Thanksgiving

 The Americans are celebrating thanksgiving today. Canadians celebrated Thanksgiving on the second Monday of October, and although I am neither Canadian nor American, I am going out to eat a thanksgiving dinner with good friends tonight.

I know that my beautiful, American friend, Lauren, will ask us all what we are thankful for.

Here's my list:

I am thankful first of all for my Lord and Saviour. The fact that He died for me will never cease to amaze me. His grace has been sufficient for me in the past, and it will continue to be so in the future.

I am thankful for my wonderful family - my husband whom I love more than I can express. He takes care of me in every way possible.
I love our 3 daughters, all beautiful and sweet and giving us less to worry about than could have been expected.
I love our extended family - every niece and nephew, every aunt and uncle.

I am thankful for good friends - both close and far away, friends who have supported me, encouraged me and sometimes even lifted me up in prayer when I really needed it - often before I even knew to ask!

I am thankful for having a job - although I moan and whine about it. Considering the number of unemployed teachers, I am thankful that I still have my job.
And least, but not last, I am thankful for my church family. They challenge me, support me and continually love me. I am a blessed woman.








Check out Lauren's blog (if you dare) on: www.ladaisi.blogspot.com

It's tough being a woman

... that's the subtitle to a Bible study on Esther, by Beth Moore. I would love to do a real study on it sometime, but right now, I am just breezing through it, sniffing up whatever stands out and seems to call to me.

And yes it IS tough being a woman, but I really don't like whining. Whining will get you no where in my book. I tend to be the "suck it up" type of woman, but time and time again, I fall into the whining pit myself.

I honestly think that being alive is tough. Being a human is tough. Whatever path you are on, life will be tough on you every now and then. And tha't why a study on Esther could come in handy. It could be enlightening to hear from some else how they got through tough times. And believe me, Esther knew tough times.

So far, the study has talked to me about standing in the shadow of other women - how hard that can be, trying to live up to someone elses standards and merits. And it dawned on me slowly that often, I stand in the fictive shadow of others. I never ask about their expectations, I just assume that I know what they expect of me. I assume that others expect me to be like so-and-so, but I never ask if that is true.

What a sorry burden I put on myself, and I have a feeling I am not the only one to do this. Take a minute or two to reflect on this... whose shadow are you in? Is it real or just based on your own assumptions?

Dejlige efterårsting - Things I love about autumn!

Regn på min rude
Rain on the window

Græskar og de flotte, orange farver
Pumpkins and their beautiful colour

Paraplyer - især de med farver!
Umbrellas - especially the colourful ones.

Varm kakao - hot chocolate

Kastanjer - chestnuts

Stearinlys - candles

Bagte æbler med marcipan - baked apples with marcipan

Æbletærte - applepie!

Dampende varm kaffe - steaming coffee. 

God ild i brændeovnen - a good fire.

Midnight thoughts

I'm doing it again. The house is quiet, the kids tucked in, and I really ought to be sleeping. But my man is out of town, and my head is churning thoughts like my life depended on it! So here I am - awake. Writing in the early hours of the coming night. Trying to straighten out my hyperactive mind.

I had a conversation the other day that brought a drop of clarity and a glimmer of hope to me. I spoke with a women whom I know to be an ordained priest, but frustrated with what she defines as the "closed-box thinking" of the state church, she now works different projects and found time to see me. I am really glad she did.
It's no secret I have been down the last few weeks, feeling somewhat suffocated by my work situation and feeling a lack of recognition for what I honestly feel is good work on my part. So I sought out this particular woman because I had a hunch that she would know what to ask me about.
And she did.

...what I really long for, is for my life to be more 

than a desire to follow in the footsteps of Christ. 

And during our conversation, it once again dawned on me, that what I really long for, is for my life to be more than a desire to follow in the footsteps of Christ. That I still think of making a difference in the world as a matter of finding the right calling. It suddenly became so clear to me, that if Jesus was to physically set foot in my workplace, he wouldn't struggle with the same emotions as I do. He wouldn't really care about rules and regulations and following procedures. He would look at the children and their parents and see their needs - and he would start meeting those needs! He would act instead of placing himself in a position of holy waiting - like I so often do, as I think many of us do! We believe we must act, but only when God says go... but in reality, God sad go about 2000 years ago, as Jesus drew his last breath on the cross.

I want my life to be like this:  reaching out as naturally as breathing. Bringing healing like I was fetching a cup of water. Offering prayer like I was administering ointments or placing bandaids over playground battle wounds. And I long to be in a place where I don't have to worry about rules and regulations, so I am still scanning the job adds, hoping to come across a job where making a difference concurrently will enable me to bring home a paycheck.
Why?
Beacuse I am still a mother with responibilities, bills and wishlists. Because in my neck of the woods, I cannot afford to leave the breadwinning to my husband and join the too-small corps of volunteers. So, that's my challenge for the next while.

Now it's time to turn off my computer, turn off the lights and the thoughts in my head. I need to sleep. Tomorrow brings with it what ever it will, and I need to be ready.

"We who have run for our very lives to God have every reason to grab the promised hope with both hands and never let go. It's an unbreakable spiritual lifeline, reaching past all appearances right to the very presence of God where Jesus, running on ahead of us, has taken up his permanent post as high priest for us, in the order of Melchizedek." Hebrews 6:18-20


I have run to God for my life, time and time again. I have turned to him innumerable times, and I will continue to do so for the rest of my life.
A Finnish friend of mine just wrote an e-mail to me today, explaining some difficulties the Finns are experiencing right now, both in the Christian body as a whole, but also on a more personal level. "There's a battle going on..." she wrote.
I have to agree. I feel the throes of spiritual warfare around me. I am aware that I am a threat to the powers of darkness around me. I have declared my dependency on God, my loyalty and devotion to Him. But I have hope in Christ. I have a future in Christ, and nothing can take that away from me! I have an unbreakable spiritual lifeline - or an anchor, as the Danish translation says - that holds me fast when the waves around me start breaking. 
Jesus is my hope. Jesus is my saviour. He's my healer and my comforter. He's the solid rock on which I stand. I derive my value from him, I found my identity on what His word says about me. I know I was longed for, wished for and planned.


What is Jesus to you? If you don't know him on a personal level, I invite you to ask Him to reveal himself to you. Let Him show you all that he is, and let him be your unbreakable spiritual lifeline!

...and I will fall at your feet and worship you here...

I just wanted to share this beautiful song with you. We sang it at a women's conference I recently attended. It was beautiful!

A grapevine of goodness

Outside my terrace door, a beautiful grapevine climbs the yellow brick wall. During winter, it is bare, displaying thin, dry branches quietly echoing summers fertile state. It withers, more or less, and if I didn't know any better, I would have thought it was dead and void of life. 
But every spring, something amazing happens - small buds begin to appear, pushing through the dry bark of the thin brances. Sap begins to flow again, turning the dry, lifeless vine into a flourishing plant. In amazingly short time, the buds unfold to become lush, green leaves. As the summer sun travels across the sky, small, green grapes begind to grow and develop. 
Currently, I am waiting for them to turn dark purple. With the right amount of sun, warmth and water, they will mature and become the sweetest, most delicious grapes.
In many ways, that is how I envision the influence of christians to be in a hurting world. I long to see people tap into the root of all good things - Christ himself. I long to see people discover their true value and identity, to see them bud and bloom and unfold into beautiful individuals. I long to see fruit develop and mature, and to experience that fruit provide sweetness and nourishment to others in need. 
I dream of a living movement of men and women who cannot help but to reach out to others - women helping women in the line at the grocery store, men offering prayer at the workplace or at the gas station,  teenagers offering a listening ear and a shoulder to cry on. I long for the body of Christ to unfold itself  like a grapevine of goodness, spreading blessings, healings and sweetness into dark places.
Let your faith flow through you like the sap of the grapevine. Be attentive to the voice of the Spirit, guiding you as to how and to whom you may make a difference. Find courage in knowing that you are not alone, that the King of kings is with you and delighted at the efforts you put into extending his grace. 
I, for my part, am still learning, still trying, still praying to  hear His voice clearer and clearer. Take heart, my friend - and let yourself slowly grow like the grapevine, joining in with all the other grapevines spreading the goodness of Christ.

En smuk vinranke slynger sig op ad den gule mur udenfor min terrasse dør. Om vinteren er den ikke andet end bare, tynde og tørre grene, der lydløst minder om sommerens frugtbare tilstand. Den visner, mere eller mindre, og hvis jeg ikke vidste bedre, ville jeg have troet, at den var død.

Men hvert forår sker der noget fantastisk - små knopper begynder at dukke op, de skubber sig ud gennem den tørre bark på de tynde grene. Saften begynder at flyde igen, og forandrer den tørre, livløse vin til en blomstrende plante. På forbløffende kort tid, folder knopperne sig ud og bliver til frodige, grønne blade. I takt med at  sommersolen rejser hen over himlen, begynder de små, grønne druer at vokse og udvikle sig.

I øjeblikket venter jeg på, at de ændrer sig fra grønne og umodne, til modne og mørke lilla. Med den rette mængde sol, varme og vand, vil de modne og bliver til de sødeste, mest velsmagende druer.
På mange måder er det sådan, jeg forestiller de kristnes indflydelse bør være i en skadet verden. Jeg længes efter at se mennesker blive forbundet med udspringet af alt godt - nemlig Kristus selv. Jeg længes efter at se folk opdage deres sande værdi og identitet,  at se dem spire og blomstre og udfolde sig til smukke individer. Jeg længes efter at se frugten udvikles og modnes, og til at opleve, at denne frugt giver sødme og næring til andre i nød.
Jeg drømmer om en levende bevægelse af mænd og kvinder, der ikke kan lade være med at række ud til andre - kvinder der hjælper kvinder i køen ved købmanden, mænd der tilbyder bøn på arbejdspladsen eller på tankstationen, teenagere der tilbyder et lyttende øre og en skulder at græde ud ved. Jeg længes efter at Kristi legeme må udfolde sig som en vinranke, fyldt med godhed, der spreder velsignelser, helbredelser og sødme i mørke steder.
Lad din tro flyde gennem dig, som den livgivende saft i vinranken. Vær opmærksom på Åndens røst, som vejleder dig om, hvordan og for hvem du kan gøre en forskel. Find mod i at vide, at du ikke er alene, at kongernes Konge er med dig, og at han glæder sig over den indsats du gør for at dele hans nåde med andre.
Jeg, for min del,  er stadig i færd med at lære, jeg forsøger stadig at gøre det gode, jeg  beder stadig om at høre hans stemme tydeligere og tydeligere. Fat mod, min ven - og lad dig selv langsomt vokse som den gode vinranke. Sammen kan vi være den gode vinranke, og være fælles om at sprede Guds godhed.

Sacrifice and worship

The whole assembly bowed in worship, while the musicians played and the trumpets sounded. All this continued until the sacrifice of the burnt offering was completed.

I'm reading my way through the Bible - something I expect will take me a year to do. To help me, I found a Bible reading plan from The Navigators, an organization of people who love Jesus and want to tell others about him (see www.navigators.org)

I am using their Bible reading plan called The Discipleship Journal Bible Reading Plan, and I can only highly recommend it. 

It is downloadable at www.navpress.com/uploadedFiles/15074%20BRP.dj.pdf

Advertising aside: At the moment, I am reading through 2 Chronicles. What strikes me is that the kings of Jerusalem again and again turn away from God, only to have God punish them severely - only to be followed by a new king who does what is right in the eyes of the Lord. And doing what is right in the eyes of the Lord always makes a difference! But it's like they just never learn, because soon, there's just a new king who gladly forgets God.
In the 2 Chronicles 29, a new king comes to power, and he wants to return to God. He carries out a purification of both priests, Levites and the temple. When everything is ready, they bring a multitude of offerings. I could not help but notice this verse: "The whole assembly bowed in worship, while the musicians played and the trumpets sounded. All this continued until the sacrifice of the burnt offering was completed." The question that resounds in my head now that we no longer bring offerings to be burnt, is - how long will you worship? And what sacrifice will you bring?

Jesus was the last offering to be sacrificed. His was the blood that was strong enough to be our saving sacrifice. His death on the cross was "all", what was needed - "all" in quotation marks because it was certainly not a small thing, but in fact an invaluable act - one that can never be repaid! We can only bring our lives as a sacrifice - living our lives in the shadow of his greatness, using our whole life to worship him, listening to him and doing what he asks of us. So the answer to my resounding questions must necessarily be "I will worship the rest of my life" and "I will sacrifice my life - my own will, my own way - and the rest of my days I will follow God." 

Is it easy? No. It is demanding to surrender your own will and the control of your life. There are days when I want to fight surrender - but again and again I am reminded that God does not want to do me any harm - that what he wants for me, is actually only good. When I look at the kings and Jerusalem in the 2 Chronicles, it becomes transparently clear: when they stay close to God, is it good for them. When they turn away from him, all goes horribly wrong!

Jeremiah 29:11-13 says "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.You will seekme and find me when you seek me with all your heart." 

There is no doubt in my mind - I will keep me close to Him!

Offer og Tilbedelse


Hele forsamlingen tog del i tilbedelsen, som varede indtil alle ofrene var brændt.

Jeg er ved at læse mig gennem Biblen - noget, jeg regner med vil tage et års tid, til hjælp har jeg fundet en Bible læseplan fra The Navigators, som er en organisation af mennesker, der elsker Jesus og ønsker at fortælle andre om ham (se www.navigators.org)

Læseplanen hedder The Discipleship Journal Bible Reading Plan og kan varmt anbefales og downloades på www.navpress.com/uploadedFiles/15074%20BRPdj.pdf

Reklame til side: Lige for tiden er jeg så i gang med at læse 2. Krønikebog igennem, og det, der slår mig er, at kongerne i Jerusalem igen og igen vender Gud ryggen, hvorefter Gud straffer dem hårdt - så kommer der en ny konge, som "gør, hvad der er ret i Herrens øjne." Det gør altid en forskel! Men det er som om, de bare ikke tager ved lære, for så kommer der bare en ny konge, som endnu engang vælger at glemme Gud.

I 2. Krønikebog 29 er der kommet en konge til magten, som ønsker at vende tilbage til Gud. Han gennemfører en renselse af både præster og levitter, samt af templet. Når alt er klart, skal der ofres både brændofre, syndofre og sonofre, samt drik- og takofre. Og det, der sagde mig noget særligt var dette "Hele forsamlingen tog del i tilbedelsen, som varede indtil alle ofrene var brændt." vers 28. Det spørgsmål, der runger i mit hoved, nu hvor vi ikke længere brænder ofre, er - hvor længe vil du tilbede? Og hvad er det, du ofre?

Jesus var det sidste offer, der blev bragt. Han blev det blod, der var stærkt nok til at være vores syndoffer. Hans død på korset var "alt", hvad der skulle til - alt i citationstegn, fordi det jo ikke var en lille ting, men i virkeligheden et uvurderligt offer - ét, der aldrig kan tilbagebetales! Vi kan kun bringe vores liv som offer - leve vores liv i skyggen af hans storhed. Bruge hele vores liv på at tilbede ham, lytte til ham, og gøre dét, han beder os om. Så svaret på mine rungende spørgsmål må nødvendigvis være "jeg vil tilbede resten af mit liv" og "jeg vil ofre hele mit liv - min egen vilje, mine egne veje - resten af mine dage vil jeg følge Gud."

Er det nemt? Nej. Det er krævende at afgive sin egen vilje og kontrollen over sit liv. Der er dage, hvor jeg stritter imod - men igen og igen minder Gud mig bare om, at Han ikke vil mig noget ondt - at dét, han ønsker for mig, faktisk kun er godt. Når jeg ser på kongerne og Jerusalem i 2. Krønikebog står det lysende klart: når de holder sig tæt til Gud, går det dem godt. Når de vender sig fra ham, går det grueligt galt!

Jeremias 29:11-13 siger "For jeg ved, hvilke planer jeg har for jer, siger Herren, planer om fred og ikke om ulykke, planer om fremtid og håb. Når I beder til mig om hjælp, vil jeg høre jer, når I søger efter mig vil I finde mig. Ja, hvis I søger mig af hele jeres hjerte, vil I finde mig." 

Der er ingen tvivl i mit sind - jeg vil holde mig tæt til Ham!

Kvinderne i Jesu følge - An entourage of women

Kvinderne i Jesu følge

I den følgende tid gik han fra by til by og fra landsby til landsby, og han prædikede og forkyndte evangeliet om Guds rige. Sammen med ham var de tolv og nogle kvinder, der var blevet helbredt for onde ånder og sygdomme. Det var Maria med tilnavnet Magdalene, som syv dæmoner var faret ud af, og Johanna, der var gift med Kuza, en embedsmand hos Herodes, og Susanna og mange andre. De sørgede for dem af deres egne midler. 

Sådan står der i Lukas 8:1-3, og jeg har været nødt til at highlighte en lille del af teksten - nemlig De sørgede for dem af deres egne midler. 

Det er ikke nogen hemmelighed at jeg er meget optaget af kvinder, kvinders historier, kvinders plads i Guds rige og ikke mindst den kærlighed, Gud nærer til kvinder. I min egen vandring med Gud er det meget inspirerende for mig at beskæftige mig med disse ting, og derfor betyder ovenstående skriftsted noget særligt for mig.

Det var nemlig sådan i jødisk kultur, at kvinder havde en helt anden plads og rolle i samfundet end mændende. Det kan næppe komme bag på nogen - sådan har det været i det meste af verden! Men der var noget særligt ved Jesus, noget, som var så usædvanligt, at både kvinder og mænd følte sig tilskyndet til at følge ham - de følte sig draget, som var han magnetisk og fuldstændig uimodståelig. Men forstå mig ret - vi taler ikke om Elvis Presley eller Beatles lignende hysteri. Folk fulgte ham, fordi han tilbød noget, ingen før havde tilbudt. Læser vi Bibelen ved vi, at han helbredte de syge. Han oprejste de døde (det skete faktisk et par gange i det nye testamente  - mest kendt er vel Lazarus), og han satte folk fri for plagende dænoner. En af kvinderne i hans følge havde han smidt hele 7 dæmoner ud af! Der er ikke noget at sige til, at hun ønsker at holde sig tæt til Jesus - han var hendes befrier, hendes helbreder, han var den eneste, der havde kunnet give hende hendes værdighed tilbage igen.

Jesus var nemlig ikke optaget af loven, som hans samtids skriftkloge var det. Ingen tvivl om, at han kendte skrifterne - men ordet i sig selv, var ikke vigtigt for ham. Det var hjertet bag - mennesket bag traditionerne, reglerne og forskrifterne. Jesus havde oprigtig omsorg for de mennesker, han mødte. I Lukas 11 læser vi om Lazarus's død og den sorg, dette medførte. Jesus bliver så påvirket af den ulykkelighed, han ser og mærker, at han selv braser i gråd. Hvor fantastisk! Han føler med de sørgende, kender de smertendes smerte! Og han kalder Lazarus tibage til livet!

Jesus gjorde ikke forskel på folk. Han spiste med synderne - tolderne og de prostituerede, som ingen andre ønskede at blive set sammen med. Jesus var som den første i stand til at skelne imellem de handlinger, mennesker foretog, og så de hjerter, der bankede inde bagved.

Jeg er dybt fascineret af Jesus. Fascineret over hans evne og lyst til at vise nåde, til at sprede kærlighed, omsorg og ømhed. Hans styrke, når andre var svage. Hans villighed til at gå i døden, trods stor angst og smerte. Jeg er fascineret over den udstråling og påvirkning han har haft - så stærk, at kvinder, der blev regnet for mindre værd, af egen fri vilje, og for egne midler - resursestærke og med alle deres egne talenter og gaver, valgte at følge ham og ofre deres penge og tid på at være i hans nærvær.
Sådan vil jeg også gerne være.

After this, Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with him, and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out; Joanna the wife of Chuza, the manager of Herod’s household; Susanna; and many others. These women were helping to support them out of their own means.

So we read in Luke 8:1-3, and I've had to highlight a small portion of the text - namely These women were helping to support them out of their own means.

It's no secret that I am preoccupied with women, women's stories, women's place in God's kingdom and not least the love God has for women. In my own walk with God, I find it inspiring to learn more, and when I read the above scripture, I found it spoke to me. In Jewish culture, women had a completely different place and role in society than men. It can hardly come as a surprise to anyone - it has been like throughout most of the world! But there was something special about Jesus, something that was so unusual that both women and men felt encouraged to follow him - they were drawn, as if he were magnetic and completely irresistible. But please don't misunderstand me - we're not talking about Elvis Presley or Beatles hysteria. People followed him because he offered something no one had ever offered before. If we read the Bible, we know that he healed the sick. He raised the dead (it actually happens a couple of times in the New Testament - most well-known might be Lazarus), and he set people free from dreadful demons. He had actually freed one of the women in his entourage from 7 demons! No wonder that she wants to stay close to Jesus - he was her deliverer, her healer, he was the only one who had been able to give her dignity back. Jesus was not preoccupied with the law, like the contemporary experts of law were. No doubt that he knew the scriptures - but the word itself was not important to him. It was the heart behind - the person behind the traditions, rules and regulations. Jesus had genuine concern for the people he met. In Luke 11 we read of Lazarus's death and the grief this caused. Jesus is so influenced by the unhappiness he sees and experiences that he burst into tears. How fantastic! He sympathizes with the grieving, knows the pain of those in pain! And he calls Lazarus back to life! Jesus did not discriminate. He ate with sinners - tax collectors and the prostitutes that nobody else wanted to be seen with. Jesus was the first one ever to distinguish between the actions that people did, and the hearts beating within them. I am fascinated by Jesus. Fascinated by his ability and desire to show mercy, to spread love, care and tenderness. I am fascinated by his strength when others were weak, and his willingness to die, despite great anxiety and pain. I am fascinated by the charisma and influence he had - so strong that women who were considered inferior, of their own will and own funds - and with all their own talents and gifts, chose to follow him and sacrifice their money and time to be in his presence.
That's how I want to be.

Uden brok og beklagelser

Kære venner! Da jeg var hos jer, adlød I altid omhyggeligt mine anvisninger. Nu hvor jeg er langt borte, skal I i endnu højere grad lade Gud få lov til at fortsætte sit frelsesværk i jeres liv, idet I adlyder ham med dyb ærefrygt. Det er jo Gud selv, som giver jer lyst og styrke til at adlyde ham og gøre hans vilje. Gør det alt sammen uden beklagelser eller indvendinger, så I kan stå som uangribelige forbilleder, Guds uskyldsrene børn. Midt i den fordærvede og forvildede verden skal I være som strålende lys, der skinner for dem, der lever i mørket.
Filipperbrevet 2:12-15

Lidt over 14 dage inde i min læsning af Biblen (jeg har for nylig valgt at følge en bibellæseplan), læser jeg disse ord fra Paulus. Og når man gør som jeg gjorde den morgen, og startede læsningen med at bede Gud åbne mine øjne og give mig øre, der hører, må man jo forvente, at han taler til én... og det gjorde han.

Når vi gør noget, vi bliver bedt om, under protest, sådan som børn nogle gange vælger at tømme opvaskemaskinen med surmuleri, skaber det en dårlig stemning og ingen glæde. Når jeg som mor har sure børn, er det svært at føle taknemmelighed for deres hjælp i hjemmet. Deres indstilling kan udgøre hele forskellen.
Hvordan mon Gud så ikke har det? Han må nødvendigvis sætte pris på en ordentlig attitude fra vores side også (og så er det lige, det svier, når man selv har bedt Gud tale til en gennem den tekst, man har sat sig ned for at læse...). Jeg synes ellers, jeg plejer at være god, på dette punkt, men der er nok noget om det - hvor der er røg, er der som regel også ild.
Og hvem er det, vi adlyder? Er det Paulus? Tænk, hvis folk bare adlød ham, for at gøre ham glad. Adlyder vi bare præsten? Vores netværksgruppeleder? Eller vender vi os mod den Højeste selv, og adlyder ham?

Vers 15 gav mig også stof til eftertanke: Midt i den fordærvede og forvildede verden skal I være som strålende lys, der skinner for dem, der lever i mørket. Jeg ser ikke dette vers som et løfte om, at vi vil komme til at skinne, bare vi adlyder glad. Jeg opfatter ordet "skal" som et verbum - altså siger verset, at det her med at skinne, det er noget vi aktivt gør.

Jeg tror, at aktiv handling gennem at adlyde med glæde, helt sikkert vil føre til, at vi er skinnende lys.

Og ét er sikkert - med brok og klager skiller vi os ikke ud fra mængden.

Kære Jesus - tilgiv mig de gange, jeg lader min dårlige attitude præge min tjeneste for dig. Tilgiv mig de gange, jeg ikke der længere end til min egen næse. Vis mig hvor og hvordan, jeg kan tjene dig, så jeg kan komme til at lyse for de, der lever i mørket.
Amen.

Tag tankerne til fange

Jeg har lige afleveret den yngste af mine 3 døtre i børnehaven, og på vejen derop, funderede jeg over, hvad jeg skulle skrive i min blog i dag. Det er nemlig sådan, at det er nemmest at skrive, når man føler sig inspireret – når man, så at sige, har et budskab på hjertet.

Hvilket budskab vil jeg sende ud i dag? Der er mange at vælge imellem – kærlighed, fred, forsoning… bare for at nævne nogle få.

Det bemærkelsesværdige var, at mens jeg gik og tænkte, men tankerne fløj igennem hovedet på mig hurtigere end bilerne på motorvejen, kvidrede lille 3-årige Johanna glad og fro ved siden af mig. Hvor er det svært, at samle tankerne, når der er en, der hele tiden snakker!

Jeg nåede at tænke på de boller og det brød, jeg lige har bagt – jeg elsker brød, kunne spise mig mæt og tyk i det. Og brød har helt automatisk en reference til Jesus – han, som er livets brød – han, som er den, vi alle burde spise af, ikke kun ved nadveren, men dagligt, i vores egen andagt, hvor vi vender blikket opad mod ham. Han kan mætte os, stille vores sult – og uden, at kiloene rasler på, fordi det simpelthen smager for godt til at stoppe! Kan man sige, at Jesus smager godt? Ifølge Salme 34:9 er det lige, hvad vi kan: ”Smag og se, at Herren er god; Lykkelig den mand, der søger tilflugt hos ham.”

Men tankerne spandt videre – til de lilla’e sko, der tillod mine lilla’e tånegle at titte frem – lilla er en skøn farve, og hvor der det godt, at Gud skabte farverne – han har ødslet med sin kreativitet og sans for skønhed for at glæde os – for at forhindre, at vi lever hele livet i en mørk og trist gråhed. I stedet øsnker han at livet skal byde på et væld af farver, at det skal sprudle og boble og igen og igen formå at glæde os, overraske os og udtrykke den kærlighed, han nærer til os alle.

Tankerne fløj straks videre til klokken – når jeg nu det hele? Formår jeg at blive færdig med mine gøremål til tiden? Hvorfor skal du da også altid sløse med tiden, trække den ud, gemme de kedelige opgaver til sidst… ser du, der er nemlig det ved mig, at der er visse ting, jeg ikke gider. Visse ting, der keder mig… og det er faktisk ikke så meget husarbejdet, men snarere de ting, der kræver en ekstra indsats fra min side på det sociale område – jeg er nemlig introvert, og jeg er ikke specielt vild med f.eks. telefon opkald. Det bunder simpelthen i, at jeg på ingen måde vil forstyrrer folk, og det gør jeg jo, når jeg ringer – men det værste, der kan ske, er at de afviser mig. Deri ligger hele miseren – frygten for afvisning! Dette leder den hyperaktive tankegang over på det gode gamle gospel nummer ”Operator”… I får lige et link.  www.youtube.com/watch?v=0r8286teVgc

Men helt ærligt – alle disse tanker der flyver rundt, hvad skal jeg dog bruge dem til?

For nylig havde jeg en samtale med en god, gammel ven, som jeg ikke har set i længere tid. I forbindelse med at have flyttet nogle gange, var det ikke lykkedes ham og konen at finde en menighed, de trivedes i. Stor var min forundring, da han fortalte, at han var begyndt at meditere sammen med nogle buddhister! Jeg tænkte straks, at han da måtte være på afveje – og jeg tænker stadig, at man skal være yderst forsigtig, når man bevæger sig over i andre filosofier… derfor må du ikke betragte dette som en reklame eller opfordring til at afprøve zen buddhismens meditative aspekter! Men han sagde noget, som gav lidt stof til eftertanke – han sagde nemlig, at da han havde lært at være stille, blev han overrasket over hvor mange ubetydelige tanker, der krævede hans opmærksomhed dagen igennem - hvor mange ligegyldigheder, der fyldte hans hoved dagligt. Han måtte bruge tid på at sortere i dem og smide de tåbelige ud, så han kunne få brugt tiden rigtigt på de rigtige tanker. Og for en pige som mig, der nok har en temmelig hyperaktiv tankevirksomhed, gav dette mening. Ryd op og smid ud. Vælg dine tanker med omhu! Brug din energi rigtigt, så du netop kan få nået dine mål og færdigjort alt, hvad der skal gøres. Jeg må igen gribe til 2. Kor. 10:5: ”…vi gør enhver tanke til en lydig fange hos Kristus…”

Igen må jeg minde mig selv om at tænke over mine tanker ind i mellem. Er det positive, konstruktive tanker?  Eller er de negative og af ”rendestens-karakter”?

Måske jeg lige skulle lytte til Operator igen og få nummeret på én, jeg altid kan snakke med – nemlig ham, der kan hjælpe mig med at tage tankerne til fange.

I just dropped off the youngest of my 3 daughters in kindergarten and on our way there, I was contemplating what to write in my blog today. The fact is that inspiration makes writing come naturally - when you, so to speak, have a message important enough to share.

What message would I send out today? There are many good topics to choose from - love, peace, and reconciliation ... just to name a few.

The remarkable thing was that while I was thinking, while my thoughts were flying through my head faster than the cars on the highway, little 3-year-old Johanna was twittering away happy and content, unaware of the thought-chaos in my head. Do you know hard it is to think straight when someone is constantly talking?

I thought about the buns and the bread I just baked - I love bread and could eat my fill and become fat because of it. And bread has a natural reference to Jesus - he who is the bread of life - he who is the one I all should eat, not only in communion, but daily in my private prayer time, through which I turn my gaze upward at him. He can fill us, satisfy our hunger - and without the kilos uncontrollably multiplying, for he is truly wholesome and healthy! Is it possible and meaningful to say that Jesus tastes good? According to Psalm 34:8, we can: "Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him."

But my mind spun further - to the purple shoes I was wearing, allowing my purple-painted toenails to peek out - purple is a lovely color and isn’t it a good thing that God made colors? He has squandered his creativity and sense of beauty to please us - to prevent us from living life in a dark and dreary grayness. Instead he intends that life offers a variety of colors, that it bubbles and fizzes and time and time again manages to delight us, surprise us and express the love he feels for us all.

Again my mind churned and thoughts flew immediately to the time – will I finish all I need to finish? Will I manage all my chores on time? Accusations flew through my head:  Why do you always waste time? Why do you procrastinate and save the tedious tasks for last?  You see, there are certain things I would rather not do. Some things bore me ... and it's actually not so much the housework, but rather the things that require an extra effort on my part, often in the social sphere - I am namely introvert, and I'm not particularly crazy about interactions that require an extra effort. To name an example: telephone calls. I sincerely hate interrupting people, and I feel that that is what I do when I call them- but in reality, the worst that can happen is that they reject me. Therein lies the whole problem - the fear of rejection! This leads my hyperactive mind to think of the good old gospel number "Operator" : www.youtube.com/watch?v=0r8286teVgc 

But honestly – there are too many thoughts flying around in my head, for no good reason.

I recently had a conversation with a good old friend whom I have not seen in a long time. In the context of having moved a few times, he and his wife had yet to find a church that they thrived in. I was surprised to learn that he had begun to meditate along with some Buddhists! I immediately thought that he may have gone astray - and I still think that one must be extremely careful when moving into other philosophies ... and I have to point out clearly that this is not an advertisement or invitation to try out Zen Buddhist meditative aspects! But he said something that gave a little food for thought – as he had learned to be quiet, he was surprised at how many insignificant thoughts that required his attention throughout the day - how many petty details that filled his head daily. He had to spend time sorting through them and discard the foolish, so that he could spend his time thinking about the right thoughts. And for a girl like me, who has the privileged of a pretty hyperactive mind, this made sense! Clean up your thinking and throw out the petty stuff! Choose your thoughts carefully! Use your energy correctly, then you just might reach your goals and get everything done on time. I must again turn my attention to 2 Cor. 10:5: "... we take captive every thought to make obedient to Christ ..."

Again I must remind myself to think about my thoughts every now and then. Is my thinking positive, are my thoughts constructive? Or are they negative and have a gutter mentality?

I think I might just have to listen to Operator again and get the number to the One I can always talk to - namely, he who is capable of helping me take my thoughts captive.

Gud ser på hjertet - God looks at the heart

Mennesker bedømmer hinanden efter det ydre, men Herren ser på hjertet.

1. Samuel 16:7 

Sådan står der i beretningen om Samuels søgen efter og salvelse af Israels kommende konge - en ung, rødmosset dreng, den yngste i en søskendeflok af store, stærke brødre. Davids far regnede ikke med, at David var noget, derfor blev han ikke kaldt ind, da Samuel bad om at se alle drengene. Men hver gang, han så på en ny, stærk og imponerende ung mand, sagde Gud nej. 

Hvorfor mon?

Gud ser på hjertet.

Det burde ikke komme som nogen overraskelse at Gud ser efter andre kvaliteter, end mennesket gør. Alligevel bliver vi ofte overrasket over, at Gud vælger som han gør. Samuel ville ikke have valgt David, hvis ikke Gud havde bedt ham om det. Og vi ved alle, hvad der efterfølgende skete - han besejrede Goliat med en slangebøsse og en sten, han vandt indpas hos den regerende konge og overtog til sidst tronen. Han havde folkets velbehag og var en elsket, dygtig og stærk konge.  

Gud ser på hjertet.

Men han havde også fejl og mangler. Han manglede viljestyrke ind i mellem og udviste mangel på sund dømmekraft. Han faldt for begæret, begik ægteskabsbrud med Batseba og fik hendes mand myrdet. Alt dette var David skyldig i, og alligevel bliver han omtalt som en mand efter Guds eget hjerte.

Gud ser på hjertet. 

Hvad så med en mand som Moses? Da  Moses mødte Gud i den brændende busk, værgede han sig hele 5 gange, inden han adlyd Gud og gik til Farao. Han undskyldte sig med, at han ikke kunne tale (2. Mosebog kap. 3 & 4) , og spurgte, hvem han var, at han dog skulle kunne stille sig op sådan foran Farao? Men Gud holdt fast, og lovede at være med ham, give ham tegn og undere med, samt lægge ord i hans mund, og til sidst sender han Aaron til Moses som en hjælp. I mødet med den ubeslutsomme Farao oplever han mystiske undere - staven bliver til en slange, vandet til blod, og hele 10 plager ramte Egypten, inden Moses fil lov til at tage sit folk med ud af Egypten og slaveriet. 

Gud ser på hjertet.

Og ser vi på Peter, den klippe, Jesus valgte at bygge sin kirke på, burde det efterhånden ikke komme som en overraskelse for os, at også han havde fejl og mangler. Her op til den kommende højtid kommer vi ikke udenom historien om Peter, der fornægter Jesus hele 3 gange på samme nat. Historien, der starter med en viljestærk Peter, der dramatisk erklærer, at om så alle andre svigter, vil han aldrig svigte sin herre og bedste ven. Han er parat til at gå i døden for Jesus! Han går så vidt at hugge et øre af i et forsøg på at forsvare Jesus.

Alligevel svigter han. Hvad mon han ikke selv tænkte, da hanen galede, og det gik op for ham, hvad han havde gjort? Mon ikke han blev overvældet af sorg og smerte? Fiasko og nederlag?

Gud ser på hjertet.

Det lyder meget genkendeligt for mange af os, tror jeg. Fulde af overbevisning om vores egen formåen, kaster vi os begejstret ud i livet - men vender jævnligt tilbage såret, nedtrykt, overvældet af fiasko. 

Gud ser på hjertet. 

Jeg tror Peter var sønderknust. Hans hjerte var bristet over hans egen fejhed. Men mødt af Jesu kærlighed fandt  han styrken til at rejse sig igen.

Måske blev hans brudthed nøglen til hans storhed.

Brudt, sønderknust, ulykkelig – i denne tilstand var Peter ribbet for enhver falsk forestilling eller fremstilling af sig selv. Her var han nøgen, sårbar og helt sig selv.

Når vi rammer bunden – når vi befinder os i lignende tilstande, befinder vi os det samme sted som både Peter, David og Moses. Vi får et valg, et spørgsmål  - ”elsker du mig?” spørger Jesus, når han møder Peter på strandbredden efter hans opstandelse (Joh. Ev. 21:15-19)
Samtidig tror jeg, at han spørger ”Er det nu, du er parat til at lade mig komme til?

 Må jeg helbrede dig? Må jeg trøste dig? Må jeg tørre dine tåre? Må jeg løfte din byrde?”

David fejlede. Moses led af dårligt selvværd, og Peter var hidsig og svigtede. Men alle 3 tog imod det, Gud kaldte dem til. Alle 3 tog imod den hånd, Gud rakte dem, og den kærlighed, han tilbød. Alle 3 blev til så meget mere, netop fordi de tog imod Guds kærlighed til dem.

Gud ser på hjertet. Vil du lade ham se på dit? 

People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.

1 Samuel 16:7

That is what we read in the story of Samuel's quest and the anointing of Israel's future king - a young, ruddy boy, the youngest in a family of large, strong brothers. David's father did not consider David to be something special, therefore he was not called in when Samuel asked to see all the boys. But every time he looked at a new, powerful and impressive young man, God said no.Why?God looks at the heart.
It should come as no surprise that God looks for other qualities than humans do.Yet we are often surprised that God chooses as he does. Samuel would not have chosen David if God had not told him to. And we all know what subsequently happened - he defeated Goliath with a slingshot and a stone, he became well liked by the reigning king and assumed the throne at last. He had the people's goodwill and was a loved, capable and powerful king.God looks at the heart.
But he also had deficiencies. He lacked willpower every now and then, and showed a lack of sound discernment. He fell into lust, committed adultery with Bathsheba and had her husband murdered. All this, David was guilty of, and yet he was described as a man after God's own heart.God looks at the heart.
What about a man like Moses? When Moses met God in the burning bush, he defended himself as much as 5 times before obeying God and going to Pharaoh. He excused himself by saying that he could not speak (Exodus chapter 3 & 4), and asked who he was that he could stand up to a man like Pharaoh? But God insisted and promised to be with him, provide him with signs and wonders, and to put words in his mouth, and finally he sends Aaron to Moses as a help. In the meeting with the indecisive Pharaoh he experiences mystical wonders - the staff turns into a snake, the water to blood, and 10 plagues hit Egypt before Moses is finally allowed to take his people out of Egypt and slavery.God looks at the heart.
And as we look at Peter, the rock on whom Jesus chose to build his church, it should most certainly not come as a surprise to us that he also had deficiencies. With easter coming now, there is hardly no way around the story of Peter denying Jesus 3 times on the same night. The story that begins with a strong-willed Peter, who dramatically declares that even if everyone else fails, he will never betray his master and best friend. He is willing to die for Jesus! He goes as far as to chop an ear off in an attempt to defend Jesus.Yet he fails. I wonder what he thought when the cock crowed, and it dawned on him what he had done? Surely he was overwhelmed by grief and pain? Failure and defeat?God looks at the heart.
It probably sounds very familiar to many of us, I think. Full of conviction about our own abilities, we throw ourselves enthusiastically into the bustle of life - but we often return hurt, depressed, overwhelmed by failure.God looks at the heart.
I think Peter was devastated. His heart was broken over his own cowardice. But in the presence of Jesus' love, he found the strength to rise again.
Perhaps his brokenness was the key to his greatness.
 Broken, heartbroken, unhappy - in this mode, Peter was stripped of any false pretense or image of himself. He was naked, vulnerable and completely himself.When we hit rock bottom - when we find ourselves in similar situations, we are in the same place as both Peter, David and Moses. We are given a choice, a question - "do you love me?" as Jesus asked when he meets Peter on the shore after his resurrection (John 21:15-19) At the same time I think he is asking "Are you ready now to let me come in?
 Shall I heal you? May I comfort you? May I wipe your tears? May I lift your burden? "
 David failed. Moses suffered from poor self-esteem, and Peter was angry and he betrayed his best friend. However, all 3 accepted what God called them to. All 3 took hold of the hand that God gave them and the love he offered. All 3 became so much more, precisely because they accepted God's love for them.God looks at the heart. Will you let him look at yours?

At kende Gud godt

Sidst jeg skrev, fortalte jeg, at Gud er i gang med at bryde ny jord i mit hjerte, at jeg længes efter mere face-to-face tid med ham på daglig basis, og jeg indrømmede, at det hele var lidt frygtindgydende. Hvor er jeg så henne nu?

Ofte tænker jeg om mig selv, at jeg er et forvirret menneske. Jeg bliver nemt forvirret (bare spørg min mand), og jeg kan have meget svært ved at holde styr på det tankemylder, der jævnligt fylder mit hoved, og som jeg faktisk gerne ville have ud på papir... men det tager tid, at få det skrevet ned og sorteret i det, så det giver mening. Og jeg sidder lige nu med en fornemmelse af, at der er sket rigtig mange ting i mig, siden sidst, men hvordan er det nu lige, jeg tæller det? Eller afregner, betegner eller beskriver det?

Når Gud bevæger sig i vores inderste, og vi tager os tid til at lytte - og handler på det, vi hører - er det ofte en process, som man ikke kan tage og føle på. Jeg kan ikke vise jer de tanker, Gud har skabt i mit hoved i den sidste tid. Jeg kan ikke hive et produkt frem og sige "her er det!" Og det er til dels fordi det er noget åndeligt og følelsesmæssigt noget, men også fordi det netop en en process... det er slet ikke slut endnu!

For tiden læser jeg en bog om Maria og Martha. Jeg lærer rigtig meget om at prioritere min tid, men også om, hvad Jesus ønsker og længes efter. Jeg synes også, at bogens forfatter, Joanna Weaver, formår at sige noget helt nyt, jeg aldrig har hørt før - hun forstår deres historie på en måde, jeg aldrig har hørt nogen fortælle om den før.

Helt konkret har jeg lært at:

1. Guds vilje udfolder sig ikke altid lineart. - Vi mennesker elsker handlingslinjer, der er forudsigelige og lige til at gå til. Alt skal helst følge et planlagt skema, så vi ved hvad der sker hvornår. Men sådan er Gud ikke. Han har et helt andet perspektiv end vi har - han ved, hvordan det hele slutter, og han ved, hvad der skal til, før det hele slutter det rigtige sted. Salme 139:16 siger " Mens jeg endnu var et foster, så du mig. Mine livsdage var lagt fast og skrevet ned i din bog, længe før jeg så dagens lys."
2. Nogen gange er det for vores eget bedste, at vi må vente lidt på Guds kærlighed - og altid til hans ære! - Da Jesus hører, at Lazarus er døden nær, venter han 2 dage, før han begiver sig af sted for at besøge ham. Inden han når frem er Lazarus død, og Martha og Maria er i sorg. Men Martha har stadig troen intakt; hun går Jesus i møde og siger "hvis du havde været her, var han stadig i live." Hun forstår ikke, hvorfor Jesus ventede med at komme - det er først, da Jesus kalder Lazarus ud af graven og tilbage til livet, at hun virkelig forstår omfanget af Jesu' magt. Formålet med at lade Lazarus dø var ikke at såre nogen - men i stedet at herliggøre Gud gennem Jesus! Midt i livet kan det være svært at forstå, hvorfor Gud ikke griber ind lige når vi beder - men vi kan hvile trygt i, at Guds kærlighed er allerede i gang med at sørge for os. Vores hang til lineære handlingsplaner stemmer sjældent overens med Guds planer - og Guds planer har altid vores bedste for øje! Som der står i Jeremias 29:11: "For jeg ved, hvilke planer jeg har for jer, siger Herren, planer om fremtid og håb." Se også Romerne 8:28.
3. Guds veje er ikke vores veje, men han er altid til at stole på. Mens Maria og Martha sad ved Lazarus' sygeseng og ventede på Jesus, havde de ikke andet end det, de vidste om Jesus, at klynge sig til. De vidste, at Jesus elskede deres bror højt. De vidste, at Jesus elskede dem. At han kunne helbrede. At han kunne udføre mirakler, at han ville vide, hvad der skulle gøres. Alt dette vidste de, fordi de havde brugt tid med Jesus - fordi de havde åbnet deres hjem for ham og haft ham boende, og fordi de havde givet ham taleret ind i deres liv. De ventede på Jesus, fordi det de vidste om ham, gav dem håb for deres bror. Når vi bliver overvældet af dårlige, svære ting og udfordringer, hvad er det så, vi ved om Jesus, som kan giv os håb? Kender vi ham godt nok til at stole på, at han kan gribe ind? Kender vi ham godt nok til at hvile i visheden om, at han kender det sidste kapitel før vi gør? Kender vi ham godt nok til at hvile i troen på hans magt og kærlighed? En kvindelig amerikansk taler ved navn Martha Tennison bliver citeret for at sige: "Vi stoler kun på folk vi kender. Hvis du kæmper med at stole på Gud, er det muligvis fordi du ikke kender ham særlig godt"Dette siger hun på baggrund af en ulykke, hun var med i, hvor 24 teenagere og 3 voksne fra hendes menighed blev slået ihjel. I dagene efter, der indeholdt mange svære, mørke og tunge samtaler med forældre og pårørende, opdagede hun, at "i de mørkeste stunder opdager du, hvad du virkelig tror på. Du opdager, at den Gud du kender er den Gud, du kan holde fast i." (Martha Tennison)

Mit liv er ikke fyldt med de helt store vanskeligheder i øjeblikket, og da slet ikke i sammenligning med mennesker i andre lande, der lider under jordskælv, tsunamier, borgerkrig og andre forfærdelige ting. Men alligevel er det vigtigt, at jeg ikke bliver sløv - for hvis det utænkelige skulle ske, ville det være katastrofalt at opdage, man ikke kendte Gud særlig godt... skulle det utænkelige ske, vil jeg gerne kunne hvile i håbet om, at Gud er med - at Gud kender slutningen på hele miseren og ved, hvad der er bedst for mig.

At kende Gud godt i fredstid er grundlaget for at komme igennem en mørk tid med skindet på næsen. Til Guds ære.

In my last entry, I wrote about God breaking new ground in my heart, and that I yearn for more face-to-face time with him on a daily basis, and I admitted that it was all a little frightening. So what has happened since then?

I often think of my self as a confused person. I easily get confused (just ask my husband) and I have trouble keeping track of all the thoughts that swarm around in my head and which I would actually like to put into writing... but writing takes time, and so does sorting through it all. As I write now, I have a feeling that a lot has changed in me lately, but how do I count it? How do I describe it?

When God moves in our innermost, and we take time to listen - and act on what we hear - it is often a process that can not be palpable. I can not show you the thoughts that God has created in my head the last few days. I can not pull out a product and say 'here it is! " And it is partly because it is both spiritual and emotional, but also because it is an ongoing process ... it's not finished yet!

Currently I am reading a book about Mary and Martha. I'm learning a lot about prioritizing my time, but also about what Jesus wants and longs for. I also think that the book's author, Joanna Weaver, manages to say something new, something I've never heard before - she understands their history in a way I've never heard anyone talk about it before.

Specifically, I have learned that:

1. God's will does not always proceed in a straight line. - We humans love plots that are predictable and easy to understand. Everything should preferably follow a planned schedule, so we know what happens when. But God is not like that. He has a very different perspective than we have - he knows how it all ends, and he knows what it will take before it all ends in the right place. Psalm 139:16 says, " Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be."
2. God's love sometimes tarries for our good and his glory. - When Jesus hears that Lazarus is near death, he waits 2 days before he goes off to visit him. Lazarus dies before Jesus gets there, and Martha and Mary are in mourning. But Martha still has her faith intact, and she goes to meet Jesus on the road and says to him "if you had been here, he would still alive." She does not understand why Jesus waited before coming - it is only when Jesus called Lazarus out from the grave and back to life, that she really understands the extent of Jesus' power.The purpose of letting Lazarus die was not to hurt anyone - but rather to glorify God through Jesus! In the midst of life it can be hard to understand why God does not intervene immediately when we pray - but we can rest confidently that God's love is already providing for us. Our devotion to linear plans rarely fits with God's plans - and God's plans always have our best in mind! As it says in Jeremiah 29:11: "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." See also Romans 8:28.
3. God's ways are not our ways, but his character is still dependable. While Mary and Martha sat at Lazarus' sick bed and waited for Jesus, they had nothing but what they knew about Jesus, to cling to. They knew that Jesus loved their brother. They knew that Jesus loved them. That he could heal. That he could perform miracles, that he would know what to do. All this they knew because they had spent time with Jesus - because they had opened their home to him and had him living with them, and because they had given him the right to speak into their lives. They waited for Jesus because what they knew about him, gave them hope for their brother.When we become overwhelmed by bad, difficult things and challenges, what is it that we know about Jesus, that will give us hope? Do we know him well enough to trust that he will intervene? Do we know him well enough to rest in the certainty that he knows the final chapter before we do? Do we know him well enough to rest in the belief in His power and love? A women's conference speaker named Martha Tennison is quoted as saying: "We only trust people we know. If you're struggling to trust God, it may be bacause you don't really know God." She says this based on a accident she was in, where 24 teenagers and 3 adults from her church were killed. In the days following, including many difficult, dark and heavy conversations with parents and relatives, she discovered that "you find out what you really believe in the darkest hours. You find out that the God you know is the God you can hold on to."

My life is not filled with too much difficulty at the moment and certainly not in comparison with people in other countries that suffer from earthquakes, tsunamis, civil war and other terrible things. Yet it is important that I not be dull - because if the unthinkable were to happen, it would be devastating to discover that I don't know God very well ... should the unthinkable happen, I'd like to rest in the hope that God is with me - that God knows how it all will end and that he knows what is best for me.

To know God well in peacetime is the foundation to getting through dark times all in one piece. To the glory of God.