Inigo's Hermeneutics

I have often wanted to say this!

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Remember in the Desert, And Beyond

From Why God Sends You Through a Season in the Desert by Jennifer Kennedy Dean

...In those years, for the most part, they repeated the same obedience day after day with no hint that it really mattered. Manna, quail, cloud, fire. Worship, offer sacrifices, pack, unpack. Set up camp, take down camp. Over and over.

No change on the horizon. No evidence of the Promised Land anywhere in sight. Obedience by obedience, they followed the Lord.

Small acts of faithfulness every day for 40 years. As Moses recounts it and refreshes their memories, he doesn't softsoap the hard edges. It was tough. It was vast and terrible.He reminds them how it felt because they are about to enter the Promised Land and leave the thirsty and waterless land behind. The abundant living in the Promised Land has been prefaced by the long walk in the dry desert. Why?

During their extended training in the desert, they learned by experience to trust the hand of God. For example, He fed them with manna day by day. If God had not sent the day's manna, they would have starved in the wilderness. Every morning required confidence in God's provision. See how Moses warns them to remember the desert days when they get into the Promised Land?

Moses says that all this training and desert traveling was "so that in the end it may go well with you." Have you ever known anyone who achieved all they ever dreamed of, then lost it all through their own actions and choices? Moses tells the people that not only is God about to release the fullness of the promise into their lives, but He has prepared their hearts to live large in the abundance of His provision.

Small Change

In some areas of your life, you have moved into the Promised Land and are living large. Look around and remember on purpose that God is the provider and sustainer. In some areas of your life, you are on a desert walk. When you feel the desert's heat, step back mentally and look for how God's provision is evident. Today, find one thing that you will thank God for instead of complaining about. Pray: "Do Your work, Refiner's Fire, that in the end it may go well for me."

Stories of Mystery

"Once upon a time, a king came to earth to tell stories, and the stories contained the mystery of eternal life."

From The Story-Telling God: Seeing the Glory of Jesus in His Parables, by Jared Wilson (Kindle version, location 435)

Now the Will of God Is....

Now the will of God is what Christ both did and taught:

• Humility in conversation
• steadfastness in faith
• modesty in words
• justice in deeds
• mercifulness in works
• discipline in morals
• to be unable to do a wrong
  and to be able to bear a wrong when done
• to keep peace with the brethren
• to love God with all one’s heart
• to love Him because He is a Father
• to fear Him because He is God
• to prefer nothing whatever to Christ
  because He did not prefer anything to us
• to adhere inseparably to His love
• to stand by His cross bravely and faithfully
• when there is any challenge on behalf of His name and honor
  to exhibit in our speech a consistent confession
• in torture, that confidence with which we do battle
• in death, that patience whereby we are crowned.

This is the desire to be fellow-heirs with Christ.

This is to do the commandment of God.

This is to fulfill the will of the Father.

- Cyprian, The Treatises of Cyprian: On the Lord’s Prayer, 15 [Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 5], adapted

HT: Trevin Wax

Rebellion Against Rebellion

"Jesus is turning something upside down, and for that the angry crowd wanted to turn him upside down.

But really Jesus is turning something right side up. And when we read the parables he employed to teach the crowds throughout his ministry, we could do a lot worse than to see them as narrative portraits of rebellion against rebellion. The rightful king has landed, and he is leading an insurrection against the pretenders to his throne."

From The Story-Telling God: Seeing the Glory of Jesus in His Parables, by Jared Wilson (Kindle version, location 140)

Higher Yield

From Ann Voskamp

High Price

“The cost for the recipient of God’s grace is nothing — and no price could be higher for arrogant people to pay.

— Dan Allender, quoted by World Harvest Mission in Gospel Transformation

HT: Of First Importance

Total Overhaul

From NotAFan.com

Shaken, Not Just Stirred

From Challies.com

Using Our Brokenness

Found this great piece on brokenness entitled How God Can Use Your Brokenness by Sue Birdseye at Charisma Magazine:

Broken.It's one of those words that doesn't bring a lot of joy. Who wants to be broken? 

Broken things.

           Broken bones.                            

                              Broken relationships.                                                  

                                                      Broken Vows.

                                                                      Broken homes.

                                                                                           Broken hearts.

I assume we are all on the same page and don't want that word to describe much of anything in our lives.  In fact, the only phrase with "broken" in it that I can think of ever wanting to use is "broken fever."

For a while I've tried to figure out a different word to describe my family other than "broken." Initially I thought it was just too negative. I started trying out different descriptive words: Wounded. Bruised.  Hurting. Anything but "broken."

I wanted to stand up and holler, "WE ARE NOT BROKEN!!!!" 

But you know what? I believe we are. And I'm realizing that that is OK.

We are broken but healing. God, the Great Physician, is fixing up all the broken parts.A couple of things have brought me to this conclusion. 

The first was reading this verse:

But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. —2 Cor. 4:7-10

After reading that verse, I looked up the meaning of "jars of clay."  One of the definitions said that the jars of clay would have brought to mind a common household jar—probably inexpensive and fairly easy to break. It would probably have cracks and chips from being well used. 

There is so much to get from this verse, but the idea that struck me was that the brokenness of the jar of clay allows what's inside to be seen—to flow out. The brokenness of our lives allows God to shine through us. Oh my goodness, that sounds like some really syrupy sweet quote to post on Facebook. Unfortunately for all of us I can't think of a better way to say it.

I just know that when everything in my world went kaplooey, God was the only explanation for why I didn't personally go kaplooey. It was abundantly clear that the strength I had to move forward came from God and God alone—"the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us."

One of my first fears following the shattering of my marriage was that my testimony was toast. I kept thinking of all the people who would think we were just absolute frauds. I felt like a fraud. Or maybe I should say I felt like I'd been defrauded. Everyone, including me, thought we had a great marriage. How could I speak about my relationship with God, if everyone thought I hadn't been honest about my relationship with my husband?

But God showed me that my testimony wasn't about what I could or couldn't do...my testimony is what God has done and is still doing in my life.