when words are wind
From
A Godward Life, by John Piper
Meditation on Job 6:26
Do you think that you can reprove words, when the speech of a despairing man is wind? (RSV)When in grief and pain and despair, people often say things they would not otherwise say. They paint reality with darker strokes than they will paint it tomorrow, when the sun comes up. They sing in minor keys and talk as though that were the only music. They see only clouds and speak as if there were no sky.
They say, "Where is God?" Or, "There is no use in going on." Or, "Nothing makes any sense." Or, "There's no hope for me." Or, "If God were good, this couldn't have happened."
What shall we do with these words?
Job says that we do not need to reprove them. These words are wind, or literally, "for the wind." They will be quickly blown away. There will come a turn in circumstances, and the despairing person will waken from the dark night and regret the hasty words.
Therefore, let us not spend our time and energy reproving such words. They will be blown away of themselves, on the wind. One need not clip the leaves in autumn; it is wasted effort. They will soon scatter to the four winds.
How quickly we are given to defending God -- or sometimes the truth -- from words that are for the wind alone. There are enough words, premeditated and studied, that need our rebuttal, but not every despairing heresy blurted out in the hour of agony needs to be answered. If we had discernment, we could tell the difference between the words with roots and the words blowing in the wind.
There are words with roots in deep error and deep evil. But not all gray words get their color from a black heart. Some are colored mainly by the pain, the despair. What you hear is not the deepest thing within. There is something real within, where the words come from, but it is temporary -- like a passing infection -- real, painful, but not the true person.
Let us learn to discern whether the words spoken against us or against God or against the truth are merely for the wind -- spoken not from the soul, but from the sore. If they are for the wind, let us wait in silence and not reprove. Restoring the soul, not reproving the sore, is the aim of our love.
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I read this today and was blown away. I immediately thought of so many things, the blogging world being one of them. I also thought of the people that I feel safe with, safe with my heart and whatever it is that comes out of my mouth when I'm in pain. Those people in my life that I can say things to the wind without their correction or condemnation. Just their ears and heart. Granted, if I need to be rebuked, they will be sure to call me to repentance. But overall, they know me so well that they will just sit and listen. I hope I am like that. Wise enough to just sit and listen and discern...with love.
a cup of water
I’ve got a lot to unpack from this trip - spiritually, emotionally, and luggage-wise. I just finished reading a friend’s email, and his last paragraph was just what I needed to hear and be reminded of – Jesus’ death and resurrection and what that means for me. It sent me into a cathartic fifteen-minute crying session on the kitchen floor (I was going for the tissues in the drawer and decided to just sit down) with Jesus. It was good. It was raw. It was just what I needed. And then I read this:
a cup of identity
Besetting sins make me feel like I’m not a real Christian.
A real Christian wouldn’t sin so much, I think.
A real Christian would have conquered lasting temptations.
Sin’s never a good thing. By definition, it hurts us and others. So when we’re stuck in a pattern of sin, bad things are regularly happening to someone.
Does habitual sin need to define us, though?
No. And that’s better news than we might first think. Besetting sins certainly feel like a master…and that’s precisely what Satan wants us to think. Believing that lie will send us into obsessive self-effort; it will sink us in depression by depriving us of our true identity.
We are not defined by our sins, even if it sometimes seems like that. We are the princes and princesses of a King, adopted as sons and daughters of God. We need to remind ourselves and each other that nothing – not even besetting sins – can separate us from the love of God (Romans 8:35-39).
No matter what, as a Christian, I’m a child of the King.
101 cups of water: relief and refreshment for the tired, thirsty soul, by C.D. Baker
when you're here, you're family
I hate being sick. I especially hate it when you're not sure if you're sick or if it's "just" allergies. Do I continue taking allergy medicine, or will I feel better if I switch to Advil Cold & Sinus?
Sunday in Nashville was nourishing & all about the gospel. Just what I needed. I went to Christ Community in the morning, and met up with Chris Fekete and her husband Doug, and their brood of eight beautiful kids. In the evening I worshiped with the City Church East Nashville family. And City Church really does feel like family. It's funny how I almost moved to Nashville five years ago, and now I'm here again, on my way to London, but feeling very much at home. I'm thankful for my Nashville family.
me & the flu
So here's what I'm wondering. How is it that I managed to get through the entire winter without getting sick, and now, less than 48 hours before I drive to BWI to fly to Nashville for six days I get the flu?! Not sure. It's not funny...ok, in some ways it is. I know that I will be taken care of, and even if I have to travel with while sick (God help the people around me), it's not the first time I've done it.
In fact, I have a great picture of me, white as snow, passed out on an airplane flying back from China. Worst traveling experience of my short life, and I hope I never have to experience that again, but the memories make me laugh! And the picture is horrendous. I wish I had a scanner so I could post it. You can tell just by looking at me that I was sick, sick, sick and miserable.
Thankfully I'll be staying at a hotel in Nashville on Friday night, so I won't infect the friends that I'm staying with the rest of the week. I'll just have to find the closest gas station to load up on ginger ale and chicken noodle soup. Lord, please don't let me still be that sick by then!
In the meantime I think I'll sleep on the couch, and in and out of consciousness watch:
Casablanca
Shakespeare in Love
Love Actually
About A Boy
Emma
French Kiss
...and whatever else strikes my fancy.
loaner car | fast cars | no cars go
I'm not sure what's going on lately, but it seemed that the only license plates I saw on the road today were from Michigan, New Jersey, and North Carolina. Honestly. They were everywhere. There were more Pennsylvania license plates, of course, otherwise I would have started to wonder...
I picked up another car from
CMTS Ministries! I'm so thankful that there are places like this out there. What a blessing. So now I'm driving a '99 Nissan Sentra. I think this is approximately the eighth time I've switched cars since October 2006. I know my neighbors must be wondering what's going on! Hopefully this is the last one before I move to London.
I've been running again, lately. It feels so good. Granted, it's on a treadmill and it's only 2 1/2 miles at this point, but it's still one of the best stress relievers for me. I probably won't be running 40-45 miles a week ever again...but never say never. Although that was in high school and part of college and without a coach or running partner I just don't see it happening.
I don't run with an iPod/mp3 player when I'm on the road (I like to be aware of my surroundings - namely cars and strange men), but I love listening to music while I'm on the treadmill. Some great running tunes I've been listening to this week:
Angels & Airwaves - "Breathe," "Heaven," & "Sirens"
Arcade Fire - "Keep the Car Running" & "No Cars Go"
U2 - "Fast Cars"
Delirious? - "Heaven"
(I just realized there's a bit of a "heaven" and "cars" theme so far...)
Doves - "Pounding"
Madonna - "Hung Up" (if you like a little dance music)
And Fink's "Pretty Little Thing", is a great walking/cool down tune.
What do you listen to when you run? I'm always looking for new music that's good for running so I'd love to hear your song choices!
Ok, back to emails, letters, and phone calls...
change your thinking. change your world.
think happy stuff, inc.
night air
I've got my bedroom window wide open tonight and it is glorious.
The smells & sounds are so soothing.
ng traveler
I bought my first copy of
National Geographic Traveler tonight.
And I am
hooked.
I just remembered I bought the March 2008 issue of
Budget Travel a couple of weeks ago. I'm seeing a pattern here.
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I love this photo. The look on the dog's face makes me giggle.
From NGT's Paris Photo Gallery.
