Good Evening sweet friends - so much is going on in my world at the moment. I have several projects going on at work; I am working on my eating and exercising and spending time with the Lord each day.
My dentist tells me I need two fillings. I need to have a colonoscopy, to get my hormones checked, and "let's see, what else?" Oh,I have an eye appointment on Wednesday." I am so glad that the Lord warned me about this.
Paul said, "Therefore, we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are [breaking down,] yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day." II Cor. 4:16. I am just like everybody else. When we are young, somehow we think we will be the exception to the rule. I am here to tell you "younguns," there are no exceptions, so take good care of yourselves physically while you feel like it, and the energy to do it comes easily.
In my youth, my mother-in-law and I shared a love of shoes. (I still love them. I just wear comfortable ones now.) We used to say we could stand anything for an hour if it looked good. Well, the deal is I have corns and bunions now, and she has perfect feet (if they are in Heaven with her, yet. Sometimes I get confused about the theology of whether or not we have bodies when we first wake up in Heaven).
Whew! So thankful for eternal life where the perishable no longer exists. By the way I am still very young, because it is an attitude of the heart. My body just doesn't agree with me all of the time.
That was the prelude.
I have several things I want to share with you that the Lord is teaching me, but one in particular is on my heart this evening.
For any of you who know me, you will not be surprised when I admit that I am very opinionated, know exactly what I believe and why I believe it, and I don't mind one bit telling you about it - whether you ask or not (not necessarily a good thing). People have called me "bossy." I know, I can't believe it either, because as the saying goes, "I'm not bossy, I just have better ideas." What is so wrong with that?
So, to the point of this musing. The political storm is swirling. We have the far left, the far right, and then there is "leading from the center." The hot buttons are Obamacare, abortion (always will be), deep deficit, too much spending, the ever-present agenda of "spreading the wealth" vs. individual responsibility, bias of the media, corruption in the government, love of country, loss of religious freedom; and if I keep listing them, I will go off on the tangent about which the Lord warned me.
Here's is how the warning happened.
I love the people with whom I work. We have a special group of ladies. We have fun together, respect for one another, and truly trust each other. There is a large political divide, however, that I have not always been wise enough not to discuss. (They still have to remind me sometimes but not very often anymore).
I love political bantering, am very interested in the issues, and am deeply committed to what I call the "right side." People for whom I have a great deal of respect feel just as strongly for the opposite side. One person in particular chided me by saying we just couldn't have this conversation, to which I replied, "Of course we can. We can be Hannity and Colmes." That got a laugh so I decided we had diffused that one. Did I learn anything from that? No.
To my own personal detriment and that of the testimony of the resurrection power of Jesus Christ in me, I said something that made a huge "sizzling" political point - one I really believed in. My pride was at its peak, and I was figuratively "beating my chest," when my fellow department member said, "Mecca, that doesn't speak very highly of you," and she left the room.
I was devastated. My pride fell away, and I was left with just "my soul and the Savior." I felt like Peter must have felt when he denied Christ and realized what he had done. I suddenly felt my Heavenly Daddy lovingly shake me, unsettle me and say, "What was your point? You told me you wanted her to see me in you. What did she see and hear just now? How will you correct her perception of me in you?" All of that happened in seconds. I literally ran to where she was and told her how sorry I was for what I had just said and that no point meant more to me then her feelings. She repeated what she said, "it did not speak well of you." All I heard was "it didn't speak well of your Lord," to which I replied, "you are absolutely right, and I am asking you to forgive me." She patted my arm and walked away. She did forgive me - maybe not right then, but later.
My constant prayer is that whether I eat or drink or whatever I do, I will do all to the glory of God. I Cor. 10:31. (paraphrased)
What the Lord reminded me of that day was that my enemy will take something that is good, something I love and use it as a weapon. He does it pretty easily because he knows what I am "drawn" to because of my past actions, attitudes, and conversations. While he knows he no longer controls my eternal destiny, he will do everything he can to destroy my influence for the Lord Jesus while I am here. He won a battle that day in my life from which I had to retreat and offer the flag of peace.
Don't misunderstand me. I love sending emails about my political views to like minded friends and family members and am the first to get into a political conversation with this same group. I just want to share the lesson with you the Lord taught me. We are not called to win political battles, to make a political point, or to convince someone to vote the way we want them to vote. We are called to "let your light so shine before others that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in Heaven." Matt 5:16
He has a call on each of the lives of His children. If your calling is a political one, then by all means be involved and stand on the principles of God's Word. He wants all of us to stand up, act on Biblical principles, live through the power of the Holy Spirit, be a good citizen, obey the law until it requires us to violate Scripture (a whole different conversation we will have on another day), vote, and above all, be filled with the Holy Spirit so that Christ is seen in us.
I am convinced that when we approach the throne of God in prayer or meet Him face to face, the words, "Democrat," "Republican," "Libertarian," "Independent," "tea party," or "Occupy Wall Street" will not come up. The only questions will be, "What did you do with Jesus?" Does the answer to that question affect our political beliefs as well as everything else we think, do, or say? You bet it does. It affects the life we live in the flesh, and where we will spend eternity.
I just had one more thought, "He changes times and seasons; He sets up kings and deposes them. He gives wisdom to the wise and understanding to the discerning." Daniel 2:21
Kings and Kingdoms are my Father's business.
My sweet Lord Jesus is in control. He is not surprised by anything. So, let the political storm swirl. These are mere skirmishes. The enemy knows who wins the final battle, but he is in the fight to the death. Just don't let him draw you in on his battleground using his rules like he did to me to the detriment of how I represented the Lord Jesus.
What a joy to rest in Him Who holds the future. How sweet to think that His loving arms are my resting place (yours as well if you know the Lord). That's the only way I can
continue to approach each day with joy. Love to all, Mecca
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