Do Not Depart

Encouragement and Tools to Abide in God's Word

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About Jaime Hilton

Jaime Hilton is 1/6 of the Hilton Family in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. She is the household manager and wife to Ray, the actor. Together they are in the trenches of parenting three children, ages 3-15. Thanks to homeschooling and her voracious reading habits she has her library card number memorized. In her (rare!) spare time she likes to write and work with local theater companies, directing and encouraging fellow artists to glorify God in every aspect of their work. Her favorite mornings start with a quiet cup of coffee and an inspiring book or blog. Her most passionate pursuit is studying the Word and discovering the stories within The Story. She blogs from time to time about life, faith, and theatre at www.alltheworldastage.org.

And He Shall Be Called Series Intro

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What child is this? As we pack up our Christmas decorations and turn our eyes to what the new year brings, it’s worth remembering that the baby in the manger did not stay a baby. He grew in wisdom and stature to be a teacher and shepherd who brought the kingdom of heaven to earth, fulfilling the Law and Prophets. A suffering servant who humbly and innocently took on the sin of the world in order to make a way for us to live in a restored relationship with God. A king who defeated death and bought our freedom. 

In December we celebrate the birth of the Messiah, the one they named Jesus, “for he will save his people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:21)

Let’s start the year reflecting on the name that is above all names, Jesus, who is the same, yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8).

“Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2:9-11

The Gift of Strength

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Last week I took my family to see Encanto at the movie theatre. Even with a toddler crawling on and off my lap throughout, the story and songs managed to wedge themselves into my brain, sneaking in and taking root around the carols and Christmas to-do lists that typically occupy space this time of year. I was particularly drawn to Luisa, the super-strong older sister whose song, Surface Pressure, could be an anthem for modern women everywhere, especially at Christmas time.  Here are just a few of the lyrics that resonated with me.


I don’t ask how hard the work is
Got a rough, indestructible surface
Diamonds and platinum, I find ’em, I flatten ’em
I take what I’m handed, I break what’s demanded, but
Under the surface
I feel berserk as a tightrope walker in a three-ring circus…
Under the surface
I’m pretty sure I’m worthless if I can’t be of service

A flaw or a crack
The straw in the stack
That breaks the camel’s back
What breaks the camel’s back?

It’s pressure like a drip, drip, drip, that’ll never stop, whoa
Pressure that’ll tip, tip, tip ’til you just go pop, whoa-uh-uh
Give it to your sister, your sister’s older
Give her all the heavy things we can’t shoulder
Who am I if I can’t run with the ball?

Although I love the Christmas season, I wrestle every year with feelings of inadequacy. It’s enough of a struggle to keep my family fed, clean, and healthy on a regular basis, without the additional expectations of holiday traditions and to-do lists. I simply cannot do it all.

Thankfully, I don’t have to.

Is 40:29-31 “He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength.

 

What Is the Gift of Strength?

Can you imagine unwrapping a gift of strength from the Lord? In one picture I see a beautiful gift box, simple and unassuming. Nestled inside on a bed of tissue paper is a can the size of a soda, labeled “Strength” in bold letters. I pop the tab and down the beverage (which tastes like peppermint!) in one gulp. My biceps bulge triumphantly as I am filled with the physical prowess to accomplish everything on my to-do list from addressing the last of the Christmas cards to completing the shopping without losing my cool with the crowds or the kids or the time crunch.

In another imagining, I see a tightrope walker, strong and graceful, a single bead of sweat threatening to spill from her forehead as she takes another precarious step towards the center of the rope. She is weary, but being halfway across, she can’t very well turn back. She must keep moving forward. For her, the gift of strength comes as a butterfly. It flutters past her, an image of hope that encourages her to take that next step.

Strength can look like many different things – endurance, power, agility, maturity. Our heart, soul, mind, and body have the capacity to do so much, to think and feel and enact change in the world we are a part of yet in the face of our ambitions we nearly always find ourselves weak.

 

The Strength of the Lord

The strength of the Lord is not a magical, peppermint-flavored beverage designed to supernaturally speed me through minor tensions with ease.  What God gives is a firm foundation, sustaining us through every moment of life. It is not the ability to do everything perfectly on our own, but an invitation to rest in His power, which shines through our weakness like the lights on a Christmas tree. As we open our hands to let go of the striving to do and be more than we are, His strength fills our emptiness with abundantly more than we were lacking to begin with.

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. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” 2 Corinthians 12:9-10

Another song came to mind as I was working through this post and pondering this gift of strength. “You are my strength when I am weak. You are the treasure that I seek. You are my all in all.” You are My All in All – Bing video

 

May you rest in the strength of the Lord this Christmas season!

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Teachers: Lead Me To Jesus

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“Not many should become teachers, my brothers, because you know that we will receive a stricter judgment.” (James 3:1, CSB)

Teaching is a difficult job. Teachers come in all shapes and sizes and disguises. They could be an educator, a parent, a family member, a peer, a neighbor – anyone who can take an idea or skill and break it down into digestible parts so another human being can take it in where it can grow and bear fruit in their life. Like I said, teaching is not an easy thing to do!

This month on the blog we’re thinking about teachers. The people who came into our lives and left a mark that leads us to Jesus, the Master Teacher.

Ms. Webster

I am blessed to know many wonderful teachers. At every stage in my life, there have been people who have invested in my growth and led me to seek Jesus.

One such person was Ms. Webster, who taught my daughter’s first-grade class at a University Model School. At a UM school, students are with a teacher three days a week and home with a parent the other two. Sort of a cross between homeschool and private school. Ms. Webster had a way of putting Jesus at the center of everything. When I came to her crying because I couldn’t figure out how to explain a math concept, she came alongside me, encouraging and empowering me in my role as Brooklyn’s teacher.

She wore her authority and knowledge with humility, inviting me into the process and making it possible for me to follow her example.

Jesus, Model Teacher

Luke 6:17-49 records the great teachings of Jesus that we find in Matthew 5-7, the Sermon on the Mount.

In the context of his instruction to be careful about judging others, “He also told them a parable: “Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit? A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher.”

Teachers wear a heavy responsibility. Whether it’s their profession, a position they volunteered for, or the natural fit of the relationship, teachers serve as models who can lead to Jesus or away from Him. I am grateful for the teachers in my life who have shown me how to be more like Jesus and I hope I can do the same for the students I encounter.

 

What teachers have influenced your walk with Jesus? Share in the comments or on the Community Facebook Page!

Counting the Cost: Jim & Elisabeth Elliot

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“There is nothing worth living for, unless it is worth dying for.”
― Elisabeth Elliot

I fell in love with Elisabeth Elliot’s writings early in my life. As a young Believer, her faith and articulation impressed and inspired me. As an artist, her story sparked my imagination and got me thinking about the cost of true discipleship.

Elisabeth married Jim Elliot in 1953 in Quito, Ecuador where both she and Jim were already serving as missionaries. For years this passionate, well-spoken, and adventurous young man had been preparing to advance God’s kingdom by connecting with unreached people groups. Their love for each other was a small part, a reflection of the deep love they had for Jesus and their devotion to following Him.

OPERATION AUCA

Jim felt a deep call to the Aucas, a notoriously violent tribe, deep in the Ecuadorian jungle. He set up a team of four other men who would fly over the Auca village, lowering gifts and speaking the few friendly Auca phrases they knew.

“They went simply because they knew they belonged to God because He was their Creator and their Redeemer. They had no choice but to willingly obey Him, and that meant obeying His command to take the good news to every nation.” (Elisabeth Elliot)

In 1956, after three months of flying, the men made contact with the tribe. But what they first thought was a cautious welcome, turned out to be a brutal murder of all five missionaries.

Young Elisabeth and her daughter, barely a year old, were left without husband and father.

Life from Death

Though she and the other wives grieved the loss of their husbands, Elisabeth continued to serve among the Quechua, eventually meeting two Auca women who introduced her to the tribe, allowing her and Rachel Saint, wife of the pilot who flew with Jim, to move into the village and share the gospel. Elisabeth’s forgiveness and acceptance of the people who had killed her husband was a living example of God’s unconditional love which opened the door for these previously unreached people to know Jesus Christ.

I can’t imagine Jim Elliot the young boy, heart on fire, sharing the gospel whenever and wherever he could, dreaming of dying as a martyr. I don’t think that was the ending he envisioned. But ultimately he trusted that nothing would be wasted in God’s hands.

“For which of you, wanting to build a tower, doesn’t first sit down and calculate the cost to see if he has enough to complete it?” Luke 14:28

His love led him to death at the hands of ignorance and fear and his death led to countless professions of faith, an ongoing legacy of redemption.

“He is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.” – Jim Elliot

Far From Home

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This month we’re turning our hearts towards heaven and examining what Scripture says about what’s to come.

“We are such stuff

As dreams are made on, and our little life

Is rounded with a sleep.”

(The Tempest, act 4, scene 1)

 

I’ve spent the last couple of weeks directing a drama camp through a production of The Tempest so I’ve got Shakespeare on the brain.

It’s the story of Prospero, once Duke of Milan, whose brother stole his kingdom and left him for dead in a damaged boat sent out to sea. Unbeknownst to the usurper, Prospero and his daughter Miranda made it to the shore of a deserted island where they live a charmed life ruling over the island. As the play begins, Prospero’s enemies find themselves on the same island, haunted by their misdeeds until at last Prospero reveals himself and sets everything right again. It’s a comedy, which means everyone gets a happy ending before the curtain falls, something we know is not always true in real life.

“These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. 14 For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. 15 If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.” (Hebrews 11:13-16)

Strangers and Exiles

)ur history of faith is built on a long line of men and women who believed in the promises and character of God long before they had any proof.

Abraham left his home without knowing any details including where he was going, He obeyed because God promised to make him a great nation through whom all other nations would be blessed (Genesis 12:2-3). Even after God showed him the land of Canaan and allowed his barren wife Sarah to birth a son, Abraham lived his whole long life as a sojourner – a stranger among the natives.

“For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God.” (Hebrews 11:10)

What does it mean to live as a stranger? For Abraham, it meant living tents, at the mercy of his neighbor’s good graces. Though he was a very wealthy man, he humbled himself, insisting not on his own rights but on the timing of God, whom he trusted. He could have come into the land boasting about the power and superiority of God. He could have waged war or negotiated a seat of influence. Instead, he “contented himself to …bear their unkindnesses patiently, to receive any favours from them thankfully, and to keep his heart fixed upon his home, the heavenly Canaan.” (Matthew Henry)

Such Stuff As Dreams

Today we live with the benefit of seeing God’s promises fulfilled through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ (Galatians 3:7-9). But like Abraham, we live in this world as sojourners, “seeking a homeland” and dreaming of the “better country” that is to come.

In the quote I opened with, Prospero is musing about life, how fleeting it all is. “What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.” (James 4:14) Our time on this earth is a prelude to the reality of heaven, short, in view of eternity, but not insignificant. For by living and dying in faith we show our Lord and Father that we want what He has to offer. If we live out our time in humility, as guests of this world, if we recognize the promise that is now and not yet (link to Ali), if we keep the faith, greeting it from far off like Abraham, sure of the timing even when we do not understand (John 8:56), God will not be ashamed to be our God, for He has prepared for us a city.

Who Are You, Lord? Series Intro

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Possibly one of the most miraculous things about God is that He works through people. While He is more than capable of handling everything, He delights in our participation and allows imperfect people to do the work that needs to be done. Even the Bible, the revelation of His character and purpose to us is a gift inspired by the Holy Spirit but written, preserved, and translated by humans! I call it miraculous because people are so very messy. We have no shortage of faults and failings. It’s humbling and awesome to read the stories in Scripture, to see His hand guiding, and to know He is still working through us today.

Saul, Saul…

One such example is found in the book of Acts when God chose a certain man to take the gospel to the Gentiles. The man he chose was Saul, or in Greek, Paul. This man’s identity was thoroughly grounded in being Jewish, so much so that he took part in persecuting the early church. He purposefully sought out people who believed and followed Jesus of Nazareth so he could violently punish and imprison them for blasphemy (Acts 8:3).  In his letter to the Philippians, he describes himself as being, “…circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless” (3:5-6). In other words, though raised in an important Roman city, among Hellenized (Greek-speaking) Jews, Paul was an observant Jew who spoke Aramaic and studied the Law under the best teachers in Jerusalem.

Yet despite this impressive and comfortable identity, Paul goes on in his letter to say, “But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord” (Philippians 3:7-8).

How did Saul, zealous persecutor of Christians, come to know Christ Jesus as Lord?

 

Why Are You Persecuting Me?

In Acts 9:1-9 we read the story of Saul’s encounter with the risen Jesus.

“But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.” The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one. Saul rose from the ground, and although his eyes were opened, he saw nothing. So they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank.”

I can’t help but imagine what those three days without sight may have been like. Did he recall the prophet Jonah, swallowed and saved in the belly of a fish so he could take God’s message of redemption to the Ninevites? Maybe. Paul was a very good student who loved the Law. I imagine him going over every word he’d memorized from the Torah, but in his blindness seeing it with the fresh eyes of the Spirit.

The Lord sent Ananias, a disciple, to heal him, sharing that Saul of Tarsus would bring the gospel to the Gentiles (v. 15). The story continues with Paul regaining his sight, being baptized, “and taking food, he was strengthened. For some days he was with the disciples at Damascus. And immediately he proclaimed Jesus in the synagogues, saying, ‘He is the Son of God’” (v. 19-20).

 

Who Are You, Lord?

Paul had a strong foundational understanding of God thanks to his upbringing in Hebrew culture. He knew who God was. Once he understood that Jesus is the Messiah, the pieces of God’s redemptive plan, his character of mercy and the gift of grace clicked into place. From that point on Paul’s identity was not in anything he achieved but in knowing Jesus Christ.

All this month on the blog we’ll be studying the greetings in Paul’s letters to get an idea of what he thought and who he understood Jesus to be.

“Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God’s grace, which was given me by the working of his power. To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God, who created all things” (Ephesians 3:7-9)

I hope you’ll join us!

Jericho: Walking by Faith

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Being an avid fan of early American history, I can remember vividly how I felt when we moved to Lancaster County. Strolling the streets of downtown or driving around the rolling hills and farmlands, I was overwhelmed by a sense of connection to the people from the past who were once walking these same streets, seeing and falling in love with these same views. Though separated by hundreds of years and radically different cultures we are linked by this common place.

When Jesus walked through Israel with his disciples, they were walking over a land rich with the history of Yahweh showing up, over and over again for his people, calling them to righteousness and saving them by his grace. Can you imagine one of those disciples, growing up in Galilee, knowing the stories of Moses and Joshua by heart? Their world is already turned upside down as they travel with Jesus, but imagine them coming to the plains of Jericho, the place where their ancestors first took possession of the land promised to Abraham. I think I would be geeking out a little.

Jericho’s Walls

Jericho is frequently described as an oasis in the desert of the Jordan Valley. It is the lowest city in the world (800 feet below sea level) and one of the oldest continuous settlement from the earliest days of civilization.

The name, Jericho, is from the Canaanite word for “moon” (yareah) or the Hebrew word for “fragrant” (reah). It is thought to be the center of worship for the Canaanite deity of the moon (Yarikh) and also is known the world over for its sweet-smelling dates and balsam. It is often described as the “city of palms” because of its abundant palm trees but most modern readers remember it for the walls.

In Joshua 3-5 we read about the Israelites crossing over the Jordan River (on dry ground!), rededicating themselves to the covenant, and celebrating their first Passover as inhabitants. In chapter 6, they march around the massive walls of the most impressive city without saying a word for seven days. On the seventh day, they marched the approximate mile around seven times. Finally, they blew their shofars and shouted praises to the Lord. Their marching orders were beyond bizarre, but the Israelites responded in faith, and the walls of the fortified city crumbled in defeat.

“By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days.” (Heb 11:30)

Sitting in a deep valley between Jerusalem and the Jordan River (just across from where Jesus was baptized), Jericho serves as a gateway to the Promised Land, a place where faith is abundant, and promises are fulfilled.

The Jericho Jesus Knew

By New Testament times the city of Jericho had been rebuilt and resettled by the tribe of Benjamin, hosted a school of prophets, and served a place of rest for David’s men and Elisha. Inhabitants from Jericho were included in the exile and the rebuilding of Jerusalem. Attracted to it beauty and strategic location, Herod the Great built his winter palace, making Jericho again an affluent oasis in the desert.

Stories in the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke indicate that Jesus entered Jerusalem (for what we now call Holy Week) by way of Jericho.

Though there are only two brief encounters recorded at Jericho during Jesus’ ministry both stories reflect the faith in action first seen by the Israelites taking possession of Canaan.

Not Short on Faith

“He entered Jericho and was passing through. And behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector and was rich. And he was seeking to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was small in stature. So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was about to pass that way. And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today.” So he hurried and came down and received him joyfully. And when they saw it, they all grumbled, “He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.” And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold.” (Luke 19:1-8)

Zacchaeus was a prominent tax collector which likely means he was cheating his neighbors and getting rich off their suffering. We’re also told he was short and curious about Jesus, so he climbed a tree. It never occurred to him that he was the one Jesus was coming to see. But Jesus did see him and called him by name, inviting him to take part in the promise of his forefathers.

He responded in joy, faith, and repentance. “And Jesus said to him, ‘Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and save the lost.” (vv. 9-10)

 

Blind No More

“On his way out of town, a beggar by the name of Bartimaeus called out to him, persistently begging for mercy. And they came to Jericho. And as he was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a great crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the roadside.  And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” And Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” And they called the blind man, saying to him, “Take heart. Get up; he is calling you.” And throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus. And Jesus said to him, “What do you want me to do for you?” And the blind man said to him, “Rabbi, let me recover my sight.” And Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him on the way. (Mark 46-52)

Mark paints a picture of a desperate man, odds stacked against him. He acknowledged Jesus as the Messiah by calling out “Son of David.” Jesus, likewise, acknowledged his faith and told him to go on his way. Bartimeaus chose to follow Jesus from that day forward.

Interestingly, the name Bartimaeus is derived from a Hebrew word meaning “unclean” and is specifically used in reference to Gentiles. It’s a reminder of another Gentile from Jericho who was rewarded for faith in a god she could not see.

 

An Open Heart

Before crossing the Jordan River and taking Jericho by faith, Joshua sent spies to scope out the city. We read in Joshua 2 that they stayed at the home of Rahab the prostitute, who hid them from the king and told them,

“I know that the LORD has given you the land, and that the fear of you has fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land melt away before you. For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and Og, whom you devoted to destruction. And as soon as we heard it, our hearts melted, and there was no spirit left in any man because of you, for the LORD your God, he is God in the heavens above and on the earth beneath.” (Joshua 2:9-11)

She is one of only five women named in the genealogy of Jesus (Matthew 1:5), and remembered in the Hebrews “Hall of Faith”

“By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had given a friendly welcome to the spies.” Hebrews 11:31

Examples of faith in Jericho: Rahab hid the spies, Zacchaeus climbed a tree, and Bartimaeus cried out for mercy. Click To Tweet

A Heritage of Faith

Jesus walked a hard road while he was on earth. As he left the lush and fertile Jericho, he faced an uphill climb to Jerusalem where pain, humiliation, betrayal, and death awaited him. Yet he walked in faith, the security of knowing his Father would fulfill his promise to restore the world through his sacrifice.

“And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2:8-11

Metaphorically Speaking: Series Wrap-Up

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The other day I was talking books with a friend when he mentioned one that I had read but hadn’t been particularly moved by.

“It’s given me the language I need to understand and face the things I’m struggling with,” he said.

That is the power of metaphor. What speaks to you will be a little different than what speaks to me because our experiences, the things we know, are different. Metaphor is a literary device that uses something known to illustrate or explain something that is unknown. It is used throughout Scripture to describe the indescribable, measure the immeasurable, and give shape to the infinite.

Over the last month, we’ve explored some of our favorite metaphors from the Bible.

Eat This Book – Scripture is Food (Deuteronomy 8:3)

“Food, like faith, connects us to our sense of self and cultural identity. The smells, tastes, and feelings associated with certain dishes enrich our memories and take us back to the traditions they represent. We are rooted in how we are raised and free to grow in our understanding and experience as we mature.”

Jesus is the Door – John 10:7

“After all the sheep were in, the shepherd would lie across the opening, using his own body as the “door of the sheep.” This prevented predators from getting in and sheep from getting out. The sheep were completely in the shepherd’s care, trusting him for their protection and security.”

It’s Good to Be a Roadie – Jesus is the Way (John 14:6)

“Jesus always gives us the very next step we need, just when we need it. He even corrects our missteps and wrong turns and fender benders to create beautiful new paths for each of us, individually and collectively.”

Connected to the Vine – John 15

“Like the vine delivers sap, the vital nutrients, to the rest of the plant giving it vitality and vigor, Jesus delivers everything we need for spiritual growth and maturity.”

Living Water – a metaphor for God’s Spirit, John 7:37-39

“Oh, what a gift. The life-sustaining, thirst-quenching, ever-cleansing, fully-healing, Holy Spirit dwells and bubbles up within us and flows out from us. THIS is the living water He offers.”

A Dwelling Place (Psalm 90:1)

“Dwell in Him. Make Him your peace and security. Fulfill your role in being another generation that dwelled in Him.”

 

They say a picture is worth a thousand words and each picture in the Bible connects us to the Word who was God and was with God, who is the image of the invisible God, and through whom all life is created and sustained.

A Dwelling Place

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This is a post by guest contributor, Kristee Ravan. Kristee lives in Oklahoma with her husband, three kids, and cat.  She keeps busy with homeschooling, twin-wrangling, and supporting her husband’s ministry as a pastor. She has been writing and publishing devotions for several years and has also published two tween novels. Her books, The Cinderella Theorem and Calculating Christmas are available on Amazon.com. Kristee felt a call to be a missionary in childhood which led her to the jungles of Bolivia for two years after college. She was surprised when God called her back to the United States, but has been delighted with the ministry opportunities He planned for her, including supporting foster and adoptive families (and being an adoptive family!), educating others about how trauma affects children, and writing. You can connect with her on her Facebook author page, Kristee Ravan.

“Lord, you have been our dwelling place in all generations.” (Psalm 90:1, ESV)

 

The introduction to Psalm 90 records that this is “Of Moses the Man of God.” My daughter and I have used a scripture memory song for this Psalm in our homeschool for years, yet I have never stopped to think about the metaphor right there in the first verse.  

 

The Lord is our dwelling place. What does that mean? He’s the house (or tent in Moses’s case)? Or He’s our safe place?

 

A quick Google search revealed that a “dwelling place” is the place where someone lives. We can’t know exactly when in his life Moses wrote this Psalm, but in my opinion, it makes sense for it to be written during those forty wandering years in the wilderness. The poignant cry that the Lord is our dwelling place seems to come from people who have no literal, permanent home.

A Look Back

What might those desert-trotting Israelites have felt when they sang Moses’s new Psalm? As we probably learned in Sunday School, they had no home. They were wanderers, nomads, transient refugees. Having the Lord as their dwelling place gave them an identity.

 

In an everyday sense, a dwelling place for them would have been the literal tents they were dwelling in. How is the Lord like a tent? He offered them safety, peace, and rest.  Having the Lord as their dwelling gave them security. 

 

But a tent was only safety and security so long as they chose to go into it. They were welcome to sleep outside that protection if they liked. They had to be the ones to make the choice to go into the tent–the Lord as their dwelling place–and participate in the things that came with that relationship with Him. Having the Lord as their dwelling gave them responsibility.

A Look at Us

Actually, the same points apply to us.  When we choose to make the Lord our dwelling place, He becomes those things for us as well. And honestly, I wept when I found this verse as I looked for a metaphor to write about.  I needed it. I was cramming a writing session in between hard, hard things in our family.

 

I need Him to be my identity, my permanency–not being a wife, a mother, a homeschooler. Those things shouldn’t be the biggest part of who I am. He should. 

 

I need Him to be my security. My trust, my faith, my hope should all stem from the rock-solid dwelling place that is the Lord. When I re-enter that metaphorical tent, I should come out trusting only Him for finances, children’s futures, medical issues. 

 

In Matthew 7, Jesus compares people who don’t fully trust His words with a foolish man who built his house on sand. (Although, technically, that’s a simile. Jesus used the word “like.” “And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man…” Matthew 7:26, ESV) Why wouldn’t I trust Him and build on the rock?

 

But having Him as your dwelling place does require responsibility. We have to choose to go to Him with our troubles. We have to actively talk to Him about our day in order for Him to become our identity and security. For me, this means setting alarms to remember to pray throughout the day and carving out time in my morning and evening routines to dwell with Him.

A Word about the Generations

The second part of the verse says the Lord had been their dwelling place “in all generations.” What were the Isrealites reflecting on in that part of the song? 

 

Abraham, who left his literal dwelling place in Ur to follow where God would tell him to go. He was led to a new dwelling place with God.

Jacob, who fled his literal dwelling place to live for years in another land. He discovered a new dwelling place with God.

Joseph, sold away from his literal dwelling place into slavery in Egypt. He found a new dwelling place with God.

 

And the same is true for us. I can see in my own family how our different generations have made Him their dwellings: when my great-grandparents trusted him during the Great Depression when my grandmother sought peace and strength from Him after her husband left her, and when my parents made Him their dwelling in seeking hope through daily prayer and Bible study. 

 

I pray my children will look back on what has been a hard season for our family and realize I made God my dwelling place through trusting Him in the storms of life.

 

Dwell in Him. Make Him your peace and security. Fulfill your role in being another generation that dwelled in Him.

 

Jesus is the Door – it’s a Metaphor

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Today’s post comes from guest author, Kristee Ravan. Kristee lives in Oklahoma with her husband, three kids, and cat.  She keeps busy with homeschooling, twin-wrangling, and supporting her husband’s ministry as a pastor. She has been writing and publishing devotions for several years and has also published two tween novels. Her books, The Cinderella Theorem and Calculating Christmas are available on Amazon.com. Kristee felt a call to be a missionary in childhood which led her to the jungles of Bolivia for two years after college. She was surprised when God called her back to the United States, but has been delighted with the ministry opportunities He planned for her, including supporting foster and adoptive families (and being an adoptive family!), educating others about how trauma affects children, and writing. You can connect with her on her Facebook author page, Kristee Ravan.

John 10 is a fun passage of scripture. My daughter and I memorized verses 7-18 a few years ago as part of our homeschool curriculum. I can still hear the scripture song in my head whenever I review this section.

On the surface, we get what Jesus is saying right away. He is the good shepherd. He lays down His life for us. There are wolves and things out there in the world, but the good shepherd is protecting us and giving us abundant life.

But I’m not frequenting sheep pens or caring for these animals in my regular life. Do we miss part of this metaphor about who Jesus is because we are so far removed from first-century shepherding?

He starts the metaphor in verse 7. “So Jesus again said to them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.’” (John 10.7, ESV)

Jesus had to say it again to them because His initial parable was not understood (verse 6).   So He tried to make it clearer in a metaphor, comparing Himself to the door of the sheep.

The context for this metaphor is found earlier in chapter 9. Jesus had healed (on the Sabbath!) a man who had been born blind.  The newly-sighted man wound up in hot water with the Pharisees because he was going around telling people Jesus had healed him. They banned the man from the synagogue and when Jesus heard about it, He visited the formerly-blind man and confirmed for him that he was the Son of Man and told (in the hearing of some of the Pharisees) the parable that wasn’t understood (John 10:1-5).

What was Jesus trying to clear up when He said, “I am the door of the sheep”? Did He just mean He was the way?

By kicking the no-longer- blind man out of the synagogue, the Pharisees had blocked his access to God.  They were acting as a door to God.  So when Jesus uses the door to the sheep metaphor, He is saying He is the door. He will decide who has access to God.

Comparing Himself to the door of the sheep was something His listeners would have understood.  Sheep and shepherds were ubiquitous at this time.

The door of the sheep was found on a sheep pen, usually made with stone walls.  In the evenings, the shepherd would bring his sheep there to rest safely.  As they entered through the opening—one at a time, the shepherd used his rod to stop them so he could examine them for injuries.

After all the sheep were in, the shepherd would lie across the opening, using his own body as the “door of the sheep.” This prevented predators from getting in and sheep from getting out. The sheep were completely in the shepherd’s care, trusting him for their protection and security.

What a lovely image of our Savior that is!  By understanding the metaphor as it would have been  in ancient times, we see so much more than just “Jesus is the way.” We see a kind and careful shepherd, who puts Himself in danger to protect us.

But “all we like sheep have gone astray” (Isaiah 53.6), and we don’t always feel satisfied with just a shepherd as our door. We look for other doors to protect us, to offer us security.  Maybe a relationship will finally give us that peace we seek? Or maybe we seek financial security from a job—but it leaves us with little time to serve the kingdom? Trusting these doors will not lead to the abundant life Jesus promised in verse 10.

Only through Him can we find true fulfillment, meaning, and abundant life.

 

Eat This Book: Food as a Metaphor for Scripture

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Food – glorious food! It’s everywhere. Our days and customs are built around it. We need it to survive. We want it to thrive.

Food is also an excellent metaphor for Scripture.

“Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!” Psalm 34:8

“How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!” Psalm 119:103

“Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation—if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.” 1 Peter 2:2-3

As I consider this idea of Scripture as Food, a couple of thoughts came to my mind.

Food must be eaten.

It seems silly to say, but it only takes one bite of decorative fruit to convince you that food must be eaten and digested. Eugene Peterson writes, “Christians feed on Scripture. Holy Scripture nurtures the holy community as food nurtures the human body. Christians don’t simply learn or study or use Scripture; we assimilate it, take it into our lives in such a way that it gets metabolized into acts of love.” (Eat This Book)

Scripture must be consumed. Head knowledge must become heart knowledge which transforms how we walk out our life.

Food Comes in Many Forms

Food, in its natural state, comes from the earth but in our modern society, we have lots of ways of getting it. We can pick it up from the grocery store and cook it ourselves. We can order a prepackaged meal. We can eat at a restaurant or stop for fast food. We can make everything from scratch or buy things in various states of preparation. One could, conceivably, spend an entire lifetime without ever setting foot in a kitchen.

Convenience foods are wonderful. I am so grateful for frozen pizza. Yet we lose something when our main source of nourishment is quick and prepackaged. Sometimes it is obvious – the food we are consuming only resembles real food but is actually empty calories. Other times, what we’ve lost is indefinable. There is a sense of connectedness to be found in the daily ritual of gathering, preparing, and consuming food.

Scripture comes to us in many forms as well. In this age of instant information, we have access to devotionals, emails, blogs, Instagram posts, studies, videos, so much more. In my house we put Scripture on our walls as decoration, we wear it on our clothes, and listen to it on the radio. I read a devotional book with my children, usually a single verse or short passage paired with an anecdote to help clarify the meaning of the verse. I love scrolling through my Instagram feed and seeing a beautiful photograph with a Scripture written over it. These are wonderful, convenient bites of spiritual nourishment. But if my only contact with the Word comes from these pre-packaged, quick fixes, how well is my soul being fed? Sure, we can survive on this limited diet. But can we grow?

Food doesn’t always taste good

My least favorite question in the entire world right now is “what’s for dinner?”, mostly because it is always followed by groans, eye-rolls, and helpful suggestions for something better, like Chick-fil-a. My standard reply to the complaint goes, “You don’t have to like it. It’s good for you.”

Not every part of the Bible is pleasant or easy to read. Humanity is lost, broken, and depraved since the Fall. Story after story in the Bible shows us the depths of depravity, revealing how much we need the generous mercy and kind love of God. We might not always like what we learn but taken together each piece of the Bible is important for teaching, reproof, correction, and training in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16). It’s good for us.

Food is Simple and Complicated

Did you know that the color and shape of food can give you a clue about its nutritional value? Red fruits and vegetables can lower blood pressure and cholesterol. Walnuts – which look like tiny brains – have been shown to improve cognitive health. But of course, we don’t need to know any of this to enjoy a good pasta sauce or apple and walnut salad.

Eating food comes pretty naturally. We pick it up as children with relative ease. As we grow we learn more about the relationships between foods and new techniques for preparing them, enhancing our enjoyment. Then there are professionals. Culinary experts raise food preparation to an art form and nutritionists are forever discovering more about the complex design of food and how it works in our bodies.

Likewise, the Bible comes to us in the form of a story, simple and remarkably accessible regardless of education. Jesus says we need only the faith of a child, as small as a mustard seed (Mark 10:15, Matthew 17:20). Yet study of the Bible is a lifelong endeavor. Scholars devote their lives to study and still never come to the end of unfolding the glorious mystery of who God is and how He loves us. (Job 11:7). You and I don’t have to be an Iron Chef to prepare a delicious and satisfying meal, and we don’t need to be a professor of ancient languages or archeology to study and enjoy Scripture.

Scripture is Food

In Deuteronomy 8:3, Moses explained (and Jesus quoted in Matthew 4), that God “humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD.”

Food, like faith, connects us to our sense of self and cultural identity. The smells, tastes, and feelings associated with certain dishes enrich our memories and take us back to the traditions they represent. We are rooted in how we are raised and free to grow in our understanding and experience as we mature.

How does this picture of Scripture as food help you see the place of the Word in your life? Share in the comments on our Facebook page!

Metaphorically Speaking: Exploring Metaphor in Scripture

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My life is an open book. Love is an open door. When God closes a door, he opens a window. Laughter is music for the soul. All the world is a stage. These are a few of my favorite… metaphors!

 

As a writer, homeschool mom, and perpetual student of the Bible, I have come to adore language, most especially when it is used to tell our stories. Story is easily the most accessible form of human communication because stories speak first to the heart, engaging the emotions, and then to the mind, inviting participation. Stories reveal the relationship between people and places and things and one very effective, often unassuming tool used to connect people and things in a story is the Metaphor.

Not a Simile but Similar

A metaphor is a figure of speech comparing two things, using something known to explain or describe something unknown (similes are a type of metaphor that use the words as or like in the comparison).

If we were to meet in the grocery store and I tell you my kids are a barrel of monkeys today, thanks to metaphor you’ll know they haven’t literally changed from human to animal, but that their behavior is wild and probably driving me crazy! If I tell you they’re growing like weeds, you’ll know I mean they’re growing quickly. And if you chuckle and remind me that childhood is a candle in the wind, I’ll know you’re reminding me how short and precious these years are.

Metaphors slip easily into our daily conversations and they are an important feature of Scripture too.

“If we don’t understand how metaphor works we will misunderstand most of what we read in the Bible.”

(Eugene Peterson, Eat This Book)

Meta-Poetical

Jesus frequently taught through parables (short stories intended to illustrate wisdom or truth – see some examples here) but he also used metaphors. In the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7), he calls his disciples salt, light, a lamp, and a city on a hill. He teaches us to be like the sparrows and the lilies and warns against false prophets who are wolves in sheep’s clothing.

Each visual adds to the overall picture, giving us a glimpse of who we are and how we are meant to interact with the world.

He follows a long tradition of Hebrew poets (about 1/3 of the Bible is written in poetry!), using familiar imagery to connect feelings to truth and to give shape to abstract concepts.

The psalmists and the prophets filled their stories and songs with metaphor after metaphor so we can, in some small way, begin to understand the strength and wonder and love of our God. #metaphoricallyspeakingClick To Tweet

“For one thing, God’s action and presence among us is so beyond our comprehension that sober description and accurate definition are no longer functional. The levels of reality here are so beyond us that they compel extravagance of language.” (Peterson)

Miraculous Metaphor

When considering the structure of Hebrew poetry, its use of parallelism and metaphor, C.S. Lewis writes, “It is…a wise provision of God’s that poetry which was to be turned into all languages should have as its chief formal characteristic one that does not disappear (as mere meter does) in translation” (Reflections on the Psalms)

Despite thousands of years and miles and the differences in geography and culture that separate us from the world of the ancient authors of Scripture, we modern readers can access the same thoughts and feelings that occupied them through the sharing of common pictures like rocks, eagles, trees, streams, lions, and lambs.

This month on the blog we will be exploring some of our favorite metaphors for and from Scripture and considering together how these images illuminate our understanding of God so we can deepen our relationship with Him.

Thanks for coming on this journey with us! (That’s a metaphor!)

Praying for Hungary

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This month at Do Not Depart, we are praying for missions work “that the world may know”. Today, let’s pray for the people of Hungary.

Hungary is a country in Central Europe, about the size of Indiana. It is bordered by Slovakia, Romania, Ukraine, Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia, and Austria. Its largest and capital city, Budapest, is actually two cities. Buda and Pest sit on opposite sides of the Danube River and are joined by a bridge that united them in 1872.

 

The culture of Hungary is rich and warm with a long heritage of the arts, especially music, and an appreciation for beauty, good food, and deep conversation. Its central location has attracted foreign domination for most of its thousand-year history. “In 1989, Hungary became a democracy after over forty years of communist domination. This sparked a period of spiritual interest and greater responsiveness to the gospel. Hungary’s integration with the West was completed in May, 2004 with its acceptance into the European Union.” (Word of Life International Ministries)

Pray for Hungary’s Heart

“For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” 1 Timothy 6:10

As the Hungarians grow in economic prosperity and embrace the post-modern culture of Western society, their interest in faith withers. Pray for revival among the Church, and for a recommitment to spiritual maturity.

Pray that the seeds of the gospel will fall on good soil, take root, and bear good fruit. #ChristianMissionsClick To Tweet(Luke 8:15)

 

Pray for a Harvest of Disciples

“And he said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.” Luke 10:2

 

According to Operation World, interest in working overseas is waning though the need for strong leaders making disciples is still strong. Pray for encouragement for the church leaders, resources, including art and media that will glorify God.

 

“Despite an impressive history of Christianity, the spiritual atmosphere in Hungary can be described as cold and inactive. In fact, 27% of its people declare no religious affiliation. It is estimated that only three percent are evangelical believers. Church and religion are increasingly considered irrelevant or unimportant, creating a challenge to missionaries to develop appealing, vibrant ministry outlets and authentic, engaging relationships among the Hungarian people.” (ABWE)

 

“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 5:14-16 Pray for the light to shine in Hungary.

A Penny for Your Thoughts? Speaking Truth to Yourself

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Words are powerful. At the beginning of this series, Jennifer shared the creative nature of words and Ali reminded us that our words can build people up or tear them down. Today, I’m going to talk about the words we speak to ourselves. 

 

A Penny for Your Thoughts

I don’t know about you, but I estimate that I have a bajillion thoughts on any given day. Maybe a bajillion and ten on a quiet day. Now, math is not my strongest subject, but the numbers here clearly indicate that the person I talk to the most is me! It stands to reason then that what I say to myself matters. 

Are my thoughts reflecting truth? Encouraging endurance? Leading me to Jesus? 

Or are they distracting, tearing me down by reinforcing lies? 

 

Why Would I Want My Own Destruction?

We know that our battle is not against flesh and blood, but it’s easy to forget how often the enemy is my own heart! 

“For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. (Romans 7:15)

 

“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?”  Jeremiah 17:9

 

“Whoever trusts in his own mind is a fool, but he who walks in wisdom will be delivered.” Proverbs 28:26

 

“For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander.” Matthew 15:19

 

Sometimes the thoughts come unbidden, invading quiet moments. Other times, they’re triggered by a strong emotion or the need for a response. Regardless, they have the power to make or break my whole day. 

I don’t remember exactly when I heard it, or who said it, but somewhere in my “young mom years” a wise woman shared the advice that the glass is only half-empty if you see it that way. In other words, you need some positive self-talk. 

 

Think About These Things

While there are many resources out there advocating the benefits and tricks of positive self-talk, what it essentially boils down to is recognizing the lie and replacing it with the truth. 

“We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” (2 Corinthians 10:5, NIV) 

In my house, we call it “changing the narrative”. We use the Phillippians 4:8 test to encourage one another to listen to the truth.  

Changing the Narrative is recognizing the lie and replacing it with the Truth. #wordsoflifeClick To Tweet

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Philippians 4:8

 

“Nobody likes me!” Is that true?

 

“Ugh, I don’t want to invite that kid to the party. His parents are so obnoxious!” Is that just?

 

“I’m going to eat this box of cookies because I had a really bad day and I deserve it.” Is that lovely or excellent?

 

“I hate this!” Is that honoring? 

 

Of course, positive self-talk is more than just slipping on your rose-colored glasses. The Truth and Justice found in the Word of Life will always remind us of our need for Jesus, the One Most Worthy of Praise. 

 

In her book, Made to Crave, Lysa Terkurst writes, “We consume what we think about and we think about what we consume.” If we fill our minds and hearts with Scripture, we will find our words to ourselves and others reflecting reality in light of Truth and we will be able to walk in the power of His Spirit. 

 

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. Romans 12:2

Let Go and Know He is God – Series Wrap Up

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We have been de-cluttering all month with our series Let Go and Know He is God. Because of God’s unchanging character, we can let go of the things that drag us down and hold us back.

Because God is SOVEREIGN I can let go of CONTROL

Because God is CARING I can let go of MY WILL

Because God is PRESENT I can let go of the FUTURE

Because God is BIG/MIGHTY/STRONG I can let go of SMALL THINKING

Because God is GENEROUS I can let go of HESITATION

Because God is PERFECT I can let go of EXPECTATIONS

“Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”

Psalm 46:10

#LetGoandKnow

Should I? Letting Go of Expectations Because God is Perfect

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I’m not perfect (hold for surprised gasp). It’s true, I’m not. But I spend a lot of time working to live up to other’s standards for me. 

In today’s post (part of our #letgoandknow series) we’re going to look at God’s perfection. Because He is perfect, we can let go of those expectations. 

What is perfect? 

This God—his way is perfect (Psalm 18:30). 

To be perfect is to be without flaw. Blameless. Complete. Whole. Entirely in accord with the truth.  God’s character is the standard by which all things are measured. 

  • He is perfectly good. (Numbers 20:12) 
  • Perfectly just (Deuteronomy 32:4). 
  • Perfectly truthful. (John 17:17)
  • Perfectly faithful. (1 Corinth 1:9).  

When I measure my life and character against the world, I get very confusing results. By some standards, I am doing great! Living a good life. By others, I am seriously lacking. The standards are inconsistent, exhausting, and ultimately a lie. By the world’s standards, it is impossible to find lasting peace, genuine joy, and true love.

In God’s perfection, we find a standard that is consistent and worth pursuing.

In God's perfection, we find a standard that is consistent and worth pursuing #letgoandknowClick To Tweet

Impossible Standards

But aren’t God’s standards a little…impossible? Jesus taught his disciples “You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. (Matthew 5:48) In the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7) He shows them how it is not enough to simply keep the external commandments of the law. Perfection is in the direction of our hearts. 

The prophet Amos put it like this, “behold, the Lord was standing beside a wall built with a plumb line, with a plumb line in his hand.” (7:7)

“A plumb line is a weight, usually with a pointed tip at the bottom for marking a point. The weight is suspended from a string; gravity pulls the weight down and pulls the string tight. It is used by builders as a vertical reference point – to make sure what they are building is straight….A plumb line does not deviate, it does not provide excuses, it does not just tell you what you want to hear, it does not change. It is unerringly straight and right.” (from Bible.org) 

 

I want to be perfect, but when God is my plumbline, I see myself as I am – crooked, flawed, hopelessly imperfect. 

 

 

 

Washed in Perfection

Thankfully that is not the end of the story.

 “His eyes are full of love as gently He shows us where we are crooked and need to be made straight.” (Stanley Voke, Personal Revival)

God’s plumbline shows us our iniquity (that which deviates from the plumb) and brings us to repentance, the place where we are redeemed. 

“But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” 1 Corinthians 6:11

“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:23-24)

I am not perfect, but because Jesus is, I can let go of the expectations, the burdens of trying to be good enough, and rest in His Perfection. 

“The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul”

Psalm 19:7

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