Thursday, March 22, 2007

Waiting for the Son to Shine


It was a genuine winter. The pile of snow by our driveway was so tall, we dubbed the spot the Matterhorn. With heavy snowfall before Thanksgiving, it felt as though winter would never end. Yet, one day, God snapped his fingers and the air was warmer, the sun was brighter and the Matterhorn began to turn into an insignificant little pile.

Everything in God's creation celebrated spring. The crocus began to show through the thin layer of snow and the trees in my back yard were prolific with buds. I was in a state of spring euphoria; until the morning I awoke to see a blizzard raging outside our house.

"How can this be?" I wondered. All signs were there for spring. My summer birds are returning to the backyard feeder and little shoots of green were everywhere. The whole mess left me with a vague feeling of sadness. How would the crocus and tulips survive? Would my trees fail to reach their full spring beauty because of this unexpected cold snap?

There is an analogy here for my walk with God. I thought of all the times I believed I had seen signs of spring, a hopeful job offer, a healing of an illness, a restoration of relationship and then, without notice, a violent snowstorm buried me so deep I couldn't see the sun anymore. My faith was in a snow-covered valley and I wondered if spring would ever come.

What a difference a day makes! In one second on God's clock, the Son begins to shine on my life. The melting snow cleanses and washes away all the dirt and muck that had been buried in the winter storm. The fresh scent of spring is all around.

As it is in my walk with God, so it is in His creation. My worries that the beauty of spring would be ruined by the late snow were unfounded. Tulips now peek around fences, the buds on the trees are waiting to burst into bloom and the fragrance and excitement of God's renewal is all around me.

This springtime experience has reminded me that just because I allow the clouds of my circumstance to block the Son, it does not mean He is not there. He is always there, shining, beautiful, and loving and bringing new life to everything around Him. The springtime of my faith is always around the corner. I don't need to worry about late snow. Late snow brings Living Water and refreshment to my soul when the season of renewal finally makes itself known.

The Sovereign Lord will show his justice to the nations of the world.Everyone will praise him! His righteousness will be like a garden in early spring, with plants springing up everywhere.Isaiah 61:11 (NLT)

Friday, January 05, 2007

Irreverence and Modesty


Irreverence has been called the byproduct of an inadequate sense of the holiness of God. The Israelites in the desert did not yet have a true grasp of God's holiness until He descended the mountain in smoke and fire. The question for us today is- do we? Reverence and respect are concepts that seem to be fading faster than the cassette tape. Tied integrally into the concept of reverence is the concept of modesty.

Ladies-we women of the church need to be mindful of how we dress when we enter the presence of God. There are extreme views on both sides. My opinion is that we need to find a happy medium between head covering and veils and bare navels with belly button jewelry.

What message are we sending other women regarding attire in church? Does anything go because it's fashion or do we understand that what we wear in the presence of God is a form of honoring and revering Him? My mother, a stickler for good manners always told us that dressing appropriately to go to someone's house or to go out on a date was not about us-it was about the other person. Our dress was a compliment to them. Perhaps we should think more about whether we are complimenting God with our wardrobe selections when we enter His presence on Sunday.

Lest you misunderstand me ladies, it is NOT my belief that pantyhose are a requirement for reverence, nor do I believe that the road to hell is paved with Levis. What I do passionately believe is that our clothing choices for church should be made on the basis of whether they cover our chests, midriffs, and thighs.

Where are the strong, Christ following women who will stand up and say that our Lord offers us a better way? A better way than feminism, which wants to erase the difference between men and women and pop culture that wants women to dress in a way that screams, look at me as a sexual object first, a woman second. It is sad enough to know that those who do not know Jesus Christ do not know the power of being a woman of God. It is sadder still to know that those who do know Him are missing the true joy of a life as a woman of God because they choose to listen to the world and not The Word.
If modesty is a topic that interests you, visit The Modesty Zone website.