February 12th Class

Hey, Girls!

Just needing to get a few more things done and put in a couple of phone calls,
 then I'll have a few minutes to put together a few notes from this mornings class!

Three hours later...

I'm sure that you noticed this past week that there was very little that was asked of us, in respect to any homework content or questions asked, in this particular chapter.  The hard work was to be found and wrought in the living out of knowing God as El Shaddai... The All Sufficient One.  

After Kat opened in prayer, the class this morning actually began by my placing a framed photograph in the centre of our table.  Although I related the story of how I came by the photograph, it wasn't really necessary, but if you are interested in hearing it you can click here.  This photograph has a lot of meaning for me, and yet it is also a visual reminder of a much deeper truth.  A truth that is found in Revelation 3:8, 

"...Behold, I have put before you an open door which no one can shut, because you have a little power, and have kept My Word, and have not denied My Name."

These were believers, so we know that The Open Door that was put before them was not speaking of salvation as they were already saved.  We know from John 10:9 that Jesus identifies Himself as being The Door, "I am the door...".  No one can shut this Door, He is our Door, our Entry into the very presence of God the Father.  Notice the 'because' in this verse and the use of the words, power, Word and Name... does this remind you of anything?

The class was then asked to open their Bibles to 2 Chronicles 30:1-9 which was then read.  After giving a bit of historical background on this chapter the focus was really given to verses 6-9.  I'm hoping that you girls that were there this morning can add in the Comment Cafe some of what the discussion regarding this verse centred upon, but basically, what I wanted to bring out was the fact that while many had been taken captive by the Assyrians, some had escaped capture, and they were told, 

"Do not be like your fathers and your brothers, who were unfaithful to the LORD God of their fathers, so that He made them a horror, as you see.  Now do not stiffen your neck like your fathers, but yield to the LORD and enter His sanctuary which He has consecrated forever, and serve the LORD your God, that His burning anger may turn away from you.  For if you return to the LORD your brothers and your sons will find compassion before those who led them captive and will return to this land.  For the LORD your God is gracious and compassionate and will not turn His face away from you if you return to Him."

We discussed the reality of living amongst loved ones that have been taken captive.  Perhaps they  have always been captive and have never been set free.  Perhaps we ourselves have been taken captive by the world.  It's worth taking a closer look at.  Yet, in all this discussion, I didn't want us to lose sight of the fact that within these verses lay the reality that there were those that had not been taken captive.  Yes, they had escaped captivity, yet escaping was not the only or final goal.  

There is a responsibility that comes with not being taken captive by the world...  

their responsibility was to not be like those that had gone into captivity. 

They were not to be stiff-necked, which means obstinate, which means to stubbornly refuse to change one's opinion or chosen course of action despite attempts to persuade one to do so.  Those that were left in the land were to "...return to the LORD God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, that He (God) may return to those of you who escaped and are left...". Those that were left were to "yield to the LORD...".  This yielding should have us thinking of Jesus deferring to The Father in "...not My will but Yours be done." They were to "...enter His sanctuary which He has consecrated forever..."  Honestly, at this point you need to be thinking about how the Name of our God is our Strong Tower and how the righteous run to it and are safe!  Those that had escaped captivity were to "...serve the LORD (their) God..." and it came with the most wonderful promise,... "if you return to the LORD your brothers and your sons will find compassion before those who led them captive and will return to this land.  For the LORD your God is gracious and compassionate and will not turn His face away from you if you return to Him."  We discussed the ramifications of this, and of the reality that even in all of this, even in their responsibility, God was the All-Sufficient One.  For us on this side of the cross, who have the Power of the Holy Spirit dwelling within us, we can better understand the All-Sufficiency of God as we experience our own weakness and yield to Him and His ways and will, knowing His Name of El Shaddai, knowing that He will supply all of our needs.

We also went through the chapter for this past week.  Kat was taken with the Hebrew meaning of the word Shaddai, as meaning 'Breasted' or 'Pourer-forth'.  It was one of those weeks where the meaning of the Name went deeper than perhaps the discussion would allow or could even reflect, but I came away from the morning knowing that God is the All-Sufficient One.  We spoke of Nebuchadnezzar and the dangers of believing that we ourselves are ever self-sufficient, of how we can thank God for the blessing of (for example) doctors and medicine yet knowing, KNOWING that they themselves are not sufficient, but KNOWING that God is the All Sufficient One.

We have been given entrance, as God's child, into the very throne room of God.  
In Christ, The Door has to open, that we might run in.
Christ Himself is The Door.  The Door that beckons us to come on in and find comfort in our Father's arms.

There are many people who run...
     they run to a bottle 
     they run to pills
     they run to a psychiatrist to spill out everything that is in them and to get analyzed
     they run to the arms of another
     there are some who just run. and run. and run. and run...

As we look at the question that Wendy brought up last week....
     where do we run when the unthinkable happens
     where do we run when we just can't handle it any more
     where do we run when we are confused, afraid, hurt, abandoned
Do we truly know His Name.
The Door is Open and ready to usher us in
     that we might run into the arms of God the Father
     our Rock, our Refuge, our very present Help in time of trouble.

OK, girls,  I am trusting in the All-Sufficiency of God in this!  I'm not sure that my thoughts are in order, I have no time to proof-read and I have obviously left you all plenty of room to fill in the blank spots, which my, at this minute, tired brain did not cover, of our morning together!  Looking forward to seeing you all in The Comment Cafe this week!

with joy in serving,

What are you waiting for!

Come on in, 

pull up a chair, 

and join in on the conversation with your sisters in...

The Comment Cafe