Sweet Basil

I purchased organic sweet basil at a market three years ago.  When the plants went to seed,  I saved a few blossom stems, and in the following spring germinated the seed.  I saved the $3 and enjoy the happy feeling of "growing my own".  Due to summer travel, I was negligent of my basil plants this year, returning home to woody bushes covered with bloom stalks.  The plants were so thick, the yellow finches were roosting in them!  As I drank my coffee one morning enjoying the birds, I realized they were not roosting, but eating my seeds!  Charming as it was, it fired a protective passion in me to harvest my seeds before the little birdies stole them all!  I went out and harvested a ridiculous amount, then stopped and realized I would never use them all. I saved them anyway, to dry and package away for next spring.

A week of drying later, early on Saturday morn I began to process them.  Praying as I worked I started pondering the parable of the sower and the seed.  Luke 8:11 states "The seed is the Word of God." (NIV)  I started thinking of all the seed I have neglected in my life.  Just like the plants in the garden, because of neglect the birds had come and made a feast upon my next years crop.  How many "words," or "seeds" have I missed the fruit of because I neglected to save and germinate them?  At moments like this I rededicate myself to the sweet messages in the Bible and to respond to the quiet promptings of the Holy Spirit.  I want to walk in respectful gratitude, stewarding faithfully His gifts of "seed" while not self-righteously keeping score in the harvest.   I purpose to live intentionally in hope that when the day comes my conversation with the Father will follow the line of...  

"When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’  
‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’
(Matthew 25:39-40 NASB)

Crusty Pans

July 2, 2013

Upon entering the kitchen this morning I found the neglected dishes from yesterday, awaiting me.  I entertain hopes my daughters will take initiative and clean them, but deep down I know, I really wish they would do the job, I, myself, don't want to do.  The dried on oatmeal in the pan promised to be stubborn, so I left it soaking in the suds while drying the other dishes.  When I returned to the pan, the residue, hydrated by the soapy water, was easily removed.  I reflected, the crust in the pan was like so many other issues in my life, set aside for another day when I'd feel stronger and fresher, ready to attempt the task of clean up.  I used to condemn procrastination.  But sometimes wisdom tells us to set things aside and soak them in prayer and worship, until the rough things in life are subdued, softened in the Word, easily removed.  Impatiences for progress can masquerade as diligence. But I am also painfully aware, I pray for God to do the dishes for me in my life.  God is in the water, but He calls me to engage and get the job done with Him.

Before I could cook the next meal the pan had to be cleaned.  The last meal was great, but I have to throw out the residue in preparing for the present day's vittles.  Lord, help me clean the sides of this vessel, my life, so I can be busy cooking the next meal.  I want to be found busy serving proper food for the proper time, when you come.  As always, thank you again, for your merciful love., and the gracious way You are always with me.  Even when I set things aside for another day.

The pans are clean and all is in order.  Lord, what shall we cook today?  Do you feel like a simple fare, or three hours to a Mexican feast?  Yeah, it is hot today.  We'll go simple, but nutritious!  New day, new meal suited for it!

Matt 24:45-47
“Who here qualifies for the job of overseeing the kitchen? A person the Master can depend on to feed the workers on time each day. Someone the Master can drop in on unannounced and always find him doing his job. A God-blessed man or woman, I tell you. It won’t be long before the Master will put this person in charge of the whole operation.

The Message

Sometimes worship is merely a subtle pause in our life, to commune with our loving God.

My daughter has a girlfriend she is forever encouraging.  She goes through episodes of fear, anxiety and stress.  My daughter will try to comfort and support her during life's traumas.  One day I commented to my daughter, "I think you friend just needs Jesus!"  Emma acknowleged likewise, explaining everytime the subject comes up, her friend throws up a wall.  "It is a belief system which works for you, but not for me." her friend states with finality.  Her friend's family background is strict Catholic.  She equates all talk of Jesus with the tight rules and regulations presented to her by family traditions.  
It causes me to reflect how I was reared, in a Protestant denomination, where "Repent and believe!" were the mantra.  Repenting was defined as turning away from sin.  Sins were the activities which gratified the flesh.  Oh, that awful Flesh!  When I accepted Christ as Savior I was encouraged to "try not to sin again."  Even as a child, I didn't think that was going to work. Every time I stumbled, I felt like the betrayer of the Savior, pausing to hear if a rooster crowed.   My efforts at goodness birthed an entitlement attitude.  Being an obedient daughter came with promise.  It will be well with me.  I was earning blessing.  The disease of self-righteousness took a long time to diagnose, and so long to eradicate from my life.  I am with my daughter's girlfriend when it comes to religion.  Forget it!  

In my Christian walk, I am happy to agree with the Psalmist who wrote, "The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, His mercies shall never come to an end.  They are new every morning."  The love of Jesus is more real to me now than every before.  When you realize just how great a love Father God and Jesus had for mankind, you are in awe.  Jesus died for all my sin, yesterday's, today's and tomorrow's.  All was forgiven when He died in my place.  I humbly accept Jesus' righteousness as my own, to wear like clothing, as at the Bridal feast in the parable.  I belong at the wedding feast for I am clothed in proper wedding attire.  Jesus' righteousness enrobes  me. Nothing of my own efforts affords me the right to be called a brother at that fellowship, save Jesus' redemption.
 
 Repentance is not behavior modification; repentance is a changed attitude.

If you look at sin as something which creates a riff, or separation, between you and God, then repentance should be turning from that separation.  "Believe" in the Amplified Bible is described by the phrases, "trust in, cling to, rely on."  "Repent and believe" implies you should turn away from your separation from God, and now, trust in, cling to, and rely on Him.  Be in the moment with God.  Every moment, be with Him.  Acknowledge God's presence with you.  The Bible is a road map to relationship.  It is full of people who knew God.  If you are a parent, you know every child's relationship with you is different and unique.  Because we are all individuals.  Our relationship with God is one of a kind.  No two will look exactly alike.  They are not supposed to.  The Bible is a book of examples of what you could have with God individually!  That is exciting!  We are not in a box!  Jesus said, "I am with you always."   The question is, do we want to be with Him?   

Gratitude is the only response.  Thankfully recognizing the goodness of God's provision through Christ's sacrifice inspires worship.  What does worship look like?  It has so many faces!

At the inauguration of President Obama on January 21, 2012, I caught a glimpse of a man worshipping.  After the ceremony when all were exiting the grand stand, heading off to the inaugural luncheon, there was a man who hung back.  He tried to pause unnoticed by the door, pressed to one side.  He was overlooking all the people who had come, committing the view to memory, having a moment of reverence.  I had my own moment of reverence, as I prayed for mercy, wisdom and grace to follow our President, to saturate him in this next term and to fill his heart as he stood there by the door, modestly cherishing this gift, his place in history.

Sometimes worship is merely a subtle pause in our life, to commune with our loving God.  

Jesus, thank you for suffering on that really, really rough day, enduring all that horrible stuff, so I could have this really, really good peace every day.

Psalm 51 
10 Create in me a clean heart, O God,
and renew a right spirit within me.
11 Cast me not away from your presence,
and take not your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
and uphold me with a willing spirit.