It is the work that God does through us that counts, not what we do for Him.

I read this in my devotional this weekend and I had to go over it a couple times to grasp its full implications. Christians are always trying to do stuff for God.  It goes hand-in-hand with our North-American mentality that we do not have worth unless we are producing something.

But in the process of doing things for God, we sometimes forget to check up on our heart and mind. Are they ready for God’s work to be done through us? It is fairly easy to build a house for someone in Africa, or volunteer at the local food bank, or sing in the worship band at church on Sunday.

It is a lot harder to develop the environment within us that lets the Holy Spirit truly breathe and thrive and change lives around us.  Are we obeying God in every area of our lives?  Are we actively surrendering jealousy, bitterness, materialism, lust, discontentment and worry at the Cross or are we trying to hold onto them while simultaneously trying to build the house in Africa, volunteer at the food bank, and sing worship at church?

Doing things for God will not benefit God’s Kingdom nearly as much as creating an environment within you that does not quench the Holy Spirit.  When the Holy Spirit is allowed to breathe freely within us, our acts for God will truly have an impact.  This is my prayer for all of us this week.

Michelle

In the past couple weeks I have encountered several cynical people.  Cynical about life, about marriage, about dreams, about ministry, about church, about people, about hope.  Jay and I were talking the other day and he asked: “at what point does one become a cynic?”

I got my answer this week. I found myself thinking very prideful thoughts when I was talking with a friend.  They were telling me what they had been learning from God and I immediately thought: yeah yeah, I learned that so long ago. But I realized in that moment that I was not being excited for this person. I was letting my pride get in the way of rejoicing with my friend.  To be totally honest, I was cynical that God was teaching them as much as he had taught me, and this could be described as nothing other than foolish, selfish, sinful pride.

I realize there are other ways of becoming a cynic. People who study politics or international development get cynical out of hopelessness. People who study philosophy  get cynical because of ‘intelligence.’  People who suffer or see suffering get cynical because of experience.

Politics, international development, philosophy, and experience are all supposed to draw us to God.  And when God teaches us something, He expects us to steward it well.  When we start looking down on others because supposedly we have more experience or because God has taught us more, we are in danger of becoming cynics. And cynics, as far as I’m concerned, get in the way of what God wants to do in this world.

Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith, and in purity. -1 Timothy 4:12-16

Ladies, let’s set an example by keeping our eyes on Jesus and not letting the world mold us into cynics.

Michelle

I have been wrestling with something this past week: the friction between justice and mercy.  God has many amazing character traits, and justice is the one that resonates most with me. But for another friend I was talking to last week, the quality that resonates with her the most is mercy. 

As most of you know, this fall Jay and I are making a documentary film about sex trafficking in Canada.  When it comes to this issue, I feel like justice and mercy butt heads.  When I think about the victims of trafficking, I want to demonstrate God’s mercy. But when it comes to the traffickers who rape, abuse, and sell them, I want God to bring down His justice: to lock them up and throw away the key.

But God’s Word is so clear that sin is the real issue. Traffickers themselves are enslaved and need God’s salvation.  How can they be healed in an imperfect correctional system? Most jails make them harder and smarter while robbing them of heart and life change.  So the question is: how can we show traffickers God’s mercy while simultaneously protecting the oppressed and powerless? How can we administer justice in a Godly way while we are imperfect people living in a fallen world? 

I threw this question up on facebook to get peoples’ input.  One response that I got was so wise, and I can sum it up in one word: redemption.  To quote: “It may be a hard thing to swallow, but might I suggest that a key element of what God has called you to in this ministry is redemption; not just of the victims, but also of the traffickers.”

I don’t know what that looks like.  But I want to spend the rest of my trusting God’s wisdom to figure that out.  Redemption.  What a beautiful, hope-filled word to apply to a dark, dark issue.

How can you practice redemption in your life?

Michelle

I am your God, I have molded you with my own hands, and I love what I have made.  I love you with a love that has no limits, because I love you as I am loved.  Do not run away from me.  Come back to me— not once, not twice, but always again.  You are my child.  How can you ever doubt that I will embrace you again, hold you against my breast, kiss you and let my hands run through your hair?  I am your God— the God of mercy and compassion, the God of pardon and love, the God of tenderness and care.  Please do not say that I have given up on you, that I cannot stand you anymore, that there is no way back.  It is not true.  I so much want you to be close to me.  I know all your thoughts.  I hear all your words.  I see all of your actions.  And I love you because you are beautiful, made in my own image, and expression of my most intimate love.  Do not judge yourself.  Do not reject yourself.  Let my love touch the deepest, most hidden corners of your heart and reveal to you your own beauty, a beauty that you have lost sight of, but will become visible to you again in the light of my mercy.  Come, come, let me wipe your tears, and let my mouth come close to your ear and say to you, ‘I love you.  I love you.  I love you.’

Girls, this is a reminder for you today that you have so much value in God’s eyes.

Love,

Michelle

I have been absolutely loving my journey through God’s Word this week.  Right now I am immersed in the book of Luke, and the words of Jesus are having a profound impact on me.  One passage got me thinking today about a pet peeve of mine, or should I say, a sorrow in my heart. 

I know some people who call themselves Christians and are always willing to boldly defend Jesus until they are blue in the face, but deny Him with their lifestyle.  I would rather be a Christian who does not feel the need to get into fierce arguments to ‘prove’ God but to reflect Him with my lifestyle. 

I am not claiming to be a perfect Christian; I know full well that I fall short all the time.  But I know people who justify their lifestyle of careless sin by participating in a few religious debates every now and then.  As long as they ‘defend’ God with their words, they can live however they want and still call themselves Christ followers. 

Here is a challenge for those of you who like to debate: stay silent on issues of faith and watch if people can notice yours through the way you live.  If they don’t, you have no right to be debating in the first place.

In Luke 6 Jesus Himself says this:

So why do you keep calling me ‘Lord, Lord!’ when you don’t do what I say?  I will show you what it is like when someone comes to me, listens to my teaching, and then follows it.  It is like a person building a house who digs deep and lays the foundation on solid rock.  When the floodwaters rise and break against the house, it stands firm because it is well built.  But anyone who hears and doesn’t obey is like a person who builds a house without a foundation.  When the floods sweep down against that house, it will collapse into a heap of ruins.

Last week Taiwan was hit by Typhoon Morakot.  The clip below is a good reminder for all of us to build a strong foundation.  How do we do that?  Through obedience to the One we claim to love.

Michelle