Good morning, Ladies, and a happy Fourth Sunday in Advent to you! I am so delighted to be sharing this season of preparation with you. Did you realize that about 25 of you responded to Tuesday's post? We've heard from In Real Lifers who haven't posted in a while and have welcomed some newcomers as well -- not to mention those of you who are with us on a daily basis. It looks like God is working among us, yes?
So let's continue to "get a Handel" on our stress by tapping into what composer George Handel has given us in his glorious composition "The Messiah."
Last time I asked for "glimmers of glory" that you've seen this last year. You posted marvelous things -- family getting along beautifully (some days!), prayers answered clearly (and eventually), being baptized, being back home again, getting better grades, reaching creative goals (singing, dancing, music, visual art), doing the right thing, growing closer to God, surrendering (and seeing results far beyond what could have been worked for), a best friend (sometimes even a soul mate), hope for the school, God as a PART of life rather than a SECTION of it, a sense of purpose, friends in tough times, a rebulding of trust, and getting through the toughest year to date by God's grace, when giving up would have been easier.
When you put all those glimmers together, the Glory of God looks like the sky over the shepherds when the angels first proclaimed the arrival of the Savior. KATE S said she mistakenly called them "glitters" but I think she's right. Those things glitter in our memories, far longer than the stuff we glued onto those ornaments for mom when we were in elementary school.
God gives us so much. That is beautiful. It glimmers. Yet like most glimmers, that realization can be fleeting. We tend to go back to where we fall short and dwell on what we aren't doing, or how "bad" we are. It's hard to stay with the shining moments when we know we could be "doing so much better."
That leads to the good news Handel reminds us of today in this piece:
He shall purify the sons of Levi
That they may offer until the Lord
An offering of righteousness.
The first In Real Lifer to post the correct Biblical "address" for that verse will win an RL book for herself or a friend. This one is a little harder to find, so I'll give you a hint: it isn't in Isaiah. Oh, and by the way, last week's winner was SMILE. So, SMILE, will you email me at nnrue@att.net and tell me which book you'd like and have a parent supply me with your mailing address?
This piece is so loaded with uplifting stuff I'm not sure I can cover it all in one post, so I'll hit the high points.
* The prophet is foretelling the coming the Messiah who will purify. I'm thinking that will resonate with you as it does with me. Sometimes I get so sick of my "stuff", don't you? As hard as I try, I still fall so far short. I want to be as pure as my innocent little granddaughter (shown above!) We all do. And yet here comes the Savior who will purify. That sure indicates to me that we can't possibly completely purify ourselves. Is that a relief or what?
* And it's the sons of Levi who are going to be purified. The Levites were supposed to be the messengers of the Lord. They were the ones who were chosen to serve at the very altar of God, and yet they'd grown unfaithful. If that doesn't strike a nerve, it should -- because that's us. No matter how uncommitted we may feel at times, how far away we think you've grown from God, we wouldn't be here on this blog if we weren't supposed to be the Lord's messenger, if we weren't picked out to serve God's people in spite of our faithlessness. YOU are the people God is talking about through this prophet. YOU shall be purified.
* And why will you be purified? So you can offer unto the Lord an offering of righteousness. Although I so often admit to my shortcomings and weaknesses and ongoing challenges, I want to say this to you: it is far easier for me to offer righteousness to God than it used to be. I AM NOT PERFECT, but I'm a much better person than I used to be, before I learned to surrender, before I made quiet time with God a priority, before I started to look more at what God wants from me than what other people require. I have a long way to go, but I tell you this so you will know that it's true.
HE SHALL PURIFY YOU, THE MESSENGERS AND SERVANTS OF THE LORD, SO YOU CAN BE AN OFFERING OF RIGHTEOUSNESS.
Is that not the best news you've heard in a long time? Doesn't that relieve about 90% of the stress that the world puts on you and that you put on yourself? Let's think about it this way (and if you want to post you can comment on any or all of these):
* What are the things that God is this very moment purifying in you so that you can better offer yourself as a messenger and servant?
* How is that happening? Where do you see yourself expressing more of the Message? Where do you find that you are more "righteous" than you were this time last year?
* Do you see evidence that God is faithful even when you're not?
God doesn't do ALL the work. We have to work with God by receiving the gift of purification and using it to serve. But we can't even begin without this gift from God. Let's recognize that and open ourselves up to it. No matter how far we may have drifted from the altar.
So looking forward to your responses. Your posts will be music to our souls.
Blessings,
Nancy Rue
Malachi 3:3
Posted by: Trinny | 12/18/2011 at 08:31 AM
not sure how to answer these questions but hehe i think God is helping me to think of my sisters more...now i don't fight as much with them and yeah ^^ so im super happy haha I guess i really prayed for our relationship as sisters and friends to get better and it did! and sometimes when im feeling really upset, i get really mad at my sisters for some reasons and i dont want to be nice but...i guess im changing slowly haha i can see myself being nicer and i try really im really glad hehe
Posted by: Trinny | 12/18/2011 at 09:00 AM
sorry 3rd post i just had a prayer request
for the Christmas program at church, we're doing this worship dance and its not far its like next week and we're not ready...and the guy that was originally supposed to teach me, i started teaching him and now im in the state of teaching all people who are doing the dance. I don't think i should get that honor i mean i really dont have the right to... and i feel like it might be too much please pray for me and more importantly all the other people
Posted by: Trinny | 12/18/2011 at 09:02 AM
Lately I've really been trying to make God a priority in my life, and it's actually a lot harder than I thought it would be! But I can see that God is helping me with it. I'm so grateful. :)
Posted by: Veronica | 12/18/2011 at 09:04 AM
Praying for you, Trinny!
Posted by: Veronica | 12/18/2011 at 10:28 AM
I will pray for you Trinny. I never really looked back on last year, but I felt so happy when I did. I've grown in so many areas of my life. :))
Posted by: Caitlin | 12/18/2011 at 05:11 PM
Thanks for praying!
Posted by: Trinny | 12/19/2011 at 05:58 AM
Something that God is purifying in my right now is my speech and what I say. I've always had a tough time finding the line between a funny or sarcastic comeback and saying something mean. I like being sarcastic and saying funny things that make people laugh. This year I've really started realizing that some of what I say could hurt people. I think God is really opening my eyes and helping me find that line. Twice I've realized I've gone over it a little bit and then I went back and apologized to the person. Both times they just laughed it off and said they were okay, they weren't mad or whatever, but I'm hoping that apologizing shows that I really didn't mean to hurt them and that I am willing to say I'm sorry.
I think this year I'm just a lot more aware of other people's feelings than I was last year. I notice it much more when people are hurting. I think I'm really good at reading people, I just haven't figured our always what to do about it besides pray.
I definitely see evidence that God is faithful when I'm not. A few years ago I was depressed and I'd all but completely given up on God. But, he was faithful and even though I didn't see it at the time and it wasn't like a miracle overnight transformation, God brought me through my hopelessness. Now, I just want to figure out what I'm supposed to DO with all this.
Also, I have a prayer request. I'm really scared for my dance audition in late January. Not only will I be flying alone for the first time, I'll have to change planes for the first time, I'll be staying with someone I've never met (a current trainee member with Ballet Mag), and I have to give my testimony in front of a bunch of people. I've never given my testimony to ANYONE, let alone people I don't know. So, I'm just really nervous about it all. Praying for everyone!
Posted by: Melody | 12/19/2011 at 08:49 AM
Right now God is purifying me in where I put my trust, what I hope in. I've realized, and it especially hit me this morning, that I often feel worthless because I trust in what I can do. I think that I can be perfect all by myself, or at least do better. But I can't, so when I mess up, I fall apart. I need to put my hope in Christ, in His wonderful gift of salvation! Because otherwise, I'm totally hopeless.
Hope is something I've been learning more about with God, because I never really understood what the big deal about it is - I mean, we've got love and faith, right? So why do we need hope? But as I said before, I'm understanding now why I truly need to fully put my hope in Him, relying wholly on Him, trusting He will save me. 'Cause He does.
He's faithful even when I'm not. I see that every single day. How blessed I am, and how I don't deserve any of it. All of the spiritual gifts He's given me. All of my friends. My amazing family. It's incredible, and I can't understand it, but because of His faithfulness, I can truly live in Him.
OK, so, I'm going out of order here (*gasp*), but I'm finding that I'm more 'righteous', becoming more Christ-like, when I fully hope in Him instead of what I can do, because then I have more FREEDOM. I don't constantly have to worry if I'm messing up or if I'm going to mess up. I get to just LIVE. I get to serve my Savior wholeheartedly, knowing that He loves me and treasures me (beyond my understanding), and just knowing that gives me strength. It's awesome. ;)
Trinny, Melody, praying for you! That's brave, both of you. I'm praying everything goes smoothly, Trinny, and that you are kept safe and changed through this experience, Melody!
Could you pray for me today as my family goes and serves with Metropolitan Missions at a local church? That'd be great. God bless, y'all! Praying for everyone!
Posted by: Nicole | 12/19/2011 at 10:10 AM
Right now God is purifying me in removing jealousy. I've struggled with it for 3 years, it's held me down and I felt like it was a monster living inside me, controlling my every move. No more. God's slowly unraveling the bitterness intertwined with that jealousy and MAN! it feels mighty good.
Looking back from last year to this year, I feel that God's taught me a lot more about responsibility. Not only when and how I need to take some, but also I need to stop blaming and belittling myself for things that were NOT my fault. I know last year I felt so weighed down by other peoples problems, but God's given me the peace and understanding that I am not responsible for that- nor should I depend upon my own flesh-like ways to attempt to fix those problems.
Praying for you Trinny &Melody. I almost think giving your testimony to people who don't know you would be easier- at least for me. The way I see it is you may never see those people again, you've got one chance to make an impact and I'm sure you will do a great job of it. :)
Posted by: Paige | 12/19/2011 at 10:47 AM
Paige: I would be less nervous to give my testimony to people I don't know than people I did, but since it'll be an audition I'll be giving my testimony in front of a bunch of people who are older than me and who I'm hoping to "join the ranks" of. I know they'll be really nice and supportive and all that (especially since I know two girls who are going) but I've never given my testimony before. Oh, and nice to "see" you again :)
Posted by: Melody | 12/20/2011 at 08:58 AM
I'll be praying for you Melody! I really think it's super cool that you get to audition for what you really want to do but yea it's gonna have it's ups and downs hopefully a lot of ups haha
GOOD LUCK!!
Posted by: Trinny | 12/20/2011 at 09:10 AM
I have also noticed that God is helping me to become more responsible. I used to be the most responsible person in the world in elementary school (or maybe I just exceeded their very low expectations!), but lately I have been having more trouble with it. Maybe because 8th grade is really hard? Anyway, I asked God to please help me out with it, and I have noticed myself improving.
Posted by: Veronica | 12/20/2011 at 03:45 PM
I think that I have definetly grown closer to God this year and He has been helping me with getting my lying under control. I don't mean to be a liar, I just sometimes let one slip and I get so caught up in all my lies. But lately I've started seeking God for help and I haven't been so dishonest anymore. So I think that that is what God is purifying me of and I want with everything in me to be his servant. And lately I've tried talking about God with my friends again and I know that God is always there giving me strength and I am so thankful for Him. But my friends still sort of zone out when I get jazzed about God and start talking about Him. Please pray that my friends will listen to me and also pray that I'll not be embarrassed of my faith. Thanks yall.
Posted by: Avery | 12/21/2011 at 07:47 PM