The Good News

by Elaine

I have been thinking a lot this week about why exactly I believe what I believe about Jesus.  Every other reason a side (apologetics, historical proof, etc.), it is THE best news that I have ever heard.  I would much rather believe the Jesus of the Bible over anything else that the world offers.

In my last post, I referenced Philippians 2:1-11 when talking about living out Christ’s example of humility.  Now, I would like to simply meditate on the fact that my God became man and died to set me free.


I have found that in most other world religions, a set of strict rules is provided to help mostly good people become even better people and maybe, just maybe, gain favor with God and a pass into heaven.  God may be merciful, but you have to at least do your part in tipping the scale toward good rather than bad throughout the course of your life.

It is NOT about being Good

The beauty of Christianity is that I do not have to be a “mostly good person”.  I know and can freely admit that I am a bad person.  A person who messes up on a daily basis.  A person who continually fails.  A person who is stained, marred, blinded and stuck in a miry pit of sin and selfishness.


However, in the midst of my sin and selfishness, the perfect, holy, King of all Kings, Beginning and End, Savior and Redeemer came to earth, lived life, obeyed the Father, and submitted Himself to death on a cross.


It did not end there.  God raised Him to life and lifted His name above all names.  Through Him, life and freedom are available to us all and we can come just as we are; broken, and dead in our transgressions.

A Daughter of the King

So, I can admit that I am not anywhere close to perfect and I can even admit that I am terribly rotten.  How does the God of the universe, the Almighty respond?

“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.” (Romans 8:1-2, NASB)

The law of the Spirit of life is freedom.  It has set me free.  My sin is removed; I am no longer dead.  This is so much greater, better than systematic rules to follow.  Not only this, but God also takes this freedom much further,

“ For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.” (Romans 8:15-17, NASB)

Wow. Reading this, I am utterly awe-struck.  I am not only free, but I am also adopted.  I can call myself a Daughter of the King.  I do not think I really have anything else to say.  I think I will just dwell in these beautiful words and conclude by saying I would so much rather believe this, follow this, commit to this, live and die by this than anything else in the entire world.


See you in the Round!
Elaine

*Scripture quotations taken from the NASB.

He Humbled Himself

by Elaine

In my first entry, Married With No Children, I exhorted us to share in the likeness of Christ and His journey for us. Personally, I have recently been struggling with Christ’s calling in Ephesians, 4:31,

“Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.”

I work in a very small department of a college. Last fall, our director moved on to another school. This left me with only myself and two part-time student aides to take on all the extra work during the busiest time of the school year. My expectation was that this would be very temporary (maybe a month) and that I would be promoted.

There were days that moved so fast and were so busy, that I felt like I did not even have a chance to breathe. There were many nights that I stayed until 6, 7, even 8. And, oh, did I mention that I also commute an hour? Day after day passed this way, with no extra compensation, no title to reflect the extra responsibilities, and no recognition. It was exhausting and frustrating. I began to dread going to work. I had no energy for anything else in my life. Many self-pep talks began with, “If I can just make it until...” My health and relationships were beginning to suffer. After four months of carrying on this way, I was told I was not getting the promotion. They were giving the job to someone else. I called my husband immediately after I got off work that day and just sobbed.


I tried to be positive. I put on a smile for my students. I told other colleagues that it was going to be great to get fresh perspective from a new person and that I was keeping an open mind. But on the inside, I was absolutely crushed. I felt that I had been taken advantage of. Bitterness, anger, and slander were festering and growing in my heart.


Bitterness is poison. If you let bitterness grow and take root in your heart, it will destroy everything, inside and out-- A bitter root, will produce bitter fruit. I had been there before and I did not want to go back.  Today, I am still working through all the emotions, and there are good days and bad. I know that I do not want to live in bitterness. Through this time, I keep coming back to Philippians 2, which says,

“Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross”.

These words remind me that I am not entitled to anything at work. Our culture tells me that if I work hard, I deserve to be rewarded. Of course, it is okay for me to set boundaries so that I am not taken advantage of, but Christ set a different example for me. He emptied himself. He was a servant. He was humble. He was obedient even to the point of death. When I go to work every day, I want my coworkers and students to see that example. They expect me to be angry about what happened. But what if I show them a different way? I can, because I know that my reward is not in my paycheck or my title, but it is in knowing that I worked hard to serve the Lord.


And the Lord has given me an incredible and unique opportunity to be a light amongst so many different types of people -- I work with people from all over the world and from all religious backgrounds. I have told them how amazing Jesus is and why I would not want to follow anyone else. My prayer everyday is that my students will also come to know Jesus.


So, while I know it might be awhile before I feel differently about the situation, I am going to proactively choose to let my faith lead my attitude and actions. I will also let some (as appropriate) share in my journey. I have been honest with my student workers and a few students about how I feel. I’ll admit sometimes it is a fine line between needing to be honest and needing to vent. However, if I let them see the real me, they will also see the real Jesus in me-- and that is what I ultimately want.


Has anyone else had an experience like this? I would love to know about how you worked through the situation!


See you in the Round!
Elaine

*Scripture quotations taken from the NASB.

Married With No Children

by Elaine

Working in higher education, I have been really lucky to have some snow days recently and it has given me a chance to actually get started on this blogging-thing. Having never blogged before, I find it a little intimidating to just start writing. It is definitely frightening to commit to being so publicly vulnerable, and I am feeling a little insecure about what I have to offer. Am I “cool enough” to blog? Will my stories be interesting enough? What if I my writing style isn’t catchy? What if I am severely criticized for something I write? I mean, we have all seen how hateful comments on blogs can sometimes be. However, I know that the Lord has done great works in my life and maybe there are some women out there who would be encouraged by it.


I believe that everyone has a story to tell and it is important to share your own story. Not to be boastful, but because we can all learn from each others’ stories. I also love words and believe in their power. One of my “love languages" is “Words of Affirmation” (reference: Dr. Gary Chapman’s “The Five Love Languages”). This means that kind words, encouraging words, helpful words leave a greater impression in my heart, than say, a boxed gift (don’t get me wrong-- I like getting gifts too :) ) Because of the power of words and sharing stories, I love the concept of bringing together women from all walks and stages of life to share through this blog.


I especially appreciate being asked to contribute to this blog, because I feel there is a real lack of encouragement out there for married women with no children. Too often, I have found that women’s ministry is centered on either being single or being a wife AND mom. I am not trying to put down women’s ministry, because when I was single, I so was grateful and appreciative of all the resources out there. I also know that being a mom can be really, really challenging and someday (Lord-willing) I am sure I will find all of the mom-resources really helpful. Until then, I am in between. I am a wife, but do not have any children. I work full-time and give a lot of time and energy to my job.


So, my hope in publicly writing is two-fold: to offer a place for women in a similar life-stage to identify and relate, and to encourage women who may be approaching this life stage. I really want women like me to know first and foremost that this life-stage is perfectly acceptable. In fact, it is an incredible blessing! Not because of what we do or do not have compared to others in different life stages, but because God has us just where He wants us in this exact moment of time. Each and every day, God renews His grace and mercy for us and it is sufficient for that particular day (Lamentations 3:22-23 and 2 Corinthians 12:9). Daily our Father is guiding us. My life verse is Isaiah 42:16,

“And I will lead the blind, in a way they have not known, in paths that they have not known I will guide them.  I will turn the darkness before them into light, the rough places into level ground.  These are the things I do, and I do not forsake them.”   

My goal should be to embrace each and every unique day. I do not know what my life situation will be tomorrow. I am not promised children. I am not promised that my marriage will last forever. I am not promised that I will continue to have a job. I am not even promised tomorrow! Today, however, I have a husband to love and serve. Today, I have employment of which I am called to be a good steward. Today, I have a house to tend. Today, I have friends to care for. So, “As it is said, ‘Today if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion’” (Hebrews 3:15). Instead of envying, despairing or feeling guilty for our life-stage, let us share in Christ-- His likeness and the journey that He is taking us on. Of course, we will struggle and wrestle and feel confused and have hopes and desires. That is being human. Embracing today and being content are much easier said than done. But let us know, first, that is okay to just be where we are today.


See you in the Round!

Elaine

“Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version^® (ESV^®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.”