Hey, Ladies. Before I go any further, let me just say there's a reason why I'm using this sort of sad-looking picture of the three generations of Rue women. Just wanted to say that, because today is NOT a downer. Despite the chilling rain ("It's all drippin;. And wet. With water." That's from The Secret of Nimh, a great animated film from the 1980's -- did you see it whenyou were a kid?) . . . where was I going with that? Oh, yeah! Despite the chilling rain this is a good day and I'm having the best latte ever and reading your comments and settling in for another session with you. Let's start with prayer requests. Your sisters have asked for prayer for:
* GRACE ANNE, who is leaving for a youth group retreat tonight and has some nervous concerns. Godspeed, Grace.
* ANNARACHAEL, who has had to break off a friendship and is grieving, Let's pray for her former friend, too.
* SARAH ELIZABETH's friend Shannah's mother who is out of the hospital but still needs our prayers for a full rcovery
Merciful Father, please hear the prayers of your daughters.
How You Responded To Our Last Post:
ALISHA won the "humble pie" contest. She's right -- eating humble pie means swallowig your pride and admitting you're wrong. I'm thinking it's not the best-tasting dessert you could eat but it's probably healthier than most! Alisha, I can't imagine there's a book of mine you haven't read, but let me know if there's one you want, even for a friend, and I'll get it out to you. (nnrue@att.net)
I was as always moved by your honesty and insights.
* ALISHA has an affirmation she says every morning to get her past her sort of "comfortable" or maybe just "required" place of emotional pain. I think we'd all do well to make it part of our wake-up routines:
"Even though I'm stressed out about whatever, or worried about this thng, or feeling this way, I love and accept myself completely, and I know God loves me regardless."
Don't worry about the steps backward, as long as you're taking baby ones forward.
* SASHA is going to pray for Jesus' strength to forgive and love her (annoying) friend, rather than focusing on what she dislikes about her and how she's "in the right." That's exactly what I'm talkin' about, Sasha.
* ANNARACHAEL wonders WHERE she'll realize she's a grain of sand in the great awesome plan of God.
* PAIGE (great to have you back, girl!!!) sees that she needs to step back and seek the face of God when she's challenged, not just when she "has time." WIth a gulp she sees her pride at work and wants to be more intentional about seeking time with God.
* NANCY (Yep, me) realized that she is working so hard that she almost never takes time these days to curl up with a book, watch a movie, go browse through a bookstore, or take a hike -- all things I love to and need to do to be balanced. I had to admit that I go at my work as if I'm the only one God has on it. TIme to end THAT ego trip!
Before we go into today's session, let me warn you that it's going to start out sobering, but there's good news at the end of it. Hang in there with me. With Jesus.
OBEDIENCE SESSION #5
READ: John 7: 14-18 Before you read it, let me give you a little context. Jesus has gone through a long stretch of healing and restoring and miraculously feeding, not to mention walking on water and turning water into wine. But around Chapter 6, verse 22, Jesus starts talking about the hard part of following him -- at least, it's hard for some people. And the people it's hard for either (a) jump off the bandwagon and go home or (b) openly criticize him. What's the hard stuff he's telling them? That they have to believe that he's the Son of God. That he knows what the Father wants from them and for them. That he is "the bread of heaven." That one really throws them. He says if they eat that bread, they'll live forever. Even Jesus' own brothers couldn't wrap their minds around that one. As for the Jewish officials, they challenged him every chance they got, hoping to catch him in something they could arrest him for. Their first line of attack was: "How do you have such learning when you've never been taught?" In other words, "Where are your credentials?" Yeah, this isn't the easy part for anybody. In the middle of the good news, the faces go long. Just like in that picture of Marijean and Maeryn and me.
Here's how Jesus answers that question in our verse for today: "Anyone who resolves to do the will of God will know whether the teaching is from God . . . Those who speak on their own seek their own glory, but the one who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true, and there is nothng false in him."
IMAGINE & PONDER: IMAGINE yourself in that crowd. Give the scene texture as you watch people back off from the edges of the crowd and listen to the powerful church officials try to push Jesus into a corner. Where are you in the crowd? Ready to believe no matter what? Or is some of this bread and blood and believing stuff hard for you to swallow? Now PONDER what things Jesus says and expects in the Gospels that are hard for you, not only to obey, but to understand or even believe in the first place.
PRAY: In the middle of your drawing pad, write and /or illustrate the question that plagues you most. Or write and/or illustrate the Gospel verse you find most difficult to fathom or believe or obey. Let the question or the doubt be a prayer in itself. It's an important part of your conversations with God.
NUDGED TO ACTION? What's one step you can take to get more clarity on your question or your doubt? Could you share it here on the blog and invite insights from the ladies? Throw it out for discusison on our Google Group? Study the context, maybe find acommentary on the verses? Talk to a pastor or wise person you trust? Try to just do it and see what happens? If I can be of help to you, please let me know.
SHARE: If you think sharing your question or doubt or difficulty will help, feel free to do it here. No one is going to express any kind of judgment. There will, in fact, probably be ten other people reading yor comment who feel exactly the same way. Feel free also to give each other insights from your own experience. (You already know not to preach at each other so that goes without saying)
What to put in that Treasure Chest of signs and wonders? Anything that reminds you to hang in there with our Lord Christ in spite of, or even because he listens to, your doubts. A cross? A prayer rope you make with ten knots in it? Tell us what it's looking like in there!
Blessings,
Nancy Rue
I have a praise report! Today at school I was feeling kind of down and really tired. When I went to go pack up my books after the last class of the day, there was a note in my locker from a girl in my science class, and it basically said, "Grace, I love going to school with you; you're always so happy and it's a real encouragement to me. I'd like to start praying for my fellow students. Are there any specific ways that I can pray for you?" I almost broke down crying, right there in the hallway, I was so blown away by how amazing God is and how fast He works. That note was probably just a simple thing to the girl who left it, but it made a world of difference to me.
Posted by: Grace Anne | 01/25/2013 at 04:32 PM
It's funny that you should post this, Mrs. Rue, because my youth pastor and I recently sat down and had a long discussion about faith related doubts. For me, something that's been on my heart ever since I got back from the Dominican Republic over one year ago, has been the Holy Spirit.
In Acts, I read about how the Holy Spirit descended upon the disciples and early Christians; the power and awe of it is completely unfathomable. Yet, I look around myself today and say, "Is that really still here? Do we still have the Holy Spirit burning inside of us?" As these questions zing around my brain, I can't help but look at my own life and feel ashamed. How am I not healing people and speaking in tongues? If God is the same everyday, then where is the Holy Spirit in 2012 and 2013?
My youth pastor pointed me to the story in 1 Kings 18 & 19. Elijah, after having watched God light a soaking wet bull on fire and abolish the prophets of Baal, goes into the desert to seek God more. Yet, when God reveals himself to Elijah, he comes not in the fire and flames, nor in the earthquake, but in a gentle, quiet wind.
Like teachers in a classroom speaking quietly, perhaps God is whispering to get my attention, tugging at my heart in the stillness.
So, that's basically the question I've been wrestling with lately. What happened to the Holy Spirit?
Posted by: Paige | 01/26/2013 at 12:41 AM
OH my goodness I feel like I haven't posted in forever! I'm going to do the activities in the past obedience posts but I think the comments would be way too long:) :P
Posted by: *Olivia* :) | 01/26/2013 at 10:19 AM
This is really good timing for this post. In my Literature class we've been reading Dante's "The Inferno" and it's been bringing up a lot of questions in me about what's unforgivable and whether God's nature is more wrathful or loving and how God can be a God of love if hell is really the way it's described in the book. On top of all that I've been really really frustrated with myself and wondering what I'm doing here (at college). However, yesterday at the dance department meeting (which we have every week) at the end we had a time where we just spread out over the floor and prayed and worshipped. By the end of the time there wasn't one person who wasn't either crying, comforting/praying with someone else, or alone and deep in prayer. I ended up just lying on the floor with so much running through my head that I just couldn't help from crying. Then a senior that I don't even know that well came up to me and just sat beside me and started praying for me. I'd never had an experience like this where everything she said was so exactly what I needed to hear it was like God was whispering them in her ear so she could tell me. Especially right before she walked away she said "You are special. You are special to God and he holds you in the palm of his hand." Those were literally the exact words I'd been longing to hear.
That was a very long story, but the point is that I already got some clarification for the things in the Bible I'm struggling with, God's love and my own worth and this is a really great scripture. I truly want to seek God's will and work to honor him, I just don't always know how exactly. I think my "action" is going to be just not giving up and not stopping questioning, I'm just going to start seeking answers instead of letting them build up inside of me. I'm going to remember that no matter what I may be confused about, God DOES love me.
Posted by: Melody | 01/26/2013 at 11:25 AM
I just got back from my youth group retreat!!! It was the most fun I've had ever!!! We did a lot of hilarious things, and I made tons of new friends. I feel that I've really grown in my Christian walk, and I feel way closer to God!
Posted by: Grace Anne | 01/26/2013 at 03:48 PM
That's teriffic, Grace Anne!
Posted by: May | 01/27/2013 at 03:59 AM
Gonna have to think about that some more-- I have lots of questions! One of the main ones I've had recently, is about forgiveness. I know that once we confess our sins and ask Jesus to come into our heart, He forgives us and makes us "new".
But, lately I've been wondering about the sins I've done that I'm not even aware of. If I don't know about a sin, how am I supposed to repent of it? And, what happens to Christians who die before they have a chance to repent of all the sins they did that day? So, I've started talking to some godly leaders in my life (parents and a mentor ) and reading the Bible, trying to understand this more. Afraid I still have some questions, but it's a step in the right direction :)
Posted by: Sasha | 01/27/2013 at 12:54 PM
@Sasha, my understanding of it is that Jesus died for all our sins, past, present and future. When we place our faith in Him and become Christians we're forgiven. Asking for forgiveness of sins is something we do to admit that we know the things we've done are wrong, God already knows that we've done them. Confessing our sins strengthens our relationship with Him. Does that make sense?
Posted by: Therese | 01/27/2013 at 06:40 PM
Therese, thanks for sharing! It does make sense, and from what I've heard and read in the Bible, I'm inclined to agree :) Thank you!
Posted by: Sasha | 01/27/2013 at 08:47 PM
I'm entering a new season in life, and I just came from a pretty brutal one. But I think that the brutal one has prepared me for this new one. I'm starting school in a public school, which I've never done before. The other night in a youth meeting, I was telling God that I'll do what He wants me to do. I've said that before, but it always scared me. This time though, I realized that I wasn't scared. I think going through hell makes you a little bolder. I'm entering into a whole new season of obedience.
Posted by: Jyllenna | 01/27/2013 at 10:18 PM
Pray for me girls? I'm really struggling. Thank you. <3
Posted by: Therese | 01/27/2013 at 10:45 PM
Sorry i haven't been postin for awhile prayer request: I seem to be straying away from God...again. I really want in my heart to become a better Christian but when it comes to actually putting that into practise it doesn't go to well :y
Posted by: Amy | 01/28/2013 at 05:28 PM
Praying Therese. If you want to talk feel free to email me.
Posted by: Melody | 01/28/2013 at 07:58 PM
Girls, I am so moved and amazed by these comments, how willing all of you are to pray through your struggles with God and actively invite Him to help you work through them together for the sake of a deeper relationship with Him. I love you all so much <3
One thing I've always had a hard time understanding is when Jesus says that those who wish to follow Him must lay down their lives, take up their cross, and follow wherever He leads. But what does laying down my life and taking up my cross mean? Shouldn't I be out on a mission field or in church every day instead of going through the typical school-sports-friend routine? And how do I know if something I'm struggling through is part of God's plan for me to know Him more or some unnecessary obstacle that Satan is trying to trick me into stressing over to prevent me from spending time with God? So I guess my nudge is to do the work put before me everyday, and do it with all that I have for God's glory. That algebra homework I'm stuck with for an hour every night? I'll do it, and make sure I really understand it - maybe I'll be able to help someone who needs it. Soccer practice late at night? I'll learn discipline to get all of my work done. Spats with my family? I'll do my best to show love and grace, even when they get heated. I feel like all of these little things are too small to matter, but I guess this is the season God has me in right now. I will obey and do my best to blossom where He's planted me, trusting that this is all part of His greater plan.
Praying for everyone! Love you girls lots, so glad to finally be caught up ;)
Love and Blessings,
*Rachel*
Posted by: *Rachel* | 01/28/2013 at 08:47 PM
Oh, and Sasha - I think that to sin means that you actively have to choose to turn from God. Like, you know what you're doing is against His will, but you decide you're going to do it anyways. So I think that if you're unaware of a sin, it may not have been a sin that you chose to commit in the first place. And if you do die with some sin on your heart (as long as it isn't a choice where you totally turn away from Christ, like murder or something), God's mercy is so much greater than we can imagine. If you live your life with your first priority as love for Him, He will protect and heal and forgive you - that's what he loves to do :)
That's my understanding of it, hopefully it helps!
Posted by: *Rachel* | 01/28/2013 at 08:50 PM