Summer Challenges

Considering it's the first official day of summer, I decided to switch things up a bit and change my background and design. Also, I've been reading Jon Acuff's blog, Stuff Christians Like, a lot recently, so if my writing style has changed, you can blame him :)

I've been praying and thinking a lot about this summer and what God has planned for me. A part of me really wants this summer to be like last, full of fun times with friends nearly every day. Unfortunately(and I say this out of my current state of mind), I believe God is bringing me into a summer very different and very difficult. One word, I believe, that best describes it: uncomfortable. I was talking with a friend last week about this idea of being uncomfortable. So, I'm taking the idea and running with it. I've made a list of spiritual goals for the summer that will challenge me and make me uncomfortable:

1. The Word:Finish my CIY challenge on time without becoming complacent in my reading
2. Generosity: Continue to tithe 10% of my paychecks while rounding up to the nearest 5
3. Serving: Do one thing around the house every day
4. Faithfulness to God: Commit to praying for people every day each week
5. Outreach: Be a Light to those at Camp Allendale, Faith, Hope, & Love Week, and the Thursday Dinner Table

There are other things in my life, that are out of my hands, right now that make me far more uncomfortable than this list, but these 5 areas(given as a template from Keith Comp) are my personal challenges for the summer. I'm excited to see where God will lead me this summer, but very nervous at the same time.

I was reading in Ezekiel this morning that God commanded him to lay on his side for 390 days and eat bread only cooked over burning cow manure. Ezekiel is a living example of uncomfortable. Yet his heart was still soft to the Lord working and he still told the people of Israel to turn back to God. Now to sound conceited, but that's what I want my life to look like. That, no matter how uncomfortable I am, that no matter how much 'life sucks', I can still point people back to God. Last night at bible study, a statement was made that hit the nail right on the head. "If my goal is not leading them back to God, I'm not doing my job." Talk about a perfect challenge for my summer..

CIY Challenge Update: I'm on schedule and in Ezekiel and Hebrews. Nearly everyday as I read, I cannot wait to finish so I can go back through and study God's Word in more depth. This challenge was a God-send. I don't know what this last year would've looked like without it.

Redemption & Hope

I've been truckin' through Jeremiah the last week or so, and I read a few chapters today that caught my attention. Chapters 30-34 talk about God's plan of redemption for Israel; other things are talked about, but redemption is my focus this blog. While reading through, I couldn't help but stop periodically and scramble for my blue highlighter to mark these amazing verses. The promises that God makes for the Israelites are huge! Here are the ones that stood out to me.

• I will break the yoke off their necks and will tear off their bonds 30:8
• I am with you and will save you 30:11
• I will restore you to health and heal your wounds 30:17
• I will add to their numbers...I will bring them honor 30:19
• You will be my people and I will be your God 30:22
• I will be the God of all the clans of Israel, and they will be my people 31:1
• I will come to give rest to Israel 31:2
• I will build you up again and you will be rebuilt 31:4
• I will turn their mourning into gladness; I will give them comfort and joy 31:13
• I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts 31:33
• I will be their God and they will be my people 31:33
• I will forgive their wickendness and will remember their sins no more 31:34
• I will never stop doing good to them 32:40
• I will inspire them to fear me 32:40
• I will assuredly plant them in this land with all my heart and soul 32:40
• I will heal my people and will rebuild them as they were before 33:6

I am amazed at these promises of redemption for the Israelites. What annoyes me though about this, the Israelites heard all these promises from God, and warnings not to stray away from Him, yet at the time that Jeremiah was prophesying, the Babylonians were about the take Israel and Judah into captivity. I've thought many-a-times, 'those thick-headed people, don't they see the amazing plans God has for them? (referencing Jer. 29:11) Can't they see the chance for amazing blessings in their lives?" -> check out Jer. 32:42

Then, I began to think about my own life in comparison to the Israelites. Sure, I don't sacrifice children (Jer. 32:35) or burn incense to other gods (32:29), but I still turn away from God, I still sin. These chapters about God's plans and blessings for the Israelites make me think about God's plans for my life. Are there blessings he wants to give me, but my sinful heart is getting in way? Does God have my life going one direction, yet my selfishness leads me another way, just like the Israelites?

In chapter 31 verses 35-37, God is talking about the seriousness/realness of his promises. He says that the only way for God to reject his promises and the Israelites is if the heavens can be measured(vs.37) and the Earth can be searched out(vs.37), and if the laws of nature are destroyed(vs.35). God was not going to abandon the Israelites, despite all their flaws. And, God will not abandon us today, despite all our flaws. There is so much hope in Christ!a

"I—yes, I alone—will blot out your sins for my own sake and will never think of them again." Isaiah 43:25

"For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." So we may boldly say: "The LORD is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?" Hebrews 13:5-6

Isaiah, check lists, and Salvation

Yesterday, I finished reading Isaiah; though not on schedule, it is finished. What a strange book Isaiah is, and more confusing than I had originally expected. The book is divided into two sections, Chapters 1-39 (The Book of Judgement) and Chapters 40-66 (The Book of Comfort). The first section generally went over my head with promises of judgements on certain lands for the things they had done. It wasn't until the second half, or even the last 15 chapters or so, that the words of Isaiah struck my heart.

In light of my previous blog post, I don't think God did anything miraculous in me while I read Isaiah, or at least it didn't feel like it. Maybe my heart wasn't there until just a few days ago when I got the chance to really sit down, stop, and ponder his Word. And when you think about it, isn't that the point of this challenge? To ponder upon the Word of God. I get so wrapped up in staying on schedule and completing the task, that I forget the many blessings that accompany it. My Current CIY Challenge Struggle: Reading the Bible as spiritual food for survival, not as a thing on my check list.

Though I didn't understand most of Isaiah, there were some parts that blew my mind. The following verses I had as my facebook status a while back, and they still encourage me to continue after Christ:

"Hear me, you who know what is right,

you people who have my law in your hearts:

Do not fear the reproach of men

or be terrified by their insults.

For the moth will eat them up like a garment;

the worm will devour them like wool.

But my righteousness will last forever,

my salvation through all generations."

Isaiah 51:7-8

What a promise!! Our Father's righteousness never ends, and his salvation will continue on for generations. Those verses give us hope, that despite our mistakes and screw-ups, God's righteousness and salvation is always there. The things of this world will pass away, but God will not.