Thirsty Thursday - What can I give?

Nourishment for the spirit

So as these past two weeks have gone by, I've dealt with meeting graduation deadlines (for a wonderful homeschooling graduation ceremony), sickness (yuk! makes me appreciate the years of health I've had), and home/church/activity management. Anyone else been there?

So as Resurrection Day approaches, I've had the question lingering in my heart...What can I give? What can I offer to the Lord? Not that He needs anything from me, it's that I want to stay in a place of openness to Him.

So as I was praying and asking the Lord what can I offer? "Your words" was the answer. Now if you personally knew me, you would know that I'm not quiet as a churchmouse (people who know me are now chuckling at that statement). You would know that I love talking with people. So at the time when the answer came, I knew it was just right for "me". Isn't the Lord good about that?

So my quest for this week of Resurrection Day celebration, is to guard my words. I have already failed many times since I started. No, not mean or vulgar but...

idle

complaining

not faith-filled

not productive

causing ill-will or division

meaningless

Proverbs is such an excellent book on building one's character. 

12:25 Heaviness in the heart of a man makes it stoop; but a good word makes it glad.

15:23 A man has joy by the answer of his mouth: and a word spoken in due season how good it is!

25:11 A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver. 

I want to that...

Ultimately, what I'm striving to do is really concentrate on speaking what the Father wants me to speak, or not speak. That is so hard for me, especially the latter. Oh the tongue who can tame it? So here's my verse for what I am offering to the Lord, my words...

Colossians 3:17

Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by Him.

What are you giving to the Lord this Resurrection Day weekend? Yes, I know He did the final work; but neither will I offer unto the Lord my God that which costs me nothing. (2Samuel 24:24)

May you have a Resurrection Day that glorifies Jesus Christ and brings you times of refreshing. 

Thirsty Thursday - Tent Meeting

Nourishment for the spirit

Exodus 32 - 33

During the travels of the Israelites, when Moses was gone (only) 40 days, the people turned to Aaron and they ended up making the golden calf and worshiping it as if it were their deliverer from Egypt, their god.

When Moses came down from Mt. Sinai, and saw the horrible situation, he was so mad he broke the tablets in which God, Himself, had written. And because the people were so rebellious, God told Moses He would not go the rest of the way with them lest He consume them. It was an extremely traumatic and disappointing time for Moses.

But Moses continued to intercede for the people. He would go to the tent of meeting outside the camp, day after day, and talk with God, as a man speaks to his friend.

God granted Moses his request saying that He would go with the Israelites the rest of the journey. Then as recorded in Exodus 33:17-23, you see an intimate fellowship between a man and his Creator. Moses wants to see God's Glory. God protects Moses by His own hand and shows Moses His back as He passes by, as much Glory as he can handle.

The encouragement came when I realized that

-after Moses had such disappointment, of family, of others, and perhaps even of God,

-had he not kept going to the tent of meeting, talking with God as a man talks with his friend,

-Moses would've missed out on the holy divine presence and glory of God.

We all have disappointment of life in one way or another. Let's continue going to the tent of meeting so that we, too, will experience God's Glory.

I invite you to read the whole account in Exodus Chapters 32 & 33.

Hopefully your thirst will be quenched today.

Jesus said, "Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life."  -John 4:13-14