Come to me Kimberly
you who are weary and carry heavy burdens And I will give you rest
Take my yoke upon you
Let me teach you
Because I am humble and gentle And you will find rest for your soul For my yoke fits perfectly
And the burden I give you is light.
As I've set aside in the past couple of months, I've had some chunks of time to hear from God in silent retreats. Insights have been more like popcorn, or a tossed salad for me, and I'm still trying to make some cohesive sense of my times with God focused on this passage.
Main themes for to continue gardening. Do they resonate with you?
-- Exploring how to value and practice (obey the command for) Sabbath rest.
-- Peace and courage in the midst of real Spiritual Warfare.
-- Living sacrificially, yet maintaining a posture where the yoke in these sacrifices remains light / learning what boundaries are part of Jesus' yoke as we labour in the world.
-- Really knowing and trusting my rabbi and Saviour Jesus - and digging deeper into the Word of God and other sources about the life and culture of our Master. Learning from him his priorities and personal discipline. His dependence upon the Father.
The "popcorn" notes:
1. Last week a gal i've mentored gives me the book rest - living in sabbath
simplicity (keri wyatt kent). In it i read quoted from Velvet Elvis, one of my favourite books
of the decade (i loved this section so much 5 years ago that I RECORDED myself reading it to hear if from time to time shuffled on my ipod!):
Different rabbis had different sets of rules.... A rabbi's set of rules...was really the rabbi's interpretation of how to live the Torah, was called that rabbi's yoke. When you followed a certain rabbi, you were following because you believed that rabbi's set of interpretations were
the closest to what God intended through Scriptures. And when you followed that rabbi, you were taking up that rabbi's yoke.
ms kent offers in her book:
So Jesus offered this new yoke, which he claimed was easy.
But in a way, it seems harder. He often began with "you've heard it said" and cited the Old Testament law. Then he followed with "but I say to you." For example, he said, "you've heard
it said,... 'Don't murder.' but if you call someone a fool or hate them, you've killed them" (Matt 5:21-22) ...His teaching encouraged people to hold to a higher standard than mere legalism but also helped them to realize that keeping the law perfectly is an impossible proposition.
you who are weary and carry heavy burdens And I will give you rest
Take my yoke upon you
Let me teach you
Because I am humble and gentle And you will find rest for your soul For my yoke fits perfectly
And the burden I give you is light.
As I've set aside in the past couple of months, I've had some chunks of time to hear from God in silent retreats. Insights have been more like popcorn, or a tossed salad for me, and I'm still trying to make some cohesive sense of my times with God focused on this passage.
Main themes for to continue gardening. Do they resonate with you?
-- Exploring how to value and practice (obey the command for) Sabbath rest.
-- Peace and courage in the midst of real Spiritual Warfare.
-- Living sacrificially, yet maintaining a posture where the yoke in these sacrifices remains light / learning what boundaries are part of Jesus' yoke as we labour in the world.
-- Really knowing and trusting my rabbi and Saviour Jesus - and digging deeper into the Word of God and other sources about the life and culture of our Master. Learning from him his priorities and personal discipline. His dependence upon the Father.
The "popcorn" notes:
1. Last week a gal i've mentored gives me the book rest - living in sabbath
simplicity (keri wyatt kent). In it i read quoted from Velvet Elvis, one of my favourite books
of the decade (i loved this section so much 5 years ago that I RECORDED myself reading it to hear if from time to time shuffled on my ipod!):
Different rabbis had different sets of rules.... A rabbi's set of rules...was really the rabbi's interpretation of how to live the Torah, was called that rabbi's yoke. When you followed a certain rabbi, you were following because you believed that rabbi's set of interpretations were
the closest to what God intended through Scriptures. And when you followed that rabbi, you were taking up that rabbi's yoke.
ms kent offers in her book:
So Jesus offered this new yoke, which he claimed was easy.
But in a way, it seems harder. He often began with "you've heard it said" and cited the Old Testament law. Then he followed with "but I say to you." For example, he said, "you've heard
it said,... 'Don't murder.' but if you call someone a fool or hate them, you've killed them" (Matt 5:21-22) ...His teaching encouraged people to hold to a higher standard than mere legalism but also helped them to realize that keeping the law perfectly is an impossible proposition.
2. i remember dearly the first series for CRM's Women of Influence retreats and our year in
USA. It was a time when I began to hear clearly from God regularly. For years I'd been angsty and even angry over the problems and inefficacy of the church. Once in prayer Jesus told me quite clearly: "IT'S NOT YOUR PROBLEM. IT'S MY PROBLEM. IT'S TOO BIG FOR YOU, SO STOP WORRYING ABOUT IT." Another time of listening prayer with Verlie and Patty when the physical sensation of weight on my shoulders was lifted, but still lightly there, as the above passage came to my mind. I had been wearing a yoke that was not HIS, and weary from it. I released it that day.
3. There are my big burdens, out of my control (we've all got them) but I'm remarkably
at peace and trusting God with. My senior's college application process and what that means for his future...and even sooner, our unresolved plans for the summer months when he'll be needing to settle somewhere and start this new chapter. My 8th grader's continued poor academic performance and whether he'll be able to remain in his school by the end of this year. The neighbor's needs and how much do I give of myself to them. I have a waning passion for the focus I've had in ministry for my entire life. I don't know if it's a season or if God wants to redirect me. Whether it's dormancy or gestation is yet to be seen. I'm open, but long- range I'm feeling direction-less.
4. However, I find myself as I attempt to listen to God, distracted by small insignificant
things. I'm irritated by the people in our church plant who are setting up a library and coming up with "policy" for using the books. They must be church members. The books must be approved. Then there's the 8th grade Bible teacher or Senior Service trip leaders at the kids' school who seem to have a Pharisaical approach to teaching and leading. I feel they are planting seeds of bitterness in my boys.
5. There was one significant time I looked again at this Matt 11 passage. I was drawn to what
came before. Matt 11:25. Jesus praising God that he has hidden his teachings "from the wise and learned and revealed them to little children."
I've been spending large quantities of time with a little neglected neighbor girl who's as slow as anyone I've ever known. It's opening the neighborhood to the gospel. Strangers often stop me to talk about her. I've had wonderful opportunities to pray with people and talk about Jesus desire to be their master. There is a lot of spirit worship in my neighborhood and the forces of evil are palpable. I sense, that though this 11 year old girl has been diagnosed with low IQ for years, she is oppressed by unseen forces. last week she took refuge in my home after her father had been in a drunken and abusive rage.
I notice in my Bible that this Matt 11 passage is also repeated in Luke 10:21. I go there, but my eyes are drawn to verses 18-20. "I saw Satan fall like lightening from heaven. I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you."
Like the passage I'd written from a sermon last Sunday, I say with the prophet Ezra: "Because the hand of the Lord my God was on me, I took courage." (Ezra 7:28)
In other words: "The Spirit of the Lord is with me Satan! I am not afraid...BRING IT ON! Let's have some real power encounters in 2011, I'm on the side of righteousness, I want to see
USA. It was a time when I began to hear clearly from God regularly. For years I'd been angsty and even angry over the problems and inefficacy of the church. Once in prayer Jesus told me quite clearly: "IT'S NOT YOUR PROBLEM. IT'S MY PROBLEM. IT'S TOO BIG FOR YOU, SO STOP WORRYING ABOUT IT." Another time of listening prayer with Verlie and Patty when the physical sensation of weight on my shoulders was lifted, but still lightly there, as the above passage came to my mind. I had been wearing a yoke that was not HIS, and weary from it. I released it that day.
3. There are my big burdens, out of my control (we've all got them) but I'm remarkably
at peace and trusting God with. My senior's college application process and what that means for his future...and even sooner, our unresolved plans for the summer months when he'll be needing to settle somewhere and start this new chapter. My 8th grader's continued poor academic performance and whether he'll be able to remain in his school by the end of this year. The neighbor's needs and how much do I give of myself to them. I have a waning passion for the focus I've had in ministry for my entire life. I don't know if it's a season or if God wants to redirect me. Whether it's dormancy or gestation is yet to be seen. I'm open, but long- range I'm feeling direction-less.
4. However, I find myself as I attempt to listen to God, distracted by small insignificant
things. I'm irritated by the people in our church plant who are setting up a library and coming up with "policy" for using the books. They must be church members. The books must be approved. Then there's the 8th grade Bible teacher or Senior Service trip leaders at the kids' school who seem to have a Pharisaical approach to teaching and leading. I feel they are planting seeds of bitterness in my boys.
5. There was one significant time I looked again at this Matt 11 passage. I was drawn to what
came before. Matt 11:25. Jesus praising God that he has hidden his teachings "from the wise and learned and revealed them to little children."
I've been spending large quantities of time with a little neglected neighbor girl who's as slow as anyone I've ever known. It's opening the neighborhood to the gospel. Strangers often stop me to talk about her. I've had wonderful opportunities to pray with people and talk about Jesus desire to be their master. There is a lot of spirit worship in my neighborhood and the forces of evil are palpable. I sense, that though this 11 year old girl has been diagnosed with low IQ for years, she is oppressed by unseen forces. last week she took refuge in my home after her father had been in a drunken and abusive rage.
I notice in my Bible that this Matt 11 passage is also repeated in Luke 10:21. I go there, but my eyes are drawn to verses 18-20. "I saw Satan fall like lightening from heaven. I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you."
Like the passage I'd written from a sermon last Sunday, I say with the prophet Ezra: "Because the hand of the Lord my God was on me, I took courage." (Ezra 7:28)
In other words: "The Spirit of the Lord is with me Satan! I am not afraid...BRING IT ON! Let's have some real power encounters in 2011, I'm on the side of righteousness, I want to see
the people in my world worshipping the one true God and knowing his deep unconditional love
for them!"
6. in Rest I've been reminded how sabbath rest relates to physical workouts - we must stretch ourselves and our limits, and then give some time for rest
before the next workout in order to grow strong. I've not kept a sabbath for most of my life, and have felt like the past year + has been a time to make up for lost time, and my sin of presuming that the world would stop spinning if I stopped working. So, many times i've just sat still and sought the presence of God. To merely be still. To unhurried spend time tuning my ears and heart to him.
7. I suppose there should be 7 to make it a perfect list, so I'll finish with the two words which stood out to me most about Jesus' yoke: Humble and Gentle. i want to be
the kind of leader who also offers a humble and gentleness as I bear the yoke with others in projects and ministry. or as I labour beside, under, or lead with my family and others. I have a lot to learn.
6. in Rest I've been reminded how sabbath rest relates to physical workouts - we must stretch ourselves and our limits, and then give some time for rest
before the next workout in order to grow strong. I've not kept a sabbath for most of my life, and have felt like the past year + has been a time to make up for lost time, and my sin of presuming that the world would stop spinning if I stopped working. So, many times i've just sat still and sought the presence of God. To merely be still. To unhurried spend time tuning my ears and heart to him.
7. I suppose there should be 7 to make it a perfect list, so I'll finish with the two words which stood out to me most about Jesus' yoke: Humble and Gentle. i want to be
the kind of leader who also offers a humble and gentleness as I bear the yoke with others in projects and ministry. or as I labour beside, under, or lead with my family and others. I have a lot to learn.
No comments:
Post a Comment