Category: Friday Uplift

Friday Uplift (3/6/2015)

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“Where can I go from your spirit?
    Or where can I flee from your presence?
 If I ascend to heaven, you are there;
    if I make my bed in Sheol, you are there.
If I take the wings of the morning
    and settle at the farthest limits of the sea,
 even there your hand shall lead me,
    and your right hand shall hold me fast.”
(Psalm 139: 7-10)

Last week we were reminded how God hems us in, how God surrounds us, and this week we get even more reassurance of God’s presence in our lives.
And really, there isn’t a day I don’t need this reminder.
There is always something pulling my attention away from God.
There is always good news and bad news in my day.
But that’s why we have this promise in the psalm today:
No matter where we find ourselves, God will be there.
While this text can be interpreted in a lot of different ways, I find myself taking it figuratively more often than literally.  Though I do believe that this text can be read literally as well, it’s more meaningful for me to take it figuratively.
So instead of heaven and hell, I think good days and bad.
So to me, this text says: on the best of days – God is there.
And on the worst possible day of our lives – God is there.
There is no place that God can’t be.
Name a place.
God is there.
Name a moment.
God is there.
God is in birthing rooms and nurseries.
God is in chemo centers and oncology wards.
God is in cars on the freeway and on couches in homes.
Heaven or hell.
Land or sea.
Near or far.
Good or bad.
God is there.

Friday Uplift, 2/27/15

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“Even before a word is on my tongue O Lord, you know it completely.  You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me.”  Psalm 139:4-5

Last week I said I was going to “spend a few weeks in psalm 139”, and so we continue into verses 4 and 5.

Verse 5 of psalm 139 has been sticking out to me today.
“You hem me in”
I looked up that word, “hem” in the original Hebrew is this word “tsuwr” which means to confine, or shut in, or enclose.
I love that image of being surrounded by God, of God enclosing me.
God is on all sides.
God is before me and behind me.
Instead of feeling claustrophobic, it ends up making me feel secure and safe.
There’s a song that we’ve sung at church a few times, called “Future/Past” that comes to mind when I hear this psalm.  The song says,
“You, you are my first, you are my last,
you are my future and my past.”
(Watch/listen to it here)
This is God to us.
Before us.
Behind us.
In the past.
In the future.
All around us.
And what is God doing with us?
The end of verse 5 reminds us that God isn’t just watching us from far away, but laying a hand on us…
In almost every occurrence in scripture, the laying on of God’s hand indicates blessing or healing.
That is the promise of this verse.
God surrounds you, encloses you within his loving, healing touch.
I hope you feel that hand of God on you today.
Be blessed.

Friday Uplift, 2/20/15

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Almost missed the chance to Friday uplift! I hope I catch you all before bed tonight… otherwise, consider this your weekend uplift 🙂

“Oh Lord you have searched me and know me. You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you know my thoughts from far away. You search it my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my days.” Psalm 123: 1-3

I was thinking I’d do a few weeks on psalm 139. There’s so much comfort in this song, and a reminder that when things seem to be less than perfect, or out of normal, God is in it with us.
I was reading a book today and one of the author’s main points was that humans have two basic needs: to be loved, and to belong.
And the way we can best have those needs meet is by being authentic and being known. When we are known, then we are loved and belong because of those things that make us who we are.

Yet so often we try to find love and belonging in the wrong places, just to fill us up.
But it’s like junk food.
It’s great in the moment, but feels horrible later.
Looking for love and belonging is the same… we try and try to fill the space with people and relationships and work and still we are missing something.
See, when we look to God for love and belonging, we will always get what we are looking for.

This verse was the first to pop into my head. God knows me. Better than anyone ever can or ever will. And even though God knows all of me, the good and the bad, and still loves me? Holy. Cow.
God knows you… And he loves you… ALL of you.

Remember that promise, take it with you, but remember.

Amen.

Friday Uplift, (02/13/2015)

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“The name of the Lord is a strong tower, the righteous run to it and are safe”  Psalm 18:10

Sometimes the things we have put our trust in get a little shaky.
We trust in our health, in our bodies.
We trust in relationships.
We trust in our careers.
And then things happen….
We hear “you have cancer”
or
“I don’t think I want to be married anymore”
or
“I’m sorry we’re going to have to let you go”
and suddenly we aren’t sure how to stay standing on such a unstable foundation.
I love this verse for two reasons:
It’s a reminder that when life seems uncertain, when we are shaken, the Lord is strong.  “A strong tower.”
It makes me think of those lighthouses that have been through centuries of storms and still stand tall.
That is God for us.  When we put our trust in God, nothing will be able to knock us down. Not the strongest wind, not the wildest storm.
Notice how this verse says that the righteous “run to it.”
Which to me implies that they are not there to begin with.  It doesn’t say the the strong tower protects those who are there the whole time, it says it is there for those who run to it.
So if you’ve put your trust in something else, and that trust is being rocked, know that strong tower is waiting.
Always there.
Run to it, and be safe.
georgetown_lighthouse

Friday Uplift, 1/30/2015

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I realized today (Monday) that I didn’t post Friday’s uplift… so here it is… late but still uplifting.

The LORD did not set his affections on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other peoples, for you were the fewest of all people.  But it was because the LORD loved you and kept the oath he swore to your forefathers that he brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the land of slavery, from the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt.  Know therefore that the LORD your God is God:  he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commands.”  Deuteronomy 7:7-9

This isn’t the most typical uplift, because this isn’t the most well-known Bible verse.  But it is a verse that, while obscure, has provided me with a lot of comfort.
It starts with a lesson in humility.
The backhanded compliment in the beginning of this text is kind of funny – “God doesn’t love you because you’re great, in fact you’re just the opposite”
It’s a not so subtle reminder for me to be humble.
I’m not all that.
It’s not what I do or how awesome I am that makes God love me.
God loves me because God has promised to love me.
No matter what.
It reminds me of this quote from Glennon Melton:
“I’m confident because I’m a child of God, I’m humble because everyone else is too”
This text is just one big reminder that God loves us.
That God has promised to love us, and will continue to love us, just as he always has.

And sometimes, that’s all I need.
When I’m having a dark day, a hard day, or a day where I’m just “off”…
I think the best thing is sit quietly with this promise:
God loves me.
Not for who I am or what I do, but simply because God is love.
And God has promised to be love.

So take some time, light a candle, and sit quietly in the reminder of this promise today: “the LORD your God is God: he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love”

Friday Uplift, 1/23/2015

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“For freedom Christ has set us free.  Stand firm, therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery” (Galatians 5:1)
We have been set free by Christ, Paul writes to us in his letter to Galatians.
While it might just seem like a nice thing Paul says, it’s an important reminder too.
You are set free.
Free from illness
Free from depression
Free from fear
Free from whatever it is that is enslaving you.
You have been set free.
Christ is constantly coming into our lives and breaking the chains which entrap us.
But sometimes, I think we don’t see it.
We get stuck in our fear, in our sadness, in our shame.
And we willingly let those chains bind us up yet again.
This is what Paul warns against.
“Stand firm”
The Greek word is “steko”  and it means to stand against, to persevere.
Do not submit again to the life you had before Christ.
You are free!

​

My stepdad sent me this picture in an email this week.
He’s always finding me pictures or videos that he thinks might be helpful for my ministry… It’s awesome.
This, to me, fits so well with this verse.
I know many might see it as a picture about perspective, but to me it’s a reminder that I was once a prisoner, but now I am some thing different.
I have been set free.
The chains that hold me back have been broken, and there is nothing that can stop me now.
Boy do I need that reminder.
I need to have this picture in my head.
Because let’s be honest, life sucks sometimes.
It’s easy to sink back into despair,
into shame,
into fear or anger.
But then I remember Paul saying “steko”
Persevere.
Stay strong.
Don’t submit to the old ways.
Don’t go back.
Christ has come.
You have been set free.
So fly.
Revel in your freedom.

See you Sunday.

Natalia

P.S.  Do you ever have those moments where you aren’t sure you spelled a word right even though it doesn’t show up on spell check as wrong so you look it up to make sure?
I did that with revel. And yes, I spelled it correctly, but better than that was the definition of revel that Google gave me: “to enjoy oneself in a lively and noisy way, especially with drinking and dancing.” 

Um…. Ok! Sounds good to me!
Let freedom revelry begin!

Friday Uplift, 1/16/2015

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“the people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness – on them light has shined.” (Isaiah 9:2)
It’s kind of a gloomy day today.
I know a lot of people would disagree with me, but I’d take a really cold and sunny day over a warmer and cloudy one.
It just saps my energy to not have the sun shining… and I just LONG for the next sunny day (looks like Sunday, by the way).
But not being able to see the sun doesn’t mean it’s not there.
And a few clouds today don’t mean it won’t be sunny tomorrow.
So this verse is a good reminder for me.
There are going to be some days that are a little overcast.
In fact, some are going to feel downright dark.
But it is on those days that I remember the sun.
I have seen a great light.
Light shines on me in my darkest moments.
God has promised to be with us, to send us light.
And darkness cannot overcome the light.
Neither can a cloudy day.
And that longing?  That’s good too.
It keeps us open, awake, and alert.
Eyes open for those moments of the light breaking into the dark.
For the light to overtake the gloom.
For the weather to change and the clouds to float away.
No matter what, we trust that the light is always there.
Always shining.

There’s a running joke in my family, where on cloudy, overcast days in the summer we say “it’s going to burn off.”  We usually say this when we’re at the lake or have outdoor plans, hoping that the day can be salvaged.  We are always holding out hope that the sun will work hard and break through the clouds.
I think it fits here too…

So when your life seems a little overcast, remember that the light will break through the darkness.

Just tell yourself “It’ll burn off”

Friday Uplift, 1/9/2015

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So we have known and believe the love that God has for us.
God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them.
(1 John 4:16)

Doing some sermon studying this week, I came across this unrelated verse from 1 John.
And I wrote it down on a sticky note on my desk that said “Friday Uplift.”
Of course, when I came into work today I had forgotten what 1 John 4:16 had to say at all…
But then I read it, and yes, it was exactly what I needed to hear.
And it was a good reminder that sometimes reading a verse quickly isn’t enough.

We might not use the word “abide” all that much in our day to day lives, but it’s a great word.
It means remain, or dwell, or continually be present.
So read it that way – “God is love, and those who are continually present in love are continually present in God, and God is continually present in them.”
Wow.
What a promise that is.
God is love.
When we love, we are present with God and God is present with us.
There isn’t much to add to that.
So I’m just going to put out a challenge today:
Learn this verse.
Don’t read this and forget it like I did earlier this week.
Meditate on it,
Read it a few times,
Write it down,
Maybe reflect with someone or journal on how it makes you feel,
and then just sit with it.
dwell.
Sometimes when we come face to face with this kind of love, all we can do is dwell in it.
Remain with it.
Cry.
Rejoice.
Have peace.
Know and believe in the love God has for you.

Friday Uplift, 1/2/2015

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Those of steadfast mind you keep in peace—  in peace because they trust in you. Trust in the Lord forever,  for in the Lord God  you have an everlasting rock. 

(Isaiah 26:3-4) 

Happy New Year! 
If your past two weeks have been anything like mine, it’s been hectic and busy and wonderful and crazy.  I’ve been eating and traveling and eating and traveling some more.  When things get this way, sometimes it’s tough to find my center, to come back to the foundation of me.

The holiday season can be a distracting and chaotic time of year, and I know a lot of people do resolutions and start new things when the next year begins.  

It’s a jump start of sorts.  
And usually after a month or so we kind of fall back into old patterns and old ways. So how helpful is it really?
Can we really trust that it is those things that will make the new year good?
Maybe, more important than starting new things and getting better, is just remembering who we are, and sticking with that.  
That stick-to-it-ness is sometimes called being steadfast.  
It means remaining true and unwavering.  
At this time of year a lot of things are telling me I need to look somewhere else to find peace. And I don’t really feel all that steadfast.   
But Isaiah reminds us:
“those of steadfast mind you keep in peace.”
And boy, I could really use a little peace right about now.  

That’s why these verses have been a good reminder to me at this beginning of a new year.  It’s a reminder that being true to myself, to who God has created me to be and staying resolutely firm in that is more important than any fad diet or exercise regime I might think I need to start.
I think this is what Isaiah means by “steadfast.”  Be who you are, and who you are is a child of God.  You can trust in that.   Remain steadfast in that truth.   And the result of being steadfast is having peace.  Peace.  Not peace because you lost weight or ate better, but peace because of trust.
You trust that being a child of God means that God has your back.
No matter what.

And sure,  if you want to diet or exercise or eat better, go for it… but all those things won’t bring you peace.  God will.
So start with being who you are.
And go from there.

Happy New Year, Child of God.
Peace be with you. 

Friday Uplift, 12-26-2014

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16 So the shepherds went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger.17 When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. 19 But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. (Luke 2)

I’ve been thinking about this set of verses for a few days now, and the two words that have kept popping out to me as I’ve read them and thought about them are “treasured” and “pondered.”
Being kind of a nerd, I looked the Greek translations of these words up to see what Luke was getting at when he wrote this version of the Birth of Jesus.  While treasured isn’t a horrible translation, a better one might be “kept”  or “preserved.” Mary kept these things.  Mary preserved these things.  And the word we translate as “ponder” actually means “brought together.”  So Mary kept these things she heard about Jesus from the shepherds, and brought them together with the things she already knew in her heart.

I think this is what we’re supposed to do too. 

No matter how many Christmas Eve services I have been a part of, no matter how many times I hold up my candle and sing “silent night, holy night,”  something new happens. 
Some new feeling is stirred up, or I hear some text differently, or I hear the carols in a new way based on things I’ve experienced in the past year.
No matter what, each year I experience Emmanuel, God with us, again.
I’m reminded that light has come into the darkness.
I’m reminded that God so loved the world that He sent Jesus to ME. 
Little ol me.
“For unto YOU on this day a child is born”  
For you. 
For me. 
God with us.
And I feel it.

And this is when these words about Mary mean something to ME.
Because when I have that moment of God with me, I preserve it.
I keep it.  I hold it close.
And like Mary, this new experience of Christ is added to all the others I’ve had and makes it more.
A little deeper, a little more full.

Today, the day after Christmas, take some time and think about the ways in which you experienced Emmanuel, God with us, in the past two days.
Keep it. Preserve it. Hold onto it.
Then add it into all the other ways you’ve also experienced Christ in the days, months, and years before this.
Put them all together and you too will get a greater picture of God at work in you and in the world.
It’s a powerful exercise, and one that I challenge you to do today.
Write it down, or talk it out with someone.
It’s a stunning reminder of how present God really is in our lives.

God before us. God behind us.  

God above us. God below us. 
God beside us. 
God with us.