the end of chapter 3

September 21, 2010
“Remember him- before the silver cord is severed, or the golden bowl is broken; before the pitcher is shattered at the spring, or the wheel broken at the well, and the dust returns to the ground it came from, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.
‘Meaningless! Meaningless!’ says the teacher.
‘Everything is meaningless!’”
-Ecclesiastes 12: 6-8
I really wanted to post this whole chapter, but that would be a lot of typing..haha. Though I have no idea what was going on in your life when you wrote this lesson many years ago, I am sure it was something that changed you forever... And these words are still changing me today.
Every time I read over this lesson, I’m reminded how pointless it is to plan out my life. Verse 13 of Ecclesiastes assures me that the entire duty of man is to fear God and keep his commands. Often I try to analyze and fix everything…but then God always reminds me that I’m not in charge, and that he can do a much better job.
I don’t want live my life searching and searching for all of the answers in places that I know are never going to lead me to anywhere but death.
However, like Andrew, I do want seek to love and care for people before I judge them.
So today, I decided I am different than I was yesterday. Now I look into look into people’s eyes. Now I see their suffering. And now I will trust that God will use me to change them.
I’ve decided that this was probably a good decision…because after I made it, God completely messed up everything I planned to do today, reminded me it was meaningless, and said “hey there, I have something better I need you to do right now.” So in just a few hours, I met a friend who was new to town and knew no one, I helped a lady do her homework in the library, and I prayed for a homeless man at the intersection of Hardy St. and 49th. Dang…I should really take this lesson to heart more often…it was great.
September 22,2010
“it is good to praise the lord, and to sing of his joy in the morning, and his faithfulness at night. I sing for joy at the work of your hands, and my eyes have seen the defeat of my adversaries. Surely the righteous will flourish and grow; they will still bear fruit in old age. For the Lord is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in him” -Psalms 92

So today I praised the Lord. He gives us joy, and he is always faithful. His ways are higher than my ways, and following them is amazing.

September 30, 2010
“Moses was 120 years old when he died, yet his eyes were not weak nor his strength gone.’ –Deuteronomy 34:7
That man had one heck of a life. All I can say is that he encourages me. Even in this chapter, where he dies, he climbs a mountain (remember, he’s reaaaaallly old). But when he gets to the top, I’m sure it was worth every step to see the Promise Land.
I want a faith like that…and this morning, as I began to pray that God would help me live to overcome bondage and see his promises fulfilled, I found Romans 4…where Abraham is justified by faith.
“If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about- but not before God. Abraham BELIEVED in God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”
The great thing about grace is that I don’t have to earn it. I can just accept it, and I can choose to walk by faith.
Faith is where healing begins and where change takes place. Even when I am old I have no fear, because he is strong.

October 2, 2010
“Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel” -Luke 2: 29- 32
God promised Simon that he would live to see the Savior…and of course, he did. After this account, Simon was at peace and he was dismissed. His life, like this chapter, was complete.
There couldn’t be a more fitting way to end this chapter than to say that it has given me peace. I now understand that I am only a candle, but I can carry a fire. This fire is so bright that it can light up any darkness on the face of the planet. It is my job to protect this fire so that it doesn’t die down. I can also share this fire with any candle that wants its own light.
This season has been dry, and weather reporters are warning against building fires because the wind can stir them out of our control and burn up life as we know it…
So far, I’m liking this burning process though…the process of burning up my temple, and rebuilding a temple of God.