Gleeks

OK, I confess.....I am a "Gleek". And while my husband might not want to be identified as such, he does also enjoy watching a certain show where people bust out in song at any given moment. And we are not alone, which causes one to wonder why a television show, a musical of all things, has become so popular?
For me, "Glee" sort of typifies my life. No, I don't go around singing my feelings (OK, maybe I have been known to occasionally...) but I do believe that we were created to sing, make a joyful noise, or whatever we want to call it.

We, the body of Christ, have entered into a new season. I know for sure that I have. While the past years have been full of heartache, trauma, family wounds, and most recently a sort of desert experience, I believe we are now entering into a time of receiving; receiving God's goodness at every turn. I remember a specific time where God told me to hold out my hands, palms up, and receive. He said that this would be my new posture. He told me He was going to knock my socks off. He has lived up to His word. We have received so much since then, from grandson to new home, and the blessings continue. My song must continue also.

The thing is, I went through the valley of death and I learned to sing there. My song at first was tearful, and sometimes without words. But God received each note. And through those years He turned it into praise.....in the midst of every trial and heartache, I learned to sing His praises. I learned to be thankful, to find something to thank Him for. It was never too difficult, once I learned to look. And this sacrifice of praise was received and came pouring back out upon me as refreshing water to a thirsty and hurting soul.

What did Jesus say to the woman at the well? "Give me a drink." I am sure that she was way more thirsty than the Son of God. Why didn't He immediately, recognizing her need, minister to her and give her what her soul was thirsting for? Why did He instead ask her to give Him a drink? What do we have to give to God, besides a song of praise? When we give Him a drink, He meets us there.

What I love about Glee is the example it gives us. They are always singing.....through good and bad, their songs come forth. The very definition of the word "glee" speaks to my life with the Lord:

1. Jubilant delight; joy.

2. Music A part song scored for three or more.....(how about the Trinity and I in unison? That is glee for sure!!)

So now in this season we must learn to receive......His blessings....His goodness......His abundance....which can sometimes be more difficult than praising Him through the trials because we all struggle with receiving. (How many of you are much more comfortable giving a present than receiving one? There you go.) Yet Papa is gently teaching us that while it is more blessed to give than to receive, receiving is also a blessing. How could I say no to Him?

As we enter into this new season, this season of abundance, let us not forget to sing! I can hear some of you thinking "I can't believe she is even saying this! Sooner or later the other shoe is going to drop and then what?" (First I would remind you that we do not live under Murphy's law, but we live under the law of the Kingdom!) Should trials come, I will SING LOUDER!!! We often cry out "We're thirsty, Lord!" Yet God supplied all that we need. He said that He came to satisfy us with abundant life. It is OK to be always desiring more, yet completely satisfied. Whether I am blessed or broken, I will sing with abandon! And my soul will be satisfied!

May our whole lives be filled with praise. May we savor each moment, delightful or difficult, with a song.  May we all be Gleeks......Gleeks for Jesus!!! Oh yea!!!

I Don't Know

Three little words. But oh how we hate using them, we avoid admitting our ignorance. We want to "know"...after all, knowledge is power....right? (I am not so sure about that phrase, but will leave that for another blog.)
Today I am struck yet again, with the realization that the longer I walk with God, the more time I spend seeking Him, the less I know. The really amazing thing about it is, I am OK with not knowing. So then I am left to wonder if maybe that is the point of it all, to bring me to a place where I am OK with not knowing!

I spent my weekend working on my house, and praying. I was praying for a family who's husband/daddy was in the hospital very sick and in need of a miracle in order to live. I don't even know this young man, but I know his wife, and her family, and God chose to put him on my heart in a very deep way.

Well, yesterday morning he went to be with the Lord. Now, I hate every reference....every trite term that we use to describe someone who has died. We say they have "passed on" or "gone on to glory" or "God called them home" or whatever it is that we say. And the strange thing is, that is about all that we say. We don't want to talk about it much. We spend days, weeks, sometimes months praying for someone to be healed and then when it doesn't happen, we sort of avert our eyes, don't make mention of it any more, because we don't know what the heck just happened. We like to explain things, and we like  knowing exactly why things happen, so when that is not the case we prefer to avoid the subject all together and move on.
And honestly, this might be the better choice than the one that some who refuse to admit they don't know make.....and you all know what I am talking about.....those who give their own pat explanations  such as "It was her/his time to go." "God needed another angel in heaven." (Newsflash, we do not turn into angels when we die.....angels are created beings just like we are...they are a whole separate form of life.) "He/she is in a better place." "She/he is no longer suffering." On and on they go with their little stupid answers that bring no help, no encouragement, but only serve to help them through their own awkward feelings in the situation.

I am one of those people who believe in the healing power of God. I have experienced it first hand, and I have witnessed it in others. My own son was dramatically healed of a really horrible case of asthma when he was quite young. My brother-in-law was told he would have no children, he has 5. I have prayed over a feverish child and felt his body cool under the power of God. I once visited a dying man in the hospital, and while worshiping and praying with him and a friend, a Light filled his room, he was totally healed, and left the hospital shortly after. I could give you more examples, but the thing I want to convey is that I know that I know that God heals people. But I also know that He doesn't always. And I don't have any idea why.
Please don't quote Scriptures at me. I know the Scriptures. I love my Bible. I don't know about your translation, but mine says that Jesus went around healing ALL the sick. Yet, that has not been my experience of Him. Has it been yours?

I think what frustrates me the most in this whole life and death issue is that I always think "OK, Lord. Here's Your chance. You can heal this person, and everybody watching.....all of the people who don't believe You are real will see this miracle and be amazed at what You have done, and fall on their faces in awe of You!!" God never seems to like my ideas much. He seems to have His own way of doing things. What about the miracle of the loved ones who are left here, in this life, in their grief.....and yet.....they go on, in strength.....not relying on alcohol, drugs, or any of the other empty escapes that others use to numb their pain? They not only go on, they thrive....in joy....in hope....and in love. What about the miracle of such beauty? Talk about glory!!

A dear friend of mine died a few years ago. After her death, while I was grappling with this issue (why do I grapple, when will I learn that I will never know?) I had an experience. Whether I was in body or out of body I do not know, but I had an encounter with my friend. I will never forget the look of complete joy on her face. We did not speak, but she communicated clearly with me. I asked her what it was like, knowing that she was now in "the after life" or "in glory" or in heaven or wherever she had gone. She said to me, grinning from ear to ear,  "You're not gonna believe it!" That experience left me changed. It gave me an amazing glimpse into that unknown world that even as believers we sometimes fear.

The ultimate point that I learn each time I go through another unexplainable thing like this is that I am in His story.....He is the Author, He wrote the book of my life, and your life, and everyone's life.....He doesn't need me to defend Him or to tell Him what to write. He knows He can be found by anyone who takes the time to look for Him. He knows full well that this life, this existence here on planet earth is only a brief moment in time......and He knows that time has no place in His eternity, and this life is not the main point of our existence. I do not yet fully grasp this, therefore death seems like an awful thing to me.

So, I will continue to pray when someone needs to be healed, full of faith, believing for their ultimate restoration. I will not pray weak prayers of "If it be Your will, Lord" because that just seems like a cop out  like leaving Him a loop hole so that we can explain things afterward...."It just wasn't His will to heal" (which I believe is complete garbage when I read that Jesus healed ALL who needed healing, and I know that God treasures life because it is His creation, so why would it not be His will?) Yet I know through experience, watching loved ones die before their time (in my mortal opinion), that God will be glorified whether it be through life, death, healing or not.....He will be glorified by those who truly know Him.
Because to know Him is to know that He is good. To know Him is to know a Love that is absolutely life changing, bringing with it a security that cannot be shaken......and to know Him is to know that "I don't know" and to be completely OK with not knowing.