Like My Clothes?

Colossians 3:12 (NIV)
Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.


I've been thinking a lot lately about how much I reflect Christ in my office (let alone to my family and friends when I'm relaxed). Pastor Ron has been teaching on compassion the last couple of weeks and this scripture has caught my attention because it tells me exactly how I should be dealing with others...the attitude to have when others are crossing me, coming to me for help or advice, when I'm frustrated with myself and still having to talk to someone. All those situations present me with an opportunity to either show myself as Christ walked or show myself as I was b.c.

I'm reminded of the story of the Emperor's New Clothes. In that story, the Emperor was convinced that he had a new set of clothes on when he went in public when, in fact, he was totally naked before everyone. He was so confident that he was wearing clothing that no one dared tell him otherwise. BUT they could all tell he was naked.

When I'm stepping out into the world, I feel confident that I'm clothed in Christ's likeness. In compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. I tell everyone that I'm a Christian (in case they can't see what I'm wearing). But am I really clothed in these characteristics or am I naked? Do I really treat others the way Christ would have treated them or am I just wearing imaginary clothing?

Don't get me wrong, I know there are times when my flesh rules the situation and I'm left naked in the street...exposed to be the same as any other human being. But my goal should be (and is) that my spirit man ascend in every contact I have with others. That they see me clothed differently than they are. That I don't have to tell them I'm a Christian because they can see it by how I am dressed spiritually.

Clothing myself in compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Placing others before myself. Being enveloped in the likeness of my Lord and Savior. Now that's a fine suit!!

Celebrate God!

Psalm 32:11 "Rejoice in the LORD and be glad, you righteous; sing, all you who are upright in heart!" The Message translation says to "Celebrate God! Sing together - everyone! All you honest hearts, raise the roof!"

Just reflecting this morning on the goodness of God. The Father loving me enough to sacrifice His only Son. Jesus, making me righteous and worthy to enter into the presence of the Father. The Holy Spirit never giving up on me and completing that work that was begun in me when I received Christ.

If there was ever a reason to celebrate it is all this and more.

The love of the Father is now my characteristic and make-up. I can love and forgive and feel compassion and just plain live with my head held up because He first loved me. All that is in the Father, my creator, is now free to work in me. A concept that is not always easy to remember. It's only in DAILY and MINUTE BY MINUTE fellowship that the realization of just WHOSE I am comes to light in my mind. God is love and He made a way to show that love by coming for ME!

Being righteous and worthy by Christ's blood and sacrifice to enter into the presence of the Father blows me away every time I think about it. It never ceases to work that way in my heart and mind. Coming to the realization of not being lost or alone, not wandering around without a purpose, being able to talk to someone about what is really going on in my heart, having something to put MY FAITH in...it is incredible.

And not staying there. That work that was started when I accepted what Christ did for me is still growing in my life. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, I see each and every day the work of the Cross. What it did for me, what it is doing in me, and how to share that with others. The work I am most responsible for now is to spread the news of what the Cross did for others. That gets easier and easier as I come to the realization of what it did for me. It creates and excitement that can't be quenched or silenced. That's the fire in the bones that that Jeremiah was talking about. Something that so consumes you that the old recognizable person is no long recognizable. When others are changed by being in my presence, then I know I'm Celebrating God!!

Catching up...

ok, so I haven't been on the blog in quite a while (over a year in fact). It hasn't totally been because I've stopped my devotions and growing. It has been a struggle, I'm not going to lie. There have been seasons that I've grown stale. Always keeping my heart soft and working towards obedience, just allowing life to get in the way.

However, the strongest reason I've not been journaling is because I got blocked out of doing it at work and my home computer was down. When it did get repaired, I had cancelled my internet (no reason to keep it if I couldn't use it) and then had to get it all back up and running. That was a couple of months ago and to be honest, I just got out of the habit.

But the Lord has been dealing with me on getting back into my old habits (for lack of a better word) so that I can once again fan the flicker into the flame it was.

It was a hard time when I stopped journaling. We had just lost Elijah and I was dealing with a lot. Not struggling with my faith or with my relationship with the Father. As a matter of fact, that became increadibly strong. But you don't go through something like that without a tearing of the heart.

The Father was faithful to Aaron and Katie though. They were blessed just four months later with a new seed growing inside. Little Asher Michael Russell came into our lives October 30th, 2009. Not to take the place of Elijah, but a true restoring of what was lost by the Father. Our love for him consumes all of us. He is such a joyful little guy.

So now I'm committing to getting back into the swing of journaling my revelations and growths by the Holy Spirit. I'm excited to have the opportunity to once again put all the revelations on paper. It truely helps me make them concrete.

The Lord has been faithful even when I haven't. Time to run to the mercy seat and be healed again!!!