Faith Filled Friday

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. Currently I am writing my way through Judges sharing glimpses of God's heart and character for a weekday devotional. To check out the entire series so far head on over the the Judges Devotional. 

Patrick & Kaylee's (students involved with us) wedding Austin officiated a few months ago.

Danger; assuming never turns out well.

"On the fourth day, they said to Samson's wife, "Coax your husband into explaining the riddle for us, or we will burn you and your father's household to death. Did you invite us here to rob us?" Then Samson's wife threw herself on him, sobbing, "You hate me! You don't really love me. You've given my people a riddle, but you haven't told me the answer." "I haven't even explained it to my father or mother," he replied, "so why should I explain it to you?" She cried the whole seven days of the feast. So on the seventh day he finally told her, because she continued to press him. She in turn explained the riddle to her people." Judges 14:15-18

Burn your parents house down over a riddle! Wow. These "friends" sound a little on the crazy side. Major entitlement issues. I mean seriously, would any of your friends ever say that to you? Well, I guess that shows that they wern't really friends, but perhaps there for the free food, drinks and to keep an eye on Samson. But it makes you wonder why did they feel the need to keep an eye on him? Why did they fear him? Was it because he was not a Philistine or was it because he was huge or was it because he showed up to propose with bloody arms and clothes? 

So if you were newly-wed Mrs. Samson, what would you do after being threatened like that? I would without a doubt try to coax my new, I barely know you, husband into telling me the riddle in hopes to save my family. But, I'm pretty sure I would go about it a bit differently. Why in the world did she not just tell him, this giant of a man, that these guys threatened to kill her family?

And of course, without being clear about what's going on he's going to act confused and defensive. I haven't even told my family, why in the world would I tell you. How much better would this whole cinerio have turned out if she just said, "They're gonna kill my dad if you don't tell me the riddle." with as much passion as the "You hate me, you don't love me".  And I bet the Holy Spirit would have still stirred up Samson's anger and she would have saved herself 7 days of crying at her own wedding. (Of couse then it would have been a blood bath instead, hmm. I guess when you do things your own way instead of God's no matter the outcome, it's not good.)

But it sure seems like bad communication seems to be a common theme since Samson arrived on the scene. Because then it happens again. Samson throws a fit and storms out of his own wedding festivities without communicating. And new Father-in-law assumed that because Samson left without taking his new bride it meant he didn't want her. Last time I checked assuming things especially of that magnitude is just never a good idea. A simple question could have cleared it up, "Hey Samson (as he's huffing off), you still want your bride right?"

So what's our glimpse of glory today? That people will fail us but God never will. And that God is a perfect communicator. He always knows what to say and when to say it. He always has a perfect balance of grace and truth. And He never assumes because He already knows everything. Everything... think about that for a second. He knew every tiny detail at Mr. and Mrs. Samson's wedding, each of the guests and every feeling they ever felt and every related emotion, every fear, excitement and hope in their entire life, as well as every thought they ever thought. And every person in every generation He's known completely since then. We are known. Really, He gets us.

And He's not threatened by your strengths or caught off guard and worried about your weaknesses. And not only every person throughout all time does He know, really deeply knows what makes them tick know, but He also knows every tiny thing about our universe. From the big to the small. What makes stars sing to what makes atoms, corks and strings move. What a great and mighty God! 

Humbling
"I'm speechless, in awe-words fail me, I never should have opened my mouth!" (Check out the link from Job 38.)
 

Our family is hoping to get over the flu asap and drive to our annual staff retreat in Durango which lasts till Tuesday night. We will be staying at The Ranch (which has this incredible story of how God gave it to Master Plan) but I am not actually sure if there is internet (it's in the middle of nowhere). So, if there's not, I wont have a devotional up on Monday or Tuesday but come on by to peruse the lovely linkers below. The posts linked up are always so encouraging. (And have you noticed there tends to be a theme with many of them. I love when God does that!) 

<div align="center"><a href="http://www.beholdingglory.com" title="Beholding Glory" target="_blank"><img src="http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o304/laurakrokos/fff1.jpg" alt="Beholding Glory" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

Faith Filled Friday Blog Hop

We exist to glorify God, to display His heart and character. And I just love how we are all uniquely built to do that. So every Friday I want to give you, uniquely designed by God, an opportunity to link up your thoughts on God, devotionals, ministry as well as art, baking, photography, parenting or marriage thoughts and more if they tie into or display the the Lord somehow. 

So go ahead and link up below by clicking the link below and following the prompts. I just humbly ask that you please let your readers know by including a link at the bottom of your post (or somewhere on your side bar) or put my button code (found on my side bar or the Faith Filled Friday Tab) so they can find these other great people glorifying God and we can continue to grow as a community. Thanks!  

I'm linking up with Spiritual Sundays