July 16, 2008

The Word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword.


This last week has been one emotional exhausting week for me. There are a couple reasons for this, but for today’s purpose, I am going to share the general situation I am in.

I have a friend that I have known for years. Since childhood really. He and I have not had much contact through the years, but this last week I heard about some serious struggles he is having with his relationship with Christ. He and I started emailing back and forth about his questions, my questions, my answers. The emails have been long, deep, and challenging. We have kept a spirit of conversation, I don’t want it to seem as if we were at odds with each other, but we have also kept true to what we each believe – and those are as different as night and day.

Monday this started. Wednesday, my husband sees how even my eyes look tired as I deal with this and asks that painful question. “Julia, are you fighting this spiritual warfare without Jesus?”

I just walked away. I didn’t want to answer the question. The truth was, yes, I was fighting for three days, a battle that is not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, powers, and other rulers of darkness. I was fighting without my Sword! I was fighting leaving my Shield lying beside the bed! I was completely unarmed!

Wednesday night, before we went to bed, my husband made sure we had some time together with Christ.

Thursday night, we were eating with friends, and discussing things along these lines. My friend said to me “Oh, I will be praying for you, because you are in a battle, probably along with his family and other friends, but you guys are battling for this young man’s eternity. Truth is, the enemy won’t like that. He may come after you!” For the next two hours, I was sick to my stomach. I am not sure if it was the realization that I am now on the front lines…. Or how ashamed I felt to have left God, while I was presenting His case! We were at Red Lobster (one of my favorites) and even then I could barely eat! (That should tell you how sickly I was!)

So, here I was, not only feeling like I could offensively go into a battle without my armor… but also thinking I could defend the fiery darts being shot at me without and protection.

We are reading in Hebrews – and we crossed the scripture at the top of the page. In my head, my question was “Why do I leave my double-edged sword on the ground?” If I were going to fight a “flesh and blood” battle, I might forget to take some things… its just the way I am. However, I guarantee my weapon would NOT be the thing I left behind. Not only would I take it with me to the battle, but I would be training with it before the battle so that I knew how to use it in the best way properly.

On Friday morning, I sent the next email. It was the first email I sent knowing that I had fully prepared and got my armor on before going into it. It was also the first email in which I felt like I had something worth saying!

The conversation continues. Pray for my friend.

What are you facing? When do you have those moments of feeling “too strong,” or “too busy” for getting your armor together before walking into the battle field?

So, this week, as each of us face different battles, I encourage you to go find your Sword, Shield, Helmet, Shoes, Breastplate…. And don’t forget to gird those loins (whatever that means)!!

Holding On...
Julia

June 27, 2008

Live Connection or Online Interaction

I read today, on the Facebook of an acquaintance of mine, in the "about me" section a quote... "I prefer live connection to online interaction." The statement made me pause. And well, if you know me much, it takes a good bit to make me pause. Usually it has to be some LONG narrative, or something bad to "make me pause." But today, those few words got me thinking. Here are the thoughts.

First, I thought about how much I look forward to getting on my computer. Daily. Hourly. Every time I have been away. For hopes of some new interaction with someone. Anyone. Someone I know. Some complete stranger. I REALLY look forward to getting a blog comment, an email from a friend, a facebook/myspace comment or message. I just LOVE to see numbers of unread messages on my screen. I actually feel disappointed when there are no new numbers! So, my thoughts after reading this statement went first of all to this addiction that I have to online interaction. How much do I really pursue online interaction?

Too much probably.

How much of an impact is my life really going to leave from the other side of a computer screen?

Not much honestly.

I do not really expect, with the hoards of wonderful bloggers out there that my blog is something that will ever truly make a change in someone's life. Honestly, it’s not my gift. Sure, I can write, and I am not downplaying it, but it’s much harder for me to "show" love - as we are commanded to do - from the other side of a computer screen! Especially when I don't even know who might read it. And posting my favorite pictures is great and all, especially since my family can't readily see my pics unless I post them, however, what difference do those pics really make in the long run?

The Second direction this thought took me is this... In all this, do I prefer live connection to my Father? Honestly? Or is it more of an "online interaction." Where I place my requests, or post my prayers, in hopes He will read them and send a "comment" back into my life? Even if He does "comment" Do I look forward to that interaction with Him as I should? I take that back - God doesn't "comment" our lives, God is actively pursuing me with a passion I can hardly understand. Why do I simply want to anonymously post information to Him? Where is my heart's desire for "live connection" for my Creator, the one who, whether I acknowledge Him or not, is holding my life, literally, in the palm of His hand? I want my passion for Him - for His heart - for LIVE CONNECTION to be stronger than my desire for "online (dare I say... superficial?) interaction."

Maybe those two thoughts are in reverse order as far as priorities. Actually, I know that they are, but that is the order in which they arrived in my brain as I read that statement - and so that is the order in which I wanted to share them.

My prayer, is not that any of us would quit doing things that bring us joy (facebook.myspace.blogs.emails. etc.) but that our passions would begin to lie MORE in our live connection to our Father, and in our love to be shown to the world around us.

A perfectly written post is a wonderful thing, and has great potential - but a hug for a child who is hurting, or a lady who needs someone to listen will just go so much further. Let us keep encouraging our sisters (and brothers) in Christ through our connections on this internet - but let us keep our passions focused in the right direction.

Holding On...
Julia