Archive for the 'pmerrill' Category

Jesus understands

March 5, 2010

(Paul Merrill writes here every First Friday)

During this year, Jon has been going through the book of John, showing us some of the ways Jesus relates to us unlike any other. Jesus is the only one who ever lived who is fully God and was fully man at the same time. That’s one of those mysteries I will never understand until I am in His presence in heaven.

But I do understand how that makes Jesus uniquely qualified to say things about how I should live my life. If God spoke but had never known the pain that is central to life here, why should I listen to him? But since Jesus lived 33 years down here, he knows what we go through. He was mocked, spit upon, loved, hated and cried with. He hung out at parties. He probably ate some pretty bad meals. But he knew the joy of freshly cooked meal on the beach. He had a close friend die. He had a dad, mom and siblings – with related joys and challenges. (At times, he faced their disapproval.) He laughed heartily. I’m sure he hit his thumb with a hammer during his tenure as a carpenter. His best buddies failed Him, but He loved them anyway.

And now he lives today, still possessing that knowledge, as He speaks quietly – asking us to follow His example in how we live. But Jesus wants us to do more than just follow his example. He wants us to let Him live in us to do what He wants through us! That doesn’t make us robots – but rather people living the way we were designed to live.

If you have not experienced this, tell Him you want to try following him. If you are already following Him, ask Him lead you through what you are facing today.

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What does it mean to trust?

February 5, 2010

(Paul Merrill writes here every First Friday)

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.” Solomon, the man who many consider to be the wisest man ever, said that in Proverbs 3:5.

Jesus said trust is being like a child. Remember how it felt when you were learning to swim and you would flail about in the pool – and then when your parent swam over and lifted you up, you relaxed?

How can we trust in God when He is hard to see, feel? If we listen, the closer we will get to Him.

“All your heart…” We can’t hold anything back. If we have done something we know is wrong, we need to ask His forgiveness. And if that wrong involves someone else, we need to seek them out too. We can’t come before God with an unresolved conflict. True, there are exceptions to this. If that person is gone, we can’t find resolution with them. But God can heal that wound, if we ask Him to. It may take a long time for that healing to come – or it may come very quickly. In this day of instant results, we all get impatient waiting. (And the wound may not be healed in the way we expect.)

“Don’t depend on your own understanding.” I come back to swimming. Remember fighting the water? When you learned to let the water hold you up, you were able to glide across the pool. Depending on our own power can be like fighting God. We all go through life feeling like we know the answers. But the more we learn to trust, the better we can live and breathe.

Try relaxing in God’s arms, if you haven’t before. If you have, try actively trusting more today than you did yesterday. You’ll sleep better too.

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God is bigger than all that

January 8, 2010

(Paul Merrill writes here every First Friday)

As the new year and the new decade begin, it is great to feel like we have a fresh start. That’s a wonderful thing. But how long will that feeling last? In a few days or weeks we may revert back to old thought patterns.

We are worried about financial pressures.

We are worried about our car needing repair.

We are worried that we may never pay off that mortgage – or get into a house that we are paying for.

We are worried about finding a job.

We are worried about pleasing our boss.

We are worried about how we should be spending more time with God.

We are worried about the state of our marriage.

We are worried about not being married.

We are worried about our relationships with our children.

We are worried about the health of our parents.

We are worried about not spending enough time with our family.

We are worried about not having very many meaningful and deep relationships.

We are worried about what we look like in others’ eyes.

We are worried that the number of hits on our website may never increase.

We are worried about the lack of influence we have over others.

We are worried about our health and not getting enough exercise.

We are worried about global warming, overpopulation and the state of our planet.

1 Peter 5:7 says,

“Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.”

Just speak them all to God. Let him handle your big and small worries. I’m not promising a magic bullet or instant change. Sometimes God will work the change within you rather than fixing the situation. And that can be even better. Sometimes the change may take a long time. Wait. God loves you and His love will be there.

Posted in pmerrill, questions, trust | 7 Comments »
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