As I knelt down to pray at the alter last night, God put this word on my heart: Filter. I always truly feel a closeness at that alter. It's the alter where I was confirmed when I was around 12. I was married at that alter and all three of my babies were baptized there. I have been praying at that same alter for the most part of the last 30 years. It's where I have taken proabably 95% of all communions.
God speaks to me at that alter and I feel like the prayer I pray there have a direct line. I can shut the rest of the world out there. It's one of my "places" (the other being my shower) -- quiet and no distractions!
So back to the word He whispered to me: FILTER
Filter has many meanings but the first thing that came to my mind was the filter I can use on Instagram to make myself or whatever is on the other side of that lens look better. Sometime I hide behind these filters to make my life look a little better. Kinda like the woman on Seinfield who would look cute in a certain light and then looked like a man in another light. That's what I feel like most of the time. Sure I am sharing something I see as good and fun, but I am making it seem better than it really is by adding a different light and maybe "blurring out" the not so pretty.
But what God led me to see is that I SHOULD be trying to look at everything around me through HIS filter. For whatever reason I keep thinking about those Elizabethan collars that dog's wear when they have been hurt. If I am conscience about filtering everything through His "lens" if you will, I will more than likely see myself (eek!) as well as others in the way God sees us.
As I take a closer look at the sin in my life, it's not a pretty picture. What I am finding is that I am busying myself with trying to do all the good things that I feel God is calling me to do, but I am totally missing the boat as far as one of the main things he wants me to do, repent. Recognize my sins and ask for forgiveness. The more we recognize and see what our real sins are (the deep ones that I certainly hate to see in myself and don't want to admit), the closer we get to Him. It's such a hard thing to do, but in the experience of doing it, it's freeing, and the closeness is special. And like SO MANY times before, my children show me my weakness (Is it any wonder that Jesus said, "Let the little children come unto me! -- I'm sure they were the start of many a parable.) I guess we could call this, The Parable of the 100 sins.
A few weeks ago on Ash Wednesday, we were leaving the Ash Wednesday service and Rob and I had ash crosses on our heads. The kids could not figure out what in the world was on our head and started asking question. Lots of questions. We tried to explain in elementary terms that Ash Wednesday is the beginning of Lent, which is a time of year where we really try to recognize our sins and repent and begin looking forward to Easter. I told the boys that they needed to start thinking about something that they had done that day that they could ask God to forgive them for. Luke, in his out there and honest way said, "Gosh, I have 100s of sins!" Reed: crickets. When we got in bed to pray that night Luke said, "God forgive me for crying over silly things." Reed said, "God forgive me for pulling on my lip." I gave him a sideways glance and said, "Really?" He said that we are always telling him not to do it but he does it anyway. Me: "Okay, well, hummmm. Let's think a little harder." Out of all the pushes, shoves, harsh words and bad attitudes we had seen from him that day, not one was remembered. Nothing except pulling on his lip. He couldn't recall doing ANY of those things that I mentioned, but his brother sure did.
Romans 2: 3-4 (this was part of She Reads Truth today):
Do you suppose, O man -- you who judge
those who practice such things and yet do them
yourself-- that you will escape the judgement of God?
Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbeanace and patience,
not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?
Which got me thinking. Gosh -- I hate to admit it, but I am so Reed in this scenario. God is probably getting really tired of listening to me pray and saying to me, "Really, Melanie?" I have gotten really good at putting my own "filter" on my sins (and there are some biggies), with a big smile and making them LOOK pretty, and dressing them up like they are okay (underneath I am the ugly Seinfeld lady). Not seeing what God's wanting me to learn or to grow from "my 100 sins" (this is probably a low ball estimation) because I am too busy seeing sins of others (judging), too busy buying clothes that I don't need (working on that one for sure), being glued to my phone instead of lovin' on my children, comparing my life to the lives of others, neglecting good relationships, putting THINGS over people, putting THINGS (laundry list here) over Jesus. And these are just the ones I can actually write without breaking into a sweat. These are the ones I try to glaze over and not count THEN repent for running that stop sign or not petting the dog (the "lip pulling" sins).
It's so funny, Luke has really been crying LESS about silly things. It could be that his Mimi bribed him with a prize. God uses many tactics to help us grow and change and I don't think he is below a "prize" every now and then! Reed (and his mother) are still working through their sins, especially the ones that they don't want to admit. They are just a little harder to work through and will take a little more time to let it sink in. But along the way, it's going to be a beautiful thing. The remarkable way that God LOVEs for us to come to Him and lay these things at his feet.
This is an excerpt from She Reads Truth today that hits home here:
The consequences of sin are ugly and painful, and it hurts to look full at the darkness. We grieve our sinful state with honest questions and hot tears and loud lamenting—but this is the kind of godly grief that causes the apostle Paul to rejoice! Not because grief is painless or petty—it is anything but—but because godly grief leads to repentance (2 Cor. 7:9-10).
Friends, we venture into the coming two weeks ready but not ready to face the sin in and among us. We take a somber step forward knowing only a bit of what is to come. But we walk ahead nonetheless because our Savior goes with us. Let us look on our sin, and let us look long at the Cross of Christ. Look to the One who does not avoid our suffering but enters in, who does not despise our brokenness but redeems it.
May our tears of grief lead us to repentance, and may we receive refreshment for our souls.
Amen and Amen!
Sooo....I tell who DOESN'T have a filter (the kind you DO want to have and especially want your children to have....BUT can be honest/precious/endearing sometimes) ---- Luke Yates. Laura Walton shared this with me because he was sitting with them during big church Sunday morning. This is just precious and so Luke and I want to remember it. At the end of the sermon, Bro. Mike said, "Do you love Jesus?" and Luke said out loud, "YES!"
Honesty from the mouth of babes...
The lesson from this parable: My 6-year old Luke recognizes what's up-- who he loves and that his sin is real. I am so thankful that his mother (and his brother for that matter) can learn some mighty good lessons on what to filter, what NOT to, and Whose filter I need to be looking through!
God speaks to me at that alter and I feel like the prayer I pray there have a direct line. I can shut the rest of the world out there. It's one of my "places" (the other being my shower) -- quiet and no distractions!
So back to the word He whispered to me: FILTER
Filter has many meanings but the first thing that came to my mind was the filter I can use on Instagram to make myself or whatever is on the other side of that lens look better. Sometime I hide behind these filters to make my life look a little better. Kinda like the woman on Seinfield who would look cute in a certain light and then looked like a man in another light. That's what I feel like most of the time. Sure I am sharing something I see as good and fun, but I am making it seem better than it really is by adding a different light and maybe "blurring out" the not so pretty.
But what God led me to see is that I SHOULD be trying to look at everything around me through HIS filter. For whatever reason I keep thinking about those Elizabethan collars that dog's wear when they have been hurt. If I am conscience about filtering everything through His "lens" if you will, I will more than likely see myself (eek!) as well as others in the way God sees us.
As I take a closer look at the sin in my life, it's not a pretty picture. What I am finding is that I am busying myself with trying to do all the good things that I feel God is calling me to do, but I am totally missing the boat as far as one of the main things he wants me to do, repent. Recognize my sins and ask for forgiveness. The more we recognize and see what our real sins are (the deep ones that I certainly hate to see in myself and don't want to admit), the closer we get to Him. It's such a hard thing to do, but in the experience of doing it, it's freeing, and the closeness is special. And like SO MANY times before, my children show me my weakness (Is it any wonder that Jesus said, "Let the little children come unto me! -- I'm sure they were the start of many a parable.) I guess we could call this, The Parable of the 100 sins.
A few weeks ago on Ash Wednesday, we were leaving the Ash Wednesday service and Rob and I had ash crosses on our heads. The kids could not figure out what in the world was on our head and started asking question. Lots of questions. We tried to explain in elementary terms that Ash Wednesday is the beginning of Lent, which is a time of year where we really try to recognize our sins and repent and begin looking forward to Easter. I told the boys that they needed to start thinking about something that they had done that day that they could ask God to forgive them for. Luke, in his out there and honest way said, "Gosh, I have 100s of sins!" Reed: crickets. When we got in bed to pray that night Luke said, "God forgive me for crying over silly things." Reed said, "God forgive me for pulling on my lip." I gave him a sideways glance and said, "Really?" He said that we are always telling him not to do it but he does it anyway. Me: "Okay, well, hummmm. Let's think a little harder." Out of all the pushes, shoves, harsh words and bad attitudes we had seen from him that day, not one was remembered. Nothing except pulling on his lip. He couldn't recall doing ANY of those things that I mentioned, but his brother sure did.
Romans 2: 3-4 (this was part of She Reads Truth today):
Do you suppose, O man -- you who judge
those who practice such things and yet do them
yourself-- that you will escape the judgement of God?
Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbeanace and patience,
not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?
Which got me thinking. Gosh -- I hate to admit it, but I am so Reed in this scenario. God is probably getting really tired of listening to me pray and saying to me, "Really, Melanie?" I have gotten really good at putting my own "filter" on my sins (and there are some biggies), with a big smile and making them LOOK pretty, and dressing them up like they are okay (underneath I am the ugly Seinfeld lady). Not seeing what God's wanting me to learn or to grow from "my 100 sins" (this is probably a low ball estimation) because I am too busy seeing sins of others (judging), too busy buying clothes that I don't need (working on that one for sure), being glued to my phone instead of lovin' on my children, comparing my life to the lives of others, neglecting good relationships, putting THINGS over people, putting THINGS (laundry list here) over Jesus. And these are just the ones I can actually write without breaking into a sweat. These are the ones I try to glaze over and not count THEN repent for running that stop sign or not petting the dog (the "lip pulling" sins).
It's so funny, Luke has really been crying LESS about silly things. It could be that his Mimi bribed him with a prize. God uses many tactics to help us grow and change and I don't think he is below a "prize" every now and then! Reed (and his mother) are still working through their sins, especially the ones that they don't want to admit. They are just a little harder to work through and will take a little more time to let it sink in. But along the way, it's going to be a beautiful thing. The remarkable way that God LOVEs for us to come to Him and lay these things at his feet.
This is an excerpt from She Reads Truth today that hits home here:
The consequences of sin are ugly and painful, and it hurts to look full at the darkness. We grieve our sinful state with honest questions and hot tears and loud lamenting—but this is the kind of godly grief that causes the apostle Paul to rejoice! Not because grief is painless or petty—it is anything but—but because godly grief leads to repentance (2 Cor. 7:9-10).
Friends, we venture into the coming two weeks ready but not ready to face the sin in and among us. We take a somber step forward knowing only a bit of what is to come. But we walk ahead nonetheless because our Savior goes with us. Let us look on our sin, and let us look long at the Cross of Christ. Look to the One who does not avoid our suffering but enters in, who does not despise our brokenness but redeems it.
May our tears of grief lead us to repentance, and may we receive refreshment for our souls.
Amen and Amen!
Sooo....I tell who DOESN'T have a filter (the kind you DO want to have and especially want your children to have....BUT can be honest/precious/endearing sometimes) ---- Luke Yates. Laura Walton shared this with me because he was sitting with them during big church Sunday morning. This is just precious and so Luke and I want to remember it. At the end of the sermon, Bro. Mike said, "Do you love Jesus?" and Luke said out loud, "YES!"
Honesty from the mouth of babes...
The lesson from this parable: My 6-year old Luke recognizes what's up-- who he loves and that his sin is real. I am so thankful that his mother (and his brother for that matter) can learn some mighty good lessons on what to filter, what NOT to, and Whose filter I need to be looking through!
