Solomon's Wisdom

Solomon was 12 years old when he became King after David's passing. We read in 1 Kings 3:5-15 the Lord came to him and told him He would grant him anything. Solomon asked for wisdom to lead God's people. At 12 years old. How many of us would have or are asking for these types of things now? Let alone at 12?

I have been reading the Bible from cover to cover this past year. During this time, I have read and been reminded of the full story behind so many popular scriptures we all have memorized. I have always loved the context of scriptures and it is good to read the context of the chapter and book! This being said, my reading yesterday brought me to:
Luke 11:9-10: “So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened."

We all know the scripture, but it was the rest of Luke 11 that reminded me WHY the door is opened. It is not because we keep asking or because we even ask in the first place. But it is because of the good Lord having compassion:

“Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead?  Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion?  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 the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” (Luke 11:11-14)

Here's the deal, since the first time I read of Solomon's story, I began asking for wisdom. Since then, the Spirit has certainly helped me discern, it has helped me distinguish right and wrong, it has shown me insight. But to what avail is wisdom if we do not share? I do not have a country to lead, I do not have a podium or a tree stump. I have this blog, I have family and friends. I have shared the times God has opened my heart and given me metaphors. I have shared because if it helps me, it could help others.

But I have been sinning lately. I have held onto some enlightments and not shared.

Matt Chandler is currently doing a sermon series in which he has listed the main two sin hurdles for men and women.

Men: passivity and selfish aggression

Women: comparison/competition and perfectionism

(Watch the sermons here: http://www.thevillagechurch.net/resources/sermons/ )

In my selfish desire to write the PERFECT blog with correct punctuation, formatting and hey why not pictures?, I have delayed sharing wisdom given to you. Sure, I am not saying it is a matter of life or death or that it is earth shattering wisdom, but I cannot count how many thoughts and drafts I have started but not completed simply because it is not perfect yet. Will it ever be perfect, though?

Probably not. Not by my will alone. Perfection can only be attained through Christ's work on the cross, because He is perfect. A thought from the sermon: how can you ever be at peace if everything has to be perfect? STOP carrying the burden of perfection.

This is my apology and committment to share more openly and with less of an attitude of needing to be perfect. If He is speaking through me, the ears He has opened will hear it as it is intended; I could never perfectly articulate everything for everyone (mainly due to my run-on sentences :P).

So back to Solomon and the excerpt from Luke I leave you with the question, what gifts are you asking for and why? Why aren't we asking for more gifts of the Spirit? Wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, prophecy, discernment, speaking in tongue, interpretation of tongues.

Continually growing & learning,
Rachel

Hauling Around Expired Condiments

This week I threw away our last bottle of Olive Garden Salad Dressing (expiration date 2013) and Parmesan cheese (expiration date Aug 2014). Before you are concerned for our health, no we haven't used either since, well, 2012 most likely. These bottles were sitting on the bottom shelf of our fridge door, and I only noticed them because Roc' took it upon himself to lick the cheese container (gross).

It was then when I realized, how many times has the fridge been stocked full and we've rearranged to squeeze in the last bit food? So many times we could have better used the space being held captive by these expired, toxic (read: full of allergens) items! It's as though I got used to them being there that I never truly SAW them. One just expects those items to hang out in the fridge, ya know? I think it was earlier this year when I went through all of the condiments and realized they were expired, too, because we just don't use them since going allergy-free. (side note: WHY did I miss these 2 condiments the first time around? Did I really just miss them, or did I not want to part with them yet, like maybe I'd actually use them in the future?!)

Where am I going?

How much crap do we all carry around in our lives because we just expect it to be there and don't truly notice it anymore? Like condiments in a fridge (mayo, mustard, ranch dressing), we just expect to see them and get used to their presence, whether or not we actively engage them. Negative thoughts about ourselves or others have taken occupancy and rob us of filling that space with healthy, positive thoughts. We haul around critics and harmful relationships, carry others' burdens and stresses, self-doubts and worries about our futures; there are mistakes, failures, times of shame or embarrassment, others' judgement of us (or maybe our own judgments of others) we just can't shake. We fill our life fridge with junk, expired junk. And times have changed but we hold onto these views, because they are comforting? Because we are just used to them being there? Because we know they hurt to confront them, so we've stopped looking at that part of our life.

It's time. It's time to confront these negative attitudes, thoughts, relationships. Purge or change them. Make room for happiness, new memories, and love. Take a look in the mirror and see the masterpiece, a masterpiece without expired, toxins. YOU.

Also, consider this a PSA to check all expiration dates on your condiments, especially the ones you don't currently use...

-RR

"As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s masterpiece, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."

- Ephesians 2:1-10 NIV