Finding Treasure

Posted on June 25, 2014 by tammie@chaostochrist.com

Finding TreasureThis last weekend I tagged along with my neighbor to an estate sale down the street. On the way there, I started thinking about what I might find at the sale. My focus was undoubtedly upon acquiring some “treasure.”

But then I entered the home. All of their things, their belongings, their treasures laid out everywhere with pieces of tape and prices on everything. I wasn’t prepared for the feeling of sadness that came along with an estate sale. That phrase “you can’t take it with you” takes on a whole new meaning.

This experience caused me to reflect on how much time I spend thinking about things, belongings, and treasures: thinking about them, planning for them, acquiring them, wearing them, collecting them, and even cleaning them.

And then I was reminded of one of the very first verses I memorized growing up.

Matthew 6:21

All that earthly treasure leads to clutter, adds to our chaos, and at the end of the day isn’t real treasure.

I wonder if I spent as much time and effort on building relationships, encouraging others, and sharing a love for Christ rather than having a focus on the things of this world, how different my life might be.

In all honesty, I did purchase something (in the midst of my deep reflection) at the estate sale. The beautiful crystal vase shown above. I pray it will serve as a reminder that real treasure is found only in Christ, that our lives here are meant for so much more than building up a treasure trove of stuff, and that shifting our focus can lead us from chaos to Christ.

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When Christ’s Clock Seems to Run Slow

Posted on June 20, 2014 by tammie@chaostochrist.com

 

Christ's Timing

We place our hope, our trust, our faith in Christ.  We turn over our requests, worries, sorrows, and burdens to Him.  And then we wait.

Wait for an answer.  Wait for God to show us the way.  Wait for God to move.  And in this waiting time, it is hard to understand His perfect timing.  We grow restless, unsure, and even doubtful.

Perhaps you find yourself today in a position of waiting and it feels like Christ’s clock is running slow.  But there is a blessing to be found in waiting!

All through the Bible, we can find examples of those whose lives were blessed by waiting.  In studying about Moses this last week, it is obvious that while God wanted to use him for a HUGE job (to lead the Israelites out of Egypt and on to the promised land), He needed to work on his heart for many years.

I can imagine as Moses was tending the flock in the middle of the dessert, he assumed that God had surely forgotten him, had given up on him.  Moses had been waiting for a very long time to be used by God.  Perhaps he thought Christ’s clock was running slow.

And then God spoke to him through a burning bush.  He knew Moses was ready.  His timing was perfect.

His timing is perfect in our lives too.  Even when the waiting is painful.  Even when we begin to grow restless and doubtful.  He is faithful.  He is still working while we are waiting.

He is working on us.

John Maxwell had this to say about waiting, “Waiting deepens and matures us, levels our perspective and broadens our understanding.”

Several years ago, we felt led to sell our home and move in a new direction.  It was a decision that we prayed through and felt confident in the Lord’s will.  We were excited and anxious for this process to move quickly.  And then we waited.  For such a long time, we waited.

But in the waiting, we began to trust more and our faith began to deepen.  We prayed by ourselves, as a couple, and with our kids about it.  Our kids even asked others to pray with them about it.  He was changing us.  He was changing our hearts.

Perhaps it was never even about a move.  Perhaps we just needed to be more dependent upon our Lord.  To recognize Him as the leader of our home.  To keep our focus on Him.

And then two years later our house sold to a couple who had been looking for a new house for two years and never looked at ours.  The house we bought had been on the market for two years without selling.  It was all God.  His timing is perfect.

My prayer for you today is that you can recognize the blessing in the waiting.  That rather than grow restless and doubtful, you will allow Him to work on your heart.  That you can know Christ’s perfect timing in your life.

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A Big Fish Tale

Posted on June 17, 2014 by tammie@chaostochrist.com

 

A Big Fish Tale

Fishing has become my son’s biggest passion in life.  While at the beach this year with family friends, he caught a big fish!  Through the amazing abilities of technology, we were even able to face time him from home so he could hold it up for us.

Of course, as only a mother could do, I noticed his sunburn and tried to give him some friendly mom advice about sunscreen, to which I got his frustrated reply, “Mom, I just caught a huge fish!”

The big fish wasn’t an easy catch.  In fact, he and his buddy had been fishing for a good part of the day with no success to show.  He had even become sidetracked and laid down the rod when someone noticed it being pulled out into the ocean.

He worked and worked to pull it to shore and was even a little scared when someone thought he might be reeling in a small shark.  But it was just a big fish.  A 15 pound red fish.

Reminds me of another fishing story from long ago when Jesus was walking along the Sea of Galilee and saw two brothers, Peter and Andrew casting their nets into the sea.

He called out to them.  But more than that, He extended an invitation.

He said “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men”.

Matthew419

Jesus was calling Peter and Andrew to become his disciples, to live their lives following Him.

He was calling them to share their faith.  He has called us to do the same.

For some, this call to sharing their faith appears to come easy.  My son, the one who loves to fish, began sharing his love of Christ with others at a very early age.  One afternoon on the playground at elementary school, he came to me and asked about a verse in the Bible and then ran off to share his faith with a friend.  He could not help but share his faith and his love of the Lord with those around him.

For others of us, this call to share our faith seems much harder.  Perhaps we have even set down our fishing rod and become sidetracked with our own lives, our own problems. Maybe we make it too complicated.  Maybe we just do not have time. Perhaps we become overwhelmed by Christ’s invitation to share His love with others.

Peter and Andrew probably shared our same feelings at times about sharing their faith. But scripture tells us, they laid down their nets and followed him.

When we follow Christ by spending time with Him each day in prayer and Bible study, sharing our faith will come naturally.  It is what we will talk about, what we will be passionate about.  When others are hurting we will show love and compassion.  When we are wounded we will show forgiveness.  And more than anything we can share our faith by showing love.

“By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” ~ John 13:35

John1335

I pray that each of us will joyfully answer Jesus’ call to share our faith, to set aside the chaos and distractions, and follow Him.

Perhaps He will provide us some fishing tales of our own.  Just don’t forget the sunscreen!

 

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Being Still is Hard to Do

Posted on June 14, 2014 by tammie@chaostochrist.com

 

Being Still is Hard to Do

Last year, my new neighbor gave me a hummingbird feeder. Perhaps my age is showing, but I have grown to love looking out my kitchen window and catch a quick glimpse of a hummingbird as it rests on the feeder for just one moment to get in a drink before it dashes off once again.

I can relate to this busy and fast moving creature in that I don’t seem to get still very often. And yet, the Bible is clear that there are times we need to STOP and be still.

Psalm4610

Perhaps you can relate to a lack of stillness in your life. Being still requires our time. It requires our patience. It requires commitment. Now I’m not talking about being still for a nap, a good nights rest, or even for a pedicure (but that all sounds really nice). What I am referring to is when we are still long enough to listen to our Lord.

My husband and I spent a couple of days out of town this week.  He was taking some classes that filled his day and I took all kinds of work with me to get ahead on.  On the drive over, I felt The Lord calling me to be still.  To spend some quiet time reading scripture.  To pray through all the situations, the family, the friends, the needs that I so often neglect to take time to pray about.  To rejoice and thank Him for so many answered prayers, for the blessings He’s provided, and for the way I can see His hand in so many areas of life.  Probably the most important use of my time was just in praising Him.  His goodness.  His grace.  His love that is just never ending.

In that hotel room with my Bible and my prayer journal, I got still.  I listened.  I turned over my worries, my fears, my sin and laid it at His feet.  It was the most enjoyable time I have spent in a long while.

I know we don’t often have that much uninterrupted time in our schedules but we can make time everyday to be still and listen even if just for a few minutes. Maybe it’s in the car with the radio off.  Maybe it’s when we are running or walking.  Maybe it is at our desk at work.  The great thing about spending time with our Lord is He is faithful to meet us whenever and wherever.

That hummingbird that moves so fast can starve quickly using all that energy.  It has to stop often for nourishment.  We as follower’s of Christ need nourishment too.

When was the last time you got still and listened?  He will meet you there!

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Psalm 1162

 

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