windmill

Last Sunday, I saw an illustration of what it means to be filled with the Spirit. First, you see a container being filled with water until it is running over. That seems wasteful. Next, they show a sailboat. As the wind fills the sails, the boat is enabled to glide swiftly through the water. The energy is not wasted. The boat is not without purpose. The illustration is helpful, I think.

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In Paul's letter to the Ephesians, by contrast, he calls drunkenness "dissipation" or "debauchery." (In other words, you end up with nothing to show for it.) "Instead," he says, "be filled with the Spirit..."

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I wanted to draw a little sailboat on my hand to remind myself to keep on being filled, but started thinking whether I should use pen or marker, then which color. What color should I pick, and how would I draw it, etc. Then, after lunch, I found this colorful little reminder. Thanks, Lord; I see it!

cross reference

Yesterday's Sunday School lesson was essentially an age-appropriate paraphrase of the gospel accounts of Jesus' crucifixion. After the class, a fellow parent/co-teacher expressed a renewed astonishment at the brutality of it all, and my ind was repeatedly drawn to those thoughts for the rest of the day. These are some of my afterthoughts.

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Our Lord was not the only one to go to the cross. The Romans had done this many times before, so their cruelty was perfected by the time they tortured Jesus to death. I found myself wondering what kind of things went through a person's mind while they were being executed.

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I imagine they were surprised over and over again that the agony of one moment could be surpassed by the next.

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The beating leaves every body part bruised, and the scourging causes the exposed nerves to send red alert signals to the brain. Nails in the feet and wrists support the body's entire weight. It hurts so bad, you can't keep still, but every little movement proves to be a mistake.

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A wave of panic overcomes the victim. He can't breathe, and though he wishes he would just die, he instinctively pushes up with his feet to gasp for air. The spikes in his feet and the scraping of rough wood against his raw back quickly remind him that he never, ever wants to do that again. In his mind he says, "I can't believe I just did that," but the witnesses only hear him scream. He slumps back down to his original position. And returning, a slight bounce refreshes his memory about the spikes in his wrists.

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¹ Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, ² looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. ³ Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.

Hebrews 12:1-3

wet cat

This goofy cat has nothing to do with what I wanted to say today, except that it was attacking the umbrella stand. I really wanted to talk about umbrellas.

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But first, it is worth noticing how Hannah (from the Bible) prayed. At one point, she was so distraught that she would not eat. She prayed from her heart, and made a vow (but not a foolish vow). After the priest blessed her, she went on her way, but here’s the thing… her countenance lifted and appetite returned. She trusted God for how He would answer, and expected something good. It reminds me of a story I heard a long time ago. I do not know whether it is truth or legend, but it’s worth retelling.

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Some men gathered to pray because of the severe drought. Their livelihood was endangered, because they desperately needed. One by one, they filed into the house where they would pour out their hearts before the Lord, and make supplication for the rain they so urgently needed. But when the host spoke up, instead of ushering them into a time of prayer, he asked that they go back home! He chose not to pray together with these men. Why? Well, they gathered in order to pray for rain, but not one of them thought to bring an umbrella.

sufficiency

This picture (which I took) is from a real home, which is built on top of a garbage dump. The people living there, are the most poor I have ever seen. They got a whole lotta nothin’.

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Over the weekend, I worshipped as I lifted my voice to the Lord, singing Your Grace is Enough. Then I wondered, is God’s grace really enough for me? I have soooo much of all kinds of stuff. What if God stripped everything away? Would His grace still be enough for me?

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“But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”

2 Cor. 12:9