I sat alone and worshiped while the wind and rain were gone
I thought myself unchanged
No washing away, no whirling around, no breaking of my will
I thought myself unmoved
I thought myself unmet
I sang my quiet song of praise and left my tears unshed
I let my hands hang down
I let my voice remain a whisper
I thought myself unfeeling
The only stir, the only prompt was my desire for sleep
I left the alter without scars
And though the song I sang did not echo past the stairway
The sacrifice must have been made
Much later
I am better for having been unchanged, unmoved, unmet, even unfeeling
I did not flood the alter with my tears
But I was there
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Monday, May 28, 2007
My Blog
Hey! I don't check this often...my blogging takes place over here: www.kelsofamily.net, then click on Mary.
Friday, April 20, 2007
A New Post
I haven't posted on this site because I'm using another system, but as things have changed I felt it necessary to take a look at this and hopefully gain back some abilities that seem to have been lost with the Google acquisition.
This is a very uninformative post but I will try to add a picture and see if that will make it more interesting. I've never put a picture on blogger so I don't know if I can even do it. Isn't that crazy?
Friday, April 01, 2005
Getting to Know Him
Daily Reading: Matthew 11&12
Matthew 11:1 “And it came to pass, when Jesus had made an end of commanding his twelve disciples, he departed thence to teach and to preach in their cities.”
So…was he done with the instruction part of discipling the twelve? Were they now going out to start their internships? Matthew also says that he went to teach and preach in their cities. Whose cities? The cities the disciples came from; or the cities of all the people who were listening to him? I assume it’s the disciple’s cities. I wish I could understand this better. I know that God will reveal His Word as He needs us to understand it. I’m wondering though if it wouldn’t be beneficial to take a Bible class somewhere. I’d like to know more.
I love verses 7-9 “And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind? (8) But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? Behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses. (9) But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? Yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet.”
He just jokes with the people and is so effective here as a speaker. I can hear the people laughing between the questions and while they are being somewhat entertained He is causing them to really question their curiosity. He made them comfortable with admitting their questions and waiting for His answer. He set them up to laugh at themselves and to think for themselves and then to think like Him. It was like He was saying…we’re all friends here…lets be honest with ourselves. We were curious, so we went to see the crazy guy preaching by the river. When we got there…we found ourselves convicted by a prophet…but it was more than that. He was softening our hearts…but why? So that we could accept this man who is least in the kingdom, this man who is greater than Jonah (12:41), greater than Solomon (12:42) and accepting of anyone willing to do the will of His Father as a brother (12:50). What a confusing man this must have been to those who heard Him speak.
I find myself trying so hard to understand even now, what he meant by each phrase he spoke. I love this guy!
Matthew 11:1 “And it came to pass, when Jesus had made an end of commanding his twelve disciples, he departed thence to teach and to preach in their cities.”
So…was he done with the instruction part of discipling the twelve? Were they now going out to start their internships? Matthew also says that he went to teach and preach in their cities. Whose cities? The cities the disciples came from; or the cities of all the people who were listening to him? I assume it’s the disciple’s cities. I wish I could understand this better. I know that God will reveal His Word as He needs us to understand it. I’m wondering though if it wouldn’t be beneficial to take a Bible class somewhere. I’d like to know more.
I love verses 7-9 “And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind? (8) But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? Behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses. (9) But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? Yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet.”
He just jokes with the people and is so effective here as a speaker. I can hear the people laughing between the questions and while they are being somewhat entertained He is causing them to really question their curiosity. He made them comfortable with admitting their questions and waiting for His answer. He set them up to laugh at themselves and to think for themselves and then to think like Him. It was like He was saying…we’re all friends here…lets be honest with ourselves. We were curious, so we went to see the crazy guy preaching by the river. When we got there…we found ourselves convicted by a prophet…but it was more than that. He was softening our hearts…but why? So that we could accept this man who is least in the kingdom, this man who is greater than Jonah (12:41), greater than Solomon (12:42) and accepting of anyone willing to do the will of His Father as a brother (12:50). What a confusing man this must have been to those who heard Him speak.
I find myself trying so hard to understand even now, what he meant by each phrase he spoke. I love this guy!
Tuesday, March 29, 2005
Seeing Their Faith
Daily Reading: Matthew 9
Matthew 9:2 "And, behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee."
I've heard this phrase taught on before but I just think there's more to it than what I've heard. "Seeing their faith." What did He see? What was it that made him say...thy sins be forgiven? I think what most people would explain is that in this particular story, though Matthew doesn't include this detail, the man was lowered into the room from the roof because there were so many people who were thronging the door that he couldn't get in. They literally took the roof apart in order to get to Jesus. In my opinion this isn't what he saw when He saw their faith. It's just my opinion and I don't expect anyone to agree with me. I think since it's written in Matthew without the explanation of the whole roof ordeal something else is meant when it says "seeing their faith"
I wonder who "they" were too. Was it his brothers or his father; was it his friends and what made them so passionate toward this sick man? What is faith? Hebrews says it is the substance of things hoped for...the evidence of things unseen. Faith is not necessarily an action. We interpret it that way because of scriptures like "faith without works is dead" from James. I think faith is simply a resignation to the deity of Christ. I wouldn't doubt that these men who carried the sick man were carrying his shoes too so that he could walk home. Were they talking to him and telling him that he could carry his own bed home or was it that they were so anxious to meet Christ that he saw in their eyes the confidence that He would be their redemption? I don't know. I find this verse so intriguing though and I wish so badly that I could have been there. That's another thing...Matthew wasn't there apparently. He tells the story here but he relates in the following verses how Jesus called him to follow him. I would assume that means he had not yet begun to follow Jesus when this story took place. He heard about it...did Jesus tell him about it? Wouldn't that be something if Jesus told him about it but left out the roof part?
I'm going nuts with this. I need to stop typing and move on with my day.
Matthew 9:2 "And, behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee."
I've heard this phrase taught on before but I just think there's more to it than what I've heard. "Seeing their faith." What did He see? What was it that made him say...thy sins be forgiven? I think what most people would explain is that in this particular story, though Matthew doesn't include this detail, the man was lowered into the room from the roof because there were so many people who were thronging the door that he couldn't get in. They literally took the roof apart in order to get to Jesus. In my opinion this isn't what he saw when He saw their faith. It's just my opinion and I don't expect anyone to agree with me. I think since it's written in Matthew without the explanation of the whole roof ordeal something else is meant when it says "seeing their faith"
I wonder who "they" were too. Was it his brothers or his father; was it his friends and what made them so passionate toward this sick man? What is faith? Hebrews says it is the substance of things hoped for...the evidence of things unseen. Faith is not necessarily an action. We interpret it that way because of scriptures like "faith without works is dead" from James. I think faith is simply a resignation to the deity of Christ. I wouldn't doubt that these men who carried the sick man were carrying his shoes too so that he could walk home. Were they talking to him and telling him that he could carry his own bed home or was it that they were so anxious to meet Christ that he saw in their eyes the confidence that He would be their redemption? I don't know. I find this verse so intriguing though and I wish so badly that I could have been there. That's another thing...Matthew wasn't there apparently. He tells the story here but he relates in the following verses how Jesus called him to follow him. I would assume that means he had not yet begun to follow Jesus when this story took place. He heard about it...did Jesus tell him about it? Wouldn't that be something if Jesus told him about it but left out the roof part?
I'm going nuts with this. I need to stop typing and move on with my day.
Monday, March 28, 2005
What To Do
Daily Reading: Matthew 8
Jesus healed so many people and so few of them are heard from again. They do not become the great missionaries of their day. Jesus called his disciples from normal every day jobs. Average Joe’s doing average jobs. He did not call Peter from a life of sin into a ministry so that he could give his testimony to thousands upon thousands. He called him from being average to being excellent. Paul was not a vile sinner…he was a pious thinker. God did not lead him from filth to purity…he led him from a perception of purity to the real thing. Paul became a minister of the gospel by accepting truth and doing it. His testimony was not rags to riches it was from religion to relationship and so it is today. I am called of God to live a life that is beyond the mediocre and to pursue a lifestyle that accentuates the Holy Spirit within me. To free that power of God that longs to prove itself by doing those things I know to do and obeying that voice that calls me to live, move and breath the things of God.
Who am I right now and how can I be better at the things God has placed in my hands to do? What do I have to offer that I’ve been too lazy to give? How can I be an excellent wife? What will make me an excellent mother? How can I do excellent service for my church, my friends, and those who are lost?
Matthew 8:4 “And Jesus saith unto him, See thou tell no man; but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.”
The leper wasn’t given a commission to tell the world of the healing power of Jesus…he was told to do what the Scriptures instructed and follow the ordinances of the priests. Do what you already know to do and no more. Your testimony is nothing if you do not obey…your offering is your testimony…give it and keep your mouth shut. How simple.
How often I long to give my testimony. I sit in choir or in the pew and think…Oh…I wish I could tell them what happened to me. But maybe I haven’t given my testimony as instructed in the Bible. No…I do not have an offering to bring to a priest but is there some new testament offering I could give in thanks and praise to God for what He has done? What is the equivalent for today?
Jesus healed so many people and so few of them are heard from again. They do not become the great missionaries of their day. Jesus called his disciples from normal every day jobs. Average Joe’s doing average jobs. He did not call Peter from a life of sin into a ministry so that he could give his testimony to thousands upon thousands. He called him from being average to being excellent. Paul was not a vile sinner…he was a pious thinker. God did not lead him from filth to purity…he led him from a perception of purity to the real thing. Paul became a minister of the gospel by accepting truth and doing it. His testimony was not rags to riches it was from religion to relationship and so it is today. I am called of God to live a life that is beyond the mediocre and to pursue a lifestyle that accentuates the Holy Spirit within me. To free that power of God that longs to prove itself by doing those things I know to do and obeying that voice that calls me to live, move and breath the things of God.
Who am I right now and how can I be better at the things God has placed in my hands to do? What do I have to offer that I’ve been too lazy to give? How can I be an excellent wife? What will make me an excellent mother? How can I do excellent service for my church, my friends, and those who are lost?
Matthew 8:4 “And Jesus saith unto him, See thou tell no man; but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.”
The leper wasn’t given a commission to tell the world of the healing power of Jesus…he was told to do what the Scriptures instructed and follow the ordinances of the priests. Do what you already know to do and no more. Your testimony is nothing if you do not obey…your offering is your testimony…give it and keep your mouth shut. How simple.
How often I long to give my testimony. I sit in choir or in the pew and think…Oh…I wish I could tell them what happened to me. But maybe I haven’t given my testimony as instructed in the Bible. No…I do not have an offering to bring to a priest but is there some new testament offering I could give in thanks and praise to God for what He has done? What is the equivalent for today?
Wednesday, March 23, 2005
Rest
Daily Reading: Psalm 23
Today I’m tired. I just feel the weight of responsibility a little more keenly right now and I want it lifted.
Psalm 23:2 is one of my favorite scriptures….”He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still water.”
Lay down, rest, let the Shepherd do His job and stay out of His way. He can heal, inspire and redefine what it is that I see as broken, dead and hopeless. I must work toward resting and allow myself to be led to places where the water is unbroken by ripples of worry and strife. Rest.
Today I’m tired. I just feel the weight of responsibility a little more keenly right now and I want it lifted.
Psalm 23:2 is one of my favorite scriptures….”He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still water.”
Lay down, rest, let the Shepherd do His job and stay out of His way. He can heal, inspire and redefine what it is that I see as broken, dead and hopeless. I must work toward resting and allow myself to be led to places where the water is unbroken by ripples of worry and strife. Rest.
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