Taken for Granted
Last Fall I played the part of Emily in Our Town. At the end of the play, Emily finally accepts that she’ll never be able to go back and appreciate her life or the people in her life. As she takes her final look upon everything she’s ever known, she says goodbye.
“Goodbye world. Goodbye Grovers Corners… Mama… and Papa. Goodbye to clocks ticking. And Mama’s sunflowers. And food and coffee. To new ironed dresses and hot baths. To sleeping… and waking up. Oh, earth – you’re too wonderful for anyone to realize you!”
It’s been said that we don’t appreciate a thing until it’s gone. We’re so busy that we don’t even realize time is passing us by. We’re so focused on finishing one thing to move on to the next, and then doing something else at the same time. We don’t think about those around us – we don’t thoroughly enjoy their presence.
At the end of the play, a grown up Emiliy has the opportunity to watch her 12th birthday play out before her eyes. She can’t watch more than five minutes, crying out, “it goes so fast! We don’t have time to look at one another.”
To we value each other? Do we value the little things in life? Clocks ticking… new ironed clothes… fresh coffee… balloons… sprinkles…
When you step back and realize the vibrance the little things create, discontent just… flies out the window.
Emily: Do any human beings realize life as they live it? Every… every moment?
Stage Manager: No. Saints and poets, maybe. They do some.
Don’t take life or anything in it for granted. Be pleased by the little things… like the fact that straight pins in the sewing room have brightly colored tips… even if I don’t like sewing. 
Love… vulnerability…
Quote from CS Lewis
“To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything and your heart will be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give it to no one, not even an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements. Lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket, safe, dark, motionless, airless, it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. To love is to be vulnerable.”
Do your best to love (be vulnerable to) others. Protecting your heart will eventually lead to you being in a position where you cannot help anyone whose heart has been broken.
At the same time, realize that those who love you are vulnerable… treat them with care. Don’t shatter any hearts that may be fragile.
Grace
I’ve been reading through the Old Testament recently, and I just finished up 1 Kings. I was struck again with how quickly most of the kings of Israel and Judah turned away from God, even when He showed Himself as the One and Only God so many times.
Well, I got to Ahab, king of Israel the other day. “Ahab the son of Amri did evil in the sight of the Lord above all that were before him.” (1 Kings 16:30)
I got to the part of his story where Jezebel his wife saw to it that Naboth was killed so Ahab could have his vineyard. When Ahab goes to the stolen vineyard, Elijah meets him there and declares the word of the Lord. Ahab and Jezebel will die horrible deaths and the rest of his seed would die and not be buried but their bodies would be eaten by animals.
1 Kings 21:25ff “But there was none like unto Ahab, which did sell himself to work wickedness in the signt of the Lord, whom Jezebel his wife stirred up…
“And when it came to pass, when Ahab heard those words, that he rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his flesh, and fasted, and lay in sackcloth and went softly.
“And the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himself before me? because he humbleth himself before me, I will not bring the evil in his days: but in his son’s days will I bring the evil upon his house.“
When I read those words I was blown away at how merciful my Lord and Father is. Here is the king who has done the worst of all the kings before him (and that’s saying something), and God chose to show him mercy for one time of sincere repentance. God didn’t let him get away with it just because he was sorry for it… but he eased the pain of the just punishment.
…who says God can’t be merciful and just at the same time?
I sat back, and felt so comforted. No matter how many bad things I’ve done, no matter how far away I run from God, no matter how many times I turn away from His face, He still loves me. He still wants to ease my pain. Even when I deserve abandonment He stays by my side.
You are abundant in mercy
and overflowing with gentleness
Your patience is undeserved
Yet unrestrained
Your lovingkindness endures forever
And the steadfastness of your grace is unequaled.
New every morning are your love and forgiveness.
Slow to anger and abounding in love is the Lord my God.
Hope
For years I’ve been rather downcast about the fact that there won’t be any night in Heaven. Yes, that sounds weird, but I love the night. I like being outside at night at my home because it’s peaceful. Minus the dogs randomly barking.
But really, you hear the frogs croaking, the crickets chirping, and the owls hooting… you look up and you see the stars and the moon. And at my house you can see a lot of stars. Then on the stormy nights, I like listening to the downpour while looking out the window trying to catch a glimpse of the lightning.
I love all these things, and I’ve been sad that they won’t be in Heaven at all. I was praying about it one day, when I heard the Lord say, “Janie, you like the dark night because there’s still little bits of light scattered about.”
Even in the black of night, there’s still light. Even in the midst of the storm there’s still light. Even on a starless, moonless, silent night, there’s the promise of tomorrow, and light overcoming all the dark. As I stand in the midst of a black field, all by myself, I look up. And I get that feeling.
You know the feeling deep inside you… not anywhere you could describe, not a feeling that makes sense when put into words… but a little speck right in the middle of you that sparkles. Abides. Is still.
I call it hope.
Even in the blackest part of your life, there’s still light. Even in the midst of the storm around you, there’s still flashes of light. Even in a dreary, lonely, silent time, there’s the promise of a sunrise, and The Light overcoming all the darkness.
As I stand in the midst of a black time, all by myself, I look up. And I get that feeling.
John 8:12 - Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
Finally
Apologies for not having written in… forever. I’ve been rather busy. But to try to summarize everything I’ve been through and done over the past few months is a task too monumental for me to even attempt. So I think I shall just dive back in where I am.
***
In I Kings 8 I was reading Solomon’s prayer that he prayed before the people as the temple was finished. He talks about how it’s such a small place for such a huge God, and beggs Him to chose to reside there in order to communicate with man. Over and over again, he says “Then hear thou in Heaven thy dwelling place.” When I read the prayer, I had this sense that God was very far away in those days. He dwelt in Heaven.
Hebrews 8:6 → But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises… (really you should read all of Hebrews 8 for this idea, but I can’t type that all out here.)
Romans 8:9 → But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you.
Go read II Kings 5-8. The detail and decorations that went into the building of the temple were, in short, lavish. No holds barred in this building project. The temple was absolutely exquisite. And it still doesn’t compare to all the majesty of Heaven.
II Corinthians 6:16 → And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? For ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them and walk in them; and I will be their God and they shall be my people.
Do you look like a walking temple? What kind of clothes do you wear? I’m not even talking about modesty, per se, though that is important – I don’t want a discussion of that going on in the comments. 
I’m more talking about your particular style of clothing; the way you carry yourself; how you choose to cut your hair… or not cut it. Do you look like God dwells in you?
When Solomon had made an end of his prayer, he offered sacrifices, and the number of slaughtered animals was so great that they couldn’t all fit inside the brand new temple.
22,000 oxen.
120,000 sheep.
Even if you’re the wealthiest king, that’s going to put a dent in your bank account.
→ Romans 12:1 – I beseech thee therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice; holy, acceptable unto God which is your reasonable service.
→ II Samuel 24:24 – And the king said unto Araunah, Nay; but I will surely buuy it of thee at a price: neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the Lord my God of that which doth cost me nothing.
Are you willing to sacrifice your desires in order to give the King of Glory as much honor as you can?
