Saturday Mornings, Coffee, and Ina Garten
After Ina and I had spent quality time together (insert big cheesy smile here), I turned my attention to my Bible and journal. Joshua 22: 1-8 left me speechless and feeling empowered. Israel, wanderers in dessert places, were on the brink of entering land longed promised. Before unpedicured toes and feet stepped into promised places, Joshua had a list of do's and don'ts:
- Love the Lord your God
- Walk in All His Ways
- Keep His Commands
- Remain Faithful to Him
- Serve Him with All Your Heart
Why these basics? Why the need to be reminded by Papa Joshua that the Lord needed to be loved? Seems weird. To love God was given as a command. Leaves me thinking love is so much more than a gushy feeling. It's about decisions. And given the circumstances the Israelite desert dwellers had come through, a decision to love God during the "tough" in life was essential.
Walking in His ways was a struggle for Israel. A lot of folks didn't get to step into their Promise for not walking in His ways - including Moses. His ways didn't always make sense. Walking in them meant walking into prosperity. Prospering meant receiving God's best. God promised Israel they would get His best when they made deliberate steps toward Him. It was a promise. Walk the way I show you and you will have the best I've planned for you!
Keeping His commands was non-negotiable. He said it. He meant for commands to be obeyed. I get that it sounds harsh. But only when viewed through a lens that says God is a dictator. When we look through the intended lens - God being a loving, kind, gracious Father - we want to obey. We know His ways will take us to good places. A new land with new inhabitants would offer new commands from foreign peoples that could make a whole lot of sense to these newcomers. God knew that. He was protecting His kids by giving them a command to follow Him - even if it didn't make sense.
Remain faithful seems like a basic no Brainer as well. How many times do you tell a newly married couple to be faithful to one another? However, God knew Israel's limited perspective would leave room for them to be unfaithful ... and us, too! When I look at circumstances, and those circumstances look daunting, I tend to lose perspective. Disappointment, discouragement, depression are all culprits to swaying me from believing God is faithful and my faithfulness is key to experiencing His best for my life.
Finally, serve God with all your heart and soul. Really? Did Israel, these holy ancients that are to be admired for being the chosen, need to be reminded to serve God? Apparently. God knew that living in the Promise would require serving Him when it cost. Heart and soul are a high price to pay ... but it's worth it.
So, why all the Bible lesson stuff? Because out of this place of peace, coffee and Ina by my side, I heard God and His Truth. The timing is perfect. Because, later that day, we had an appointment with our Realtor/Friend to look at four houses. But wait ... let me insert a quick chaser here
We've officially looked at houses since January. Quite frankly, I wasn't feeling "it". We just moved into our little apartment this week. I had the impression that God used this apartment as our "Jordan". Before Isreal could enter the Promised Land, they had to take a deep breath and cross over a flood-stage river called Jordan. Scary. Yet step over they did. After the Jordan lay the Promise. In my mind, our Jordan could last 3 months ... or more. I have tried to lay a timeline at the feet of Jesus and live loosely bound to a schedule in terms of how long we call yet another temporary place "home". As Libby and I lay in her new bed the first night of our stay in our apartment, I shared this with her. It made sense to me as I said the words out loud. She got it. And I was trying to.
After looking at the first three houses, faint of heart and weary from looking, my Jordan was before me. House number four brought little expectation. However, after walking through the front door, heart began to palpitate, eyes began to brighten, pulse began to pick up and ears perked at the favorable comments being made by my Libby and Parker. This was good. Turns out, it was really, really good! So good ... we made an offer!!
This house that we've prayed for seems to be laying in front of us. For months, we've crossed things off imaginary lists that were criteria for the "perfect" house. Because this house has been a dream we know God has put on our hearts to bless others, to be Fahrenheit's headquarters, and house our sweet family, the criteria at times felt daunting. Yet, yesterday, when we least expected it, here it was.
We've made an offer. We are praying and believing for this house. Peace passes our understanding. Fear lurks at the door of faith. But the words of Joshua to beloved Isreal keeps me focused.
Love the Lord your God. I am going to continue to love God. Today, that means loving God and trusting Him fully for the house He desires for us and the financing to make that a reality in spite of any fear. I choose to love.
Walk in all His ways. I am going to continue to walk in the ways He tells me and my precious Chris. Today, that means trusting His leading to this house and trusting the last month's journey to get us here had a unique purpose for my good and the good of others.
Keep His commands. I am going to continue to keep His commands. Today, that means giving all my fears, and stress and concerns to Him through my prayers and laying them at His feet. I will believe God's Word over my faulty feelings and know His good chases after me.
Remain faithful to Him. I am going to continue to remain faithful to Him. Today, that means trusting Him for more. More finances, more perspective, more provision, more peace. My eyes stay locked on Him in the middle of everything else. He was never let me down.
Finally, serve Him with all your heart and soul. I am going to continue to serve God will all my heart and all my soul. Today that means bearing all that is in my heart and soul to Him. I serve by being obedience ... even when I have no idea how it's all going to come out. I will serve by believing His Word over my feelings. I will serve by knowing without His leading, I would be a fish out of water.
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