As a favor to my dear sister, Grace, I am posting something that I wrote 4 years ago. When I wrote this, God was taking me on a special journey along the road of Trials in order that I might know Him better. Grace has been asking me about the subject of which God especially taught me during that time, and has asked that I post the article on my blog so that she and others might read it again. So here you are, sister dear. Enjoy! :-)
A Lesson in Abiding
“Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing” (John 15:4-5).
“And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming” (1 John 2:28).
Who would not want to have confidence when standing before their Savior? Who would not want to bring forth much fruit? However, the prerequisite to these two things appears to stem from abiding in Christ.
I had memorized these verses, but never understood them. Desperation to understand them would at times flood my soul, and I would eagerly review the verses—saying them over and over again to myself, hoping to gain an insight into their meaning. Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance did not add to my understanding either. The verses remained as meaningless as ever.
The Fatal Day
Friday, February 9, 2007
I awakened on Friday at my usual time, and begin going about my “normal” day’s activities (i.e., taking a shower, getting dressed, reading my Bible, having breakfast, going to staff meeting, and then to work…), little knowing that on this day I would begin and adventure in abiding that would allow me to comprehend the importance of these verses.
The adventure began with my daily memorization time. I sat down with my Bible and began memorizing 1 John 3. After I had memorized about ten verses of this chapter, I decided to review 1 John 1 and 2, and also John 15. As usual, those verses bewildered me. However, this time a “brilliant” thought struck me: “If you cannot understand these verses, then why not go to the Author of the Word and ask Him what they mean?”
This thought flashed through my brain like a thunderbolt, leaving me feeling somewhat stupid that I had not thought of it before then. So, in my morning prayer time, I petitioned the Lord that He would reveal the meaning of those verses to me sometime that day. However, I little knew how many times He would literally reveal this concept of abiding in Him during the days following that prayer.
The Mission:
Print a Quark Express document (i.e., Parent Guide Planner 43) to a postscript file; insert the postscript file into Adobe Distiller, and from there into Adobe Acrobat, thereby making a PDF of Parent Guide Planner 43. Then, take the PDF and post it on a website so that our reviewers could view the document and edit it. Sounds simple right? Just a few simple clicks of the mouse, and it should be finished in about five minutes.
Mission Aborted?
For over an hour I sat at my computer boggled and frustrated. All the postscript files said that they were corrupted. Then Quark document decided to crash, and none of the backups would open. Repeatedly, I tried the familiar steps, but to no avail. Disheartened, I knew not what to do. I was already an hour late for a Valentine Banquet planning meeting, and as it was now after six (over an hour after office closing time) there was no one to consult with about my problem. Finally, another thought struck my poor brain: “Pray!”
Mission Accomplished!
And so I prayed. “Father, I don’t know what is wrong with this document. I’ve tried everything, but it won’t even open for me. However, you are the Creator of the universe, and you know all things. Can you please lay your hand upon this document and allow me to open it?”
Continuing in prayer, I clicked once more on the document—holding my breath. Miracle of miracles, it opened! “Thank you Father,” I prayed. Now, to make a postscript of the file… What!? It still would not work! Again I prayed, “Father, please allow me to get this to work!” Lo and behold, no sooner had I prayed than I finally got it to work. From then on, every thing I tried to do would not work until I had prayed first—so with each click of the mouse, I prayed desperately. Finally, nearly two hours after beginning this “five minute” procedure, I had completed the task—glory be to His holy name!
I then questioned the Lord, “Father, what was that all about? Why couldn’t it have gone smoothly as usual?” Instantly, the words, “Abide in me, and I in you…for without me ye can do nothing” flashed through my mind. “Ah hah!” I thought. “So, I can’t even click a mouse without your help, is that it Lord? I have to rely on you to do EVERYTHING? Is that part of abiding?” Finally, I felt that I had begun to understand a little of what it means to abide in Christ.
Abiding Reinforced
Saturday, February 10, 2007
Place: The Children’s Program for the annual Valentine’s Banquet here at HQ
Time: Around 8:30 p.m.
What was I to do? I had four teams of children who would be coming to my assigned station in the China Room, where I was supposed to act the part of a persecuted Chinese believer and tell them stories for ten minutes. However, the art of story telling is one gift that I have always lacked. I tried rehearsing the stories a few times while I was waiting for the children to arrive. Oh dear! I kept stumbling over my words, and making an absolute mess of the story. How was I to tell these children stories that would not only keep their attention, but would also impact them for all eternity?
Again, those beautiful words, “Abide in me, and I in you…for without me ye can do nothing,” flooded my mind. “Ok, Lord,” I prayed, “After yesterday’s experience with the computer, I know that I can do nothing without you. Therefore, can you please be with me tonight and give me the words to say? Because I can’t do it without your help.”
The children arrived, and suddenly my nervous jitters vacated my soul to have the peace of God fill it instead. I sensed His presence and knew that He was with me. I soon became so engrossed in the story I was telling, that I felt as if I was the person in the story. The words continued to smoothly pour from my lips, and I knew that it was not I, but the Lord who was speaking through me. The children remained riveted on my every word, and they left with a whole new awareness of the persecuted believers of China. The Lord had again taught me to abide in Him and allow Him to work through me!
An Earthen Vessel—Another Secret to Abiding
Monday morning, February 12, 2007
During my morning Bible study, 2 Corinthians 4:7 jumped from the page: “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.”
Curios about what the word “power” meant in the Greek, I looked up the Strong’s numbers beside the word, and found the following. It was the Greek word “dunamis,” meaning power, ability, might, strength, or mighty work.
I went back and read the previous verse: “For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”
A picture began forming in my mind. God has shone His light into my heart in the person of Jesus Christ. However, I have this treasure—the treasure of the person of Jesus Christ—stored in the “earthen vessel” of my body. What is special about an earthen vessel? Nothing. It is the lowest and the humblest of all vessels. Even so, it can still contain something—or in this case, Someone. However, because of the glorious person of the Lord Jesus Christ dwelling inside the “earthen vessel” of my body, all my “power” or abilities come directly from Him, that He alone might receive the glory!
At this realization, a sudden joy flooded my soul. “Why does this make me so happy?” I questioned. “Because it all goes back to abiding!” was the answer I received. “Abide in me, and I in you…for without me ye can do nothing.” Allowing Christ to work in and through me for the furthering of His kingdom. If I rest in Him—knowing that I can do nothing without Him, knowing that all “my” abilities come from Him—there is then no limit to what I can do for Jesus! This is why He said, “He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.”
The Continuing Lesson
Ever since that “fateful” day, the Lord has been giving me opportunities to see how truly weak and helpless I am, and how much I really need Him. An opportunity such as awakening one morning four weeks ago to find that I can’t turn my head to the left or to the right because of a sharp pain going from the base of my skull down through my shoulder blade. Or an opportunity such as walking home from Staff Meeting in the dark and failing to see a patch of ice which caused my feet to fly out from underneath me, thereby causing me to sprain my back and have whiplash in my neck. (These incidents occurred Sunday, February 18, 2007.) However, even in the midst of the ensuing pain and long recovery process, I can still thank and praise the Lord, because through it, He has shown me what a weak earthen vessel I am and that I truly can do nothing without Him.
So, in conclusion, what do I now understand those verses to mean? Here is my paraphrase.
“Abide in me. Rest in me. Gather all of your strength from me, and allow me to dwell in you. Just as a branch of a vine cannot bear fruit without the life-giving sustenance of the vine, neither can you bear fruit without relying on my strength and sustenance. If in everything you do, you realize that your strength is nothing and that you cannot do anything without my help, then, and only then, shall you be fruitful for the kingdom of God. Remember that all your abilities come from Me—your Creator and Life Giver—and without me working in and through you, you can truly do nothing.”
Sounds simple, huh? On the contrary, it took several hard lessons to get it through my head. But, the Lord be praised, I now understand these verses in a whole new way, and am trusting that as I abide in Him, that He will work in and through me for the furthering of His kingdom.
“Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing” (John 15:4-5).
Amen.
Showing posts with label God. Show all posts
Showing posts with label God. Show all posts
Monday, May 9, 2011
Sunday, April 3, 2011
God Came to Dinner
Suppose God came to your house for dinner. How would you behave? How would you treat Him? Many of us would no doubt be on our absolute best behavior, fix the nicest meal possible, and show Him every respect, courtesy, and social grace expected by hostesses of our time period. We would want the dinner to be as perfect as possible in order to either impress (if such a thing were possible!) or show our respect and love for God.
That is how it should be....but let me tell you about a time God came to dinner, and met with rudeness, ridicule, and rejection.
God came to dinner. A wealthy man had invited Him. One of thousands who had long looked for His coming, this man of political and religious power should have welcomed God with open arms, rejoicing in the fact that he had the inexpressible honor of playing "host" to God for the evening. But God came to dinner, and this man neither knew Him, nor received Him.
God came to dinner, and in a time when it was an expected courtesy to wash your guest's feet to remove the grime and filth of travel (after all, they wore sandals and traveled on the same dirt roads that animals used! think about that...), to anoint him with perfumed oil to hide the stench of sweat mingled with body odor, and to greet him with a kiss, the God of the universe was snubbed, and had none of these social graces administered. God came to dinner...and He was rejected, reviled, mocked intentionally and without remorse. All who saw knew that the master of the house cared nothing for the Master of Creation--that the man was openly snubbing His Maker. God came to dinner, and received a "slap" in the face.
God came to dinner, and blinded by his own self righteousness and perceived importance, the host saw nothing in his Messiah but an unattractive, poor carpenter with fanatical views. The man had long looked for the coming of the "Promised One," but when He came to his house, the host only showed disdain for His person and message. God came to dinner, and no one cared.
But wait...one did. An uninvited guest--a sinful woman of questionable character came to the dinner that night. Weeping, she made her way to the table, and came and knelt at His feet. The host had failed to wash His feet, but the woman washed His filthy feet with her tears, and wiped them with her hair. The host did not offer Him a kiss of welcome, but the woman covered His feet with kisses. The host had not offered Him any ointment to cover the smells of travel, but the woman brought an alabaster box of ointment, and poured it on His feet.
God came to dinner, and an uninvited guest showed Him love, gratitude, and acceptance. God came to dinner, and showed that He was indeed God by forgiving the woman of her sins. God came to dinner, and though rejected by His host, He received glory, adoration, and love from the heart of a grateful and repentant sinner who alone recognized Who He truly was.
Has God ever come to your "house" for "dinner"? How did you treat Him? Jesus said that "...inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."
Have you ever seen a person you judged as a great sinner because of how they looked on the outside (covered in piercings, tattoos, dressed immodestly, exhibiting an angry/bitter spirit, etc.), and started judging them instead of loving and praying for them? I have. Yet perhaps those are the very people whom God would have us love and win to Him! Perhaps we should learn to not focus on their outward appearance, but on their hearts and souls that are in desperate need of a Savior's love and forgiveness.
Or, have you ever seen a fellow believer who maybe didn't have the same values as you, or looked poor, ugly, undesirable, or unpopular, whom you didn't want to associate with due to the implications it might have on your reputation? I have done this also. How foolish! God is in that person, and how sorrowful He must be as He watches us snub one of His own children!
God comes to our "house" for "dinner" so often--almost every day--and yet how often do we actually recognize Him, and receive Him? We are no better than that self righteous Pharisee who invited Jesus to his home for dinner so long ago (Luke 7:36-50)!
Oh that God would open our eyes and our hearts to see the "least" person He has sent into our lives, so that when He "comes to dinner" through them, we could treat them with the respect, love, and honor that HE deserves.
These are just a few of the thoughts running through my head today, inspired by the sermon my father preached at church this morning.
Oh that I loved my Savior as He deserves! Oh that I felt the gratitude for His great sacrifice on the cross that I should! For if I did, then that love and gratitude would pour out of me into others, thereby obeying the second greatest commandment, to love my neighbor as myself. For only by obeying the first and greatest commandment ever given, can I even hope to obey the second.
"...A lawyer, asked [Jesus] a question, tempting him, and saying, Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets" (Matthew 22:35-40).
Seeking to know and love the Lover of my soul,
Melody
That is how it should be....but let me tell you about a time God came to dinner, and met with rudeness, ridicule, and rejection.
God came to dinner. A wealthy man had invited Him. One of thousands who had long looked for His coming, this man of political and religious power should have welcomed God with open arms, rejoicing in the fact that he had the inexpressible honor of playing "host" to God for the evening. But God came to dinner, and this man neither knew Him, nor received Him.
God came to dinner, and in a time when it was an expected courtesy to wash your guest's feet to remove the grime and filth of travel (after all, they wore sandals and traveled on the same dirt roads that animals used! think about that...), to anoint him with perfumed oil to hide the stench of sweat mingled with body odor, and to greet him with a kiss, the God of the universe was snubbed, and had none of these social graces administered. God came to dinner...and He was rejected, reviled, mocked intentionally and without remorse. All who saw knew that the master of the house cared nothing for the Master of Creation--that the man was openly snubbing His Maker. God came to dinner, and received a "slap" in the face.
God came to dinner, and blinded by his own self righteousness and perceived importance, the host saw nothing in his Messiah but an unattractive, poor carpenter with fanatical views. The man had long looked for the coming of the "Promised One," but when He came to his house, the host only showed disdain for His person and message. God came to dinner, and no one cared.
But wait...one did. An uninvited guest--a sinful woman of questionable character came to the dinner that night. Weeping, she made her way to the table, and came and knelt at His feet. The host had failed to wash His feet, but the woman washed His filthy feet with her tears, and wiped them with her hair. The host did not offer Him a kiss of welcome, but the woman covered His feet with kisses. The host had not offered Him any ointment to cover the smells of travel, but the woman brought an alabaster box of ointment, and poured it on His feet.
God came to dinner, and an uninvited guest showed Him love, gratitude, and acceptance. God came to dinner, and showed that He was indeed God by forgiving the woman of her sins. God came to dinner, and though rejected by His host, He received glory, adoration, and love from the heart of a grateful and repentant sinner who alone recognized Who He truly was.
Has God ever come to your "house" for "dinner"? How did you treat Him? Jesus said that "...inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."
Have you ever seen a person you judged as a great sinner because of how they looked on the outside (covered in piercings, tattoos, dressed immodestly, exhibiting an angry/bitter spirit, etc.), and started judging them instead of loving and praying for them? I have. Yet perhaps those are the very people whom God would have us love and win to Him! Perhaps we should learn to not focus on their outward appearance, but on their hearts and souls that are in desperate need of a Savior's love and forgiveness.
Or, have you ever seen a fellow believer who maybe didn't have the same values as you, or looked poor, ugly, undesirable, or unpopular, whom you didn't want to associate with due to the implications it might have on your reputation? I have done this also. How foolish! God is in that person, and how sorrowful He must be as He watches us snub one of His own children!
God comes to our "house" for "dinner" so often--almost every day--and yet how often do we actually recognize Him, and receive Him? We are no better than that self righteous Pharisee who invited Jesus to his home for dinner so long ago (Luke 7:36-50)!
Oh that God would open our eyes and our hearts to see the "least" person He has sent into our lives, so that when He "comes to dinner" through them, we could treat them with the respect, love, and honor that HE deserves.
These are just a few of the thoughts running through my head today, inspired by the sermon my father preached at church this morning.
Oh that I loved my Savior as He deserves! Oh that I felt the gratitude for His great sacrifice on the cross that I should! For if I did, then that love and gratitude would pour out of me into others, thereby obeying the second greatest commandment, to love my neighbor as myself. For only by obeying the first and greatest commandment ever given, can I even hope to obey the second.
"...A lawyer, asked [Jesus] a question, tempting him, and saying, Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets" (Matthew 22:35-40).
Seeking to know and love the Lover of my soul,
Melody
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Our Refuge
In a day and age where the world seems to be spinning out of control, when the stench of sin permeates the air you breathe, when economic collapse seems certain, when the sanctity of marriage is treated as worthless, when countless babies are sacrificed (i.e., murdered) on the altar of selfishness and convenience, and when you just don't know what to do or where to go, there is a Refuge.
This Refuge has been a Strong Tower through every storm. No tempest has ever marred its pristine walls; no tumult has ever shaken its foundation. Throughout the pages of history, this Sanctuary has sheltered the hungry, the naked, the weak, the sick, the persecuted, and the forsaken, and has given them food, clothing, strength, health, defense, and friendship. No other Refuge has ever stood so sure--so strong throughout the ages. No other has given of itself so freely, without expectation of return.
Within its walls, you can find rest, comfort, hope, sustenance, joy, love, and peace--peace like no other, and peace without end. Yes, this our Refuge, our Strong Tower, our Hope--our God and Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. He calls to us, saying,
"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28).
"Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid" (John 14:27).
And, "lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen" (Matthew 28:20).
Yes, our God is a refuge for us. Let us flee to Him, and rest in the shelter of His mighty hand.
"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble" (Psalm 46:1).
"The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge" (Psalm 46:7).
"The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe" (Proverbs 18:10).
"The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower" (Psalm 18:2).
"Be thou my strong habitation, whereunto I may continually resort: thou hast given commandment to save me; for thou art my rock and my fortress." (Psalm 71:3).
"I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust" (Psalm 91:2).
Blessings,
Melody
This Refuge has been a Strong Tower through every storm. No tempest has ever marred its pristine walls; no tumult has ever shaken its foundation. Throughout the pages of history, this Sanctuary has sheltered the hungry, the naked, the weak, the sick, the persecuted, and the forsaken, and has given them food, clothing, strength, health, defense, and friendship. No other Refuge has ever stood so sure--so strong throughout the ages. No other has given of itself so freely, without expectation of return.
Within its walls, you can find rest, comfort, hope, sustenance, joy, love, and peace--peace like no other, and peace without end. Yes, this our Refuge, our Strong Tower, our Hope--our God and Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. He calls to us, saying,
"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28).
"Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid" (John 14:27).
And, "lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen" (Matthew 28:20).
Yes, our God is a refuge for us. Let us flee to Him, and rest in the shelter of His mighty hand.
"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble" (Psalm 46:1).
"The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge" (Psalm 46:7).
"The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe" (Proverbs 18:10).
"The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower" (Psalm 18:2).
"Be thou my strong habitation, whereunto I may continually resort: thou hast given commandment to save me; for thou art my rock and my fortress." (Psalm 71:3).
"I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust" (Psalm 91:2).
Blessings,
Melody
Monday, February 28, 2011
Valentine's Candy or True Love?
Imagine you are a wife out on a shopping trip the afternoon before Valentine's Day. As you walk through the store, you notice your husband is at one of the cash registers. Surprised, you walk toward him, hoping to give him a hug, and surprise him with your presence also. But wait...you notice that he has purchased roses and Valentine's candy--undoubtedly for you. You don't want to spoil his surprise, so you jump into a side aisle to watch and wait for him to leave. As he nears the exit, a beautiful, but immodest (or scantily clad) woman enters and walks past him. You notice that your husband stops, turns, and gazes after her with a delighted, but lustful look in his eyes, before finally turning to leave the store with his "gift of love" in his hand for you.
You are stunned, disappointed, crestfallen, angry. How could you even begin to think of ever accepting his gift, his "offering of love" now? You know now that it is not a symbol of his undying love for you, but a mere offering to "earn points," and to keep you happy with him for another year. Whatever will you do now?
Now imagine that you are another wife at that same store who also sees her husband buying her a gift. He walks out on the heels of the first husband, and also passes by the scantily clad, but beautiful woman. He barely catches a glimpse of her out of the corner of his eye, before turning his eyes, and indeed, his whole body in the opposite direction in order to avoid seeing her.
You watch, and feel jubilant, loved, cherished. Your husband loved you enough to keep his eyes for you and you alone. You will adore him, and cherish the gift that he purchased for you, because you know it came from the heart, and that he loves you above all others.
Now...there are several applications to this story, and I will just mention three.
1. Most women would read this, and say hurray for the second husband! If only all men were like him! Indeed, if only all men were like him. If only every man would purpose in his heart to set no evil thing before his eyes (Ps. 101:3). What a difference that would make in marriages today! I know a young man who made a "covenant" with his eyes (based on Job 31:1--"I made a covenant with mine eyes; why then should I think upon a maid?"). One day, my dad rode with him through a section of the city that was filled with billboards advertising night clubs--which of course had defrauding women on them. Dad watched the young man's eyes, and saw that they never strayed to the right or left but stayed focused on the road ahead. Since that day, God has blessed him richly in both his marriage and in his business.
2. How many of us come to church every Sunday to present our "candy and flowers" (tithes, offerings, attendance, etc.) to God, and then instantly turn around the next day and begin lusting after the things of the world? "Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God" (James 4:4). How this must hurt our Savior, the Lover of our souls! And believe me, I do not preach this section to anyone but myself. For I far too often am guilty of this very thing. Too often do I push God to the side, thinking that I'm too busy to spend quality time with Him. Too often do I enjoy watching an old, funny movie more than I do reading the Word of God. Oh foolish me! "O wretched [girl] that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord...."
"O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise. For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise" (Ps. 51:15-17). This is true love for God--not just symbolic candy! May we each be like an adoring bride, and have eyes and ears for only our Lord, our Maker, and our Husband (Isaiah 54:5)!
3. Ladies, ladies...how dare we ever allow our dress to cause our brothers in Christ to stumble! Yes, they should guard their eyes, but why should they even have the reason to do so in the first place??? God, through His servant Paul, says in Romans 14:21, "It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth or is offended, or is made weak." Yes, that verse has to do with food...but should it not also have to do with our actions as well? For Paul also says in 1 Corinthians 10:31, "Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God." Doesn't it make sense then, that we should dress for the glory of God, and in such a manner as to keep our brothers in Christ from stumbling?
Now, my dad has always told me that a man can lust after a woman even if she's dressed in a potato sack... And while that may or may not be true, there is still no reason for us to "flaunt" our bodies before them. When a woman wears a low cut blouse (it doesn't even have to necessarily show any cleavage, but even if it shows only a slight "dip"), a man's eyes will be instantly drawn there, and their minds will begin imagining what the rest looks like.
If a woman wears a skirt that is too short (and in my definition [and my husband's!], anything that is not at least 2 inches below the knee is too short), they will inevitably show more leg than they intend as they walk and move about their day. A man's eyes are instantly drawn to their legs, and they begin wondering how much more they can see. When a woman wears a shirt, or skirt/pants that are too form fitting (even if they're covered from head to toe in material!), if a man can see too much of an outline of their form, his eyes will be drawn to their body, and he will be able to imagine only too well what lies underneath.
Yes, this may make a man sound like he's sick...and he is! He is a sinner just like us of the opposite gender! But God made a man to be sight-oriented, and they are naturally aroused by the things they see. That is a wonderful thing when kept within the bounds of marriage. But outside of that, it can lead to temptation, fornication or adultery. And again, while they need to make a covenant with their eyes and God, we women need to do our part.
Every day I pray that God will blind my husband to defrauding women he might encounter in his day, as he goes about his job (and believe me, he sees a lot in his line of work!), and that the Lord will keep Donald's mind stayed on Him. Is it therefore any wonder that I might feel perturbed when I go to church and see a woman who is not dressed appropriately? I actually had to tell my husband recently to not look at a woman, because I felt that she was dressed immodestly, and I didn't want my husband to see her and then struggle with thoughts that he shouldn't be struggling with in the first place!
It is my job as a wife to try and shield my husband from those areas of temptation as much as possible. This is practice I began long before my marriage, and it started with my dad and brother. In fact, my brother once called me his "moral compass." Whenever we went out, I would tell him to look another direction if I saw a defrauding woman approaching. If we went to a restaurant, and an immodest woman sat at the table next to us, I would tell my brother and dad to sit on a side of the table where they couldn't see her. And yes, it is impossible to keep them from seeing every immodest woman that comes along, but I can try to help as much as possible! This practice has become a habit with me, and I continue it with my husband to this day.
While my husband is the most loyal and faithful man I have ever known, I also realize that he is still a man and a sinner--and no man is above struggling with sexual temptations. Therefore, I am exceedingly jealous over my husband. I want his eyes to be for me and for no other woman. I therefore keep a zealous watch, and strive to keep the most valuable thing he has ever given me: his heart. This is how I display true love to not only my husband, but to all my brothers in Christ. Because I love them as brothers, I do not want to ever give them "eye candy," thereby becoming a cause of stumbling to them!
So women, here is my plea: when you get dressed in the morning, pretend like Jesus is standing in the mirror with you (and I assure you He is!). Does He approve of what you are wearing? Ask your husband (or your father, brother, etc.) if he approves of your clothing--and specifically, if he were to see this outfit on another woman, what would it make him think? Because while some men don't think twice about what their wife wears (due to the fact that she is his wife, and it's okay for them to look at and think about her), if they were to see the same outfit on another woman, it would be a whole different matter in a lot of cases! Whenever I am unsure about an outfit, I always ask my husband what he thinks (and I used to do this with my dad and brother before marriage), and he is always happy to give me his honest opinion. Indeed, there have actually been a few outfits that he has asked me not to wear in public, and I try to honor those wishes, since the Bible says that my body belongs to my husband--and he also zealously guards it and wants to keep it for himself! (1 Cor. 7:4--"The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife.")
Then, finally, if it is too low cut, too short, or too tight (form fitting, so that it shows every curve of your body), DON'T WEAR IT!
Also, if you are wearing a skirt, do be careful how you sit. All too often, my husband has told me (or I have seen for myself!) of a woman who was wearing a relatively long skirt, but did not sit correctly, and showed far more to the world than she ever wanted them to see! (Sometimes I think we women might be better off if we went back to the days of wearing bloomers under our dresses...) And I know that a lot of women have a "skirts only" belief. And I understand and appreciate that belief. But if the job calls for it (i.e., if you're going to be in a situation where it is difficult to remain modest in a skirt--such as gardening, horse back riding, skating, hiking, etc.), then please do wear pants. God can and will be honored by a decision (as long as the pants are modest that is--not too tight, low riding, etc.) made to cover what He meant to keep private. After all, He actually commanded the priests to wear pants under their long robes in order to keep their private areas covered as they went up the steps to the altar (Exodus 28:42)!
Ultimately, though, PRAY about your clothing, dress for the glory of God, and PLEASE purpose in your heart to shield your brothers in Christ from temptation by dressing modestly at all times.
Anyway...I have had those points impressed on my heart, and I just needed an outlet for them, otherwise I might have burst at the seams. :-P And this is what this blog is for (and if you don't like it, don't read it!). If you were offended by anything I said, then I am sorry, but I do not apologize for what I said, because these are my convictions, and I believe that they are God-given. A conviction is something that you are willing to die for--and I would die before I intentionally wore anything I knew to be immodest outside of my bedroom.
May God guide us in His path of Righteousness, keep a watch over our eyes, teach us to truly love Him and each other, help us to put aside things of this world by being in love with Him, and reveal His perfect and matchless will to all those who truly seek Him.
Blessings,
Melody
p.s., a disclaimer here... The story at the beginning was not completely mine. It was an embellished tale based on a true story I heard from my instructor at Faith Bible Institute. Also, all my references to what men think when they see certain types of clothing are not just things I made up--they are actual facts based on what my husband, father, brother, and other men have told me. Also, please don't think that I'm saying that we all need to start dressing like we're on Little House on the Prairie--because I'm not! There are plenty of ways to dress stylishly, without being immodest. I know many women who have mastered this art, and they are some of the most beautiful, pure women I know. Also, please do not ever dress in a certain way in order to attract a man. If they are attracted to you for your looks, then you don't want them!
You are stunned, disappointed, crestfallen, angry. How could you even begin to think of ever accepting his gift, his "offering of love" now? You know now that it is not a symbol of his undying love for you, but a mere offering to "earn points," and to keep you happy with him for another year. Whatever will you do now?
Now imagine that you are another wife at that same store who also sees her husband buying her a gift. He walks out on the heels of the first husband, and also passes by the scantily clad, but beautiful woman. He barely catches a glimpse of her out of the corner of his eye, before turning his eyes, and indeed, his whole body in the opposite direction in order to avoid seeing her.
You watch, and feel jubilant, loved, cherished. Your husband loved you enough to keep his eyes for you and you alone. You will adore him, and cherish the gift that he purchased for you, because you know it came from the heart, and that he loves you above all others.
Now...there are several applications to this story, and I will just mention three.
1. Most women would read this, and say hurray for the second husband! If only all men were like him! Indeed, if only all men were like him. If only every man would purpose in his heart to set no evil thing before his eyes (Ps. 101:3). What a difference that would make in marriages today! I know a young man who made a "covenant" with his eyes (based on Job 31:1--"I made a covenant with mine eyes; why then should I think upon a maid?"). One day, my dad rode with him through a section of the city that was filled with billboards advertising night clubs--which of course had defrauding women on them. Dad watched the young man's eyes, and saw that they never strayed to the right or left but stayed focused on the road ahead. Since that day, God has blessed him richly in both his marriage and in his business.
2. How many of us come to church every Sunday to present our "candy and flowers" (tithes, offerings, attendance, etc.) to God, and then instantly turn around the next day and begin lusting after the things of the world? "Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God" (James 4:4). How this must hurt our Savior, the Lover of our souls! And believe me, I do not preach this section to anyone but myself. For I far too often am guilty of this very thing. Too often do I push God to the side, thinking that I'm too busy to spend quality time with Him. Too often do I enjoy watching an old, funny movie more than I do reading the Word of God. Oh foolish me! "O wretched [girl] that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord...."
"O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise. For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise" (Ps. 51:15-17). This is true love for God--not just symbolic candy! May we each be like an adoring bride, and have eyes and ears for only our Lord, our Maker, and our Husband (Isaiah 54:5)!
3. Ladies, ladies...how dare we ever allow our dress to cause our brothers in Christ to stumble! Yes, they should guard their eyes, but why should they even have the reason to do so in the first place??? God, through His servant Paul, says in Romans 14:21, "It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth or is offended, or is made weak." Yes, that verse has to do with food...but should it not also have to do with our actions as well? For Paul also says in 1 Corinthians 10:31, "Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God." Doesn't it make sense then, that we should dress for the glory of God, and in such a manner as to keep our brothers in Christ from stumbling?
Now, my dad has always told me that a man can lust after a woman even if she's dressed in a potato sack... And while that may or may not be true, there is still no reason for us to "flaunt" our bodies before them. When a woman wears a low cut blouse (it doesn't even have to necessarily show any cleavage, but even if it shows only a slight "dip"), a man's eyes will be instantly drawn there, and their minds will begin imagining what the rest looks like.
If a woman wears a skirt that is too short (and in my definition [and my husband's!], anything that is not at least 2 inches below the knee is too short), they will inevitably show more leg than they intend as they walk and move about their day. A man's eyes are instantly drawn to their legs, and they begin wondering how much more they can see. When a woman wears a shirt, or skirt/pants that are too form fitting (even if they're covered from head to toe in material!), if a man can see too much of an outline of their form, his eyes will be drawn to their body, and he will be able to imagine only too well what lies underneath.
Yes, this may make a man sound like he's sick...and he is! He is a sinner just like us of the opposite gender! But God made a man to be sight-oriented, and they are naturally aroused by the things they see. That is a wonderful thing when kept within the bounds of marriage. But outside of that, it can lead to temptation, fornication or adultery. And again, while they need to make a covenant with their eyes and God, we women need to do our part.
Every day I pray that God will blind my husband to defrauding women he might encounter in his day, as he goes about his job (and believe me, he sees a lot in his line of work!), and that the Lord will keep Donald's mind stayed on Him. Is it therefore any wonder that I might feel perturbed when I go to church and see a woman who is not dressed appropriately? I actually had to tell my husband recently to not look at a woman, because I felt that she was dressed immodestly, and I didn't want my husband to see her and then struggle with thoughts that he shouldn't be struggling with in the first place!
It is my job as a wife to try and shield my husband from those areas of temptation as much as possible. This is practice I began long before my marriage, and it started with my dad and brother. In fact, my brother once called me his "moral compass." Whenever we went out, I would tell him to look another direction if I saw a defrauding woman approaching. If we went to a restaurant, and an immodest woman sat at the table next to us, I would tell my brother and dad to sit on a side of the table where they couldn't see her. And yes, it is impossible to keep them from seeing every immodest woman that comes along, but I can try to help as much as possible! This practice has become a habit with me, and I continue it with my husband to this day.
While my husband is the most loyal and faithful man I have ever known, I also realize that he is still a man and a sinner--and no man is above struggling with sexual temptations. Therefore, I am exceedingly jealous over my husband. I want his eyes to be for me and for no other woman. I therefore keep a zealous watch, and strive to keep the most valuable thing he has ever given me: his heart. This is how I display true love to not only my husband, but to all my brothers in Christ. Because I love them as brothers, I do not want to ever give them "eye candy," thereby becoming a cause of stumbling to them!
So women, here is my plea: when you get dressed in the morning, pretend like Jesus is standing in the mirror with you (and I assure you He is!). Does He approve of what you are wearing? Ask your husband (or your father, brother, etc.) if he approves of your clothing--and specifically, if he were to see this outfit on another woman, what would it make him think? Because while some men don't think twice about what their wife wears (due to the fact that she is his wife, and it's okay for them to look at and think about her), if they were to see the same outfit on another woman, it would be a whole different matter in a lot of cases! Whenever I am unsure about an outfit, I always ask my husband what he thinks (and I used to do this with my dad and brother before marriage), and he is always happy to give me his honest opinion. Indeed, there have actually been a few outfits that he has asked me not to wear in public, and I try to honor those wishes, since the Bible says that my body belongs to my husband--and he also zealously guards it and wants to keep it for himself! (1 Cor. 7:4--"The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife.")
Then, finally, if it is too low cut, too short, or too tight (form fitting, so that it shows every curve of your body), DON'T WEAR IT!
Also, if you are wearing a skirt, do be careful how you sit. All too often, my husband has told me (or I have seen for myself!) of a woman who was wearing a relatively long skirt, but did not sit correctly, and showed far more to the world than she ever wanted them to see! (Sometimes I think we women might be better off if we went back to the days of wearing bloomers under our dresses...) And I know that a lot of women have a "skirts only" belief. And I understand and appreciate that belief. But if the job calls for it (i.e., if you're going to be in a situation where it is difficult to remain modest in a skirt--such as gardening, horse back riding, skating, hiking, etc.), then please do wear pants. God can and will be honored by a decision (as long as the pants are modest that is--not too tight, low riding, etc.) made to cover what He meant to keep private. After all, He actually commanded the priests to wear pants under their long robes in order to keep their private areas covered as they went up the steps to the altar (Exodus 28:42)!
Ultimately, though, PRAY about your clothing, dress for the glory of God, and PLEASE purpose in your heart to shield your brothers in Christ from temptation by dressing modestly at all times.
Anyway...I have had those points impressed on my heart, and I just needed an outlet for them, otherwise I might have burst at the seams. :-P And this is what this blog is for (and if you don't like it, don't read it!). If you were offended by anything I said, then I am sorry, but I do not apologize for what I said, because these are my convictions, and I believe that they are God-given. A conviction is something that you are willing to die for--and I would die before I intentionally wore anything I knew to be immodest outside of my bedroom.
May God guide us in His path of Righteousness, keep a watch over our eyes, teach us to truly love Him and each other, help us to put aside things of this world by being in love with Him, and reveal His perfect and matchless will to all those who truly seek Him.
Blessings,
Melody
p.s., a disclaimer here... The story at the beginning was not completely mine. It was an embellished tale based on a true story I heard from my instructor at Faith Bible Institute. Also, all my references to what men think when they see certain types of clothing are not just things I made up--they are actual facts based on what my husband, father, brother, and other men have told me. Also, please don't think that I'm saying that we all need to start dressing like we're on Little House on the Prairie--because I'm not! There are plenty of ways to dress stylishly, without being immodest. I know many women who have mastered this art, and they are some of the most beautiful, pure women I know. Also, please do not ever dress in a certain way in order to attract a man. If they are attracted to you for your looks, then you don't want them!
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