Tag: quiet time

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Entering In

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I’ve heard the saying “people are as close to God as they want to be.”  I understand we are responsible for our spiritual life, but here’s why I disagree with the statement: I think most of us either don’t know how to be close to God or we are misinformed as to what we could possibly hope to gain there. 

Whenever I meet with someone who complains they just can’t seem to find the time to read their Bible and pray, I instantly know they have misinformation and hurt around the goodness of God. If we believe that God punishes us, withholds good from us, doesn’t help us or come through for us, then yes of course it makes sense that we can’t find time to meet with Him. Who would want to meet with that? It gets tricky though because cognitively we may say no, I don’t believe unkind things about God, but deep within our hearts there may be disappointment toward God in very personal ways. 

How do we work through this duplicity? Press in. Be honest—God can handle what we have to say!  We can ask Him to meet us, speak to us, comfort and guide us. We can choose to consciously align our heart and mind with the truth of scripture. Well, I don’t feel like God is close to me. Feelings don’t create truth—they follow truth. “… the one who comes to God must believe that He exists, and that He proves to be One who rewards those who seek Him.” (Hebrews 11:6) We believe that God is good and has good for us based on the truth of scripture and our feelings of closeness will follow.

Did Jesus in fact encourage people to draw near and follow Him? Jesus urged a close relationship, saying “Come to Me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” (Matthew 11:28-30) Jesus knew that He had good to offer us—peace and gentleness, partnership in life, learning and wisdom. He knew that His sacrificial death on the cross would defeat darkness and spiritual oppression. Jesus lived a perfect life so that we could enter in to relationship with God.

Listen to the tenderness of God’s heart toward us: “For the Lord God says this: ‘Behold, I Myself will search for My sheep and look after them. As a shepherd cares for his flock on a day when he is among his scattered sheep. So I will care for My sheep and will rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on a cloudy and gloomy day. I will feed them in a good pasture, and their grazing place will be on the mountain heights of Israel. There they will lie down in a good grazing place and feed in rich pasture on the mountains of Israel. I myself will feed My flock and I Myself will lead them to rest,’ declares the Lord God. I will seek the lost, bring back the scattered, bind up the broken, and strengthen the sick.” (Ezekiel 34:11-16) This doesn’t sound like someone we have to beg to come close to us, does it?

“I will seek the lost, bring back the scattered, bind up the broken, and strengthen the sick.” This, my friend, is the heart of God toward us. Do you feel lost right now? Is your life scattered or broken? Catherine Marshall wrote, “God seeks us out at a point in our own need and longing and runs down the road to meet us…At the same time, there is one central core of the entering-in or commitment experience that is common to everyone who undergoes it. It is the act of putting oneself—past, present, and future—into God’s hands to do with as He pleases.” (Beyond Our Selves, p 44)

Are we as close to God as we want to be? If not, we can put ourselves—past, present, and future—into God’s hands to do with as He pleases. We enter in, because we know that He is good.

Go to my website www.MargaretAllen.org for more resources. Please share this blog with everyone who is pressing in!

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Extravagant

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“He brought me to His banqueting table, And His banner over me was love.” Song of Songs 2:4

We just bought a home in Idaho and I’ve been gathering household items to bring since there aren’t many big stores in that area. Not knowing what the former owner would leave, I bought some cute Target towels to bring with me, just in case. But I did browse the high-end stuff at Bloomingdale’s at Valley Fair just to dream. Abyss towels felt out of this world but they cost some crazy amount like $100 a towel. I took a picture of them, that’s all.

When we moved into the house, we discovered the former owner had outfitted each bedroom with lovely bedding and the bathroom with, you guessed it, Abyss towels. I wanted to cry.

You wouldn’t believe that towels could be the catalyst for a spiritual experience, but stay with me. Do you sometimes get the impression that God, yes God Almighty, actually gets a kick out of blessing you? It’s almost like you could look across the room and catch Him just smiling at you, waiting for that look of delight and wonder.

One quiet morning in the new house I was sitting with my Bible and coffee and just gazing out the window. Normally, the hundreds of aspens in my view would merely blend into a dull kind of gray, but in the quiet of this particular morning, each tree seemed to stand out individually. I held the beauty of them. A black and white magpie darted through the trees.  Geese honked overhead as they divebombed the river. The silvery light cascaded through the cottony flowers of the aspens. The entire scene took my breath away, and in the moment, I actually felt loved. Again, it was as if I could look across the room and catch Him watching me, seeing if I found delight in His gifts. Both of these moments—the towels and the morning view of aspens– felt extravagant.

It’s interesting that the definition of extravagant reflects a negative perspective: “exceeding what is reasonable or appropriate,” “lacking in moderation, balance and restraint,” and “over the top.”  But sometimes “over the top” is wonderful. Sometimes we pray that God would connect with us in an unrestrained way. We scour the old stories for new sprouts of truth and life. We look for His face in common events.

And that’s what happened for me that beautiful silver morning when the first song on my Sonos playlist was a Casting Crowns song, “Your Love is Extravagant.” The harmonies are spectacular but the lyrics just wrecked me: “Your love is extravagant, Your friendship, it is intimate. Spread wide in the arms of Christ, is the love that covers sin. No greater love have I ever known than You considered me a friend.”  The fact that Christ died for us while we were yet sinners is extravagant, over the top, love. How He made us to relish beauty and to connect with nature in a spiritual and sensuous way totally lacks moderation. The way God inspires people we don’t even know to give gifts we couldn’t give ourselves, truly exceeds reason. 

God gives good gifts to us: beauty when our hearts ache for inspiration, nature moving in a complex system with cohesion releasing peace to our tech weary eyes. He offers avenues of protection, channels of provision, streams in a desert. Recklessly, He throws reason aside and loves unconditionally. Like a lottery winner we can’t believe our good fortune that God, yes God, Almighty loves us, extravagantly. 

Have you recognized the love of God in your life recently? This week, scan the landscape for ways that God is smiling at you. Steal moments from a busy world to gaze upon beauty, walk in nature, be still, and be at peace. Let Him love you!

Do you know someone who could use some inspiration in life right now? Share this blog or gift my book, Gracious Living, creating a culture of honor, love, and compassion. Go to www.MargaretAllen.org for “Mondays with Margaret” and other resources.

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Monthly Mashup

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Welcome to my monthly mashup! These are some of the things I’ve enjoyed or pondered this month:

A Devotional I’m loving: Igniting Faith in 40 Days by Steve & Wendy Backlund

If you are open to a new perspective, check out this little devotional. Igniting Faith is a mere 44 pages, but it packs a punch. Some of the illustrations from the Backlunds helped shift my focus to a much more positive and faith-filled expectation. Their notes on Romans 4:17 (God calls the things that are not…) and Ezekiel 37 (bringing life to dead places) are absolute fire. This is my fourth time through Igniting Faith and it’s still an inspiring way to start the day.

A video I enjoyed: “An ER doctor on how to triage your busy life”

 If, like me, you have fallen out of love with TEDX talks, this one may win you back. It’s not that I dislike TEDX talks, I just got tired of wading through ones that didn’t apply. But Darria Long’s talk as an ER doc was fun, inspiring, and practical. Her presentation helped me to rethink some ways I was organizing my life and also be more thoughtful about how I talked about my life. Check it out: https://youtu.be/Fe1z22_Qd9E

A cookbook/insta account I adore: Half Baked Harvest

I tend to get stuck in my cooking creativity, making the same tired meals each week. My daughter Miranda offered to cook for me when she was home. She came in with Honey Garlic Butter Shrimp in Coconut Milk and proceeded to Vanilla Chai Pumpkin Latte Cupcakes with Cinnamon Brown Sugar. I was practically licking the pan as I asked, “Miranda, where did you get these fabulous recipes?” She laughed, “Aren’t they great? And they are so easy!”  If you have an insta account, look up @halfbakedharvest.

 A young gal named Tieghan Gerard started creating fabulous recipes at a young age and founded Half Baked Harvest. She is a NYT best-selling author of HBH Super Simple cookbook. Her insta account @halfbakedharvest provides daily inspiration for dinner and desserts. I thought I knew how to make tacos till I made her Crispy Chipotle Chicken Tacos with Cilantro Lime Ranch! Check out Easy Greek Sheet Pan Souvlaki and Potatoes or Molten Chocolate Lava Cakes with Whipped Mascarpone. So good! Try it out and let me know your favorites!

A Quote I’m pondering:

“Stop trying to get from people, what you will only ever get from God.” – Christine Cain

Thanks for reading! I always ask for feedback on the blog and recently a friend mentioned that she was not able to leave comments. Has anyone else had trouble commenting or sharing it on their social? Please let me know! You can sign up to receive my blog in your email every Monday at www.MargaretAllen.org at the bottom of Monday’s With Margaret. And, if you are reading through my book, Gracious Living, I would love to hear what resonates for you. Have a beautiful week everyone!

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Good Friends

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“No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.” John 15:15

Do we consider ourselves friends of Christ? Honestly, sometimes it’s easier to just be a servant! We secretly attempt to compartmentalize our faith by choosing to “serve” at strategic junctures while keeping some parts of our heart separate, private. And even while Christ deserves obedience, what He has called us to is actual friendship. This friendship is a little key that opens the big doors of blessing from God.

When we consider friendship with Christ as the overarching principle of being a Christian, then the underlying character traits make sense. Stay with me: last week we saw that humility and worship were ways of partnering with God to unlock the doors to a full life. If I am truly focused on being a close friend with Christ, humility is a natural response! Worship makes total sense. If I am vulnerable and transparent before the Lord, seeking to be His friend, then a hunger for righteousness is completely in line. Gratitude isn’t so much a practice as it is a natural outflow of my friendship with our loving Savior.

This week I’ve reflected on my friendship with God. I’ve asked Him how we could be closer. I’ve also asked if there were thoughts or behaviors that initiated distance rather than intimacy. I have discovered over and over that distance is my choice and not His. But when Jesus said, “I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you,” He was establishing His desire for closeness and communication.

Think about your friendship with God this week. Do the things that good friends do: spend time together, share your heart with honesty and vulnerability, laugh, sing, cry. Give honor and credit. Be grateful. Value what He values. Ask questions.

May the joy and peace that uniquely belongs to Christ, fill you to overflowing this week. May this key of friendship with Christ open beautiful doors of blessing in your life.

Check out my book, Gracious Living, creating a culture of honor, love, and compassion. Read it on your own or go through it with friends. I enjoy zoom calls with groups that are reading through Gracious Living together and discovering such joy in the journey. Check out my website for more at http://www.MargaretAllen.org

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Reader’s Question: Bible Study

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I receive questions from readers and young people in my life. Here’s one I’ve heard frequently as we begin the new year: What’s the best way to study scripture? Do you read the Bible through every year? Do you focus on topics or just let it fall open to a new page each day?

Christians read, study, and memorize the Bible to KNOW God. Sure, scripture can add all kinds of perks to our lives—wisdom, peacefulness, love, guidance—but the purpose of reading scripture is to encounter a living God and grow in fellowship with Him. The why behind the what truly matters. It’s easy to lose sight of why we study God’s word (to know Him) and begin focusing on our effort (which can bring shame or pride based on performance) or knowledge acquisition (becoming puffed up full of facts about God but devoid of friendship with God). If the Bible is God’s love letters to us, and if scripture truly is the instruction manual to life with Him, it makes sense to read it every day, while also studying, memorizing, and meditating on it.

WHY we read the Bible: “For, though God is a great king, it is not his wish to live at a distance from his subjects.  Rather the reverse: He made us with the intention that he and we might walk together forever in a love relationship. But such a relationship can exist only when the parties involved know something of each other.” (P. 110 Knowing God by J.I. Packer) 

HOW do we study? Simple! Set aside some time every day to meet with God through scripture reading, reflection, and prayer. Once a week, create margin for a longer, more concentrated time with Him. Monthly, set aside an entire morning or afternoon to bring life into focus before God and His word. Then, take an annual retreat just you, God, the Bible, and a journal.  I call this retreat my “mountain moving” session as God works transformation in my life. This natural rhythm of daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly encounters with God builds a beautiful history with Him. It is merely a guideline—not a burden or chore. Do we miss some days? Sure! There’s no performance rating though, because our goal is simply fellowship with God!

WHAT is the structure of our Bible reading? I’ve gone years where I participated in church groups that were doing “fill in the blank” types of studies or rehashing the pastor’s sermons each week. These have the potential to breed immaturity and a weak foundation. Here’s what I like to do: read through the entire Bible using a bible reading plan every other year. Many plans and apps guide one to read the entire Bible through in a year (see http://www.mcheyne.info for example). I personally only like to do this every other year. On the alternate years I like to read at a much slower pace, choosing specific books in the Bible to do a deep dive, or specific topics that I want to research in the Word. This alternate year schedule offers greater flexibility and more prayerful, Holy Spirit directed study. Hopefully, you own a Bible in either the NASB, NIV, or NKJV versions with cross-references included. Anytime you need help understanding a verse, just search it on BibleHub.com

When I became a Christian at 16, I memorized Jeremiah 15:16: “Your words were found, and I ate them, and Your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart; For I am called by Your name, O Lord God of hosts.”  His Word has been the joy of my heart all these years. I hope you will experience God’s goodness and His speaking voice through scripture today! Go to www.MargaretAllen.org to learn more.