Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.
--Ephesians 5:24
I find that many women see this instruction as limiting, constraining, not freeing. But that depends on how you look at it.
Of course, this verse is much more comforting if your husband follows the instructions in the following verse: "Husbands love your wives just as Christ loves the church and gave Himself up for her..." But I believed that even if your husband is not committed to Christ, or is not committed to His leadings, this commandment to submit to our husbands is truth and life for us.
Again, we need to follow the Leader, not keeping our eyes on these others.
The freedom in the verse comes from what it is NOT telling us to do. Often women get caught up in pleasing too many people. I know, I do! But this instruction tells us to submit to our husbands. Not our children, or our bosses, or our mothers, or our girlfriends. But submit to our husbands IN EVERYTHING. That means that he is our primary leader, as Christ is our head as believers.
I hear too many voices and am confused. I see many faces and I want them all to be happy, to be pleased with me. But I find I cannot please them all. Often their desires are contridictory or overly straining on me. It is like I need permission to say NO.
But my husband, he cares for me above all those others. When I am constrained by him, often I can find rest, because he does not desire me to be harried. He does not want me to work too hard. He does not want me to be driven by the demands of my job, or my social life or even the needs of our children.
He wants me to be able to rest with him. As Christ does.
He also sees where my blind spots are and can direct me around the potholes of life, if I will only hear him.
And what of those of us who have no husband today? Take joy in this truth...
For your Maker is your husband— the LORD Almighty is His name— the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer; He is called the God of all the earth.
--Isaiah 54:5
Thursday, August 17, 2006
Follow the Leader
"My sheep listen to My voice; I know them, and they follow Me."
--John 10:27
This Sunday I was up in the control room, coaching two of our new volunteers in the art of running a PowerPoint slideshow during the Sunday service. The music is not scripted, but very much "flows with the moving of the Spirit." Therefore, as the worship song is sung, the PowerPoint operator has to pay close attention to the worship leader. Sometimes he cues us by saying the first few words he will sing next. Sometimes the cue is how the song is rising or falling in tempo. The cues are always there, but some times they are harder to read than others.
The most important rule to follow is: pay close attention to the worship leader. You must take care not to not get distracted by the others talking and working next to you in the balcony, or even not get too caught up in singing the song that you miss your cue from the worship leader.
So this Sunday, I stood in the balcony, pointing out to the new volunteers the the more subtle cues. One of the hardest to get right is to not move ahead to the next slide too fast. Often we will sing a chorus over and over again. We don't want the slideshow to rush ahead of the worship leader.
Recently, I had discovered that the worship leader not only giving clues for the PowerPoint operator. The musicians and the vocalists also need to pay attention to the cues of the worship leader. Sunday I watched as Larry, a new addition to our vocalist group, paid close attention to Mark as he led the worship. As long as Larry knew where Mark was going with the song, Larry then felt free to improvise his vocal parts, singing so eloquently in the background. But again, in order to do that, he had to pay close attention to the leader.
As I watched this play out from my spot in the balcony, I considered how this mirrors how we are to follow Christ. I know I would like my life to be more scripted, to know the timing and the order of things to happen in my life. It is distressing when my life get out of order. Of worse, when I get stuck in one place too long for me, and I long to move ahead.
But my life is not my own. It is hidden in Christ. Only He knows the best ebb and flow, the right rhythm, the right order. Instead of getting caught up in what is happening in the world, or even in my own life too much, I need to play close attention to my Leader and listen carefully for His cues. Sometimes they are subtle and I can easily miss them.
When I listen closely and know where my Leader is going, I can be free to be creative and use the gifts He has given me in freedom, knowing it will fit in with the other things He is doing, like how Larry did on Sunday.
Another interesting component to this on Sunday was watching Pastor Jeff. Usually he leads worship himself, but today, he was being led in worship by Mark. He spent some time in the balcony with us, but then got a microphone and I thought he was going to join the singers on the stage, but instead, he joined the audience. My guess is, he did not think they were involved enough. So, again, paying close attention to the leader, Pastor Jeff began to sing from the audience and clap in response, getting those in the audience to join him.
I realized that even the audience has an important part in worship.
As believers in Christ, we all have a vital role to play. As we follow the Leader, others watch us. As we joyfully sing in the song of redemptive life, as we clap in response and follow Christ, others see us and are encouraged to follow along too. Maybe not all, but that is not the point.
Often I have been tempted to lead others to response to Christ by my words, by my instructions. But this no longer seems productive to me. I need to lead others towards Christ with my life, by following the Leader myself, by acting in response to His cues to me. In the past I have only gotten distracted from following the Leader myself when I spend too much energy trying to instruct others.
So I am going to follow the Leader, listening closely to His Word, listening to His voice speaking to my heart, knowing that hidden in there, there is a cue for me today.
--John 10:27
This Sunday I was up in the control room, coaching two of our new volunteers in the art of running a PowerPoint slideshow during the Sunday service. The music is not scripted, but very much "flows with the moving of the Spirit." Therefore, as the worship song is sung, the PowerPoint operator has to pay close attention to the worship leader. Sometimes he cues us by saying the first few words he will sing next. Sometimes the cue is how the song is rising or falling in tempo. The cues are always there, but some times they are harder to read than others.
The most important rule to follow is: pay close attention to the worship leader. You must take care not to not get distracted by the others talking and working next to you in the balcony, or even not get too caught up in singing the song that you miss your cue from the worship leader.
So this Sunday, I stood in the balcony, pointing out to the new volunteers the the more subtle cues. One of the hardest to get right is to not move ahead to the next slide too fast. Often we will sing a chorus over and over again. We don't want the slideshow to rush ahead of the worship leader.
Recently, I had discovered that the worship leader not only giving clues for the PowerPoint operator. The musicians and the vocalists also need to pay attention to the cues of the worship leader. Sunday I watched as Larry, a new addition to our vocalist group, paid close attention to Mark as he led the worship. As long as Larry knew where Mark was going with the song, Larry then felt free to improvise his vocal parts, singing so eloquently in the background. But again, in order to do that, he had to pay close attention to the leader.
As I watched this play out from my spot in the balcony, I considered how this mirrors how we are to follow Christ. I know I would like my life to be more scripted, to know the timing and the order of things to happen in my life. It is distressing when my life get out of order. Of worse, when I get stuck in one place too long for me, and I long to move ahead.
But my life is not my own. It is hidden in Christ. Only He knows the best ebb and flow, the right rhythm, the right order. Instead of getting caught up in what is happening in the world, or even in my own life too much, I need to play close attention to my Leader and listen carefully for His cues. Sometimes they are subtle and I can easily miss them.
When I listen closely and know where my Leader is going, I can be free to be creative and use the gifts He has given me in freedom, knowing it will fit in with the other things He is doing, like how Larry did on Sunday.
Another interesting component to this on Sunday was watching Pastor Jeff. Usually he leads worship himself, but today, he was being led in worship by Mark. He spent some time in the balcony with us, but then got a microphone and I thought he was going to join the singers on the stage, but instead, he joined the audience. My guess is, he did not think they were involved enough. So, again, paying close attention to the leader, Pastor Jeff began to sing from the audience and clap in response, getting those in the audience to join him.
I realized that even the audience has an important part in worship.
As believers in Christ, we all have a vital role to play. As we follow the Leader, others watch us. As we joyfully sing in the song of redemptive life, as we clap in response and follow Christ, others see us and are encouraged to follow along too. Maybe not all, but that is not the point.
Often I have been tempted to lead others to response to Christ by my words, by my instructions. But this no longer seems productive to me. I need to lead others towards Christ with my life, by following the Leader myself, by acting in response to His cues to me. In the past I have only gotten distracted from following the Leader myself when I spend too much energy trying to instruct others.
So I am going to follow the Leader, listening closely to His Word, listening to His voice speaking to my heart, knowing that hidden in there, there is a cue for me today.
Monday, August 14, 2006
I will build My church
Matthew 16
15 He [Jesus] said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”
16 Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
17 Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. 18 And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it."
For those in church ministry, what a wonderfully freeing word, “I will build My church.” It is so sweet, let’s savor it and take it apart word by word.
“I will build My church and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.”
I: Jesus, the Christ, the Son of the living God, it is He who will build the church. Not me, not the pastor or the worship leader or the Leadership Team, but our beloved Jesus, our Savior, and Creator of the universe.
will: Not possibly, or maybe, or He is planning to, but He will. It is sure as the dawn.
build: It will grow, take shape, get larger, be constructed according to plan. It will not stay stagnant, it will not be downsized, it will not die. It is living and it will continue to develop, and be built up.
My: Not your church, or their church. Jesus is only interested in building His own church. If we want to get in on what He is doing, He is already building it. He gives no promises on building what is not His.
church: This was no building that He was talking about. This is the first time the word Church is used in the NIV. He was talking about the Body of believers.
and: Plus, in addition to, please note this extra part of the promise…
the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it: Absolutely no power, on earth or in the underworld, no person, no matter how powerful in a worldly way, not matter how evil or slick or stupid, will win in the battle to destroy Christ’s church. No power, no where.
This is so sweet because I cannot mess it up, because it is not me who is building the church. It is Jesus. Neither can anyone else, who I am afraid is doing it wrong, they cannot cause the church to fail. No matter what, Jesus will prevail!
So I can just go on vacation now, right. Right.
But see how Jesus starts this by pointing out how Peter is different from other people who have heard His message. To Peter it has been revealed, from His Father in heaven, that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God. It is on this Rock of faith that Jesus builds His church. Using us, who know Him, love Him and are devoted to Him, as the foundation to continue His building of the church. He is the cornerstone (Esphesians 2:20), but He builds His church on us.
15 He [Jesus] said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”
16 Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
17 Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. 18 And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it."
For those in church ministry, what a wonderfully freeing word, “I will build My church.” It is so sweet, let’s savor it and take it apart word by word.
“I will build My church and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.”
I: Jesus, the Christ, the Son of the living God, it is He who will build the church. Not me, not the pastor or the worship leader or the Leadership Team, but our beloved Jesus, our Savior, and Creator of the universe.
will: Not possibly, or maybe, or He is planning to, but He will. It is sure as the dawn.
build: It will grow, take shape, get larger, be constructed according to plan. It will not stay stagnant, it will not be downsized, it will not die. It is living and it will continue to develop, and be built up.
My: Not your church, or their church. Jesus is only interested in building His own church. If we want to get in on what He is doing, He is already building it. He gives no promises on building what is not His.
church: This was no building that He was talking about. This is the first time the word Church is used in the NIV. He was talking about the Body of believers.
and: Plus, in addition to, please note this extra part of the promise…
the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it: Absolutely no power, on earth or in the underworld, no person, no matter how powerful in a worldly way, not matter how evil or slick or stupid, will win in the battle to destroy Christ’s church. No power, no where.
This is so sweet because I cannot mess it up, because it is not me who is building the church. It is Jesus. Neither can anyone else, who I am afraid is doing it wrong, they cannot cause the church to fail. No matter what, Jesus will prevail!
So I can just go on vacation now, right. Right.
But see how Jesus starts this by pointing out how Peter is different from other people who have heard His message. To Peter it has been revealed, from His Father in heaven, that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God. It is on this Rock of faith that Jesus builds His church. Using us, who know Him, love Him and are devoted to Him, as the foundation to continue His building of the church. He is the cornerstone (Esphesians 2:20), but He builds His church on us.
Wednesday, August 09, 2006
Ok, so I'm 13 again
Ok, this is goofy and SOooooOOoooo 13 but I got it from a 50 year old friend of mine so maybe it is ok for such as me!!
Not to waste it, I'm adding it to my blog! Here you go!
1. FIRST Name - Barbara
2. Middle NAME? - Ann, my grandmothers name and it was mandatory for everyone to have a middle name of Ann in my family!
3. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? No, mom made sure that if my middle name was Ann, my first name was not the same as anyone else in my family. The catch was, in grammer school, there were always at least two other Barbaras in my classes.
4. WHEN DID YOU LAST CRY? This morning (of course!)
5. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? – No
6. WHAT IS YOU FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT? ham
7. KIDS? – 2 and 1 grandkid
8. WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? most days, yes. Some days I wish I could leave the state and leave me home.
9. DO YOU HAVE A JOURNAL? yes and a blog!
10. DO YOU USE SARCASM A LOT? A bad habit I am trying to kick. Not doing too well at kicking it, I must add.
11. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? Yes
12. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? Never
13. FAVORITE CEREAL? Granola with dates (at least 1 million calories :)
14. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? not if I can help it.
15. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG? Yes, too strong for my own good.
16. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM FLAVOR? Chocolate!
17. SHOE SIZE? 8 W I D E
18. RED OR PINK? - RED!!
19. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF? the gray hairs in my eyebrows
20. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? dad and Aunt Tillie
21. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO SEND THIS BACK TO YOU? Yes, please!
22. WHAT COLOR PANTS AND SHOES YOU ARE WEARING? blank pant, white shoes
23. LAST THING YOU ATE? - PB&J
24. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? The humm of my PC and the cars whizing by Watchung Avenue...almost as relaxing as the ocean!
25. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? Orange
26. FAVORITE SMELL? Ocean.
?27. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? Julia
28. THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE YOU ARE ATTRACTED TO? How they stand
29. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU? I love her
30. FAVORITE DRINK? hmm, a hard one! coffee!! Coke! Red wine!!
31. FAVORITE SPORT? swimming
32. HAIR COLOR? - brown
33. EYE COLOR? - brown
34. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? no-
35. FAVORITE FOOD? really hard question...I love food! chinese
36. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDING? – Happy Endings
37. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING? white with Red stripes
38. FAVORITE DESSERT? Chocolate ice cream
40. WHO IS MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND? I have no idea
41. LEAST LIKELY TO RESPOND? I have no idea
42. WHAT BOOKS ARE YOU READING? The Mermaid Chair
43. WHAT'S ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? – I just tossed it last week
43. WHAT DID YOU WATCH LAST NIGHT ON TV? – I gave it up for Lent last year and have been very happy since
44. FAVORITE SOUNDS? My grandson's coo
45. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES? - Beatles
46. THE FURTHEST YOU BEEN FROM HOME? Hawaii
49. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT ? Being very mediocre at many things
50. WHEN AND WHERE WERE YOU BORN? On a very Hot July day, the very last day in July 1955 in Newark New Jersey.
Not to waste it, I'm adding it to my blog! Here you go!
1. FIRST Name - Barbara
2. Middle NAME? - Ann, my grandmothers name and it was mandatory for everyone to have a middle name of Ann in my family!
3. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? No, mom made sure that if my middle name was Ann, my first name was not the same as anyone else in my family. The catch was, in grammer school, there were always at least two other Barbaras in my classes.
4. WHEN DID YOU LAST CRY? This morning (of course!)
5. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? – No
6. WHAT IS YOU FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT? ham
7. KIDS? – 2 and 1 grandkid
8. WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? most days, yes. Some days I wish I could leave the state and leave me home.
9. DO YOU HAVE A JOURNAL? yes and a blog!
10. DO YOU USE SARCASM A LOT? A bad habit I am trying to kick. Not doing too well at kicking it, I must add.
11. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? Yes
12. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? Never
13. FAVORITE CEREAL? Granola with dates (at least 1 million calories :)
14. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? not if I can help it.
15. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG? Yes, too strong for my own good.
16. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM FLAVOR? Chocolate!
17. SHOE SIZE? 8 W I D E
18. RED OR PINK? - RED!!
19. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF? the gray hairs in my eyebrows
20. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? dad and Aunt Tillie
21. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO SEND THIS BACK TO YOU? Yes, please!
22. WHAT COLOR PANTS AND SHOES YOU ARE WEARING? blank pant, white shoes
23. LAST THING YOU ATE? - PB&J
24. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? The humm of my PC and the cars whizing by Watchung Avenue...almost as relaxing as the ocean!
25. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? Orange
26. FAVORITE SMELL? Ocean.
?27. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? Julia
28. THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE YOU ARE ATTRACTED TO? How they stand
29. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU? I love her
30. FAVORITE DRINK? hmm, a hard one! coffee!! Coke! Red wine!!
31. FAVORITE SPORT? swimming
32. HAIR COLOR? - brown
33. EYE COLOR? - brown
34. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? no-
35. FAVORITE FOOD? really hard question...I love food! chinese
36. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDING? – Happy Endings
37. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING? white with Red stripes
38. FAVORITE DESSERT? Chocolate ice cream
40. WHO IS MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND? I have no idea
41. LEAST LIKELY TO RESPOND? I have no idea
42. WHAT BOOKS ARE YOU READING? The Mermaid Chair
43. WHAT'S ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? – I just tossed it last week
43. WHAT DID YOU WATCH LAST NIGHT ON TV? – I gave it up for Lent last year and have been very happy since
44. FAVORITE SOUNDS? My grandson's coo
45. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES? - Beatles
46. THE FURTHEST YOU BEEN FROM HOME? Hawaii
49. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT ? Being very mediocre at many things
50. WHEN AND WHERE WERE YOU BORN? On a very Hot July day, the very last day in July 1955 in Newark New Jersey.
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