King Asa (Ace-uh)

Somebody help me out with this.

So in 2nd Chronicles 14 we are introduced to King Asa, who is a king who gives more attention to God than most kings. He commands his people to follow God and tears down idols throughout his kingdom. When he is going to battled, King Asa knows he can't win so he trusts God, and God gives them victory.  We go on to see that King Asa "heart remained completely faithful throughout his life" to God (15:17), even though "the pagan shrines were not removed from Israel". Okay no big deal he left out one minor detail. Well wait, in chapter 15 we see that King Asa is attacked by the king of Aram, but instead of relying on God like he did before, he fortifies his walls. A prophet came to tell him he had messed up, and what does he do... he throws the guy in jail. Then he began to oppress some of his people. Soon after he developed a serious foot disease, and didn't seek God's help but relied only on doctors. Then he died.

So wait... how did his "heart remain completely faithful to God through his life". Is my idea of faithfulness as obedience missing the point. Thoughts? (:

Blessings,

Chelsea

"When I am present, I meet I AM, the very presence of a present God" (A thousand Gifts 70)

"Joy and pain, they are but two arteries of the one heart that pumps through all those who don't numb themselves to really living."

I've had a tough struggle with understanding joy, God's joy. I think i confuse it a lot with happiness, the world's standard of happiness. Disneyland.

One thousand gifts has shown me a lot, but most of all that it's okay to grapple, and to be honest about it.

Towards the middle of the book, the author states a sobering thought.

"Eventually, 

I am guaranteed 

to lose

every earthly thing

I have 

ever

possessed" 

(Voskamp 84)





"Every step I take forward in my life is a loss of something in my life and I live the waiting: How and of what will I be emptied today?" (Voskamp 85)


So how do we live fully present to the joy and pain that life offers. Giving thanks. Living in the moment. A lot easier said then done.

Looking for daily graces to give daily praises. I never look hard enough, but I pray my eyes are continually opened and the light becomes more apparent.




Blessings.

always dying and yet ever living

This is the latest and greatest read. David's mom bought it for me. Ann Voskamp has an interesting writing style, but I'm getting more comfortable with it. She talks about nature a LOT, which can get a little to feathery for me, but her points are well thought out and very inspiring. I know my friend Emily had written about this one in her blog too, and the cover had enticed me. Afterward, when I went home, the Good Book was reading it for book group. So this one has been dancing with me, and has finally made its way into my lap.


Tonight I sat down with my book, and told God he could speak to me if he'd like, because that'd be nice (: I read part of 2 Kings, and got a whole lot of this: ______ becomes King. He does what is evil in the Lord's sight, and doesn't repent. _______ gets assassinated and said assassin takes over. Said assassin does what is right in the Lord's sight, except he lets his people worship other gods. Then said assassin dies, and his son takes over. His son does what is evil in the Lord's sight, and we start over. Alright God, time to switch to my leisure reading... 2 Kings is depressing me and I may fall asleep. Just being honest, you want me to be honest right. If it's any consolation I really enjoyed from Joshua til right about now.


Anyhow I started reading in A Thousand Gifts, and came upon this really neat concept. The author references Luke 17:17-19

Luke 17:17-19

New Living Translation (NLT)

 ¹⁷ Jesus asked, “Didn’t I heal ten men? Where are the other nine? ¹⁸ Has no one returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?” ¹⁹ And Jesus said to the man, “Stand up and go. Your faith has healed you.”

This is out of context, so might want to go into your bible, or hit up biblegateway.com to check out the entire chapter. However, this passage is right after Jesus heals 10 lepers. Only one comes back to thank him. What Ann notices, is that Jesus says (after he has already healed the man) that his faith has healed him. Why this reiteration of healing? Ann tells us that the greek word used her is actually Sozo which means salvation. This is a second healing, a more impacting healing. The healing that matters. Sure our lives can fall perfectly into place, we can be healed from struggles of all kinds. It seems though here, as Ann indicates, that thankfulness and praise of the God WHO heals leads to our salvation. Our salvation isn't the physical healing. Interesting. Thoughts?


Lord, please help us to be thankful for your presence in our lives and the lives of others. Whisper into our souls and stir up a thankful heart, ones that invokes songs of praise, smiles, and a humble perspective. 


Blessings.