A Place for All Women

Archive for January, 2012

Who Does He Favor?

There is a man with three children.

The outrageously rebellious daughter,

The loving and loyal middle son,

The carefree, on the run, gotta go, catch ya later youngest boy.

Who does he favor?

Who does he love?

He tries to talk with his daughter but she tuned him out a long time ago.

His middle son spends a lot of time with his dad and hangs on his every word.

His youngest is just too busy.  He has his friends and all his activities.

Who does he favor?

Who does he love?

There is a man who remembers the moment his baby girl came into this world.

He never knew he could love so deep.

He was pleased when his family grew and he loved his second child.

The third child was a surprise but much-loved.

Who does he favor?

There is a man who gave his daughter many gifts and opportunities.

She thought him old-fashioned and out of touch.

He gave his son many gifts and opportunities.

He thought his dad wise and strong.

The man had even more to give, so the third son received the most.

He just felt entitled.

Who does he favor?

He loves them all!

There is a man whose heart is drawn toward the son who spends time with him.

He talks to the son who listens.

He walks with the son who is by his side.

When his son asks him for something he takes great joy in blessing him.

There is a man who never quits trying to reach his daughter.

But there are other men in her life now and she’s not interested.

He tries to get his youngest son’s attention but there are just so many things distracting the boy.

His eyes turn back to the young man who wants to be just like him.

And he blesses him.

This same man ridicules people who tell him that God has blessed them.

He says it doesn’t make sense that God would bless one person over another.

And yet his own life is like a parable.

He loves all of his children.

He doesn’t love the middle son more.


If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!

                                                                              Matthew 7:11 NIV

The middle son has no fear of asking his father for a favor.

He spends time with his dad.

He listens to his dad.

He walks with him and talks with him.

He honors and obeys him.

And when his Father calls, he knows the sound of his voice.

There is a man with three children.

The outrageously rebellious daughter,

The loving and loyal middle son,

The carefree, on the run, gotta go, catch ya later youngest boy.

If you were one of his three children,

which one would you be?

“The King of the universe wants a real, live relationship with us.

He’s not interested in just being a mind reader.  He’s not even interested in just being a provider.  He’s both of those things, but

the role He relishes most is Father.  He wants us-frail mortal creatures-to connect with Him and communicate with Him as the

dearest relationship in human existence.  He rejoices to hear our voices.  He delights to be our sole and holy source

for all things in life.”

~Beth Moore from the study of James Mercy Triumphs

© Copyright 2012, KeziahCarrie.  All Rights Reserved

Top Ten List minus Letterman

 KeziahCarrie has been blessed with a nomination for a Kreativ Blogger Award. It was created by bloggers to promote other bloggers and comes to us from the author of the blog “Did Jesus Have a Facebook Page?”  We are grateful.  I must admit I don’t really like the word BLOG and prefer to think of KC as a Website for Women; but we’ll take all the promotion God will give us. 🙂

In order to accept this award I need to nominate six others and fess up to ten things you may not know.  As a habitual rule breaker, I’ll expose ten things I use to not know and tip you to six other writers you may or may not like.  How’s that? That cool?  Okay, here we go…

1)    When I was little I didn’t think rich people could go to Heaven.  The pulpit preachers pretty much just used the part about how it’s easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle.  I don’t really remember ever hearing the rest of the story:

Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”  

(In the event of a windfall, this is good to know!)

2)    I thought if you died on the way to be baptized, your eternal future was pretty much a coin toss.   Then, I found out about the thief on the cross. 

Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.” 

(Helpful note: This is an example of grace, not an excuse to avoid the water.)

 3)    Jesus was a Horse Whisperer!!  Jesus sent two of his disciples, saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and just as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here…” When they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks over it, he sat on it.  (How cool is that? I love that story!)

4)    Since there were so many religious rules growing up, I thought there would be a point upon which I broke one too manyApparently the Apostle Paul knew there would be a few of us living in chronic fear of failure:  “I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.” (I once heard a pastor say, even if the gates of heaven slam shut on your backside, YOU’RE IN! 🙂

5)    God is not keeping score.  Although I do believe He loves a good basketball game every now and then (Go Indiana), I no longer see Him holding a long list of everything I’ve ever done wrong.  “For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.”

6)    He’s not taking attendance.  Here and there and on occasion, I’ve missed a Sunday or two.  I must not be the only one.  Television preachers haven’t risen in the ratings because everyone’s at church when their shows come on.  And God doesn’t need to check our names off a list for His own heavenly happiness.  Getting together is for our benefit.  And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.” 

7)  Since I was taught at an early age that women should keep silent in the church, I thought Jesus didn’t trust us.  But check this out.  When he needed dependable messengers, whom did he send? “So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples.  Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”

 8) Jesus knew how to cook and didn’t need the disciples to deliver groceries.  I wasn’t aware of this, but it’s another cool story like the horse thing.  Read it for yourself (John 21) and pay close attention to the fact that he’s already got breakfast made before the guys get back with the fish.

 9)    I didn’t know as a child that gossiping was a bad thing since people did it at church.  But I knew (and still know) it never feels good when it’s over. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body.”

 10) And, these are not my words, but I will borrow them to explain that as a child, I often thought “God is in heaven, mad as hell.”  My little mind was certain He was looking for any reason to ZAP me like a bug.  But heck, that’s not what the Bible says at all: “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”

 I would love to hear some of the things you thought, or were taught, and now know not to be the case.

Until then, I nominate the next six blogs for a Kreative Blogger Award.

http://modernmiracleme.wordpress.com/

http://journeytoepiphany.wordpress.com/

http://memorybearsbybonnie.wordpress.com/

http://inlovewiththelord.wordpress.com/

http://twoweekworship.org/

http://intotheeddy.wordpress.com/

 

Matthew 19:26, Luke 23:43, Mark 11: 1-2, 7, Romans : 7:15, Psalm 103:11-12,

Hebrews 10:24-25,

James 3:5, 2 Peter 3:9, Matthew 28:8-10

© Copyright 2012, KeziahCarrie.  All Rights Reserved