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Love Keeps No Record of Wrongs

November 22, 2011
Filed In Daily Devotionals

Has someone hurt you?  Have you been wronged?  Have you done the best you know how to do and it still is not enough?  If you are human and walking among other people in this world, then I’m fairly certain you can answer “yes” to each of these questions.  As Christians we know we will encounter people who dislike us, who hate us, who will insult us if we are living a life for the glory of God.  Our Savior forewarned us and told us that we are “blessed if we are persecuted” on His account. Mt. 5:11.  Somehow it seems less shocking to have unbelievers who treat us wrongly.  It’s life.  It’s hardest for Christians when we endure rebuke, rebuffs, and anger from fellow Christians, or family.  It’s hard sometimes to remember that love:

“…is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.” 1 Corinthians 13:5

This is the season when so many of us gather to be with family.  Tradition bids us come together and celebrate.  Yet, so often family members find themselves at odds with one another.  Many times conflict arises that has nothing to do with who carves the turkey, who sits next to whom at the table, who is late for dinner, or gets the wishbone.  Conflict comes from digging up bones from past grievances.  From harbored anger.  From unforgiven contention–sometimes decades old.  Sometimes we come with the best of intentions.  We vow to accept another’s irritating habits, to keep peace no matter what.  Then something happens and it dredges up the previous hurt feelings.  It’s time to let them go.  It’s time to ask God for grace to forgive.  For me to accomplish this, I center on the mercy the Lord has shown me.  He does not count my past against me.  I am forgiven from all unrighteousness.  1 John 1:9-10.

As we face the days ahead, I pray each wrong committed against us is quickly forgiven.  Life is so very short.  We show our love by not acting rudely, selfishly, or begrudgingly.  Yes, I know others may act that way towards us.  But we are not accountable for how others act, only ourselves.  We show accountability by not keeping record of wrongs.  May this be our sacrifice to a Savior who gave His all for our sin.  © Hariette Petersen, SelahV Today, 2011

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Get Out of My Way, I Want Queso

October 26, 2011
Filed In Daily Devotionals

Hoots, whoops, and cheers filled the room when I told my granddaughters I would make them some queso and chips.  ”You can make queso?  I wanna help?”  Haylee pushed a stool up to the kitchen counter.  ”Me, too.  Me too!”  Kinsey grabbed another stool and pushed it up into the corner of the counter, smack dab in front of the microwave I needed to use.  I managed to reach around her with a bit of contortionist technique (so this is how a pretzel feels), however, she completely blocked the silverware drawer.  I had to bodily move her stool so I could open the drawer and get a fork to stir the melting cheese and sauce.  Kinsey moaned.  As I grabbed a knife to cut the cheese, I assured her I’d move her back and let her watch it melt.

“That’s the same kinda cheese Mommy uses to make macaroni and cheese,” Haylee skeptically noted. “Will it taste like Los Tres?  Are you sure this is queso?  Is this how they make it?”  While I adore my quizzical granddaughters, and wallow in the joy of their enthusiasm, their interrogations can be quite overwhelming in the midst of trying to cook and avoid calamity or unintentional burns, scalding, and knife-nicks.  One time Kinsey fell off her stool when she lost her balance trying to scootch up closer to me.  No concussion, but my heart rhythm spiked.  Another time Haylee got poked in her tummy as she and Kinsey battled with a wooden spoon to stir brownie batter.  I remedied the howling by letting her crack an egg.  Then Kinsey wanted to crack one too.  I learned early on to give each of them individual bowls to crack eggs to avoid making crunching brownies, cakes, and muffins with eggshell shards.  Oh, the dilemma of cooking with children.

It makes me wonder if this is how it is for God when I am eager to help fulfill a plan He has for me…when I want to see Him work in my life.  Do I impulsively rush, crowd, and get in His way?  As He tries to work out good for His glory and my provision, do I cause more harm than good?  Does it take Him longer to accomplish something in my life because He has to stop, have patience, and tolerate my childish enthusiasm?  Do I impede progress by blocking the path to the instruments of His choice?

As I nudged Kinsey out of the way, and pulled her chair away from the drawer to get utensils I needed to make their queso dip, I wondered.  Is God unduly harsh to nudge me out of the way, to pull me out of progression’s path, to grab something from me to protect me from myself?  Or is intrusive action simply God’s intervention…preventive measures?  Grace and mercy?  I think so.

“Commit your way to the LORD; trust in Him, and He will act.” Psalm 37:5 ESV

This tells me God wants my faithfulness to Him, to look to Him…to follow His lead and directions, then “HE” will act, not me–God.  So often I find myself rushing to accomplish what only He can do.  Impatient to see the end result, I want to do things my way, instead of seeking His way.  I work, strive, and struggle with incompetency without regard to His competency.  I’m just like my granddaughters.  How long will it take? When will I learn?

“Without Him I am nothing.”

“My ways are not His ways.”

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

When will I learn to “trust in Lord” when chaos reigns?  to have patience when He wants to provide delight?  to move over and “get out of the way” when He is far more able than I?   The joy of the Lord is my strength…the Lord is my rock, my refuge, my peace, my hope.  Indeed, He is all I need.  All I need is to abide in Him…He will bring forth fruit (and queso), as I yield and let His Spirit flow through me.

© Hariette Petersen, SelahV Today, 2011

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Oh, My Word! Did You Hear Why…

October 14, 2011
Filed In Daily Devotionals

he stopped coming to Sunday School?  she quit working in the nursery?  they are moving their membership?  they removed their kids from youth activities?  she wants nothing to do with the church anymore?  Let me tell ya…

There’s a bevy of reasons why people do what they do.  Legitimate reasons.  And yes, some folk use anything as an excuse to do nothing.  However, many come to churches today and see a white-washed extension of the world they want to escape.  When people come to church, most seek a place of hope, of love, of kindness.  They do not want a place filled with division, sniping, and whispers.  They have plenty of people in their lives who pretend to care, who are judgmental and condemning.  They need sincerity, acceptance and genuine love.  Instead of Light, they see shadows of God’s love. The psalmist understood this all too well when he said:

“They visit me as if they were my friends, but all the while they gather gossip,and when they leave, they spread it everywhere.” Psalm 41:6

Ever had that happen to you?  Ever share your heartache, your burden, your failings with another in confidence, only to have them spread it all around? 

It’s a sad thing when Christians carry tales and negativity.  A faithful disciple of Jesus Christ resists the temptation to gossip and share tidbits of inflamatory or confidential information.  Even when the information is true, it is not wise to share it with others.  It hurts the body of Christ.  It stomps on the toes of the Bride of Christ.  It steps on the hem of her gown as she walks down the aisle to her Groom and tears apart the collective body of Believers.  It stifles the fragrance of mercy and grace she carries in her bouquet.  It clouds the radiance of her joy, love, and hope.  It smothers the truth of God with a veil of deception and hindrance. 

Gossip.  Tale-bearing cloaked as sharing is gossip when one does not have another’s permission to share.  It hurts.  It crushes the spirit.  It impedes Christian growth.

Have you found yourself as the target of gossip and whispers?  I pray you find someone with whom you can feel safe.  I pray you lean on them and do not allow one or two to destroy your faith in all.  I pray you understand and know that people (even Christian people), are not God.  Jesus loves you as you are.  He will help you and keep you and give you strength to carry on in the midst of every trial you have.  While you may not be able to trust some people, you can trust God.

Lord, help us not to fall prey to the baser qualities of our nature.  Help us quench any desire to divulge knowledge that may harm the body of Christ and color His bride with talk that serves no good purpose.  Let us prepare our hearts for the day of Your return and seek to walk humbly in Your sight until then. 

© Hariette Petersen, SelahV Today, 2011

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Leaping To Conclusions

September 22, 2011
Filed In Daily Devotionals

The receiver stretches and reaches the goal-line.  The referee raises his arms straight up. “Touchdown!”  Everyone on the team leaps in the air for joy.  Oh, but wait.  The play must be reviewed.  In seconds, excitement evaporates.  Adrenaline dissolves.

It’s not all that hard to get excited when your football team scores a touchdown, your ball-team hits a homerun, or your basketball team sinks a 3-pointer in the final second of a tie ballgame.  It’s not a struggle to celebrate with like-minded enthusiasts.  They are loyalists– loyal to their team–just like you.

Yet, it makes me wonder.  Every time I see the celebration, the frivolity, the joy, I muse. Why do Christians exhibit so little joy when their Savior is praised in Sunday worship?  Shouldn’t we be just as excited, and happy, as thrilled when we see a lost person come to Jesus? When we hear a soloist sing a powerful song of praise extolling the amazing grace we have in Jesus, why do we know raised our hands in praise and joy; our sins are washed away!  We have victory in Jesus!  We’ve overcome the world through Him! Are we not on His team?

“The LORD is my strength and my shield;

my heart trusts in Him, and I am helped.

My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to Him in song.” Psalm 28:7

I thought I was going to come apart last week when a soloist sang of God’s amazing grace and how He’d covered his sin and forgave him despite his rebellion.  My mind jumped up and down with joy!  God so loves us.  He’s won the war with Satan.  He’s overcome the world.  He’s wiped out death. He forgives my sin.  His grace is abundant! I get to spend an eternity in His glory and presence!  Then, I shared that joy outloud.  I clapped my hands and said, “Amen! Amen! Praise God!”  Another lady in front of me turned to see me.  She clapped her hands, in a moment, she wiped tears from her eyes.  She knew.  She grasped the import of the praise and glory due the LORD.  Our hearts joined in exultation, as most sat in ho-hum silence.  How do we sit silent during a clarion call to praise to His holy name?

Oh, I know we all have problems.  I know there are difficulties in lives I am unaware of.  I know that some people just are not emotionally demonstrative.  Yet, I am not talking emotion.  I am talking knowingly giving God glory for what He is and what He’s done, and what He’s doing in our lives.

Fans leap to conclusions with enthusiasm at the prospect of a silly score, yet barely crack a smile when they know, without a doubt, the conclusion of our mighty God. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to sit on the sidelines waiting for the referee to review my faith.  I don’t want to sit idly by and walk out of the stadium the same way I came in.  I want to leap for joy! After all, “leaping to conclusions” is a sure thing…when it comes to Jesus.

Hariette Petersen, SelahV Today, 2011

 

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When All Is Said and Done

September 19, 2011
Filed In Daily Devotionals

Affirmation goes a long way.

Don’t you just love it?  I do.

Have you ever met a single soul who hated affirmation?  Oh, some folks may pretend they don’t like it.  They may even brush off a compliment or praise.  But I have a tough time believing they don’t feel a twinge of pleasure when they are validated.  Trophies.  Blue Ribbons.  Diplomas.  Gold medals.  All ways society affirms achievement.  Yet, those cannot begin to have the validating power that three little words from your father have when he says…”You did great.”

I had someone compliment me yesterday that affirmed my decorating sense and it felt goooood.  Real good.  My granddaughter told me how much she loved me and liked being with me.  ”Beam!”  For me, validation helps balance out the inferiority within and the daily flubs in life.  I know I am not “all that”.  Therefore when someone affirms me, it encourages me to do more, be better, try harder.

Scripture tells us not to boast about ourselves, to let others do it.  That’s so we don’t get the “big head”, as Momma use to say.  Some Christians don’t want anyone to give them any validation because they want all the glory to go to God.  I understand that. But let’s face it; there’s enough criticism and condemnation in this world that few of us have to worry about giving out too much praise and giving someone the “big head”.

People like to know they make a difference in the world– that they are significant to others.  If we didn’t need affirmation, God wouldn’t have given some of us the gift of encouragement.  There would be no reason to include “a word fitly spoken is like apples of gold” in the book of Proverbs.  Nor would there be any promise of “well done my good and faithful servant”.  Then there’s:

“And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works,” Hebrews 10:24

As Christians we know we are significant to God.  Extremely significant.  Why else would He send His only begotten Son to die for our sins, to set us free from the guilt, shame, and rebellion?  We don’t deserve it, but God’s grace shows we mean something to Him.  A big something.  We could never be holy enough, pure enough, good enough, so God poured out His righteousness upon us.  Just thought you’d like to be reminded of that fact today.  After all, it’s Monday.  And there is something about Mondays that always seem to drag us down.

I pray you have a great week in the LORD.  I pray He blesses you and you see His blessings immediately.  I pray you hear the affirmations of others and receive them as blessings from God.  Accept them.  I don’t know about you, but when I affirm others and remind them of their value, I feel good too.  It returns a blessing to me.  I hope these words encourage you and help affirm how important you are to others in this troubled world.  I hope this feeds you and spurs you on to stir up the good within others so they are able to believe in themselves.

And if that’s notmotivating enough, take God as an example.  When Jesus was baptized, He audibly told the world, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”  Now, friends.  If God thought it important to confirm and affirm Jesus, it’s the least we can do for others we meet throughtout the week.  Agree?

© Hariette Petersen, SelahV Today, 2011

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Behind the Veil

September 14, 2011
Filed In Daily Devotionals

As I rummaged through various items in storage, I came across a 10-inch square box that was light as a feather, labeled, “Holly’s veil”.  Over 24 years ago, I made my daughter’s wedding veil and after she left home, I boxed it up as most sentimental moms would.

A few years ago, I told my daughter I had it and asked if she wanted me to keep it.  She knew her daughters would probably want to choose their own when they married.  ”Whatever.”  It didn’t matter one way or the other.   I removed it and hung it on my Victorian-styled romantic bedroom wall amid my collection of vintage purses, hats and scarves.  My granddaughters spend hours pretending with those vintage items.  Their favorite is the veil.  They love to play bride.  They take turns letting me place the veil on their heads and arrange the portion that falls in front of their faces.  Then they gather their bouquets of silk roses and pretend “wedding day”.  They entertain hopes of someday being the bride to a handsome groom.

As Christians, we also have a hope.  Christ is our Bridegroom.  Christians are the church, the church is His bride.  Christ gave the ultimate dowery for us.  His death on the cross paid the price to have us join Him in a glorious wedding feast in eternity.  His blood washed us white as snow–it purified us from all unrighteousness so we can stand pure before a Holy God in Heaven.  Unlike a veil that hides the bride in a shadow of mystery, Christ’s blood covered us to be a light in the darkness of this world.

“12-Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold. 13-We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face to keep the Israelites from gazing at it while the radiance was fading away. 14-But their minds were made dull, for to this day the same veil remains when the old covenant is read. It has not been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away. 15-Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts. 16-But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 17-Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18-And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” 2 Corinthians 3:12-18

What is your veil?  Is it made of gossamer, toille, or gauze?  Or is it an opaque curtain drawn across the person you want to be for Christ?  Does it cloud your witness and the light within you?  As I read this passage above, I cannot help but ask these questions of myself, too.

Am I like Moses who hid behind a veil to prevent the Israelites from seeing he’d been with God?  On what or whom do I rely to express my faith, to share the gospel with the world?  The church?  The pastor?  A Bible Study group?  Since we are in Christ, then we have a hope that only we can share with the folks we each meet and greet in an ordinary day.  Since we have such hope, let us be bold like Paul and Timothy and Peter and John.  Let’s remove the veil and let others see the Light our Savior wants to illumine through His Spirit.

© Hariette Petersen, SelahV Today, 2011

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Light as Bubbles in the Wind

September 12, 2011
Filed In Daily Devotionals

I have to confess.  All day yesterday, I was burdened by the grief I saw on the
faces of folks who lost their loved ones in 9-11.  I gave a lot of thought to
the people who were riding on the four air-liners.  I can’t imagine the horror
they went through.  As poignant as the whole memorial thing was, I couldn’t help
but feel the sadness.  I am acquainted with grief, too. I knew that in time, the
heartache would lessen and the soul-sadness would fade.  I resigned myself to
what I felt until suddenly, God sent me an unexpected blessing.

My daughter needed my car to go to church.  When she returned it, she asked
if I was going to feel up to watching my granddaughters tomorrow so she could
keep an early morning appointment.  I suggested she let them stay the night.
Surprisingly, she agreed.  Within moments those little balls of giggling energy
came bounding into the house and my woes were lifted like bubbles in the wind.
Kinsey came running and latched onto my neck with her precious chubby arms and
kissed me on the cheek.  “We get to spend the night, Gwama!”

Then Haylee ran and climbed up into my lap and said, “We get to spend the
night again, Grama!”  She gave me a big hug and then told me all about church.
I couldn’t tell whether she was more tickled with church or with the idea of
spending the night.  One thing was certain; her joy was contagious.  They
brought to me what my heart had lacked all day.  God knew I needed a sparkle,
their lighthearted laughter.

“The LORD is my strength and my shield; in Him my heart trusts, and I am
helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to Him.”  Psalm
28:7

The Lord knows us better than we know ourselves.  My sadness and grief lay
heavy on my heart and mind. I thought about all the children in the world who
did not have a parent to love them and care for them and share the joys.  Yet,
we have the LORD to strengthen us, to shield us from devastating circumstances.
When our hearts trust in Him, He helps us get through the difficulty.  He helps
carry the burden.  He heals the heartache and mends the brokenness.  He fills
the void where loss leaves its crater of grief.  When we sing a song of praise
and thank Him for all He is in the shadows of life, heartaches are as light as
bubbles in the wind which find their resting place in Him.

Are you burdened?  Are you sad?  Look up.  Let God lift you on eagle’s
wings.  Let Him energize you and empower your spirit with His.  Take time to
blow your bubbles to the wind and listen to the child’s giggles of innocent
joy.  Be refreshed.  “The joy of the Lord is your strength…an everpresent help
and refuge.”  Seek Him in the morning.  Seek Him at noon.  Seek Him when the day
gives way to evening.  Allow His grace to flood your soul and cover your mind
with His presence.

© Hariette Petersen, SelahV Today,
2011

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Labor, Work and Other Blessings

September 2, 2011
Filed In Daily Devotionals

Labor. Employment. It’s not a curse on man to work.

It is a blessing. As Christians we know that because of Adam’s disobedience and rebellion against God in the Garden of Eden, God sent him and his wife packing from the bliss of perfection. God made that wonderful eutopia and told man to tend it and oversee the animals. He gave Adam a helpmate so he didn’t have to do it alone. The toughest thing they had to do was pick the ever-present fruit from trees of evey kind. It was a blessing to work all week and be able to rest on the seventh day. After their rebellion, their poor choices prompted God to add sweat and struggle to man’s labor. Weed-free gardens were no more. Eve would labor long and hard to give birth; and it would be painful. The curse was not the labor. The curse was losing the ease of their labor, the consequence for sin. Their disobedience even took away their immortality. Death would sting because of their sin.

“But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” 1 Corinthians 15:57-59

Have you labored hard and long and had the seeds you’ve sown, wither and die the moment they sprout? Have you struggled to till your “field” and spend sunrise to sunset making your rows straight and then birds swoop in and scratch up the work you’ve done and steal away your seed? Have you eagerly watered and waited to see some result, only to see your plants spring to life be strangled by the weeds?  Do you wonder where you’ve gone wrong? Don’t fret. You cannot know the seeds that have yet to come to life beneath the soil of God’s grace and keeping. You cannot know where the bird may carry your seed and if it will drop to earth and bring forth a bountiful vine with branches ladened with grapes.

Let nothing discourage you. Don’t look back on what you’ve plowed and planted, my friends. You cannot undo what the world does. You can only control what you do. You can pray. You can teach, preach and make disciples. You can love.  Your labor is not for what you see harvested in your midst. “Stand firm.” Know your whole-hearted efforts are not empty baskets before the Lord. Rest in Him. Rest in what He does through your obedient ministry for which you are called. Whatever that ministry is, do it fully for the Lord.

Mother, you are not unappreciated for wiping runny noses, playing blocks, and disciplining and teaching them obedience. Homemaker, your hands are seen as you make that bread. Father, you are not forgotten in the labor some do not see as you work to provide for the children God has given you, to love your wife as Christ loved the church. Volunteers, God knows how freely you give your heart and soul to serve others in His name.

Preachers, teachers, ministers of all kinds, give thanks to God that Jesus has provided all you need to accomplish the tasks before you. What you cannot do, God can. God will. Rest in the joy of the LORD. It is your strength. Rejoice. Praise God. Be still and know that He is God. “Your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”

© Hariette Petersen, SelahV Today, 2011

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