BELONG...

belong |biˈlô ng |

verb [ intrans. ]

1 [with adverbial of place ] (of a thing) be rightly placed in a specified position : learning to place the blame where it belongs.

• be rightly classified in or assigned to a specified category : bony fish: the vast majority of living fish belong here.

2 [usu. with adverbial of place ] (of a person) fit in a specified place or environment : she is a stranger, and doesn't belong here | you and me, we belong together | [as n. ] ( belonging) we feel a real sense of belonging.

• have the right personal or social qualities to be a member of a particular group : young people are generally very anxious to belong.

• ( belong to) be a member or part of (a particular group, organization, or class) : they belong to garden and bridge clubs.

3 ( belong to) be the property of : the vehicle did not belong to him.

• be the rightful possession of; be due to : most of the credit belongs to Paul.

• (of a contest or period of time) be dominated by : the race belonged completely to Ferguson.

Romans 1:6.....including you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ,

Hosea 3:3....And I said to her, “You must dwell as mine for many days. You shall not play the whore, or belong to another man; so will I also be to you.”

1 Corinthians 15:23....But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ.

1 Thess. 5:8....But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation.

We now “have the right personal or social qualities to be a member of a particular group”...that group being the family of Christ. We “are the property of” our Heavenly Father, and “are dominated by” His love. We are “rightly placed in this specified position” because Jesus is rightly placed at the right hand of the Father. Jesus belonged to the Father…was one with the Father…and gave up that right place of belonging He deserved in order to make us…sinners…“belong.”

The hard, enduring, dare I say “thankless” practice of giving thanks…

This past week God has been showing me something really awesome. Really convicting. Much needed…(Like when you look in the mirror and you see you have pepper in your teeth, and you hate that it was ever there, but oh man are you thankful to see it and try and get rid of it). So…I return again to the place of thanksgiving. Back up the mountain I trudge. How did I forget that it is a practice?

practice |ˈpraktəs|

noun

1 the actual application or use of an idea, belief, or method as opposed to theories about such application or use; • the customary, habitual, or expected procedure of something; 2 repeated exercise in or performance of an activity or skill so as to acquire or maintain proficiency in it

verb [ trans. ] ( Brit. practise)

1 perform (an activity) or exercise (a skill) repeatedly or regularly in order to improve or maintain one's proficiency; • actively pursue or be engaged in (a particular profession or occupation)

what the heck have I been doing?

NOT practicing. NOT enduring. NOT actually applying. NOT “performing repeatedly or regularly in order to improve or maintain one’s proficiency”

Did I say it was hard? I think it is. I think the reason it’s hard for me is because when I give thanks I take my eyes off of myself and put them on Someone much, much greater than me. I take the glory (so hopelessly misplaced) off of myself and point it back to where it belongs. To its Origin. To Good. To God.

Goodbye navel-gazing, Hello God-praising.

This morning I read Ephesians 1:3-14. I really came to it in a cool way. A dear friend sent me an email with the words “praise God for this truth this morning,” followed by the verse…quite ironically, it was an email she sent me in order the THANK me for something.

Herein lies a magnificent truth…

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.

In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.”

This passage, which is chock full of splendid sincerity, states three times the phrase “to the praise of His glory/His glorious grace.” Coincidence? Of course not. Nothing in the Word of God ever is.

I want to seek this. To sniff it out and chase it down. To hunt it like treasure. “X” marks the spot and that “X” is thanks. Praise to the Father. Praise for His glory, His mercy, His grace. Praise to the Son. Praise to the Holy Spirit.

11 things I am thankful for in those 11 verses...

1. that I have been blessed in Christ with every spiritual blessing

2. to be chosen by God and predestined in love for adoption through Christ

3. to have redemption through His blood

4. the forgiveness of my trespasses

5. to have His grace lavished upon me (lavished…WOW! What an awesome word! I would put it right up there with Tolkien’s love for “cellar door”)

6. for His making known to me the purpose of His will

7. that He wishes to unite all things to Himself

8. I have obtained an inheritance in Him

9. that I have been predestined according to His will

10. that I am to the praise of His glory

11. that I have been sealed with the promised Holy Spirit

In these 11 verses, there are so many more reasons to be thankful. I pray that it will last beyond this hour, beyond this blog entry, beyond when the coffee shakes wear off, beyond myself.

Psalm 136

Psalm 100

Valley of Vision: God the All

I read this prayer this morning for the first time, and I love it. The parts in bold are my favorite.

O God Whose will conquers all,
There is no comfort in anything apart from
enjoying Thee and being engaged in Thy service;
Thou art All in all, and all enjoyments are what
to me Thou makest them, and no more.

I am well pleased with Thy will, whatever it is, or should be in all respects,
And if Thou bidst me decide for myself in any affair,
I would choose to refer all to Thee,
for Thou art infinitely wise and cannot do amiss, as I am in danger of doing.

I rejoice to think that all things are at Thy disposal,
and it delights me to leave them there.
Then prayer turns wholly into praise, and all I can do is to adore and bless Thee.

What shall I give Thee for all Thy benefits?
I am in a strait betwixt two, knowing not what to do;
I long to make some return, but have nothing to offer, and can only rejoice that Thou doest all,
that none in heaven or on earth shares Thy honour;

I can of myself do nothing to glorify Thy blessed name,
but I can through grace cheerfully surrender soul and body to Thee,
I know that Thou art the author and finisher of faith,
that the whole work of redemption is Thine alone,
that every good work or Thought found in me
is the effect of Thy power and grace,
that Thy sole motive in working in me to will
and to do is for Thy good pleasure.

O God, it is amazing that men can talk so much
about man’s creaturely power and goodness,
when, if Thou didst not hold us back every
moment, we should be devils incarnate.
This, by bitter experience, Thou hast taught me concerning myself.

here is the link if you want to order the book....it is truly a treasure chest of emotive language and poetic prayers...Valley of Vision