Lord, Please Help Me Understand.

We grieve loss.  There are many ways to experience loss.  The most commonly recognized is the loss of a loved one, family or friend.  What if someone, or a group, that your love and felt safe with all the sudden found no value in your talent, or gift?   My sister Lisa and many other women at my home congregation have experienced all of these losses.

Individuals that have lost a limb, use of a limb(s), sight, hearing, speech or some other disfigurement grieve the loss because they no longer are who they were before.  Their perception is that what they lost made them who they were.  Loss of a spouse in death or by divorce is much the same feeling.   Who am I now that I am not Mrs. --------- or Mr. -------- husband of --------- .  Now I wonder who I am if I can no longer verbalize a prayer even in the smallist gathering of my church family? 

It knocks the breath out of me to suddenly realize there are those who are offended simply by hearing me pray.  It can be a beautiful prayer.  The communication verbalized may be exactly what is on the offended person’s heart but because I said it within their hearing they were offended.  How can that be?  How can a Christian be offended or threatened by hearing another bare their heart to God? 

What if I’m offended by their prejudice?  We have no trouble working up some righteous indignation because we cannot pray in schools, at ball games, or display the Ten Commandments in our courtrooms.  Yet there are those in our own church that would discourage a fellow Christian from praying during an open time of sharing based on gender.  Somehow this threatens them as leaders?  I guess I was foolish to expect them to want to know my heart.  If our leadership can be so easily threatened what does that mean for the future of the church? 

I can work outside the home.  I can, and have,  served in the military.  I could be a Christian brother's boss or exert influence over them at work but I can’t verbally participate in a prayer time opened to anyone who wants to pray.  Isn't my whole life a service to God?  I hate to use the old cliche "Times have changed.".  It is true though.  Just like wearing hats and only dresses to church. 

So as Christians how do we know when it is time to stand up and press an issue and when we should yield to another?  I guess that is the real question.   For a woman, especially one that grew up wearing hats to church and only dresses, this is a particularly distressing question.  Is it a conscience issue? For some it is.  Those that submit out of love, are they stronger or weaker?  How do we know if we are just going along or making a conscious decision to forgive and allow time for God to work?  Is God saying that it is not time for change or that this change is not within His will or is this a test of some sort?  The tempest is raging.  I will try to find the peaceful shelter my Lord has provided, pray for the storm to pass quickly and for all to be made clear.

Matthew 18:1-4

 ¹ At that time the disciples came to Jesus and said, “Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”  ² And He called a child to Himself and set him in their midst, ³ and said, “Truly I say to you, unless you are turned and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. ⁴ Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.  (NASB)

Children pray together without thought to gender.  Why can’t we?  I just don't understand.  Lord, please help me understand.



Can We Pray Together?

Women praying in front of men, is it okay or not . . . .hummm, . .  let me think about this for a minute.  I’m pretty sure I have some questions.

Can a Christian woman pray with her husband without threatening his authority in the home?  Can I share what is on my heart with my husband even if he hasn’t asked?  Can I read the bible to him out loud?  Where 2 or more are gathered in my name . . . ,right?  Is it a worship service?

If a family has a devotional can a woman pray or otherwise participate?  What constitutes a “family” devotional?   Just immediate family; or, does that include extended family?  If we say okay to women fully participating in their family devotionals, including extended family, how is the extended family defined?  Is it only blood relatives; or, can I really consider my brothers and sisters in Christ part of my extended family?  If I can then does it matter where that family devotional takes place, home, work, the mall, the church building? If a gathering has been referred to as a devotional why would not be a devotional because a female was asked to participate and did?

Okay, let us move away from the family devotional questions for a minute.  What about a bible class?  If men are in a bible class does that mean a female is not allowed to participate?  If we say yes she can actively participate in a bible class then how is participation defined “for a woman” and who defines it?  If we say that female participation is limited to comments and a teacher decides, during their class, to have a designated time for prayer and opens it for anyone in the class to pray does that mean anyone but females?  If we say that now women are not allowed to participate/pray in a bible class, was it wrong in the past when male teachers said “We are going to just start a prayer and anyone that wants to pray just start in when you think the one before has finished.  Any woman who is comfortable with praying feel free. Joe will you finish it up when you think everyone is finished or time runs out.”?  Does the size of the bible class make a difference?

How can a female Christian usurp a male Christian’s authority by talking or praying when a male Christian has requested or allowed her to participate in that way?  If a female opens her heart to pray or share does that mean she is trying to impose her will on the men or can we consider that she may want to bring those around her closer by giving them a glimpse in to her heart or maybe even to seek guidance?  If we say a woman can share as long as it is presented by her husband or another Christian man in the class or devotional, are they still indirectly imposing their will over the other males in the group?  Are we saying that because the sharing was filtered through a male brain cleanses it someway making it more appropriate? 

Should women go back to covering their heads in church?  What about slacks worn by women in church?  I was not allowed to wear a pair of pants with a zipper in the front growing up because it somehow was a challenge to male leadership.  Do we go back to that?  Do we tell our female teens and college students they can no longer actively participate in class, except for singing and silent prayer?  After all we aren’t talking about putting a woman in the pulpit, or at the Lord’s table, leading singing, prayer or reading scripture in a formal Sunday congregational service.  That would not be honoring our parents and other seniors.   It would not be putting others needs above our own.  Will there ever be a day when these things won’t be offensive to someone?  Only God can answer that.  Does this mean a church can or would segregate classes, services, ect. by male and female? 

Are not all members of the body equally important?  Should a one talent Christian be looked down on by the multi-talented Christian?  Does method of communication, written or verbal, change the purity of the message?  The bible is the written Word of God.  There is none other like it but still if a Christian’s talent is writing and they choose to write and then read what they wrote to other Christians, why would another Christian consider that sharing any less pure of heart?  What about those that write the songs that we praise God with and encourage and uplift each other, are the writers less committed to the Lord because they took great pains to write and compose a beautiful song?  Who can know a man or woman’s heart but the Lord? 

Well, I better stop . . . for the moment anyway.  I have a lot of questions as you can see.  My questions cover a wide range of topics. 

Dear Lord, please bless all Christians everywhere with the strength to persevere in their struggle to remain faithful so they may receive the gift of life in the end.   Let us not be easily persuaded to abandon our convictions.  Help us to receive correction humbly.  Give us the wisdom to discern Your will and make sound choices.  Not only sound choices for ourselves and our families, help us make sound choices with regard to Your church.  We love You and praise You with all our hearts.  May our lives bring glory to You always.  In Jesus name, amen.

 Stand for Him brothers and sisters, just stand.

“Purer in heart O God help me to be . . . .”

As Morning Dawns & Evening Fades

As Morning Dawns & Evening Fades

This morning the house is quiet.  A cat is lying in my lap purring softly.  Soon the sun will rise and the day will begin.  Right at this moment all is quiet and the lines of a favorite song echo through my head.  "As morning dawns and evening fades, You inspire songs of praise." 


Thank you, Lord, for being with me today and every day.  Help me to be what you want me to be.  Thank you for work to keep me busy and help provide for my family.  I pray that as evening fades and there is time to reflect on the day and rest, that I will see You in all that happened.  Help me to be a glass half full person and not a glass half empty.  I want to bring glory to Your name by being a positive example and influence on those I meet today . . . . In Jesus' name, Amen.

INSIDE LOOKING OUT

Photography is a passion.  I believe while a series of photos can be made in to a teaching tool, every picture tells a story.  The story I see changes with the life events I experience and, whether the young believe it or not, age really does change your perspective.

                        
                        "Inside Looking Out” also has a story. 

  

The dark side of the window is this doomed earthly container called a “body” that my spirit and soul are trapped inside of for now.  My eyes have become windows and through them my soul sees light and beauty.  The light and beauty gives me hope, strength and encouragement.  It reminds me to keep my eyes fixed on God and His glory because no matter what is going on in my life right now . . . at this moment . . . God is with me. (Psalm 46:1 - God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble.)  Heaven began in my life on earth when I committed my life to God.

Those who know me know that I turned from God.  I took my eyes off the light and was lost in darkness for many years.  God was gracious.  He helped me find the light again.  He took me back.  This time I dare not turn my eyes away.

The darkness in a broader sense can also represent this world with all its trials, heartache death and sickness and the light is heaven.  We only get a taste of what heaven is really like while we are here in this world.  Those that continue to grow and mature in their faith will see that glimpse of heaven evolve into something so wonderful our minds cannot conceive of it.  Eternal life . . . light . . . and beauty . . . singing praises to God forever.  It will be glorious!  There is always HOPE because of the sacrifice willingly made by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.