Be Careful Little Eyes, What You See

A facebook post was recently brought to my attention, made by a relative of mine. (I only see posts if they appear on my page when I click on to facebook. I simply don't have time to check individual pages of anyone. So I would have missed this. And perhaps I should have.)

Be Careful Little Eyes

I have a terrible penchant for responding to things, even when I don't want to. I take a shower and suddenly I'm putting together a reply in my head; I wait in line, or go to bed at night, and there it is again: I have to answer! (And thus, the quote from that old Sunday school hymn, "Be Careful Little Eyes, What You See.)   This post is a case in point: I wish I'd never seen it, because then I could have happily ignored the need to respond. 

Here's what it said: (I'm quoting from memory, but I've definitely got the gist of it);

"I love my family!!! But I have some right wing Christian relatives who make me want to kick their teeth in! There is no God, so please don't waste my brain cells!"

Ahem.
Being ME--meaning I can't help but to begin a response, my first thought ( I must confess) was something like this:

Really? Was that brain cell number one or brain cell number two? If you happen to find brain cell number three, tell it to connect with your heart before deciding upon spiritual matters. It's only from the heart that we can know God, even though he assuredly engages our intellect as well......blah, blah, blah.

OK, that's not a nice answer, I thought. So I moved on to what I hoped was a better response:


"Methinks the lady doth protest too much." Your problem (dear niece) is not with me or any other right wing Christian, but with God Himself. When was the last time you had a heart-to-heart with your Creator? I'm sorry you feel so angry and bitter--truly, I'm sorry for you as well as saddened by you--but really. Your contention is not between me and you, or us and you--it is between you and God.

But what if she's not familiar with MacBeth? (from which the "lady protesting" line comes.) And what if she refuses to take her angst to God? Well, there's nothing I can do about that.

Perhaps my response is still too snarky. (I did NOT post this to fb beneath her post for that reason.) But have you noticed this? People love to spout off against God without actually going to Him at all. Blaming the messenger, so to speak. And what do they blame us for? For insisting that morality matters, that abortion is murder, and that homosexuality is an offense and an abomination (not my words, by the way. It's what the Bible teaches.)

I stand unapologetic about all of the above. In fact, it delights me that God is a God of morality and justice. That he loves LIFE, goodness, healthy families and healthy marriages. I love the Lord!

I am not angry at my niece--grieved, perhaps, would be closer to the truth. Despite her wanting to kick me in the teeth, I have no such inclination or desire to do the same to her.

I'd love to give her a hug, though. I'd especially love to welcome her with that hug into the family of God! Would you join me in praying for the members of my family who don't know their God?

Thanks for listening and especially for your prayers.....
Warmest Blessings,

Linore
PS: As always, I have a book giveaway going on, and any comment entitles you to an entry for the drawing.
The book this week is 365 Ways to Prepare for Christmas. Even if you get it a little late to implement its ideas for this year, you'll have all year to plan ahead for next. 

WHAT DO YOU CRAVE FOR?
(NEW BOOK TO READ)

I just added this to my to-be-read list. [CRAVE: by Chris Tomlinson] I love reading about how other Christians experience God, as I compare/contrast their experience with my own. It's also encouraging and uplifting to see how the Lord works with other people in ways that can be at once both similar and unlike the ways He works with me. God is so cool in that He is knows us each so intimately that he tailors His dealings with us according to who we are, and our level of understanding. I just can't get enough of Him--which I guess amounts to a craving. What about you?
Do you have God in your life today? Got cravings?

Watch the trailer for the book (Click Here)

Today I hope to remind myself that when cravings for ANYTHING hit, the real need of my life is for more of God.
It's the real need of your life, too.
Have you reached that decision, yet? If not, consider getting this book. You have to start somewhere to explore the possibility that God is calling you, that He is real, and that He really speaks to His people. Not only is He 'out there,' but He wants to use each and every craving and need in your life to point you to Himself.
I pray you take the opportunity to read Crave for yourself, and let the Lord fill you up.

For more info on Crave you can also click on the book cover. For special music today, I couldn't figure out how to get songs by Chris Tomlin (the singer/musician who does such beautiful worship CDs) onto this blog, so here's a link to listen. Hear Chris Tomlin: Not the same guy as the author.

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable
in Your sight,
O LORD, my rock and my Redeemer.
Psalm 19: 14

Imagine for a moment if every word you spoke was pleasing to God;
if every thought of your heart was "acceptable.

" Would you not be
doing what Jesus would do? This morning as I meditated on this
verse, it occurred to me that if we could only control our tongues
and thoughts, we would live constantly in God's will, and by
extension, be living the life He approves of. It suddenly seemed so
simple!think

But alas, the same Bible tells us that "the heart is deceitful and
desperately wicked: who can know it?" (Jeremiah 17:9) Notice the emphasis
is on the heart more than the tongue. Jesus explains: "For out of the heart
come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false
witness, slanders. These are the things which defile a man." For,
"The things that proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and
those defile the man." (or woman.) Matt.15:19-20, 18

This is not to say the situation is hopeless, however! Jesus is the ultimate
"heart-changer."
As we go about our day today, I encourage you to pray with the psalmist,
"Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable
in Your sight, O Lord, my rock and my Redeemer." (Ps.19:14)
Let the Redeemer redeem you! I certainly need the filter of the Holy Spirit
as I speak, answer email, and interact with my family. What about you?

PRAYER: O Father, let us today speak and even more, /think,/ as You
would have us do. We pray that you would guard the door of our lips,
be our "filter"-- and sprinkle our thoughts and words with salt and
light so that
we, in turn, may show such to the world. Even better, we will be
acceptable in Your sight. We know that You accept us in Christ, Lord--no
matter how short we fall, or how easily beset with sin; But speak to our
hearts when we err in our thoughts; bring truth where are lies, and shine
Your light upon us so that we may reflect that light to a dark world.
In Jesus' Name, and by Your mercy , Amen.

Hugs,

Linore

Are you a woman of faith? Do you have a website, a book, a mission to help others? Let me know and I'll consider adding your link to this page. I'm just starting this (my fourth blog) as I've been unceremoniously "locked" out of my other accounts. I've gone through the "help" loop time and again only to find the door firmly shut. I can't access the editorial area of the blogs to add to them--and guess what--Blogger doesn't offer any live help.

So here I am. Here we are.
I learned a long time ago that if God closes a door, He always opens a window.
This time, three doors were shut all at once. But this is my window. (In fact, I don't even remember EVER setting up this blog, but there it was in my email. A note from Google telling me this blog was in my name (my first name only, but it's a rare name. Linore, with an 'i' where most people spell it with an 'e'.) I have no idea where it's been hiding for the last few years that I've been online, or why google never told me about it, sooner. Strange, huh? I'm just going to accept it as a "God" thing. The same day I can't access my other accounts, this one, by the name of "Woman of Faith" is sent to me.

And the truth is, that is what I am. A woman of faith.

What about you?