Best. Legacy. Ever.

A sad thing happened in my Bible reading this week.  King David died.  I have had the privilege of diving into his life these last months and learning about him from God's word.  I see myself in his triumphs and joys... and I see myself in his sin.  But more than anything, I would like to live the way he lived out his last years.

There have been so many lessons for me in the way David finished out his life.  He had been caught in lie after lie and sin after sin.  And here he is at the end of his life, making great preparations for what?  For himself?  For his children?  No!  For the House of the Lord.  God had promised him that his son Solomon would get to build the temple for the Lord and King David did not leave one stone unturned.  Every detail was set in perfect working order so that God may be exalted in His house.  The house of the LORD! 

He could have still been embarrassed or feeling sorry for himself that he had sinned and he wasn't allowed to build the temple, right?  When I sin, I know my tendency is to feel unusable and embarrassed.  But guess what?  God only uses sinners!  Great news for me. :)

He could have been busy trying to set Solomon's kingdom up for financial success.  I mean, that's what we're all really trying to achieve in this life right?  No way!  He says, "In my delight in the house of God, the treasure I have of gold and silver, I give to the house of my God."  (1 Chron. 29:3)

Instead of hiding out the rest of his days as one who could not be used by God, he is exalting God and giving Him the glory due His name.  David thanks the Lord and reminds his son to do the same. 
David does not justify or ignore his sin in his last days.  He openly admits and confesses it before his son and his people.  Then he reminds them that this is WHY you should remain strong and courageous in the Lord and to do the job that the Lord has for him.  What wise words from a parent!  What a legacy for David to leave behind! 

I love to think of my boys as being men someday.  And one of the things I want to leave with them is to know what it is to persevere in my faith like David.  For them to see that it is never too late for me to confess my sin and come running into the arms of the Great Father.  And that when I have done that, I AM usable by the Lord, but only because it is nothing of me, but CHRIST in me!  I pray that they will understand the temporal things of this world are not what's important, but that they would seek first His kingdom and the righteousness that only He can bring. 

One last thing that I loved and couldn't get over in this last bit of David's life...  Here he is, having set everything to perfection for the temple building.  (That he doesn't get to build, yet he's delighting in the fact that God would even let him serve in the smallest of ways:)  And he gives basically everything he is worth to God for use in the temple.  He does it with joy and delight in God.  Then he calls to see if anyone else would like to do the same.  And guess what?  They did.  "Then they rejoiced because they had offered so willingly, for they made their offering to the Lord with a whole heart, and King David also rejoiced." (1 Chron. 29:9)  And then comes my favorite part...

^"11 Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, indeed everything that is in the heavens and the earth; Yours is the dominion, O LORD, and You exalt Yourself as head over all. ¹² Both riches and honor come from You, and You rule over all, and in Your hand is power and might; and it lies in Your hand to make great and to strengthen everyone. ¹³ Now therefore, our God, we thank You, and praise Your glorious name.
¹⁴ “But who am I and who are my people that we should ^[h]be able to offer as generously as this? For all things come from You, and from Your hand we have given You. ¹⁵ For we are sojourners before You, and tenants, as all our fathers were; our days on the earth are like a shadow, and there is no hope. ¹⁶ O LORD our God, all this abundance that we have provided to build You a house for Your holy name, it is from Your hand, and all is Yours. ¹⁷ Since I know, O my God, that You try the heart and delight in uprightness, I, in the integrity of my heart, have willingly offered all these things; so now with joy I have seen Your people, who are present here, make their offerings willingly to You."

David knows that the only reason he and the people can delight and offer willingly all they have is because it all came from the Lord anyways!!!  What great perspective he had and was privileged to share with so many, including his own son. 

I have been greatly blessed.  I have a wonderful identity as a daughter of the King.  An heir to the throne!  Joint heirs with Jesus!!!  And if that wasn't enough, every day His mercies are new and ever growing in His love for me. 

I hope THAT is the legacy I can leave for my children. 

How Can We Encourage?

How are we at encouraging one another? 
I often think of Hebrews 10:24, especially lately, and wonder how I am doing?  How am I encouraging other believers to continue on in love and good deeds?  Am I doing it myself?  Do we do a good job of that? 
I am so thankful to have people in my life who encourage me to not give up doing good and pursuing love and to do it all out of an overflow of what Christ has done for me.  That is a blessing I don't deserve.  What if people aren't loving and kind? And what if they don't pursue love and good deeds toward you?
I am reminded of Christ and His sufferings.  He took all the ridicule and spite and he had people accusing Him of being someone He was not.  And He was GOD!  And I am having my pity party when I feel misunderstood.  Aye yie yie!  What is man that You were mindful of him and who am I oh God that You would know my name?!  I am overwhelmed all over again at a God who would love me so much that He would send His only Son to die for sin.  And the words of the song echo over and over again, "How He loves us, Oh how He loves us!"
Every time I want to complain or have a pity party, I try to bring myself back to this one amazing truth.  It changes EVERYTHING!  And it doesn't mean I don't burst into spontaneous tears or feel sad.  It just means that in the midst of any day, of any menial task...  from the stinkiest diaper or the naughtiest kid, to the heart break that comes when people do not speak truth about God... I have a living hope that never changes.  The Rock that can not be moved.  I serve a God who plans and perfects every part of the universe!  And yes, He loves me!  Hallelujah, all I have is Christ!  And He is all I need. 
How can we encourage?  Focus on THAT truth, and God will show us. :)

Random, Hurried Thoughts

There are different times in my life that have thought were so hard for one reason or another.  In this time, when I decided to blog, finally, it happens to be the time when we are taking a little break from cable and internet in my house.  So, even though I keep thinking about blog topics, I have no wifi.  Now, this is not one of the hardest times in my life.  lol  That's easy to figure out.  But for many different reasons it has been difficult.  But here's the deal...  I think back to times when things were super hard and they are some of the most precious times in my life.  With the Lord, with Joe, with our kids.  Sleepless nights, make you cuddle your newborn more.  Having 4 miscarriages led to sweet dependence on the Lord and faithful, earnest prayer with my husband.  Having no internet or cable has led to quite times sitting at Starbucks, doing my Bible study and getting my computer work done.  It's all cozy and raining out and all my men were sleeping when I left.  (I'm sure they are awake now.:)
There is so much I want to share about 1 Samuel.  About how godly parents don't always have godly kids, About how when God calls people to be concecrated to Himself, the requirements of holiness are high!  But I spent too much time studying and now have to rush off to pick up the fam for night church. 
I just didnt want to say I was going to blog and then ignore my blog for a year again. lol  Thanks for reading.  I hope to encourage you in the future through what God is teaching me.  :)

A New Place to Share

I have been thinking about this for quite some time.  Sharing more on my blog that is.  It's so easy to do a quick status update on facebook about how I feel, or what I'm learning.  But I have barely done that latley.  My heart is discouraged and I can hear it... I can hear my mom's voice in my head saying, "If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all."  All to say, I don't want the overall tone of my heart to be quick complaints, or vauge thoughts on what I'm learning that no one will understand.  However, God has brought me low in this time.  He has humbled me again as I see my sin and weakness.  And as disheartened as I've been, I AM so thankful!  I am thankful for the reminder that God is the one who makes us poor in spirit and who humbles me for His own glory. (1 Samuel 2:7, Mathew 5:3)  And I do want to give Him glory!  But ONLY because He has graciously turned my heat towards Him.  Otherwise, I couldn't even do that.
So here is what you need to know...
I am honest.
I am learning.
I have much, much more to learn.
And I would like a place to share my heart.  So here goes.