So. I’ve had absorption on the brain. Absorbing Truth into our DNA instead of consuming it. Allowing it to totally change who we are and how we operate, what we look like instead of just momentarily relishing its sweetness on our palates. I guess that was the most salient point for me from our first Tell the Truth session on Monday night. And here’s the thing I keep coming back to – practically, how do we absorb Truth? How do we do that? The idea of it is of no use to us if we don’t know how to act on it. In my own personal study time I just began Beth Moore’s To Live is Christ: The Life and Ministry of Paul. And the first few days of homework explore what life would have been like for a Hebrew boy. Deuteronomy 6:4-9, 11:13-21 would have been posted on the doorframe of his home:
Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.
Deut 6:4-9
By the age of thirteen, he would have memorized vast amounts of Scripture and would wear certain passages in a leather cube strapped to the middle of his forehead and on his left arm. God’s Word ever on his mind and close to his heart. Without a doubt, the Hebrews had Truth coursing through their veins.
So here’s question numero uno for you: What does that look like for us? Please share very specific ideas that you have tried or plan to try to allow Truth to soak bone deep in you.
Secondly, I would love to hear what God is doing in you this week. How is He making himself known to you? What are you hearing from Him? What is He repeating to you? Margaret Feinberg calls that the Sacred Echo…
If you are participating in
Tell the Truth, please read back over Monday night’s lesson in your workbook – giving God the chance to drive home any points that I may have bungled in the delivery.
I, for real, cannot wait to hear from you, so jump on in and do your thing! Rock on, sweet friends…
One thing I am doing, have done so far this week, is a little “fast” from Facebook and Twitter. (Not easy for a social – networking – butterfly like me!) I’m trying to be still… listen for that Sacred Echo… as it reverberates through my heart and soul. Honestly, I am struggling with the homework a bit this week. Apart from listing all the stuff that we have already agreed we AREN’T (age, weight, kids, etc…) it’s hard to put “Who Am I”? into words. Right now, I’m just resting in WHO’S I am. 🙂
Cookie,
Loving the study so far! You have done an amazing job and God is using you as a great tool to speak to me. As far as answering your questions….
I was a very disciplined student in college, because I had to be or I would still be there. That’s beside the point. Thankfully, I did learn in HS that 3×5 note cards were a key in studying for me. Write the facts on the note cards and take them everywhere with me. So, in college that’s what I did. Why can’t we do that with scripture? We Can! Write down on a 3×5 the verses you feel God is leading you to memorized and take them everywhere. Instead of searching for new tunes at the stop light, read a note card and ABSORB! When you are getting your hair done, put down the recent copy of “People Magazine” and Absorb!
The BIG, BIG, BIG, BIG, thing that God is working with me on is…What does your reflection in the mirror show and how clean is your cup on the inside? I am not my money, my house, my clothes, my GPA, my car, my bills, my degree, my family, my friends, my travel destinations, my facebook messages, my job…I could go on and on…If those thing don’t = Megan, than what does? Am I full of hot air? I hope not! God is showing me how to play the game, not just watch it from the side lines. No more playing religion or just seeing the face He created in the mirror. Looking a little deeper and finding my “Daddy” in my reflection! 🙂
Megan, I love your spirit! Your 3×5 note cards idea reminds me of something I heard Beth Moore say once. A friend of hers had gotten in a car accident and all of her scripture cards (that she used just as you suggested) had flown all over the place. Beth said, “Oh that we all would go through life strewing scripture” this way! I have a few taped to my bathroom mirror that I “reflect” on each day. Good thoughts, Sweet Sister!
I so enjoyed Monday night! You rock! I have heard God’s quiet whisper and felt his presence since I left the Civic Center Monday. I have always been one to hold myself to ungodly standards. I have measured not only my success but my self worth on the amount of possessions I have and the body I see reflected in the mirror. I am so much more than that! I am a child of God! A daughter of the Lord Almighty! I am prayerfully working on changing my perception of who I am! Thanks for all you do! See you Monday!
Great, Cookie. Getting God’s healing truth from our heads into our hearts is what changes us from the inside out.
What has done wonders for me is to stop reading the “who I am in Christ” lists and focus more on getting to know God as my Father. Our identity is so rooted and grounded in the knowing of Him! After all, Jesus came that we might know Him. I find that change happens in me (less fear, less striving) and I realize I’m different, like looking back over my shoulder at how things used to be.
The last two mornings, my chosen at random bible verses, have included several that we went over Monday night. I do not, for one minute, think that is a coincidence! I don’t know what exactly it is He’s trying to communicate to me. I do know however, that it is my desire to be the real deal-obvious to others as authentic and passionate about my faith, growing those roots deep, deep, deep down. Thanks Cookie for helping me achieve that!
I’m a notecard person too :). One thing I like to do is equip myself with a “season-of-life” verse. When I find myself in a particular season, whether it is a season of rest, work, waiting, stress, praise, healing, etc…, having a few verses ready in my mind. It is amazing to me just how often that verse will pop up into my head as I’m dealing with whatever the world is throwing at me. Having it ready when the enemy wants to whisper worry, fear, insecurity, or anything else into my ear.
And since Monday He’s been showing me how the stuff I’ve been piling on the scale has been suppressing my appetite for Him. I’ve got to work on focusing on Him and resting in Him–not just squeezing Him into a hectic schedule.
I’m so very glad to be a part of this study…it’s so fun for me to see you in this role in addition to simply being “Carson’s mom”! 🙂 And, of course, as usual, God’s timing is impeccable…this bible study aligns perfectly with a period of time that might offer significant change in my life. I have no doubt God is using you through this series to ground me in living the “faith journey” as I like to call it. Already this week, He has shown me once again that He is always in control…He’s always got my back!
As far as homework goes, I’m gonna be totally transparent and let you know that I haven’t made it past your bio…but I did review what we covered Monday night and plan on putting some focused (no small children around) time into answering all the questions this weekend.
Thanks for putting yourself “out there” for God in such an awesome way!
A recent journal entry of mine, consist of a bunch of questions to God. Why me? Why now? Why not? I am in a season of “why” with God. And to be quite frank, a ton of my questions are about measuring up to others. After hearing your teachings on Monday night, my understanding of “why” became so clear. I know I am being broken down to gain and absorb more of HIM. As my days have not been fun and colorful, I know HIS finished plan will blow my mind 🙂 After hearing HIM speak to me through you, I now understand he only wants to shape me…his point is to break me down to build me back with HIS DNA! The one thing I know that is the TRUTH is he makes no mistakes and there is a reason for my bumpy season. The statement that inspired me in our workbook was “when we really believe we are valuable to God and live out of that, we don’t feel this crazy burden to hide our stuff, to pretend, to measure up, and to please others”. BAM! HE wants me to focus on HIM and quit hiding my junk…now that’s got my attention!! I prayerfully lean on HIM and stand inspired by 2 Cornithians 12:9-10! For when I am weak, I am STRONG…only because of HIM!
I am a kindergarten teacher at a Christian academy, and I’ve so enjoyed teaching my students God’s word and helping them memorize bible verses…in the process, I’ve been teaching myself! So many of the verses I teach them to memorize may be applied to situations in my own personal life. I refer to the verses often. I am reminded of the importance of good, ole’ fashioned memorizin’! The Word becomes engrained in your spirit, and you are able to call upon it when needed, when the enemy seeks to kill and destroy. It truly is the sword of the spirit, and I am so excited about my renewed excitement and willingness to lean on the Word of God!
Answering the question “Who am I?” is another matter!!! Struggling with this one…
Oh my! I LOVE hearing from you guys! Thank you for your willingness to share, and I am so with you on the notecards, Scripture memorization, and, Robin, I agree with you that everything everything – change especially – flows from our knowledge of and intimacy with Him. He is rocking my world through all of you, and it is a joy to be following Him with you.
With regards to homework, allow me to do a little more prompting – as the answers to these questions will feed into our next session – We have to do the hard thing! Though we all belong to the same Christ, we are not all made the same. For instance, I am passionate about seeing people grow in real deal relationships with Jesus. My gifts are teaching and writing. Those things come from Jesus in me. I have learned to be a perfectionist and I am very task-driven. Those are weaknesses that often hinder my availability to love and serve others (i.e., I want my house to be crazy clean, so I am often unwilling to have people over…). Knowing how He made us will help us know how He desires to use us most effectively for His glory. Hope that may prompt you to think a little differently about those homework questions…
Totally lovin’ you, chicks!
PS – 🙂 See the perfectionist in me. I deleted my first comment because I found a grammatical goof.
Cookie,
I have been so inspired by your first two studies and I really want to BUY this one from you. I feel like I’m freeloading because it is adding so much to me that I want to be able to give back something! This comment from the comments really struck me: “What does your reflection in the mirror show and how clean is your cup on the inside?” It was right in line with what I just read from Crazy Love (already read once and rereading with my life group). Who I am versus who I want to be versus who Christ wants me to be…weighty stuff. I know my purpose isn’t just my to-do list–it is so much bigger and so much more about Him and less about me…but how do you resist being caught up in the to-do list that becomes your life? So difficult. Trying to figure out how to “unbalance” myself and drastically tip the scales to PASSIONATELY loving Christ and seeing what He wants rather than having control and managing it all…Thanks for all the help and inspiration on my journey. You ROCK and I’m so grateful that God placed you in Anderson for a season…
Realized I didn’t really answer your questions….I’ve tried the notecards mentioned in a previous post. I’ve also tried just turning off the television a little earlier at night and really spending time reading my Bible or reading a Bible study instead. I’ve also pretty much turned off all music except Christian music so that when I have a song in my head, it is one with a positive message. Lastly, I am just trying to be more “mindful”–making more concious decisions throughout my day and asking myself if what I am saying or doing is really honoring Him? This is the hardest one and the one I fail at the most…I walk away from conversations much more lately much more aware that I should have said (or usually NOT said) something.
I have started leaving my Bible open to the scripture of the day and carrying my Bible from room to room. That way when I walk by and see it open I stop and reread the passage again and again through out the day, instead of only once or twice in the morning. This way it helps my to stay focused on Him and absorb more of His Word each time I read.
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When I was unpacking the “Who am I?” question something really cool stood out. Who I am now and who I was a year ago are not the same. And a year before that the difference is even more remarkable. Even the things I am passionate about have evolved and taken on greater definition as I have grown in my relationship with Him. I was reading some old journal entries and it is so cool to see how He began sewing certain passions into my heart long before I could see what He was up to. And I guess journaling is another way I’m trying to absorb His truth. Writing down my prayers and how He’s moving in my life. I want to keep track of that stuff so that the lessons He teaches me won’t just fade away whenever my season of life changes. I want it to stick!
And C, I guess I’m also a perfectionist. I deleted my last comment to fix the ID tag. Sorry… 🙂
Several months ago I had a “wake up” moment for me. I had been living my life as if I had all the “right answers” for everyone in my life. I was becoming so “weighted down” with worry and stress that I sought out a Christian counselor. After telling him my story, he asked me “Who Made You God!”. That really opened my heart and brain. I was so busy taking on everything because I thought I had all the right answers for everyone! I came home and thought about this and came to realize “I am not God” and you are probably thinking at this point of course not! But how many times a day do we go about our business thinking it has to be this way or that. You see I was so consumed with how things looked and what was right and wrong that I was of no help to know one or to myself. God freed me that day! I can truly say that as I began to read my Bible and have my time with God, my entire life changed. I could absorb what He wanted me to know. I did not have any weight on my shoulders anymore. My chest opened up and I could breathe deeply knowing that He was truly in control. Now I don’t really get upset about much of anything because I don’t have to fix anything! God is taking care of me and I allow Him to use me when He wants me to not when I think I am suppose to. So the question was “Who Am I?” I am His child only! Nothing else defines me and because of that I hear Him when He is speaking to me, I know when He is telling me to speak and I know when to shut up and listen.
I’ve clung all week to the thought that just like our children look like us…we should resemble Jesus. He is our father and our likeness should be like him. However, I am full of “yucky” stuff. I wonder how often when I’m tired or cranky or just plain busy that all those people around me just see ME…and no Jesus. The “Who Am I” was probably one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to answer…and I’m not sure I’m done. I know I have my idea of who I am, but God is still revealing so much to me! I can’t wait for Monday…=)
Cookie,
Thank you for what you have done already to facilitate God’s Word being “absorbed into our DNA.” You have been gifted by God as a communicator; I appreciate your sharing that gift with your sisters!
As I’ve mulled over the study this week, the main idea that our Father keeps bringing me back to is that when everything is stripped away, all that really matters are the relationships we have. Our relationship with God and our relationships with the people He has brought into our lives are central to who we really are. It has been my privilege to love a few people who were close to death. Possessions, education, travels, outward appearance – none of that matters at that point. What is important is making relationships right if they need to be made so, and spending time with loved ones. If we can learn that lesson, everything we spend time, money and effort on will be changed. John 13:34,35 will be demonstrated in our lives and we will “look like our Daddy!”