Changing the Face of Love

I must be getting old – a quick glance and I see my mother’s hands at the end of my arms – yes I am getting old. I think I’m getting a little cranky too because I do not like what I am seeing on TV. Pardon my spew but show after show after show and over half the commercials deal with illicit sexual content. What is that teaching our young people? Just this week the Parents Television Council reports the broadcast television networks favor adultery and promiscuity over marital intimacy, and in a new study, suggests that “many in Hollywood are actively seeking to undermine marriage by consistently showing it in a negative manner.” In addition the violence is so graphic and it’s ok to use foul language and use the Lord’s name in a disrespectful & highly offensive manner. The choices have grown very small as to what various age groups can view on TV these days. The Disney channel is about where regular TV was 40 years ago – in need of parental guidance. We’re down to a few game shows, sports, men quit laughing, and a small percentage of the reality shows. That’s about it.

I was reading in 1st Corinthians chapter 8 where Paul is addressing some of the issues of the day that members of the church had requested his counsel. And while I am aware he is addressing dietary issues the 9th verse just leapt off the page at me.

But food does not bring us near to God; we are no worse if we do not eat and no better if we do. Be careful, however, that the exercise of your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak. -- 1 Corinthians 8:8-9NIV

String a pearl: In the God’s Word translation, “But be careful that by using your freedom you don't somehow make a believer who is weak in faith fall into sin”.

Yep, that’s verse 9 again – different translation – yes I am repeating it – instant replay if that terminology is more comfortable. We have so much freedom in this country that we have run amok! We’re changing the face of love. What does TV show the face of love to be? Certainly not family – God maybe?  Not on my TV. Wow, if this keeps up we’re all going to be forced to turn the big box off and talk to each other. Oh Revelation!

I don’t know what the face of God looks like but I love the familiar optical illusion of Him where truths about God are etched in His face. I think I would also see my husband, my family, my friends, my church and myself in the face of His love. You too?

You are loved,
Lyndi

THE PRODIGAL SON RETOLD

Luke 15:11-32

Feeling footloose, fancy-free and frisky, this feather-brained fellow finagled his fond father into forking over his fortune. Forthwith, he fled for foreign fields and frittered his farthings feasting fabulously with fair-weathered friends.

Finally, facing famine, and fleeced by his fellows in folly, he found himself a feed flinger in a filthy farmlot. He fain would have filled his frame with foraged food from the fodder fragments.

"Fooey! My father's flunkies fare far fancier" the frazzled fugitive fumed feverishly, frankly facing fact.

Frustrated from failure and filled with forebodings, he fled for his family. Falling at his father's feet, he floundered forlornly. "Father, I have flunked and fruitlessly forfeited further family favors."

But the faithful father, forestalling further flinching, frantically flagged his flunkies to set forth the finest fatling and fix a feast.

The fugitive's fault-finding frater, faithfully farming his father's fields for free, frowned at this fickle forgiveness of formal falderal. His fury flashed, but fussing was futile.

His foresighted father figured, "Such filial fidelity is fine, but what forbids fervent festivities? The fugitive is found! Unfurl the flags! With fanfare flaring, let fun, frolic and frivolity flow freely, former failures forgotten and folly forsaken. Forgiveness forms a firm foundation for future fortitude."

That fun formulation of this famous parable of Jesus is called The Prodigal Son in the key of F and was originally written by Rev. John Garlock and Gwen Jones in the 1940s (see p. 10 of A/G Heritage, Fall 1990).

A pearl to string: Salvation can, but doesn’t always involve being rescued from a life of wallowing with the pigs. And pigpins cannot be fur-lined by parents. There is another son in the story. He wasn't lost..... he never left home, never asked for his inheritance early, never wasted a penny, and served his father every day. If he was never really lost, it follows that there is no need for him to be found. But as the parable unfolds, it becomes clear that there are two prodigal sons. The oldest son had been a part of the safety and nurture of his father’s household his whole life, but had failed to develop a grateful, joyful spirit. And he is lost. There’s a party going on and he won’t participate he remains on the outside judging and calculating whether this is fair or just or deserved for someone far less faithful than him to be celebrated like this. The parable ends unresolved. Here's the truth they each must discover: (John 14:6) Jesus says "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

We are deep and wide in His fadeless love,
Lyndi

The Magnetic Pull of Temptation

Ever notice that the news these days isn't new at all? Same old same old. It still
centers on man’s eternal struggle with temptation and the ever present nose-dive into sin. Temptation is not sin. but it is the forerunner of sin. Temptation is an appeal to the carnal, human mind and flesh to think or do something contrary to God's law of love. It's a force of attraction in the wrong direction. Magnetic! Life altering! Sin will keep you longer than you wanted to stay. It will take you further than you wanted to go. And it will cost you more than you wanted to pay. Sin is treacherous! “The inclination of man is evil from his youth.” (Genesis 7:21) This is a warning shot, at the very beginning of history, across the bow of mankind: Watch yourself; be ever mindful of your negative tendencies to cheat, steal, hurt, to be corrupt, to engage in immoral behavior. The temptation to do wrong is built in to every human being. It is a powerful force, and no one is immune from it. Jesus well understood the subtleties and powers of temptation and the weakness of human beings. On His final night with His disciples, before His crucifixion. He gave them a warning: "Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak" (Matthew 26.-41) I love God's Word. That's pretty clear. How do I keep from entering into temptation and falling into sin? Watch and pray... that's what He said.... watch and pray.

String a pearl: Forgetting how human we are is a serious mistake. It will lead us to lower our spiritual defenses and allow ourselves to draw near situations we ought not. Human nature or, more accurately, carnal mindedness is tuned into temptations. It desires to go the wrong way. It is naturally attracted to Satan's lures. Unless we catch ourselves and resist soon enough, we will be caught off guard and pulled into sin. No human being has the strength to fight this spiritual warfare alone. But though we can do nothing of and by ourselves, Jesus also tells us, "With God all things are possible" (Matthew 19:26) When a person is spiritually close to God and relies on God's power, seemingly impossible tasks become possible.

The song "Just a closer walk with thee", just popped into my head: "I am weak, but Thou art strong; Jesus, keep me from all wrong; I’ll be satisfied as long As I walk, let me walk close to Thee".

Watch and pray - our hope is in Him
and He loves you,
Lyndi

Set In A Family

Psalms 68 says that He "sets us in families" and Oh.... am I in love with the family God set me in. Each one a treasure that lights up my earth time. Then God decorated my life with so many lovely friends.... they are the jewels that sparkle and glow. Even an old lady can get positively giddy counting her blessings. We're just coming off a very special week. Our 4 children along with their mates and our 10 incredible Grands gathered at our home to put on a celebration for our 50th Wedding Anniversary. The date isn't actually until December but they wanted to do something special when everyone could travel and be involved. What a delightful surprise the evening was and what a blessing of love for those who were able to share in that evening. So what's the secret to 50 years with the same person? Never throw anyone out of your heart…. hang on till Jesus says "lets grow". To assume that our ability to love another person has its source in our own hearts is foolhardy. It's a setup for pain and bitter disappointment. We love because He first loved us. (1 John 4:19) The tell tale sign that you are operating under your own strength is anger at your beloved. That's right! If they get on your last nerve and you (in your mind) want to deck em???? you are the one out of control. To love another isn't "you" being the one who is right. As soon as it is about you it's no longer about love.

We're not the example of how to do this thing called love but God blessed us anyway. We're just two imperfect people who came from two imperfect families who birthed 4 imperfect children who married imperfect people from imperfect families and had our 10 most beautiful ever imperfect grandchildren but we have a great big perfect God and it is in Him we seek to grow and love. I might mention we don't exactly do that perfect either.

A pearl to string: Love began when God became flesh and came to live among us. It's in Him we are given both access to love and patterns with which to offer love. Consider Jesus washing his disciples’ feet; consider Him willingly and sinlessly going to the cross for our sins. This is what draws us out of ourselves and into the heart of Love, this place where His mercy meets our unworthiness and still, He loves us. Standing in that place of watching Jesus, the call becomes both clear and accessible. It is then that we are to be willing to lay down our own rights and pour out that same love to the one with whom God has joined us together in covenant. I love you Coach Wonderful. (Focus on the Family)

It's so still and quiet after all the hustle and bustle and laughter goes home. Kind of miss that beautiful chaos. In the hushed tranquility Coach Wonderful and I found ourselves cheering when the dogs barked.

Thank you beloved family and friends for the sweet time of blessing..... we love you
Lyndi