sense to value each life God created, and not just our own?
I've had many a conversation about whether or not animals go to Heaven. My usual answer is, "Of course! It wouldn't be Heaven without them!" If we believe that our human loved ones are now well and strong and healthy once again in Heaven, why is it such a stretch to believe that the same goes for our non-human loved ones?
Gandhi said:
The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way in which its animals are treated.
I hold that the more helpless a creature, the more entitled it is to protection by man from the cruelty of man.
If you'll allow me a little soap-box time - millions and millions of creatures that God has created are killed each year by the foolishness of man in allowing rampant birth of kittens and puppies that are simply destined for a life of misery before they are killed at some shelter that doesn't have room for them. People who say they want their children to experience the miracle of birth, then need to take them to the local shelter so they can experience the miracle of death as well. If you have a pet that hasn't been spayed or neutered, then do it. It's part of being a responsible pet owner. It is cruel and a great sin to allow a life to be brought into the world if you have no intention of caring for the life God has given you.
So, yes, God saves humans and animals alike, but in this matter He needs our help.
Blessings, Phoenix
Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains,
your judgments are like the great deep;
you save humans and animals alike, O Lord."
This Sunday is the blessing of the animals at church. I will bring both my dogs. I love this passage, and even though scholars may disagree with its meaning, I take it to mean that God saves animals too.
Yes, I believe animals have souls. How can I look into Jasper's eyes and think there is no soul there? How can I look at Valentino's sweet little face in the morning and believe there is no soul there? No, anyone who has loved an animal, I think, will agree with me. People have people souls. Dogs have dog souls. Cats have cat souls. I don't know...maybe cockroaches have cockroach souls (but I have to wonder about that). I believe that any living creature that God made has a spark of the Divine in them. Every living creature. Man, in our selfish ego, somehow think God belongs to us alone. Does it not make more sense to value each life God created, and not just our own?
I've had many a conversation about whether or not animals go to Heaven. My usual answer is, "Of course! It wouldn't be Heaven without them!" If we believe that our human loved ones are now well and strong and healthy once again in Heaven, why is it such a stretch to believe that the same goes for our non-human loved ones?
Gandhi said:
The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way in which its animals are treated.
I hold that the more helpless a creature, the more entitled it is to protection by man from the cruelty of man.
If you'll allow me a little soap-box time - millions and millions of creatures that God has created are killed each year by the foolishness of man in allowing rampant birth of kittens and puppies that are simply destined for a life of misery before they are killed at some shelter that doesn't have room for them. People who say they want their children to experience the miracle of birth, then need to take them to the local shelter so they can experience the miracle of death as well. If you have a pet that hasn't been spayed or neutered, then do it. It's part of being a responsible pet owner. It is cruel and a great sin to allow a life to be brought into the world if you have no intention of caring for the life God has given you.
So, yes, God saves humans and animals alike, but in this matter He needs our help.
Blessings, Phoenix
Monday, September 27, 2010
September 27, 2010 - Psalm 120:1 - Help
"When I was in trouble, I called to the Lord;
I called to the Lord, and he answered me."
As I turned to the Book of Common Prayer this morning, this was the lead-off passage for today's Morning Prayer reading. In fact, all of the Psalms today speak of God's help in time of trouble.
I love the Psalms. I love that they don't mince words, nor sugar-coat the trials and troubles of mankind. God is not a Candyland god, some old man with a white beard who sits on a throne and gives his children Sugar Daddys to eat. No, God does what is best for us, and sometimes that is difficult to swallow. But He NEVER means us harm, and in this passage we are reminded that He fights for us as well.
When I was going through my most recent troubles, I would lay on my bed and cry, and weep, and wail and pray God to give me what I wanted, even though I knew what I wanted was wrong, wrong, wrong. As my good friend Renae said to me, you can cry all you want, God is not going to honor this, because its wrong and you know its wrong. She was right, of course. If what you want is wrong, or is simply wrong for you, then God will not grant such a prayer.
But today I am reminded that when we call on the Lord in times of real trouble, He is ready, willing and able to come to our defense. He is there to fight along side us, to fight FOR us, if we only let Him.
I've heard it said that my job is to do the footwork; the results are up to God.
First passages from today's Psalms are these:
120 - When I was in trouble, I called to the Lord;
I called to the Lord, and he answered me.
121 - I lift up my eyes to the hills;
from where is my help to come?
My help comes from the Lord,
the maker of heaven and earth.
122 - I was glad when they said to me,'
"Let us go to the house of the Lord."
123 - To you I lift up my eyes,
to you enthroned in the heavens.
See what I mean? God surrounds us on every side, closer than the air we breathe. He is for us, He is with us, He is in us. Rest in the knowledge that God is there for you; all you need to do is turn to Him. Praise the Lord!
Blessings, Phoenix
I called to the Lord, and he answered me."
As I turned to the Book of Common Prayer this morning, this was the lead-off passage for today's Morning Prayer reading. In fact, all of the Psalms today speak of God's help in time of trouble.
I love the Psalms. I love that they don't mince words, nor sugar-coat the trials and troubles of mankind. God is not a Candyland god, some old man with a white beard who sits on a throne and gives his children Sugar Daddys to eat. No, God does what is best for us, and sometimes that is difficult to swallow. But He NEVER means us harm, and in this passage we are reminded that He fights for us as well.
When I was going through my most recent troubles, I would lay on my bed and cry, and weep, and wail and pray God to give me what I wanted, even though I knew what I wanted was wrong, wrong, wrong. As my good friend Renae said to me, you can cry all you want, God is not going to honor this, because its wrong and you know its wrong. She was right, of course. If what you want is wrong, or is simply wrong for you, then God will not grant such a prayer.
But today I am reminded that when we call on the Lord in times of real trouble, He is ready, willing and able to come to our defense. He is there to fight along side us, to fight FOR us, if we only let Him.
I've heard it said that my job is to do the footwork; the results are up to God.
First passages from today's Psalms are these:
120 - When I was in trouble, I called to the Lord;
I called to the Lord, and he answered me.
121 - I lift up my eyes to the hills;
from where is my help to come?
My help comes from the Lord,
the maker of heaven and earth.
122 - I was glad when they said to me,'
"Let us go to the house of the Lord."
123 - To you I lift up my eyes,
to you enthroned in the heavens.
See what I mean? God surrounds us on every side, closer than the air we breathe. He is for us, He is with us, He is in us. Rest in the knowledge that God is there for you; all you need to do is turn to Him. Praise the Lord!
Blessings, Phoenix
Sunday, September 26, 2010
September 26, 2010 - Judges 5:3 - Sing!
"Hear, O Kings; give ear, O princes;
to the Lord I will sing.
I will make melody to the Lord,
the God of Israel."
This verse is from the song of Deborah, sung by she and Barak,son of Abinoam, after she pounded a tent peg through her enemy's head as he lay sleeping. Oh dear. I think I would feel better about this verse if it were in one of the Psalms of David, where he sings to the Lord simply because the Lord is good, and mighty is his name!
But no, Deborah has saved her people with deceit, treachery, trickery and murder. And this, apparently, God approves of. It is a conundrum. The God I know values honesty, integrity, and truth. He values mercy and turning the other cheek and going the extra mile. But here, as in other Old Testament places, dishonesty and worse seems to be not only approved of, but rewarded. It is hard for me to reconcile the two.
But today is Sunday, so I shall put the conundrum aside for a moment and concentrate on the verse itself. Which brings me to singing. When we sing in church, are we singing simply to hear ourselves sing? Are we singing ABOUT the Lord? Are we singing TO the Lord? Are we lifting our voice in song with a wonder in our hearts?
Bless the hymn writers of old! Personally, I find much more power in the old hymns than in some of the newer songs where the same verse is simply repeated over and over, as if the songwriter couldn't think of anything else to say, so they just said it again.
Now, Chip, God rest his soul, was not a singer. He was tone deaf and couldn't carry a tune in a bucket. But when it came time to sing in church, he opened his mouth and he sang. Softly, because he knew he couldn't sing, but still he sang. He sang to God, and I don't think God cared that Chip couldn't carry a tune. He looked in Chip's heart, and saw a love of the Lord there, and that was as pleasing, or perhaps more so, than all the best voices of the angels.
So, today, in church or outside of it, I invite you to lift your voices in song to the Lord! Praise His holy Name! Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!
Blessings, Phoenix
to the Lord I will sing.
I will make melody to the Lord,
the God of Israel."
This verse is from the song of Deborah, sung by she and Barak,son of Abinoam, after she pounded a tent peg through her enemy's head as he lay sleeping. Oh dear. I think I would feel better about this verse if it were in one of the Psalms of David, where he sings to the Lord simply because the Lord is good, and mighty is his name!
But no, Deborah has saved her people with deceit, treachery, trickery and murder. And this, apparently, God approves of. It is a conundrum. The God I know values honesty, integrity, and truth. He values mercy and turning the other cheek and going the extra mile. But here, as in other Old Testament places, dishonesty and worse seems to be not only approved of, but rewarded. It is hard for me to reconcile the two.
But today is Sunday, so I shall put the conundrum aside for a moment and concentrate on the verse itself. Which brings me to singing. When we sing in church, are we singing simply to hear ourselves sing? Are we singing ABOUT the Lord? Are we singing TO the Lord? Are we lifting our voice in song with a wonder in our hearts?
Bless the hymn writers of old! Personally, I find much more power in the old hymns than in some of the newer songs where the same verse is simply repeated over and over, as if the songwriter couldn't think of anything else to say, so they just said it again.
Now, Chip, God rest his soul, was not a singer. He was tone deaf and couldn't carry a tune in a bucket. But when it came time to sing in church, he opened his mouth and he sang. Softly, because he knew he couldn't sing, but still he sang. He sang to God, and I don't think God cared that Chip couldn't carry a tune. He looked in Chip's heart, and saw a love of the Lord there, and that was as pleasing, or perhaps more so, than all the best voices of the angels.
So, today, in church or outside of it, I invite you to lift your voices in song to the Lord! Praise His holy Name! Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!
Blessings, Phoenix
Saturday, September 25, 2010
September 25, 2010 - Matthew 6:34 - Do not worry
"So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today's trouble is enough for today."
It seems to me that I come back to this verse a lot. Because I AM a worrier. It is silly, I know. Our lives are in God's hands, and He's got everything all worked out. He knows what is best for us, and if we just LISTEN everything will come out just fine. It's not even the listening part that I have a problem with...it's that, God help me, I do like to be in control.
I've heard it said that worry is simply suffering in advance, usually about things over which we have no control. You see a fire engine up the street and pray, Lord, let it not be my house. Well, such a prayer is useless...if its your house, its your house. Such a prayer changes nothing, except that if its not your house, you can say, thank You, God!
So, what do I worry about? I worry about my daughters, are they well? Are they healthy? How are they doing? I worry about my dogs. How will Valentino take the move? Will Jasper go exploring when we get to a new place and not know how to get back? Will they stay healthy? I worry about my finances. Will I have enough when I retire? What will I do if...if...if...
It's never ending.
But here...I would invite you to dust off your Bibles, turn to this passage, and back up. Back up to verse 25 and start reading there. Can we add one single hour to our life by worrying? No. If anything, we shorten our lives by worrying about things that are beyond our control. Our Heavenly Father knows what we need. He knows about our families, and our finances, and our dogs and our jobs and what we will eat and wear and do. He knows all that stuff. So, why on earth should I take on such worries?
So, today, I will once again try and throw down the burden of worry, and just let God be God. I was never very good at that anyway...
Blessings, Phoenix
It seems to me that I come back to this verse a lot. Because I AM a worrier. It is silly, I know. Our lives are in God's hands, and He's got everything all worked out. He knows what is best for us, and if we just LISTEN everything will come out just fine. It's not even the listening part that I have a problem with...it's that, God help me, I do like to be in control.
I've heard it said that worry is simply suffering in advance, usually about things over which we have no control. You see a fire engine up the street and pray, Lord, let it not be my house. Well, such a prayer is useless...if its your house, its your house. Such a prayer changes nothing, except that if its not your house, you can say, thank You, God!
So, what do I worry about? I worry about my daughters, are they well? Are they healthy? How are they doing? I worry about my dogs. How will Valentino take the move? Will Jasper go exploring when we get to a new place and not know how to get back? Will they stay healthy? I worry about my finances. Will I have enough when I retire? What will I do if...if...if...
It's never ending.
But here...I would invite you to dust off your Bibles, turn to this passage, and back up. Back up to verse 25 and start reading there. Can we add one single hour to our life by worrying? No. If anything, we shorten our lives by worrying about things that are beyond our control. Our Heavenly Father knows what we need. He knows about our families, and our finances, and our dogs and our jobs and what we will eat and wear and do. He knows all that stuff. So, why on earth should I take on such worries?
So, today, I will once again try and throw down the burden of worry, and just let God be God. I was never very good at that anyway...
Blessings, Phoenix
Thursday, September 23, 2010
September 23, 2010 - 1 Timothy 6:20
"...guard what has been entrusted to you."
In this verse, I don't think Paul is talking so much about worldly possessions as he is about the things that matter. Worldly possessions pass away; they wear out, or cease to be useful, become outdated. We need to guard those things in our life that truly matter - our families, our friends, our loved ones, our pets.
I had a conversation last night with the owner of a no-kill sanctuary in Arizona. I applied for a caretakers position that does not pay a salary, but does provide a rent-free apartment and utilities. One of the things that attracts me is not only the work, but that I can bring my dogs. I told Moe (the owner) that I'd rather sleep in my car under a bridge than take my dogs to a shelter. My dogs will be welcome there. I need to guard that which God has given me; in this case, my dogs.
When our children are small, we guard them too (or should). We need to guard our relationships with our significant others, our relatives, our friends. These are the things that matter in the long run. But mostly, we need to guard our relationship with God, for that matters most of all. Proverbs 4:23 says
"Guard your heart above all else,for it determines the course of your life."
Blessings, Phoenix
posted by Phoenix MaryGrace Hocking @ 8:50 AM 0 comments
In this verse, I don't think Paul is talking so much about worldly possessions as he is about the things that matter. Worldly possessions pass away; they wear out, or cease to be useful, become outdated. We need to guard those things in our life that truly matter - our families, our friends, our loved ones, our pets.
I had a conversation last night with the owner of a no-kill sanctuary in Arizona. I applied for a caretakers position that does not pay a salary, but does provide a rent-free apartment and utilities. One of the things that attracts me is not only the work, but that I can bring my dogs. I told Moe (the owner) that I'd rather sleep in my car under a bridge than take my dogs to a shelter. My dogs will be welcome there. I need to guard that which God has given me; in this case, my dogs.
When our children are small, we guard them too (or should). We need to guard our relationships with our significant others, our relatives, our friends. These are the things that matter in the long run. But mostly, we need to guard our relationship with God, for that matters most of all. Proverbs 4:23 says
"Guard your heart above all else,for it determines the course of your life."
Blessings, Phoenix
posted by Phoenix MaryGrace Hocking @ 8:50 AM 0 comments
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
September 22, 2010 - Ecclesiasticus 39:12-15 & 32,33 - Praise
From the Apocryphal book of Ecclesiasticus, or the Wisdom of Jesus Son of Sirach:
"I have more on my mind to express;
I am full like the full moon.
Listen to me, my faithful children, and blossom
like a rose growing by a stream of water.
Send out fragrance like incense,
and put forth blossoms like a lily.
Scatter the fragrance, and sing a hymn of praise;
bless the Lord for all His works.
Ascribe majesty to His name
and give thanks to Him with praise,
with songs on your lips, and with harps;
...
So from the beginning I have been convinced of all this
and have thought it out and left it in writing:
All the works of the Lord are good,
and He will supply every need in its time."
Of all the books of the Apocrypha, I think I like Ecclesiasticus the best. There is such comfort there. Wherever I turn, there is reassurance that God is in control, God is in command, and what is required of me is not to battle (for the battle belongs to the Lord), but to praise. What is asked of me is to be like incense, a sweet fragrance to the Lord, a wafting of peace and an emissary of His love.
This passage especially speaks to me because I hate fighting. I hate battling. I hate conflict. I know sometimes all of those things are necessary in this world, but I hate it all the same. I would far rather see the good in people; spread the joy of the Lord wherever I go; be of good cheer and positive energy.
Sometimes it's important to stand up for what one believes in. It is important to fight for those who cannot fight for themselves, especially children and animals. It is important to speak truth to power, even when such truth is unpopular or rejected. God does not call us to be wimps. But even though He does call us to be warriors, in a sense, He does not call us to fight His battles for Him, and I am very aware of the seeming contradiction there.
If you've been following my blog for a while you'll remember this passage from "The Peaceable Kingdom" by Jan de Hartog. It is many years out of print now, but if you can find one in a used book store or at the library, I highly recommend it. Historical fiction, but based on fact, "The Peaceable Kingdom" is the story of how the Quakers got started. The beginning of the book details some of the life of George Fox, yes, but more than that it chronicles the life of Margaret Fell, with whom I identify.
At one point in the book, Margaret Fells' husband, in a desparate attempt to show her where her fascination with the Quakers will lead, takes her on a tour of the worst hell hole in all of England, the dungeons of Lancaster Castle. Children, huddled deep in the bowels of the castle, are particularly disturbing. Margaret runs to Fox, demanding an answer. How can a loving God allow such things to happen?
Fox's answer cuts to the chase, and has stayed in my heart for years. "Stop crying for proof of God's love! Prove it thyself! How else dost thou think He can manifest His love? Through nature? Through the trees, the clouds,the beasts in the field,the stars? No, only through beings capable of doing so: ourselves. In the case of those children in the cage, about to be hanged, it is thou He touched. All He has to reach those children is thee!"
So, yes, God calls us to fight a worldly fight for those who cannot fight for themselves. But he also calls us to be like His incense, spreading His love to all we meet. For in the end,
"All the works of the Lord are good, and He will supply every need in its time."
Blessings, Phoenix
"I have more on my mind to express;
I am full like the full moon.
Listen to me, my faithful children, and blossom
like a rose growing by a stream of water.
Send out fragrance like incense,
and put forth blossoms like a lily.
Scatter the fragrance, and sing a hymn of praise;
bless the Lord for all His works.
Ascribe majesty to His name
and give thanks to Him with praise,
with songs on your lips, and with harps;
...
So from the beginning I have been convinced of all this
and have thought it out and left it in writing:
All the works of the Lord are good,
and He will supply every need in its time."
Of all the books of the Apocrypha, I think I like Ecclesiasticus the best. There is such comfort there. Wherever I turn, there is reassurance that God is in control, God is in command, and what is required of me is not to battle (for the battle belongs to the Lord), but to praise. What is asked of me is to be like incense, a sweet fragrance to the Lord, a wafting of peace and an emissary of His love.
This passage especially speaks to me because I hate fighting. I hate battling. I hate conflict. I know sometimes all of those things are necessary in this world, but I hate it all the same. I would far rather see the good in people; spread the joy of the Lord wherever I go; be of good cheer and positive energy.
Sometimes it's important to stand up for what one believes in. It is important to fight for those who cannot fight for themselves, especially children and animals. It is important to speak truth to power, even when such truth is unpopular or rejected. God does not call us to be wimps. But even though He does call us to be warriors, in a sense, He does not call us to fight His battles for Him, and I am very aware of the seeming contradiction there.
If you've been following my blog for a while you'll remember this passage from "The Peaceable Kingdom" by Jan de Hartog. It is many years out of print now, but if you can find one in a used book store or at the library, I highly recommend it. Historical fiction, but based on fact, "The Peaceable Kingdom" is the story of how the Quakers got started. The beginning of the book details some of the life of George Fox, yes, but more than that it chronicles the life of Margaret Fell, with whom I identify.
At one point in the book, Margaret Fells' husband, in a desparate attempt to show her where her fascination with the Quakers will lead, takes her on a tour of the worst hell hole in all of England, the dungeons of Lancaster Castle. Children, huddled deep in the bowels of the castle, are particularly disturbing. Margaret runs to Fox, demanding an answer. How can a loving God allow such things to happen?
Fox's answer cuts to the chase, and has stayed in my heart for years. "Stop crying for proof of God's love! Prove it thyself! How else dost thou think He can manifest His love? Through nature? Through the trees, the clouds,the beasts in the field,the stars? No, only through beings capable of doing so: ourselves. In the case of those children in the cage, about to be hanged, it is thou He touched. All He has to reach those children is thee!"
So, yes, God calls us to fight a worldly fight for those who cannot fight for themselves. But he also calls us to be like His incense, spreading His love to all we meet. For in the end,
"All the works of the Lord are good, and He will supply every need in its time."
Blessings, Phoenix
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
September 21, 2010 - Ecclesiastes 3:1 - Time
"For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven..."
Sometimes we think the times we are in are the only ones we're ever going to have. If we are riding high on the hog, well, it will always be this way - nothing can stop us now! And if we are scraping the bottom of the barrel, we can't even see daylight for the muck about us, or in us.
But the truth is that not much lasts forever. Relationships bud, grow, grow old, get stale, end. Finances wax and wane. Friendships flourish, or go south. It helps to remember that whatever you are going through right now, God has something else in mind.
Ok, so where am I going with this? God does not want us to stagnate. He doesn't want us to be too comfortable right where we are. How can we grow if we see the same four walls? Do the same thing forever and amen? Associate with the same people; go to the same places? What growth is there in that?
Of course, this is coming from a woman is a nomad at heart and always has been. As soon as I get comfortable in a place, I want to go somewhere else. As soon as I learn a job really well, I want to do something else. About the only thing this doesn't apply to in my life are my friends, because once I'm your friend, I'm your friend forever, unless something drastic happens to change that.
So, if you are in a season of change, like I am right now, just go with it. Put God in the driver's seat and see where He takes you. That's what I plan to do!
Blessings, Phoenix
Sometimes we think the times we are in are the only ones we're ever going to have. If we are riding high on the hog, well, it will always be this way - nothing can stop us now! And if we are scraping the bottom of the barrel, we can't even see daylight for the muck about us, or in us.
But the truth is that not much lasts forever. Relationships bud, grow, grow old, get stale, end. Finances wax and wane. Friendships flourish, or go south. It helps to remember that whatever you are going through right now, God has something else in mind.
Ok, so where am I going with this? God does not want us to stagnate. He doesn't want us to be too comfortable right where we are. How can we grow if we see the same four walls? Do the same thing forever and amen? Associate with the same people; go to the same places? What growth is there in that?
Of course, this is coming from a woman is a nomad at heart and always has been. As soon as I get comfortable in a place, I want to go somewhere else. As soon as I learn a job really well, I want to do something else. About the only thing this doesn't apply to in my life are my friends, because once I'm your friend, I'm your friend forever, unless something drastic happens to change that.
So, if you are in a season of change, like I am right now, just go with it. Put God in the driver's seat and see where He takes you. That's what I plan to do!
Blessings, Phoenix
Monday, September 20, 2010
September 20, 2010 - Jeremiah 15:19-21 - Redemption
"Therefore thus says the Lord;
If you turn back, I will take you back,
and you shall stand before me.
If you utter what is precious, and not what is worthless,
you shall serve as my mouth.
It is they who will turn to you,
not you who will turn to them.
And I will make you to this people
a fortified wall of bronze;
they will fight against you,
but they shall not prevail over you,
for I am with you to save you and deliver you,
says the Lord.
I will deliver you out of the hand of the wicked,
and redeem you from the grasp of the ruthless."
It is good to know that God is there to save us. In this passage He is talking about outside forces, but the same goes for our inward folly as well.
What I notice is that God doesn't just swoop out of the sky and grasp us like an eagle in His talons and carry us away from danger and sin and idiocy. No, we have to do something first. We have to turn back to Him. We have to utter precious words, not only with our lips, but in our lives. And even before that happens, we have to acknowledge to ourselves that we are lost. Lost, frightened, alone, and beset by dangers all around.
Enemies we thought were friends hang onto our hearts and sit in our heads when we would rather they be gone. Situations out of our control swirl about us like so many dust devils, not as devastating as a tornado, but enough to kick up enough dust so that it makes it difficult to see clearly.
Then, we turn to God, we turn to Christ, and He is always there. Always closer than the air inside our lungs. Closer than the heart that beats inside our chests. He blesses us, and opens His arms wide, and welcomes us in.
It is humbling to know that God finds me worthy enough to fight for, especially when I don't feel particularly worthy (or not worthy at all). Exodus 14:14 says: "The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to keep still." And isn't that one difficult? Since we were children we've been told we have to fight our own battles. We fight against bullies, and injustice and ourselves with a ruthless passion, and yes, sometimes our flesh needs to do that. But when it comes to our souls, our spirits, it is good to know that God Himself is in our corner. There is a passage that I cannot seem to find this morning, in the Old Testament, where deliverance is delayed because an angel was busy fighting for the person in question. (If you know where this is, would you let me know? It's going to drive me nuts until I find it...)
So, this morning, I just take heart in knowing that if God is for me, who can be against me? The dust devils that plague me are nothing against God's love for me. And when the dust clouds my vision, I know there is One who sees all things clearly, and I have only to trust in Him, and all will be well.
Blessings, Phoenix
If you turn back, I will take you back,
and you shall stand before me.
If you utter what is precious, and not what is worthless,
you shall serve as my mouth.
It is they who will turn to you,
not you who will turn to them.
And I will make you to this people
a fortified wall of bronze;
they will fight against you,
but they shall not prevail over you,
for I am with you to save you and deliver you,
says the Lord.
I will deliver you out of the hand of the wicked,
and redeem you from the grasp of the ruthless."
It is good to know that God is there to save us. In this passage He is talking about outside forces, but the same goes for our inward folly as well.
What I notice is that God doesn't just swoop out of the sky and grasp us like an eagle in His talons and carry us away from danger and sin and idiocy. No, we have to do something first. We have to turn back to Him. We have to utter precious words, not only with our lips, but in our lives. And even before that happens, we have to acknowledge to ourselves that we are lost. Lost, frightened, alone, and beset by dangers all around.
Enemies we thought were friends hang onto our hearts and sit in our heads when we would rather they be gone. Situations out of our control swirl about us like so many dust devils, not as devastating as a tornado, but enough to kick up enough dust so that it makes it difficult to see clearly.
Then, we turn to God, we turn to Christ, and He is always there. Always closer than the air inside our lungs. Closer than the heart that beats inside our chests. He blesses us, and opens His arms wide, and welcomes us in.
It is humbling to know that God finds me worthy enough to fight for, especially when I don't feel particularly worthy (or not worthy at all). Exodus 14:14 says: "The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to keep still." And isn't that one difficult? Since we were children we've been told we have to fight our own battles. We fight against bullies, and injustice and ourselves with a ruthless passion, and yes, sometimes our flesh needs to do that. But when it comes to our souls, our spirits, it is good to know that God Himself is in our corner. There is a passage that I cannot seem to find this morning, in the Old Testament, where deliverance is delayed because an angel was busy fighting for the person in question. (If you know where this is, would you let me know? It's going to drive me nuts until I find it...)
So, this morning, I just take heart in knowing that if God is for me, who can be against me? The dust devils that plague me are nothing against God's love for me. And when the dust clouds my vision, I know there is One who sees all things clearly, and I have only to trust in Him, and all will be well.
Blessings, Phoenix
Sunday, September 19, 2010
September 19, 2010 - Psalm 84:10 - Doorkeeper
"For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere.
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
than live in the tents of wickedness."
The Doorkeeper’s Lament
By
Phoenix MaryGrace Hocking
Narrow the door is, like the eye of a needle, and few there are that find it, no matter how lustily I call and wave my arms. I can shout or I can whisper, it makes no difference. The world passes by unseeing, unknowing, not wanting what lies on the other side.
It’s not that the door is all that difficult to find. It’s right here in plain sight. It stands on every street corner, in every church, in every bar, in every bedroom. It stands high on the hills, and down in the gutters. The door stands open, ready, waiting. And I stand at the door, calling, calling, calling.
No, the door is not difficult to find. It’s just that there are other doors so much more attractive, more numerous, not to mention wider. Doors surrounded by bright lights and neon signs, doors that promise wealth and success, pleasure and ease, even doors that promise service in the great army of God. The wide paths leading to these wide doors are bordered with flowers and beautiful statuary.
Ah, but the path that leads to this door, well, that’s another story. This path is rocky and flanked with thorn bushes. It is a lonely path, a path meant for single-file, unlike the wide paths that lead to wide doors that swallow whole groups of souls with barely a burp.
No, this path is so narrow it requires those who walk it to leave everything behind, possessions and people alike. And what modern person in his right mind would willingly choose such a path, when others stand beckoning on either side for miles around? Why, a camel with its pack could not enter this door; only a single soul, naked and bare may enter, and who wants that?
Some find the door in their youth and walk right in. For others, the search takes a lifetime and some only find it at the very last second. Either way, the door stands open and ready to receive; all that is required is acceptance of the Gift offered.
Ah, but sometimes it seems a lonely job, this, but not a thankless one. For occasionally, someone hears my call. Someone stops his mad rush towards the wider door and pauses to listen. This someone listens for that still, small voice, the voice that says, “Come. Come unto Me. Come.” And that someone turns and, ignoring the gaping maws that promise success and pleasure, this person chooses the rocky path, the narrow path, the thorny path.
You see, as Doorkeeper, I know what is on the Other Side of the door, both this door and the others. Wide are the paths that lead to the wide doors that lead to emptiness. Attractive and pleasant and beautiful are they, until you get inside and find all is darkness.
The good news is that those doors swing both ways. Some who enter discover that all that glitters definitely is not gold, and somehow manage to find their way back out again. It happens; it happens. Not often enough to suit me, but it happens.
Sometimes they choose another wide door, and another, and another, until finally, exhausted and empty, they sit at the roadside and cry.
And their Father hears their cry; He always does. He hears and He answers, and He shows them the narrow path that leads to the narrow door. And sometimes, sometimes, they hear and they listen and they follow.
It’s a rocky path, flanked with thorn bushes, and sometimes a person starts on the path and gives up. They turn around and go back to the wide doors, the easy paths. And then I cry, because if they had only continued on, they would have found the door that leads to Life.
And sometimes, oh sometimes, a person picks his way along the rocky path, and braves the thorns and suffers through the scrapes and bruises and pains until he or she stands before the narrow door, naked and bleeding and empty.
That is when my job as Doorkeeper becomes a position of pure and utter joy. For then I can wrap this weary soul in a robe, white as snow, and put My arm around him, or her, and say, “Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of your Lord.”
Blessings, Phoenix
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
than live in the tents of wickedness."
The Doorkeeper’s Lament
By
Phoenix MaryGrace Hocking
Narrow the door is, like the eye of a needle, and few there are that find it, no matter how lustily I call and wave my arms. I can shout or I can whisper, it makes no difference. The world passes by unseeing, unknowing, not wanting what lies on the other side.
It’s not that the door is all that difficult to find. It’s right here in plain sight. It stands on every street corner, in every church, in every bar, in every bedroom. It stands high on the hills, and down in the gutters. The door stands open, ready, waiting. And I stand at the door, calling, calling, calling.
No, the door is not difficult to find. It’s just that there are other doors so much more attractive, more numerous, not to mention wider. Doors surrounded by bright lights and neon signs, doors that promise wealth and success, pleasure and ease, even doors that promise service in the great army of God. The wide paths leading to these wide doors are bordered with flowers and beautiful statuary.
Ah, but the path that leads to this door, well, that’s another story. This path is rocky and flanked with thorn bushes. It is a lonely path, a path meant for single-file, unlike the wide paths that lead to wide doors that swallow whole groups of souls with barely a burp.
No, this path is so narrow it requires those who walk it to leave everything behind, possessions and people alike. And what modern person in his right mind would willingly choose such a path, when others stand beckoning on either side for miles around? Why, a camel with its pack could not enter this door; only a single soul, naked and bare may enter, and who wants that?
Some find the door in their youth and walk right in. For others, the search takes a lifetime and some only find it at the very last second. Either way, the door stands open and ready to receive; all that is required is acceptance of the Gift offered.
Ah, but sometimes it seems a lonely job, this, but not a thankless one. For occasionally, someone hears my call. Someone stops his mad rush towards the wider door and pauses to listen. This someone listens for that still, small voice, the voice that says, “Come. Come unto Me. Come.” And that someone turns and, ignoring the gaping maws that promise success and pleasure, this person chooses the rocky path, the narrow path, the thorny path.
You see, as Doorkeeper, I know what is on the Other Side of the door, both this door and the others. Wide are the paths that lead to the wide doors that lead to emptiness. Attractive and pleasant and beautiful are they, until you get inside and find all is darkness.
The good news is that those doors swing both ways. Some who enter discover that all that glitters definitely is not gold, and somehow manage to find their way back out again. It happens; it happens. Not often enough to suit me, but it happens.
Sometimes they choose another wide door, and another, and another, until finally, exhausted and empty, they sit at the roadside and cry.
And their Father hears their cry; He always does. He hears and He answers, and He shows them the narrow path that leads to the narrow door. And sometimes, sometimes, they hear and they listen and they follow.
It’s a rocky path, flanked with thorn bushes, and sometimes a person starts on the path and gives up. They turn around and go back to the wide doors, the easy paths. And then I cry, because if they had only continued on, they would have found the door that leads to Life.
And sometimes, oh sometimes, a person picks his way along the rocky path, and braves the thorns and suffers through the scrapes and bruises and pains until he or she stands before the narrow door, naked and bleeding and empty.
That is when my job as Doorkeeper becomes a position of pure and utter joy. For then I can wrap this weary soul in a robe, white as snow, and put My arm around him, or her, and say, “Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of your Lord.”
Blessings, Phoenix
Saturday, September 18, 2010
September 18, 2010 - Sirach 37:12-15 - Counsel
From the Apocryphal book of Sirach, also known as the book of Ecclesiasticus:
"But associate with a godly person whom you know to be a keeper of the commandments,
who is like-minded like yourself, and who will grieve with you if you fail.
And heed the counsel of your own heart, for no one is more faithful to you than it is.
For your own mind sometimes keeps us better informed than seven sentinels sitting high on a watchtower.
But above all pray to the Most high that He may direct your way in truth."
The wisdom and truth of this strikes home for me. For the first part, godly people will warn you when you are about to make a horrible mistake. A godly person will tell you the truth, even when you don't want to hear it. Maybe especially when you don't want to hear it. A godly person will risk losing you as a friend in order to save your soul. I thank God for those godly friends who told me what I needed to hear, even when their words seem to fall on deaf ears, because of my own hard-heartedness, my own stiff-necked pride, my own self-deception. I thank God for those who said..."LOOK! A cliff! And you're about to fall over!" Even when I paid no attention, my spirit was listening, my spirit heard and understood and wept over my disobedience.
My own heart gave me good counsel. It did. I just chose to ignore it. I saw what I wanted to see. I heard what I wanted to hear. I did what I wanted to do. And I paid a high, high price.
"But above all pray to the Most High that He may direct your way in truth." In the end, this is where mercy is found, in the arms of a loving God who knows the disobedience of one's heart, the deception of one's own mind, and the sin of pride we carry...and loves us anyway. All He asks is that we come to Him in true repentance, for His arms are open, and He will forgive and forget.
I am forgiven, but I have to confess that the forgetting part is hard for me. I am human, after all, and the memories still come, and they cause me much pain. I can't make them go away. I feel stuck, and it is difficult to move on. But each day I am further away from the source of my pain, it gets a little easier. I hope, when next some other issue comes to the front, I am able to accept the counsel of godly people in my life. I hope I can hear and heed the counsel of my own heart. And I pray that I will listen to my God, who only gives me counsel based on truth, and love, and mercy.
Blessings, Phoenix
"But associate with a godly person whom you know to be a keeper of the commandments,
who is like-minded like yourself, and who will grieve with you if you fail.
And heed the counsel of your own heart, for no one is more faithful to you than it is.
For your own mind sometimes keeps us better informed than seven sentinels sitting high on a watchtower.
But above all pray to the Most high that He may direct your way in truth."
The wisdom and truth of this strikes home for me. For the first part, godly people will warn you when you are about to make a horrible mistake. A godly person will tell you the truth, even when you don't want to hear it. Maybe especially when you don't want to hear it. A godly person will risk losing you as a friend in order to save your soul. I thank God for those godly friends who told me what I needed to hear, even when their words seem to fall on deaf ears, because of my own hard-heartedness, my own stiff-necked pride, my own self-deception. I thank God for those who said..."LOOK! A cliff! And you're about to fall over!" Even when I paid no attention, my spirit was listening, my spirit heard and understood and wept over my disobedience.
My own heart gave me good counsel. It did. I just chose to ignore it. I saw what I wanted to see. I heard what I wanted to hear. I did what I wanted to do. And I paid a high, high price.
"But above all pray to the Most High that He may direct your way in truth." In the end, this is where mercy is found, in the arms of a loving God who knows the disobedience of one's heart, the deception of one's own mind, and the sin of pride we carry...and loves us anyway. All He asks is that we come to Him in true repentance, for His arms are open, and He will forgive and forget.
I am forgiven, but I have to confess that the forgetting part is hard for me. I am human, after all, and the memories still come, and they cause me much pain. I can't make them go away. I feel stuck, and it is difficult to move on. But each day I am further away from the source of my pain, it gets a little easier. I hope, when next some other issue comes to the front, I am able to accept the counsel of godly people in my life. I hope I can hear and heed the counsel of my own heart. And I pray that I will listen to my God, who only gives me counsel based on truth, and love, and mercy.
Blessings, Phoenix
Friday, September 17, 2010
September 17, 2010 - Hebrews 12:12,13 - Courage
"Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather be healed."
God is not a marionette master. He will not lift our drooping hands for us. We need to find, somewhere deep in our spirits, the will to lift our hands and reach for help. When one is sunk in the mire, usually of our own doing, it is not easy to put out a hand and ask for help. Reaching the bottom of our misery is the first step towards climbing out of the pit.
I find it interesting that the first step towards standing upright is to fall to our knees first. Isn't that what happens when we are babies? We don't usually just stand up and start walking. No, we have to crawl first, or scoot on our bellies. Then we find a sturdy table or chair or person, and hoist ourselves up. Then we take those first little steps, and before you know it, we're off and running and forget how to crawl.
I think maybe it's that way in our spiritual life too. I think maybe we get cocky. We're solid Bible readers. We attend church every Sunday. We go to Evening Prayer, or Bible study. We may give alms to the homeless guy on the corner, or serve at the soup kitchen and feel pretty darn good about ourselves. But somewhere in there, we forget how to crawl. We forget to go back to the beginning. We find ourselves stuck in the mire and wonder just how in the heck we got there, and we have to put out our own drooping hands and reach for help. We have to drop to our knees so that we can rise again with new determination. We have to realize that what is lame cannot be healed unless we recognize that we have become lame.
The good news is that no matter how far down in the pit we have fallen, God is right there, with His hand out, just waiting for us to lift our dropping hands and grasp His. If God has seemed very far away, it is not because He has moved, but because we have put blinders on our own eyes and refused to see that He is closer than the skin that covers our innards.
So, today, if you are in the bottom of the pit, open your eyes and see that God is waiting for you to reach out your hand. God is waiting to help you see the straight path before you. God is wanting to heal your lameness and make you whole once more.
Blessings, Phoenix
God is not a marionette master. He will not lift our drooping hands for us. We need to find, somewhere deep in our spirits, the will to lift our hands and reach for help. When one is sunk in the mire, usually of our own doing, it is not easy to put out a hand and ask for help. Reaching the bottom of our misery is the first step towards climbing out of the pit.
I find it interesting that the first step towards standing upright is to fall to our knees first. Isn't that what happens when we are babies? We don't usually just stand up and start walking. No, we have to crawl first, or scoot on our bellies. Then we find a sturdy table or chair or person, and hoist ourselves up. Then we take those first little steps, and before you know it, we're off and running and forget how to crawl.
I think maybe it's that way in our spiritual life too. I think maybe we get cocky. We're solid Bible readers. We attend church every Sunday. We go to Evening Prayer, or Bible study. We may give alms to the homeless guy on the corner, or serve at the soup kitchen and feel pretty darn good about ourselves. But somewhere in there, we forget how to crawl. We forget to go back to the beginning. We find ourselves stuck in the mire and wonder just how in the heck we got there, and we have to put out our own drooping hands and reach for help. We have to drop to our knees so that we can rise again with new determination. We have to realize that what is lame cannot be healed unless we recognize that we have become lame.
The good news is that no matter how far down in the pit we have fallen, God is right there, with His hand out, just waiting for us to lift our dropping hands and grasp His. If God has seemed very far away, it is not because He has moved, but because we have put blinders on our own eyes and refused to see that He is closer than the skin that covers our innards.
So, today, if you are in the bottom of the pit, open your eyes and see that God is waiting for you to reach out your hand. God is waiting to help you see the straight path before you. God is wanting to heal your lameness and make you whole once more.
Blessings, Phoenix
Thursday, September 16, 2010
September 16, 2010 - Hebrews 12:5 - Discipline
"My child, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord,
or lose heart when you are punished by him;
for the Lord disciplines those whom He loves,
and chastises every child whom He accepts."
Quite frankly, discipline is not something I'm all that great at. I chafe at rules, cannot stand to be boxed in, am claustrophobic in more ways than one. So when Fr. Rob suggested that discipline might me something I would want to work on, I groaned inwardly.
For a while, you remember, I was quite disciplined about adding to this website. I would get up in the morning, and find a Bible passage that spoke to me, and then write about it. It was fulfilling, and helped me to think and focus on God every day.
But I strayed, my friends. I strayed badly. And it is only through the discipline and love of the Lord that I have found my way back to the path. There is a song on Christian radio that speaks to my condition (as the Quakers say). "When your tired flesh has squandered what your spirit would have saved, and your restless feet have wandered far from all you truly crave, turn and run toward your Father; do not wait another day. For His arms are open and He is calling you today."
My friends, do not chafe under the discipline of God. True repentance comes from feeling in your heart that the greatest sin is wandering away from God, from His love, from His commandments, from His care, from His mercy. The greatest sin is refusing to reach for the only Hand that can save you.
It is not too late. If you have wandered far from God, turn today. Do not shun His discipline, for with the discipline is love, and tenderness and mercy. Do not wait another day.
Love and Blessings, Phoenix (who is back to being Phoenix again...older, wiser (I hope), and most of all, forgiven.)
or lose heart when you are punished by him;
for the Lord disciplines those whom He loves,
and chastises every child whom He accepts."
Quite frankly, discipline is not something I'm all that great at. I chafe at rules, cannot stand to be boxed in, am claustrophobic in more ways than one. So when Fr. Rob suggested that discipline might me something I would want to work on, I groaned inwardly.
For a while, you remember, I was quite disciplined about adding to this website. I would get up in the morning, and find a Bible passage that spoke to me, and then write about it. It was fulfilling, and helped me to think and focus on God every day.
But I strayed, my friends. I strayed badly. And it is only through the discipline and love of the Lord that I have found my way back to the path. There is a song on Christian radio that speaks to my condition (as the Quakers say). "When your tired flesh has squandered what your spirit would have saved, and your restless feet have wandered far from all you truly crave, turn and run toward your Father; do not wait another day. For His arms are open and He is calling you today."
My friends, do not chafe under the discipline of God. True repentance comes from feeling in your heart that the greatest sin is wandering away from God, from His love, from His commandments, from His care, from His mercy. The greatest sin is refusing to reach for the only Hand that can save you.
It is not too late. If you have wandered far from God, turn today. Do not shun His discipline, for with the discipline is love, and tenderness and mercy. Do not wait another day.
Love and Blessings, Phoenix (who is back to being Phoenix again...older, wiser (I hope), and most of all, forgiven.)
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