Dancing in the Light

I John 1:7 "If we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, cleanses us from all sin."

Name:
Location: North Platte, Nebraska, United States

I am a christian wife, mother and grandmother. I am a licensed Social worker and a licensed Christian counselor. I am most proud of the relationships I have with God, my family and friends all over the world. I have been blessed beyond my dreams.

Thursday, May 31, 2007

Whats the Deal?

Imagine if you will, the sun just setting, bathing the Wal-mart parking lot with rich hues of orange, red and yellow. The air is fresh and crisp, a product of the early afternoon rain shower. The couple, obviously in love, walk hand in hand, smiling at each other as they make their way toward the entrance. The man looks lovingly at her and says with ever so much feeling, "Sweetheart, I love you so . . . " His words are cut short as she stomps in a mud puddle splashing water up the front of his pants. Still holding her hand, he stops and looks incredulously at her standing there with that impish grin on her face and he begins to stutter, " . . . uh. . uh . . . what's the deal?" My, I mean her, response was not what Ned, I mean he, had anticipated. He had opened up his heart to share his feelings with her, hoping at the very least, for a similar response. Instead he got muddy pants.
We are a such a blessed people, living in a free and wealthy country. We have a community of believers to worship with. We have each other. And we have the greatest blessing of all, redemption from sins. According to James 1, our heavenly Father is the giver of these blessings. Because He loves us He showers us with blessings. It is because of that same love that He was willing to offer the very best of Heaven to bring us to Him.
I have often imagined the crucifixion scene. I imagine watching the Son of God be tortured, beaten and murdered for an angry mob, on behalf of the very one with the scourge in his hands, for the benefit of the same one who just recently spit on the Christ, to save the maker of the thorny crown. What an ungrateful group of people! To stand there and watch the dying Messiah ask God to forgive you as you taunt and ridicule Him, seems outrageous to me. How could one not be moved by that scene? How could one not respond appropriately?
And yet, I often wonder how ungrateful my response for that sacrifice is. Do I live day to day acting as if I alone, am responsible for the things that I have? Do I ridicule and taunt the Giver of the sacrifice when I complain about the blessings? Is it my spittle He feels on His face when I condemn and slander His bride? Are my hands the ones weaving the thorns into a makeshift crown, as I waste my talents on making money, having money, spending money and otherwise entertaining myself? Are my actions like lashes from the whip, scourging the back of my Redeemer?
I am sure that just as the first century did not respond like God would have liked, neither do we. Whether we are so busy with worldly things that we forget to thank God, or whether we have become such habitual complainers that we speak without thinking, the response is still that of an ungrateful and immature lover, stomping in the mud puddle at love's declaration.

Peace
Neva

23 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Frequently I read other blogs and while I am entertained I leave the site pretty much as I entered. Yours, however is different. I have been reading for quite some time and have found I always leave with a new idea or a renewed conviction or at the very least some thought to meditate upon. You are very adept at touching our hearts and our consciences. Your words are a blessing.

May God bless you richly.
Patrick

10:52 AM  
Blogger Bob Bliss said...

Neva, cool analogy! I hope I can use your story (er, her story) in a sermon as an illustration. Come to think of it, maybe a whole sermon (just like a whole post on your blog) around such a story would be better. I love real life stories rather than the canned stuff I find on 10,000 illustrations.

10:53 AM  
Blogger Monalea said...

I love the way you put your thoughts into words. I notice that the man did not scold, lecture or put down the one stomping in the mud; neither does our Father!

Love you 2-3-6

Monalea

11:20 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I am so glad He loves us in spite or our bad response. But, it is something we need to work on, all ofus.

Dan

11:24 AM  
Blogger TREY MORGAN said...

You paint such vivid mental pictures. I believe Jesus did the same thing when he taught. Thanks for sharing your gift.

11:39 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Neva,
I can just see you doing that and I can see the look on Ned's face. It had to be funny---I like your analogy too--it is not funny but so very true. I agree with Patrick and the others. You are good!

Pat

12:42 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Convicting post!

Carlos

1:04 PM  
Blogger Mommysmart said...

Beautiful as always. Your posts are always a gift to my day.

Monica

1:08 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Counting our blessings is always a good thing. I cannot imagine how the lack of gratitude must have hurt the father.

Good post.
Rachel

1:29 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Neva, as always, great thoughts.

I agree with Patrick, you always have something to offer that challenges us to greater living.

Thanks for the thoughts and prayers.

2:59 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I love coming here, you always say just what my heart needs to hear. I am so glad God let our blogging paths cross.

In His Love
Corinne

3:09 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

What a great analogy. I have also been guilty of ingratitude
Thanks for the reminder.


Yvonne

3:46 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Neva,
What a great post. I know I am also an ingrate much of the time. I praise God that he forgives and continues to love and bless me.

Carol

4:45 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I stand convicted by your words. This is really a true post.

Lyndsay

5:48 PM  
Blogger Neva said...

Patrick -welcome back, hadn't seen you in awhile. Missed ya.

Bob,anything here is free to use.

Monalea, obviously Ned, er the man, loves Neva, er the woman. :)

Thank you all for such kind comments. You all made my day. Sometimes we post and we aren't sure whether anybody even reads or whether any of the words impact anyone at all. You all make me excited to blog.
Peace
Neva

7:27 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I try to start my day with your blog. It gives me something to think about every day. I appreciate that.
Thank you
Jean

8:41 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Is our only hope that one day we will stop being so self-centered?

11:25 PM  
Blogger The Preacher's Household: said...

I notice that I have never seen the patient man scold or even give dirty looks to the woman.

I really don't want to be the crown of thorns maker.
Kathy

11:43 PM  
Blogger The Preacher's Household: said...

Did I mention the one I love is a saint among men?
K

11:44 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

How quickly we forget the magnitude of the sacrifice and how easy it is for us to take it for granted. I like your reminder here and the challenge to be a better christian.

Shari

8:50 AM  
Blogger The Preacher's Household: said...

I feel the need to point out my wife is not speaking of me. I mention this only to say Kathy thinks the world of Ned, uh the man.

James

10:43 AM  
Blogger Neva said...

James,
Kathy is in good company. I once had a friend ask Ned if I died, would he marry her. He is a very good man, a gift from God and either so he could be married to me, or as a result of being married to me, one of the most patient and understanding men I know.
Kathy obviously knows a good man when she sees one. :)
Peace
n

10:46 AM  
Blogger The Preacher's Household: said...

She must she married me.
BL

11:04 PM  

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