moving on

OK. So I finally decided on a url for my blog, bought it, and got it set up how I want it (for now). Needless to say this will be my final post here. For those of you who actually read this you can now find me at www.pensivegrace.com. And for that crazy lot who are linked to this site please update my address! Thanks, folks. :)

It Only Takes a Spark

OK. So I think I've mentioned before that my church is going through a study of James. It's such an amazingly practical and challenging book. Anyway, I got this devotional in my email today and I found it challenging so thought I'd share. :) I pray it blesses you as it has me. God bless, friends. Till next time.

"Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire..."
James 3:5-6

Scripture warns us that the tongue is often a chief cause of conflict...Reckless words, spoken hastily and without thinking, inflame many conflicts. "Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing" (Prov. 12:18; cf. Prov 13:3; 17:28; 21:23; 29:20). Although we may seldom set out deliberately to hurt others with our words, sometimes we do not make much of an effort not to hurt others. We simply say whatever comes to mind without thinking about the consequences. In the process, we may hurt and offend others, which only aggravates conflict.

Taken from The Peacemaker: A Biblical Guide to Resolving Personal Conflict by Ken Sande, Updated Edition (Grand Rapids, Baker Books, 2003) p. 121

Food for Thought

Do your words heal or pierce? Not sure? Look at the people around you.

But first, let's take a little stroll down memory lane for a moment. In the 70's, many Christians were singing, "It only takes a spark, to get a fire going." Remember that? And while that song was referring to the fire of God's love, that phrase always brought to mind James' warnings concerning the tongue. How about this one? "Only you can prevent forest fires." Smokey the Bear's deep-throated plea emphasized the incendiary potential of our personal irresponsibility.

Now, how about looking back at last month or last week? Was there any time when just one of your words could have been described as reckless? Or was there even one moment when you just said what you felt with an attitude of "I'm not responsible for how she interprets this, I'm just going to say it." Does anything like that feel familiar? If so, if you look beyond the "memory lane" you're strolling down, you may see a scorched landscape.

The culture in which we live seems to worship the reckless word; the popular people just call it being "snarky." For some reason, we've equated reckless with being wide-eyed and grown-up. The reality is that reckless should be equated with near-sighted and immature. Our marriages, families, schools, churches and country are ablaze. Oh, of course, we really didn't mean to set them on fire, but we really didn't make the effort to not set them on fire, either. Memory without responsibility leaves us nostalgic and blind, with smoke in our eyes because our hearts are on fire. Remember, through the power of the Holy Spirit, only you can prevent those fires set by reckless words.

Reading Hebrews

Sunday night during small group time at our Singles Gathering, we all kept circling back around to a desire to read the Word more. I'm not sure whose idea it was, Lisa or Cari, but we decided to each pick a book in Scripture that we would purpose to read through over the course of this week. We each went home, prayed about it, and then shared with the other ladies in our group what book we'd be immersing ourselves in for the week. I'm really excited about it. God has been giving me a growing desire to read in Hebrews recently, so that's the book I chose for this week. I couldn't even get past the first few verses without being floored by how amazing our God truly is! Needless to say, I wanted to share it with y’all. :)

Hebrews 1
The Supremacy of God’s Son
1 Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. 3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, 4 having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.

I love the beauty of those words. Christ, the heir of all things, who created the world, who upholds the universe by the Word of His power… this same Christ is the radiance of the glory of God. He is the EXACT imprint of His nature; yet this amazing radiance of God’s glory made purification for our sins by coming to this earth full of stench, strife, pain, misery, and difficulty. Beauty came to destruction and brought a healing that none other could bring. It humbles me to contemplate the brevity of all He did to win the salvation of His bride. What a faithless bride I've been! Though He has ever been faithful. Praise Him for His kindness that leads us to repentance.

Anyway, I have to run, but I wanted to leave you with the words of my friend, Mr Spurgeon. May we all seek to know Jesus, to sit at His feet and worship Him.

“Know Jesus. Sit as His feet. Consider His nature, HIs works, His sufferings, His glory. Rejoice in HIs presence; commune with Him day to day. To know Christ, is to understand the most excellent of all sciences. You cannot fail to be wise if you commune with Incarnate Wisdom; you cannot lack strength if you have constant fellowship with God.”

- Charles Spurgeon, All Round Ministry (Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth Trust, 2000), 52.

May God bless you and keep you until we meet again, my dear friends!

Gospel Quote of the Day

One of my favorite quotes. Thought I'd share. :)

“My memory is nearly gone, but I remember two things: That I am a great sinner and that Christ is a great Savior.”

—John Newton, quoted in Jonathan Aitken, John Newton: From Disgrace to Amazing Grace (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 2007), 347

So basic, yet so essential... Hope y'all are having a blessed day! :)

Challenging Last Words

An entry from the journal kept in 1745 and 1746 by David Brainerd, the young minister to the Indian tribes of Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey.

Friday, Oct. 2

My soul was this day, at turns, sweetly set on God: I longed to be with him, that I might behold his glory. I felt sweetly disposed to commit all to him, even my dearest friends, my dearest flock, my absent brother, and all my concerns for time and eternity. Oh that his kingdom might come in the world; that they might all love and glorify him, for what he is in himself; and that the blessed Redeemer might see the travail of his soul, and be satisfied! 'Oh come, Lord Jesus, come quickly! Amen.'

Note from Jonathan Edwards: Here ends his diary. These are the last words that are written in it, either by his own hand, or by any other from his mouth.

I've read these words many times now, but each time they strike a cord so deep within me that I just had to share them. Oh that those words would be true of my heart... I pray they might challenge and encourage you as they have me.

Till next time, dear friends.