Not Just About Me

Good Friday

admin — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 16:01:55 +0000

I was raised in church and learned very early in life of the ugliness of the crucifixion. I didn’t understand the term “Good Friday” very well. I mean, I understood that Fridays are good in general because it was the last day of the school week. It’s the first day of the weekend. People thank God that it’s Friday. But to celebrate such a tortured, painful death by terming the day “Good” seemed out of sorts to me. It certainly wasn’t good for the people involved. Jesus begged God to make sure there was no other way. God had to watch His son bear the burden of an entire fallen creation. Mary had to look upon all the torment of her son that she had loved and protected for more than three decades. It was probably harder for Mary than it was for God. God knew the plan, He knew that Jesus would conquer death. He knew the pain was only temporary. Mary could only watch in horror and trust that the God who gave her this son knew what He was doing.

As I got older, however, I began to understand that through the ugliness of the crucifixion, there was beauty. The Son of God, the author of creation chooses to come to Earth and live among us. He chooses to be one of us. He chooses to feel our physical pains and to feel our emotional pains as well. Even though he asked God to find another way to redeem us, He still went to the cross willingly. I do not know why that had to be the way, I only know that it was the way. We are a fallen people. Jesus lifted us back up again. And that, my friends, is definitely Good.

Tune back in Sunday for an Easter follow up.

Becoming Job

admin — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 04:46:03 +0000

I’ve gone through a long period of time where I haven’t prayed. Well, I’ve prayed, but I haven’t really talked with God expecting an answer. There are many reasons for this, and I’m trying to work through them all. One of the main reasons I think is that I am afraid of becoming Job.

Job was a righteous man. He was so righteous, that God allowed him to be tested just to show just how righteous he was. It sounds arrogant, but I am afraid of being that righteous. What if God sees that I am so faithful to Him that he allows me to be tested in that way?

I don’t think I could be Job in the face of losing my wife and my son. I don’t have that much faith in myself. As a matter of fact, I’m pretty sure I would fall apart if all the things that happened to Job were to happen to me. I believe in God, and I know He can provide comfort through all things, but I don’t see myself handling those situations like Job did.

The thing about the fear of becoming Job, however, is that my fear is robbing me of my relationship with God. Fear robs us of a lot of things. I am trying to not be fearful. I am trying to be confident in my faith. That is actually one of my prayers to God. I am having to pray that I will be able to believe that my prayers are heard and that He will respond.

I have enjoyed my talks with God during this first week of my “Prayer Project.” I am learning. I am not, however, anywhere close to becoming Job.

New Directions

admin — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 02:40:29 +0000

I have decided to take this blog in a different direction than previously designed. This site will now be about prayer. The reasons for this are all selfish, which seems odd when you consider the name of this blog.

Lately I have felt a disconnect from God. I have struggled with quite a few things. I have felt like God wasn’t speaking to me, but in reality, I haven’t been talking to Him, either. This is something I am going to correct by re-learning how to pray. I am not going to treat God like a genie, but I am going to petition for some things.

I am going to chronicle my prayer journey on this blog and I invite you all to come along with me.