Drop in the Bucket

I'm so glad you are here! I hope during your visit you get a glimpse of God's heart for we become what we are gazing at. I pray that God refreshes you and gives you readiness to persevere in what He has for you today.  My desire is to be a blessing to you in helping you know God more and make Him known so I've made these Resources available to you and have the Missional Living blog tab for practical ideas of how to live on mission right where you are.  

"Thus Midian was subdued before the Israelites and did not raise its head again. During Gideon's lifetime, the land enjoyed peace forty years. Jerub-Baal son of Joash went back home to live. He had seventy sons of his own, for he had many wives. His concubine, who lived in Shechem, also bore him a son, whom he named Abimelech. Gideon son of Joash died at a good old age and was buried in the tomb of his father Joash in Ophrah of the Abiezrites. No sooner had Gideon died than the Israelites again prostituted themselves to the Baals. They set up Baal-Berith as their god and did not remember the LORD their God, who had rescued them from the hands of all their enemies on every side. They also failed to show kindness to the family of Jerub-Baal (that is, Gideon) for all the good things he had done for them." 
Judges 8:28-35  


The other day walking up to the backdoor of my house I thought of the previous owners. Our house is 80 years old and has had 5 owners one of which was the mafia. Crazy! Wouldn't that be cool if we found money hidden in the walls or something. :)  The couple who owned it before us was a sweet couple who had a prayer meeting every week for 21 years. When it came time to sell it, they prayed for someone to use it for ministry since they had dedicated it to the Lord. And how incredible is God that He lead us to move for the very purpose of being able to be closer to campus and use our house more for ministry. 

So anyway, I thought of all the owners before us and then wondered who the owners would be after us. It sure put things in perspective for me. Our time here on earth is just a speck of  dust. In fact God says that the nations, all the people who have ever lived "are like a drop in a bucket and are considered to be like dust on a scale." (Isa. 40:15) All 7 billion of us and all the generations of the entire world before us are like a drop in a bucket. 

But to think that during Gideon's life there was peace for 40 years. Pretty awesome. If that was said of my lifetime, that would be pretty cool. But honestly I think it's sad that it ended there. I don't want the blessing of God to die with me, I want to leave a legacy that multiplies for God's glory and the expansion of His kingdom. And to do that takes intentionality, something it doesn't seem Gideon did.

Scholars say that although Gideon told the people he wouldn't be their king, he acted like one. Taking many wives even a concubine from the Canaanites and having 70 sons and even naming one of them Abimelek which means, "My father is king". (No wonder Mr. Entitled flips out in the next chapter) What would have become of the people if Gideon would have been more concerned with helping the people walk with God than acquiring things fit for a king? What would have happened if he would have discipled his kids to love and serve the Lord?

When we get our attention off the Lord and fixed on other things we end up giving ourselves to it. No wonder God tell us to guard our hearts for it directs the course of our life. After Gideon died, the people forgot the Lord and prostituted themselves. Oh so sad. It begs us to reflect: 

     * Are you depending on a person to keep you walking with the Lord, or are you depending on
       Him?

     * How would you know if you were living as though you had forgotten the Lord?

     * Are you living as though your time on earth is limited and investing in the lives of others
        for God's glory? If not, what's keeping your from doing so?

     * What would it look like to be intentionally about reminding those around you about the lor

Oh Lord, we want to invest well this life You've given us to steward. We recognize we are but a drop in the bucket and our time is so limited. Would You train us into incredible stewards who are a blessing to You. And would You enable us to do what is impossible for us to do on our own strength. Please use us to point people to You, to be a reminder to people of You all of our days. And Lord, would You show us who to invest in to be a reminder to those who come after us. And Lord, it really is just incredible to think that You were just as real and present and involved with all the generations before us as You are today. Wow God. You are a wow.

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The Entire Series. 
What Have You Missed?

Chapter One
{Verses 1-3} Know-er 
{Verses 4-7} Reliance 
{Verses 9-11}  Bigger Picture 
{Verses 17-19} Prepare for Battle
{Verses 21-2:6}  No More 

Chapter 2
{Verses 7-11} Revealer 
{Verses 11-12} The Lord's Anger
{Verses 14-15} Love Conquers
{Verses 16-19} The Great Rescue
{Verses 22-3:4} The Big Test       

Chapter 3
{Verses 7-11} Willing & Available 
{Verses 12-14} Facing the Enemy
{Verses 15-30} Freedom 
{Verse 31} Comparison

Chapter 4
{Verses 2-3} Beauty of Bridled Strength  
{Verses 8-13} Tons of Nuggets 
{Verses 17-5:31} Where's the Trust       

Chapter 5
{Verses 2-31} Offering   

Chapter 6
{Verse 2} Running out of Darkness 
{Verses 7-8} God Responds 
{Verses 11-12}Redemptive Eyes  
{Verse 13} Questioning Goodness 
{Verse 14} What Strength?   
{Verses 15-16} Just not enough
{Verse 17} Is it really you? {Verse 18-22} Grace Upon Grace
{Verse 25-31 } Courageous Defender 
{Verse 33-40} Courage Giver  


Chapter 7
{Verse 1-8} Mad-Lib 
{Verse 9-15} Stepping Out 
{Verse 16-25} Mighty One 
{Isa. 9:2-7} Light of the World 

Chapter 8
{Verse 1-3} Sitting the Bench
{Verse 4-12} Unstoppable  

I'm linked up with the beautiful ladies at  A Holy Experience, The Beauty in His Grip, Nebraska Graceful, The Wellspring   

#331 That we don't live 920 years anymore
#332 Going to the children's museum with a friend
#333 Lunch with Gloria and anticipation of leading Bible study with her
#334 Kay & Dorlan, a wonderfully generous and wise couple from church
#335 God leading us to change the dates for the women's conference.