The Hem
True story.... I started to stay home today. It's Sunday and my kids are gone. That NEVER happens. Like NEVER.
I started to just cave to the very human fact that I'm tired and my kids are gone... and "I deserve" to stay home and recoup instead of going to God's house today.
I'm pretty sure most folks who follow my blog would lovingly say, "Christie, you deserve a breather. Stay home. Nap until you can't. You're a single mom, girl. Go for it."
.jpg)
And you wouldn't be wrong to say that...
There is a lot of RIGHT about me taking that kind of time. We ALL need quiet from time to time. It's healthy.
But today, all of hell wanted me home... and I KNEW it was critical that I show up.
So, I did.
But don't be impressed.
I didn't go smiling. I went late (completely missed the music). I got mad at the lady who stole my parking place (how dare she?!). I think I ended up stealing someone else's parking place after that (I PROMISE I didn't mean to!). I did a quick hug with a friend on the way in and stepped on her toe.
It was messy from start to finish... one of those "God, just get me to my seat" kind of days.
Oh, cause what I deserve, y'all... I deserve the repercussions of every mistake I've ever made or will make. That's what I deserve. What I deserved this morning? An attitude adjustment.
But God, y'all...
He's already wrapped up what I deserve and it's been paid for. What I will do, what I have done,what I don't do, the whole ball of wax.... blood bought by Christ himself.
And I don't say that last part to be "churchy."
When we as Christ followers speak "church-inese" (thees, thous, and churchisms that none of us really understand) we lose most of the folks we most want to reach AND some folks in the church. So we won't do that here. Let's just speak English here.
I was lost in a world that told me to be more, achieve more, don't be bad, be good, have a lot, show off where I've worked to get to, and say "Amen" every now and then.... and to wrap it all up by putting a fish tag on the back of my car and a bible verse as my screen saver.
HIGH PRESSURE with a smile.
Don't get me wrong, I agree completely that loving Him is everything, and being nice is 10 shades of awesome. It's all good if we leave it there (notice there's no "should" with either of those).
But the screen shot bible verse and Jesus fishy on my car tell you who I'm about.
They alone can't relay the endless overflow of grace that cancels out every "should" or "must" before them.
They don't tell you that ONE action by Jesus meant I don't have to live a life of SHOULDS and MUSTS any longer. It means I live a life of HOPE because of Him.
Are there boundaries that He sets forth within His love? Absolutely and He's pretty clear about them, but He never holds me to the standards of a broken world saying that I have to measure up. Never.
The pressure is OFF, kids. If nothing else sinks in, I hope that does. Because of Jesus Christ, the pressures of the world do not get to have their way with us.
Exhibit A? Me.
I showed up today with my messy little wad of me.... and He reminded me that He sees me. And it made me cry icky looking purple faced Barney tears.... but I needed the lesson today. I needed to show up and be the student today... and God opened the door for the best lesson.
The world wants to see that they can just come as they are... just like I did today. Wadded up, messy as all get out, tired, tears in their eyes, stepping on the toes of their sweet friends, and just ready to soak up Jesus... without any pretenses.
Today I remembered just how FOUND I am because of Jesus... and that I don't have to DO anything to be seen by His ever caring eyes. I mean, He lived a lifetime with the sole purpose of DYING so that I didn't have to pay for the mess that is me.
Let that sink in for a second.
That's huge, y'all.
Anyway, I almost stayed home today. (Yeah, we're back there... the beginning of this true story.)
Hell would've loved it if I had missed today's message and today's moments. Sure, they would have both made their way to me, in time, but they wouldn't have been FELT like they were in the place God designed for them to happen.
I'm revived by touching what a bible story calls "the hem of the Jesus' robe." (That story is a good one. Find it in your bible or google it. Whatever's easier for you! This gal is sick for so long, but she knows if she touches even the hem of Jesus' outfit that she'll be healed.)
Now, I didn't touch his outfit today, but He touched my heart directly, and I touched the hems of a lot of His kids' outfits through hugs. Each of those hems represented a life that He himself has changed.
I can't get those hugs and that experience from my computer. The woman chasing the hem of Jesus' robe couldn't have touched it by sitting in her spot away from society where she had been banned to forever because of her sickness.
We have to step out of the spot that all of hell wants us to stay in. We have to take the chance. The only MUST in the equation is that we MUST do something different from what all of hell screams in our ear.
So, my prayer for you today is that you get nothing like what you deserve.
My prayer is that you walk in just one thing that is different from what the voice in your head is saying.
Find yourself a bible verse that sounds INSANE when you hold it up to the light that is your life.
This was mine last week:
The impossible part is that last line, "...so that you will not grow weary or lose heart."
That almost sounds LAUGHABLE when you hold it up next to single parenting, special needs parenting, working full time, working part time, and going to school. Don't grow weary? Yeah, right. We learn how to do tired and never look back. I'll have time for tired much, much later on, but today is NOT the day.
But God comes in and brings help when we least suspect it. He sheds light when we don't even see it coming. He creates full blown miracles when there isn't a miracle we can imagine even being had!
That's what He does.... and we don't deserve it... but He still shows up.
Ready to love. Ready to give. Ready to change our lives.
Are you ready for His hand in your world? Pick the verse that you think JUST CAN'T HAPPEN in your life... and then pray it over your life. SPEAK IT as your verse... as your promise direct from Jesus.
Invite Him in and keep on doing the next right thing. Sometimes that's just washing the dishes. Sometimes it's showing up at His house for worship. Whatever that looks like for you, rock it out. Take a step. He's there.
Along the way, you'll find the hems of many, many garments of lives that have been touched by Jesus. I pray that you let them love you the way He does.
.jpg)
I started to just cave to the very human fact that I'm tired and my kids are gone... and "I deserve" to stay home and recoup instead of going to God's house today.
I'm pretty sure most folks who follow my blog would lovingly say, "Christie, you deserve a breather. Stay home. Nap until you can't. You're a single mom, girl. Go for it."
And you wouldn't be wrong to say that...
There is a lot of RIGHT about me taking that kind of time. We ALL need quiet from time to time. It's healthy.
But today, all of hell wanted me home... and I KNEW it was critical that I show up.
So, I did.
But don't be impressed.
I didn't go smiling. I went late (completely missed the music). I got mad at the lady who stole my parking place (how dare she?!). I think I ended up stealing someone else's parking place after that (I PROMISE I didn't mean to!). I did a quick hug with a friend on the way in and stepped on her toe.
It was messy from start to finish... one of those "God, just get me to my seat" kind of days.
Let me hear it if you know it's an amazing day to NOT get what we deserve?
But God, y'all...
He's already wrapped up what I deserve and it's been paid for. What I will do, what I have done,what I don't do, the whole ball of wax.... blood bought by Christ himself.
And I don't say that last part to be "churchy."
When we as Christ followers speak "church-inese" (thees, thous, and churchisms that none of us really understand) we lose most of the folks we most want to reach AND some folks in the church. So we won't do that here. Let's just speak English here.
I was lost in a world that told me to be more, achieve more, don't be bad, be good, have a lot, show off where I've worked to get to, and say "Amen" every now and then.... and to wrap it all up by putting a fish tag on the back of my car and a bible verse as my screen saver.
HIGH PRESSURE with a smile.
Don't get me wrong, I agree completely that loving Him is everything, and being nice is 10 shades of awesome. It's all good if we leave it there (notice there's no "should" with either of those).
But the screen shot bible verse and Jesus fishy on my car tell you who I'm about.
They alone can't relay the endless overflow of grace that cancels out every "should" or "must" before them.
They don't tell you that ONE action by Jesus meant I don't have to live a life of SHOULDS and MUSTS any longer. It means I live a life of HOPE because of Him.
Are there boundaries that He sets forth within His love? Absolutely and He's pretty clear about them, but He never holds me to the standards of a broken world saying that I have to measure up. Never.
The pressure is OFF, kids. If nothing else sinks in, I hope that does. Because of Jesus Christ, the pressures of the world do not get to have their way with us.
Exhibit A? Me.
I showed up today with my messy little wad of me.... and He reminded me that He sees me. And it made me cry icky looking purple faced Barney tears.... but I needed the lesson today. I needed to show up and be the student today... and God opened the door for the best lesson.
The world wants to see that they can just come as they are... just like I did today. Wadded up, messy as all get out, tired, tears in their eyes, stepping on the toes of their sweet friends, and just ready to soak up Jesus... without any pretenses.
Today I remembered just how FOUND I am because of Jesus... and that I don't have to DO anything to be seen by His ever caring eyes. I mean, He lived a lifetime with the sole purpose of DYING so that I didn't have to pay for the mess that is me.
Let that sink in for a second.
That's huge, y'all.
Anyway, I almost stayed home today. (Yeah, we're back there... the beginning of this true story.)
Hell would've loved it if I had missed today's message and today's moments. Sure, they would have both made their way to me, in time, but they wouldn't have been FELT like they were in the place God designed for them to happen.
I'm revived by touching what a bible story calls "the hem of the Jesus' robe." (That story is a good one. Find it in your bible or google it. Whatever's easier for you! This gal is sick for so long, but she knows if she touches even the hem of Jesus' outfit that she'll be healed.)
Now, I didn't touch his outfit today, but He touched my heart directly, and I touched the hems of a lot of His kids' outfits through hugs. Each of those hems represented a life that He himself has changed.
I can't get those hugs and that experience from my computer. The woman chasing the hem of Jesus' robe couldn't have touched it by sitting in her spot away from society where she had been banned to forever because of her sickness.
We have to step out of the spot that all of hell wants us to stay in. We have to take the chance. The only MUST in the equation is that we MUST do something different from what all of hell screams in our ear.
So, my prayer for you today is that you get nothing like what you deserve.
My prayer is that you walk in just one thing that is different from what the voice in your head is saying.
Find yourself a bible verse that sounds INSANE when you hold it up to the light that is your life.
This was mine last week:
The impossible part is that last line, "...so that you will not grow weary or lose heart."
That almost sounds LAUGHABLE when you hold it up next to single parenting, special needs parenting, working full time, working part time, and going to school. Don't grow weary? Yeah, right. We learn how to do tired and never look back. I'll have time for tired much, much later on, but today is NOT the day.
But, God, y'all....
(You'll hear me say that a lot, by the way.)
That's what He does.... and we don't deserve it... but He still shows up.
Ready to love. Ready to give. Ready to change our lives.
Are you ready for His hand in your world? Pick the verse that you think JUST CAN'T HAPPEN in your life... and then pray it over your life. SPEAK IT as your verse... as your promise direct from Jesus.
Invite Him in and keep on doing the next right thing. Sometimes that's just washing the dishes. Sometimes it's showing up at His house for worship. Whatever that looks like for you, rock it out. Take a step. He's there.
Along the way, you'll find the hems of many, many garments of lives that have been touched by Jesus. I pray that you let them love you the way He does.
And then.... I pray you'll be that hem to another soul.
ChristieAitken@gmail.com , 2014
http://www.ChristieAitken.blogspot.com
http://www.MyOilGirl.com
Twitter: @ChristieAitken
Google+: +Christie Aitken
.jpg)
Comments
Post a Comment